When devising a solution to any given problem, there are two common choices; to take a focused, specific, calculated approach or to find a blanket answer that is ‘good enough.’ The latest tank bag from Mosko Moto, the Nomax V3.0 is most definitely the former. While other tank bags I’ve used in the past have been little more than a single, simple storage compartment, the Nomax Tank Bag offers a multi-layered system with more nooks and crannies than an english muffin. 

In the latest version of the bag (V3.0), it received an additional expansion zipper that adds 2.5 liters of capacity, as well as upgraded backpack straps, a pocket for an inReach device, and it is now constructed with lighter weight recycled 630D Nylon material.

As mentioned above the Nomax is more of a system than just a bag. It has many layers, all with multiple retention options for any small item imaginable. Tools, cables, straps, cameras, glasses, chapstick, sandwiches, your favorite copy of War and Peace… Whatever you want to have quick access to on the bike, there is a spot for it in this bag.

Getting It Installed

Mounting the Nomax V3 bag is straightforward. The front two snaps of the bag hook into a strap that can be mounted around the steering tube of the bike.

The lower straps require you to make some decisions. Rather than a more typical system where a strap can be looped around a section of frame and through itself to be secured, the Nomax has a lower section of strap that is zip-tied to a secure mounting point. The benefit of this setup is that once the zip tied sections are in place, the bag can be popped on and off in a matter of seconds with its burly snaps. 

But, I also see two small downsides to this mounting method. One, to swap this bike to another bike, you’ll have to cut off the lower section of straps and rezip-tie them to the other bike. Not a huge deal but if you have multiple ADV/dual-sport machines, you might need to get an extra pair of clips. Two, since you need a longer section of frame to mount the zip tie section to, mounting locations might be limited. Yet for me and my T7, I found suitable spots without any trouble.

Another factor in the mounting department is that the T7 has a raised gas cap making any tank bag not sit fully flush with the tank. I have used another tank bag with a harness system that left space for a raised gas cap. It’s not really Mosko’s fault though, more of a T7 problem. 

How It Performed

According to Mosko, the vast majority of items riders put in their tank bags are small and that seems to be the major design focus the company used to create the latest Nomax. This bag is not made up of one single large main compartment, which is typical for a lot of tank bags. Rather, multiple layers have specific layouts for keeping small things organized. You can keep all your electronics, cables, and chargers in one layer, snacks, phone, map, tire gauge, pens, etc. in another, and bigger items in the last layer.

On the outside of the bag, there is a MOLLE grid, which stands for “modular lightweight load-carrying equipment.” Since this is a popular system used by tactical personnel (military, law enforcement) there are plenty of smaller bags, clips, straps, etc. available that can further expand the use and capacity of the tank bag. I would, however, be weary of adding much more to the height of this bag, at least on the T7.

Overall this type of tank bag is for an organized person. One major benefit of this bag is that, over time, you’ll find, through trial and error, what items you want where and what makes the most sense. I say over time because, upon first use, I was a little overwhelmed with organization options and had some difficulty deciding on the optimal use of space. But since I’m not the most organized person, this is not unexpected.

What you are not able to do easily is throw big items in the bag since it doesn’t have one main, large compartment. For example, I wanted to ditch a mid-layer jacket as one particular ride got warmer and could barely cram it into the main compartment. The Nomax does have an extension zipper to give it more space, which I used, but maxed out like this, it did get in my way more often while riding standing up. Since the beaver tail section has connection webbing on the sides, it’s limited for fitting larger items too. The larger Beaver Tails on the Mosko tail bag or panniers are much better for packing this sort of thing.

That being said, the largest compartment is big enough to hold a DSLR camera and lens, spare goggles, spare gloves, battery pack, Bluetooth speaker, and its rain cover. That’s more than enough capacity for most riders who use their tank bag for essentials.

I also wore the Nomax as a backpack on an off-road-only ride and it worked fine. I prefer hydration packs that have straps with some elasticity, but with the chest and waist straps, it was secure. And, the bag gets a big +1 for having the unique versatility of converting into a hydro pack. There is even a spot on the shoulder straps to feed the hydration hose through, just like dedicated hydro packs.

The attention to detail on the Nomax is second to none. First, I love the color. Second, all of the materials are top-notch. The buckles are made of thick plastic and have loud, positive clicks when engaged. The straps are thick and malleable making them super smooth and easy to cinch tight. While I haven’t used it enough to truly test long-term durability, the materials used, the level of construction, and function of zippers and buckles gives me confidence in the bag’s longevity.

There are only a few minor issues I had with the Nomax pack, and none that would make me regret owning this tank bag. The bite valve has a cover and a twist on-off function. For ease of use with one hand while riding, I prefer to  have the bite valve cover off and the valve in the ‘on’ position. But, since the bite valve is on the bottom of the bag and I sometimes bumped it while riding, I had to leave the cover on or keep the valve off  if I wanted to keep my pants dry.

Another quirk I noticed is that even though I mounted the bag as forward as possible without hitting the Tenere’s handlebars, the back edge of the bag was still in my way a bit when off-roading standing up and while on-road leaning hard into a corner. While just cruising, it wasn’t an issue, but both aggressive street and off-road riding made me want to put the bag on my back rather than leave it on the bike. This may be a bike-specific con though since I have only tested it on a Tenere 700.

Who It’s For

This pack is for someone who likes to keep organized and prefers a lot of specific locations for small to medium-sized items. It would also work well for someone who likes to keep some of their primary tools on hand rather than packed away in a tool roll. It is not ideal for someone who likes to just throw everything unceremoniously into a single large compartment.

Our Verdict

Before buying the Mosko Moto Nomax V3 Tank Bag, you need to get honest with yourself. Do you like everything in its place and to have a place for everything? In other words, are you an organized rider who knows exactly what to put where? To be honest, I’m more of a “throw everything in a bag and go” sort of person but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate all of the organization offered by the Nomax. With every ride, I’ll have an opportunity to get closer to tank bag organization optimization. I would, without question, recommend this bag to fellow riders for its quality, functionality, and attention to detail. 

What We Liked

• Extremely feature dense.
• Can be used as a rider-mounted or off-the-bike hydration pack.
• Quality of materials and design.
• Lots of options.

What Could Be Improved 

• Make it Waterproof without a rain cover.
• For easier one-handed sipping, reposition the hydration tube holder so that the bite valve is less likely to come in contact with the body while riding.
• Provide a loop strap option, in addition to the zip-tie option, for the lower anchor points. 

Nomax Tank Bag v3 Specs

• CONSTRUCTION: 630D High Density 100% Recycled Nylon Main Body.
• WATERPROOFING: Nylon rain cover w/ clear PVC welded seam top panel and sealed side seams.
• CAPACITY: 8 liters (10.5 liters expanded); 2.0 liter Hydrapack water reservoir included
• WEIGHT: 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg)
• COLORS: High Desert, Black, Woodland
• DIMENSIONS: 15” (38 cm) L x 8.5” (21.5 cm) W x 5.5” (14 cm) H
• PRICE: Starts at $309

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Photos by Sean Klinger

Author: Sean Klinger

With his sights set on doing what he loved for a living, Sean left college with a BA in Journalism and dirt bike in his truck. After five years at a dirt-only motorcycle magazine shooting, testing, writing, editing, and a little off-road racing, he has switched gears to bigger bikes and longer adventures. He’ll probably get lost a few times but he’ll always have fun doing it. Two wheels and adventure is all he needs.