For nearly three decades, Wolfman Luggage has been a player in the motorcycle soft luggage industry, and one of the company’s most popular bags for some time has been the Enduro Tank Bag. One reason for its popularity is that it’s sized just big enough to carry essentials that you need quick access to, while it’s also small enough that even minimalist off-road riders don’t mind strapping it onto their dual sport bikes. Rugged construction has also been part of the Enduro Tank Bag’s allure, and we can attest that we’ve never had one fail on us after countless miles of hard riding.

For 2020, Wolfman has revamped their entire line of soft luggage. Included in that list of new products is the Enduro Tank Bag. So why mess with something that ain’t broke? As much as we loved the utility of the old Wolfman Tank Bag, it did have one notable drawback: It wasn’t waterproof. In wet weather, you needed to put a weatherproof cover over it to keep valuables protected.

As part of the revamp of their new line of bags, the new Enduro Tank Bag ‘WP’ is now waterproof, without an inner waterproof bag or outer cover. The old stitched 1680D ballistic nylon fabric is gone, replaced with a new 3-layer heavy-duty, RF-Welded 840D TPU shell and 840 D Nylon in the center for an ultra durable and weather/dunk-proof construction.

While the next-gen Enduro Tank Bag WP looks similar in shape and size to the old model, the new material and construction processes have opened up new possibilities. This gave owner and seasoned adventure rider, Eric Hougen, an opportunity to rethink the old bag and refresh it with more-sophisticated features to further improve its versatility.

What’s New?

When you first open the Enduro Tank Bag, the most obvious change is the hi-viz yellow interior. When riding in low light, this bright background helps small items stand out in the bag, making them easier to locate. Another bright new feature are the yellow bungee straps on top of the lid. The additional criss-cross cordage makes it even easier to stuff your gloves or even a jacket liner there temporarily.

The old lid had a convenient internal zipper pocket, which was perfect for stashing small, relatively-flat items. That integrated pocket is now gone, but it has been replaced with a removable pocket that doubles as a mini Fanny Pack. This adds convenience by allowing you to take those important items with you when you step away from the bike.

Another change is in the rain flap running around the full length of the zipper, which could make zipping and unzipping the old bag cumbersome at times. Now with the new waterproof design, the rain flap is only a few inches long, covering just the front of the bag where the two zippers come together. This short flap interferes much less and the new YKK waterproof zipper design operates smoothly.

The old Enduro Tank Bag had a little strap in front that could be used as a handle to carry the bag off the bike, but this always seemed like more of an afterthought. The new bag incorporates a rubber handle and more length to make it a much better design for carrying.

Other new features include slots on the top that allow you to attach another auxiliary bag, water bottle or anything else you could think of to customize your luggage setup. These slots are also used to attach the included, map pocket which is mounted with Velcro straps. The new detachable map pocket lets you take the map with you when you need to share your travel plans with riding buddies or to analyze your route over lunch. 

How the bag keeps its shape has changed too. The old bag used foam padding, and if it wasn’t stuffed full, it would sometimes sag down or look crunched. Now the bag uses plastic stiffeners to hold its shape, yet it remains flexible enough to take a beating and return to its original shape. Another new visual feature are the reflective wolf logos on the sides, which are not only cool looking but give your bike improved nighttime visibility.

Getting It Installed

One thing that hasn’t changed much is the 4-point quick-release mounting harness system, although the plastic clips are a beefier design. Front straps wrap around the steering head area, while the rear straps connect to the frame rails near the front of the seat. You just need to be careful that the straps don’t impinge on any cables or hoses. Depending on the bike, it can usually be attached in a matter of minutes. Once attached, you can use the four plastic clips to quickly detach the bag from the bike when you want to take it with you. 

The shape of the bag makes it ideal for tanks with a rear slope to them. It will still work on long flat-topped tanks like the BMW R1200GS, but will sit with a forward sloped angle. We’ve tested the Wolfman Enduro Tank bag on a variety of different bikes from the Royal Enfield Himalayan, to the Honda Africa Twin and we were able to get it installed quickly and securely. 

One thing we did notice that we’d like to see in future versions, is the inclusion of elastic loops on the mounting straps that can be used to hold excess strapping. In its current form, excess straps can be stuffed into the elastic tensioning cross straps, but sometimes those are hard to get to. Cutting the excess strapping is another option, but we like to have the flexibility to move the tank to different bikes which may use more or less strap length.

How It Performed

Out testing the Enduro Tank Bag WP, the first thing I noticed was that it’s a little smaller than before. Checking the specs, it appears the bag capacity has been reduced from 6 liters to 4 liters. Now that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you felt the old version was too big. The overall smaller size of the bag means it will get in the way even less than before. The old Enduro Tank Bag’s foam padding also made it even more bulky. While the new bag gets its shape from plastic inserts, which does trim it down a bit, it doesn’t offer any additional shock protection for electronics.

Despite the reduced size, it still fits everything I normally put in my tank bag which includes a DSLR camera in a padded case, lip balm, a snack, rag, multi-tool, and tire pressure gauge. I still had some additional space to store items on the sides of the camera bag as well. Even though I often overstuff it, the zipper has held up to the abuse without any snags after more than a few thousand miles of riding with it.

Out on the trail, the Enduro Tank Bag WP still offers the same stability. Yet now with the new bag material, it’s a little lighter, stiffer and less prone to movement. While the old woven material could get dingy looking after a muddy or dusty day, the new smooth TPU material won’t stain and wipes clean easily. 

Under the lid, the removable pocket/fanny pack doesn’t have quite as much storage capacity as the old lid pocket. It also doesn’t have the mesh material that made it easier to see what’s inside. On top, the new map pocket initially looked too loosely attached for higher speeds, but three Velcro mounting loops hold it in place more solidly than you might expect. I did test it somewhere north of 100 mph a few times (on a closed course of course) and the map pocket stayed attached.

Getting to the fuel tank cap is easy by just popping the plastic buckles. In fact, on most tanks you can just unsnap one buckle and slide the bag to the side during fill ups. The new handle also proved to be a new convenience that I actually found myself using when I never did before with the old design. The one thing I did miss was the old external mesh pocket that was on the rear of the old Enduro Tank Bag (near the handle). I found that a convenient place to store things, without having to open the bag up, like my ear plugs when stopping for gas. The mesh material made it easy to see what was in there too. 

While we haven’t had any heavy rain recently to test the new waterproof design, we did douse it thoroughly with a hose for several minutes. After a close inspection, the new waterproof material and waterproof zippers didn’t let any moisture seep through. I’d even trust it for a quick dunk in water, which is a big benefit since I carry a DSLR camera there.

Who’s It For

Minimalist packers that like the convenience of a tank bag but don’t want it to get in the way during aggressive off-road riding. Also, those who ride in wet environments will appreciate the excellent built-in waterproofing. It’s an ideal size for smaller dual sport bikes as well.

Our Verdict

The new Wolfman Enduro Tank Bag is the same compact, practical bag it always has been, but with improved convenience and utility like its built-in waterproofing, removable inner pocket, expansion strap slots on the lid, additional bungee cordage, and more. It’s reduced size may cause some to yearn for additional space, while others will find its reduced bulk to be an advantage. At $145, it’s about $25 more than the old bag but the waterproofing alone makes it well worth the extra cost. We expect it will still be one of our favorite bags for many years to come.

What We Liked

• Small enough to stay out of the way during aggressive off-road riding.
• Big enough to carry all your essentials you need quick access to.
• New material is more durable and waterproof.
• Improved feature set offers more convenience and utility.

What Could Be Improved

• Include elastic loops to hold down excess strap material.
• Bring back the rear mesh pocket.

Enduro Tank Bag WP Specs

CONSTRUCTION: Waterproof 840D nylon TPU laminate, black outside bright yellow inside, RF-welded seams.
ZIPPER: #8 YKK waterproof
CAPACITY:  244 cu.in. / 4 Liters
WEIGHT: 1.6 lb/.7 kg
DIMENSIONS: 9″ (length) x 6″ (width) x 5.5″/4″ (height front/rear)
PRICE: $144.99

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Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.