Lina: Educator, Motocamper & Adventure Rider

What’s In Your Bag?

Meet Lina – an international educator for various non-profit organizations and educational institutes. Lina’s lifestyle evolved from being a daily commuter to a motocamper and adventure rider. The Lauren Sport bag was there every step of the way as she transitioned from riding for practicality to recreational pursuits.

I currently work in higher education and also lived abroad for several years in different countries working as an international educator for various non-profit organizations and educational institutes. My first experience riding my own motorized two-wheel vehicle took place while living in South Korea when I was given a scooter to get around, albeit with little training beyond a basic lesson on how to operate it. That experience motivated me to get some actual training and obtain a motorcycle license once I returned to the US. Even with a license though, I looked at motorcycling as a mostly practical (though fun!) endeavor as heavy traffic combined with the generally excellent weather southern California offers encourages me to ride instead of drive as much as possible.  

I first encountered the MotoChic bag at a point in my life where I was fed up with switching my stuff back and forth between my purse and my backpack whenever I went on a ride. I had experimented with ditching my purse and using a backpack exclusively but found the style to be inconvenient as sometimes I wanted my things like my phone, keys, or wallet available by my side for me to access quickly, especially if I was running errands. In addition, I try to always carry a water bottle and a light jacket with me, so I was also pushing my purse to its limits when I wasn’t using a backpack, especially if I tried to throw my laptop in there, a necessary requirement when commuting to work. I really was looking for a bag that could do it all and was surprised to stumble upon the MotoChic brand at an event geared towards women riders here in SoCal.

When I purchased the bag, I had been working remotely thanks to the pandemic, so I had visions of myself hopping on my bike and riding to a café or park nearby to do some work. That didn’t pan out (not the fault of the bag), but the continuation of remote work meant that I found myself veering into motocamping and adventure riding, and ultimately changing my view of motorcycling from a more of a practical to recreational pursuit.  It was during this time that I discovered my Lauren bag really shone in a way I hadn’t planned for when I first purchased it. As a commuter, I initially appreciated the convertible aspect of the bag from backpack to tote, the reflective accents for visibility, and laptop storage, but through motocamping I discovered the additional benefits of its other features.  

During a typical trip, I will stow the bag away in my top box or saddlebags, where thanks to the ability to tuck all the straps completely away, it doesn’t get caught on the other gear in there. Once I set up camp, I will unpack it and use it as a day pack on exploratory rides away from base camp. The double chest and waist straps made the bag ideal for hiking and the interior “laptop” pocket can also be used to hold a water bladder, effectively converting the bag to a hydration pack, which has provided great relief when riding in 100+ degree heat waves. The light that illuminates the main compartment comes in handy back at camp when I need to search for something on a moonless, pitch black night. Finally, in terms of durability, as a novice adventure motorcyclist, AKA new dirt rider, I’ve had many a spill off-road on my bike, with barely a scruff to the bag (if only my bike could be so lucky!). The only part that eventually gave out (but not due to a fall) was the chest buckle, which was repaired by MotoChic.   

This bag is not cheap, but that is also an attestment to its quality. In a year of riding with it and using it in many different scenarios, from urban commuting, weekend canyon rides to local biker stops, and long multi-night road trips, I’ve already gotten my money’s worth out of this bag, with of course additional years to come. I have yet to encounter another bag on the market that has all the features that this one offers and I strongly recommend it to other riders for its unparalleled durability and versatility.     

Through two weeks of traveling, Lina’s Lauren Sport bag was able to hold everything she needed to work while away:

• Laptop, case, charger
• Tablet, case, charger
• Phone, charger
• Assorted notebooks, pens
• File folder
• Headphones
• Mouse
• Extra charging outlet, battery pack
• Extra assorted USB cables
• Toiletry kit (lotion, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, lens wipes, tissues, etc..)