Luggage You Can Ride On?!?!?!

by SharonKurheg

We’ve all been there – you’re traveling to somewhere and, with luggage in hand, have to go from the airport parking lot to the check-in desk, then through X-ray and then to your gate. And if you have “Joe and Sharon luck,” your gate is guaranteed to be THE LAST ONE, on the very far end, because reasons. Little kids have the right idea…be in a stroller or a baby carrier, or heck, just ride on the luggage. Wouldn’t that be awesome?

Well, now you can! It’s called…

Modobag! And it’s the world’s first motorized, rideable luggage!

Modo01

Photo via https://www.facebook.com/modobag/

Part carry-on suitcase and part motorized vehicle, Modobag is said to be the world’s first hybrid luggage. It has an extendable handle so you can pull or push it like a traditional wheeled carry-on bag, but if you want to ride on it, you can just lower the bag into its riding position, jump on the built-in seating area and hit the throttle!

Modobag’s features include:

  • Size of typical U.S. carry on bag: 22″ long x 9″ wide x 14″ tall
  • 1800 cubic inches of interior stowing capacity (roughly 85% of a similarly sized non-motorized bag)
  • Telescoping handlebars (used to throttle, brake and steer) for easy setup
  • Custom, precision brake assembly
  • Custom wheels made of high-performance polyuethane, with sealed ball bearings throughout
  • Quick release, slip resistant foot pegs for stability
  • UL approved smart charger (you can expect over 4000 full charge cycles)
  • Cushioned seat
  • Dual 5V USB ports
  • Outside pockets to quickly stow tablet and phone
  • Crushproof laptop compartment

Built by hand in Chicago, Modobag’s top speed is 8mph and has indoor and outdoor settings for speed control. It weighs 20 lbs. and has a range of 6 miles per charge (based on an 180 lb. rider. Maximum rider weight is 260 lbs.). The bag meet the regulations for the FAA, TSA and IATA, and passes and exceeds UN 38.3 safety tests.

An Indigogo fundraising campaign for Modobag started in July 2016 and their goal was reached in less than 48 hours. In fact, thanks to news reports on/in Good Morning America, CNBC, Forbes, Popular Mechanics, Univision, CNet and dozens of other print, television and online media entities, by the end of the campaign in September of that year, they had reached their goal several times over! Production soon began and after some hiccoughs with quality control and delays of some parts, shipping began in late summer 2017, with the first bags going, rightly so, to their earliest Indigogo backers. Once all the backers have received their Modobags, they should be available to the rest of us, for a cool $1,400 each, so we can ride our luggage into the sunset. Or to the gate, at least.

Tip of the hat to JoAnne H. for the inspiration for this post!

Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love if you decided to hang around and clicked the button on the top (if you’re on your computer) or the bottom (if you’re on your phone/tablet) of this page to follow our blog and get emailed notifications of when we post (it’s usually just two or three times a day). Or maybe you’d like to join our Facebook group, where we talk and ask questions about travel (including Disney parks), creative ways to earn frequent flyer miles and hotel points, how to save money on or for your trips, get access to travel  articles you may not see otherwise, etc. Whether you’ve read our posts before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!

This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary

Leave a Comment