Opinions/Suggestions on saddlebags needed

[mattsz]

I wouldn't weld them to the frame.  Make them removable...

[tooseevee]

that's not a bad idea actually....

any other thoughts as I sort through the list of things to do on my bike before my wife no longer has a paycheck coming in(just had a baby and she's not going back to work)?

           Where is the baby going to ride?   

[busmec]

Here is how I mounted my saddle bags on my B5 , I know its not the same but similar. I used the shock mount as main mounting point & the fender supports as 3 remaining  mount points using fuel line clamps. The brackets was made out of 3/16 Th's X 1/2 in flat steel. The pic should give a idea of mounting bend & points. Hope this helps      Dan

[busmec]

I uploaded  pic in too large format , if you right click pic & open in new window you will be able to view pic better.    Dan

[b.sheets]

Dan, thank you! it's also a relief that I'm not the only one faced with a task like this! You did a great job, I appreciate you taking time to upload the picture... Saving it to my files.

[hillntx]

Just hook one of these to the back and have all the storage you need:


http://nfieldgear.com/enfield-store/aftermarket-parts-accessories/sidecars-trailers/inder-motorcycle-black.html

[Rich Mintz]

I spent a little too long paging through the Hitchcocks catalog online, and decided I needed saddlebags. (I'm planning to do some overnight touring soon.)

I have the Classic C5 with the factory pillion seat, with the tiny black rail behind that isn't high enough to lean a bag against. I'd like something that is pretty easy to grab and go (ideally, suitable for daily on/off use, so I can use it for grocery runs and the like), and so I settled on the Kuryakyn GranThrow-Over Saddlebags, which look like they will both fit and come on and off easily. Just placed an order. Did I do good?

Product here: http://www.kuryakyn.com/products/694/granthrow-over-saddlebags

[mattsz]

Rich-

You may find the bags riding a little low without a rear seat position to throw the bags over.  Some guys use a rear rack.  If you throw them right over the fenders, and you give a damn about such things, protect your fenders and frame parts!  Dirt and grime gets between the bags and hard surfaces and any movement will scratch up the paint.  Somewhere recently I posted a photo showing how my bags wore the paint from my fender struts completely away, and my rear fender paint is not worn through, but it's definitely scuffed up.  Some kind of tubing sliced lengthwise can be put over your struts, and for the fender...  I'm not sure.  Maybe some kind of microfiber padding?  May prevent scratching, but absorbs water.  That waffled perforated carpet non-slip stuff?  Maybe, but I don't know if it will remain stationary on the fender, which it would need to do.  Plus, I've seen that stuff leave markings in glossy surfaces.

Anybody have any suggestions?  I'm preparing to lose my "throw-over" capability for a direct mount but pseudo-quick release mounting...

[Rich Mintz]

To clarify, I have this OEM pillion seat which rests on a metal frame, not directly on the mudguard:

http://assets.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/pictures/category5555/mid/597447.jpg

So it looks like I can sling the bag directly over that. I still need to be careful of friction points lower down -- we'll see where the touch points are when I put it on.

[mattsz]

Rich-

I like the way you kindly said, "to clarify" before repeating yourself, when what you should have said was, "read my post, you damn fool!"

Which is my way of saying, if the damn fool (me) had read the post, I would have known that your pillion pad should keep your fender safe from throw-over bags.  Mind your fender struts, though.  Oh, I see you are.  See, I read your post! 

Let's see, I know I put it here somewhere...  yes, here it is:



The long bare strip on my lower strut is worn from being rubbed by the back of my bag.  The bag's piped edges stick out slightly proud of the back, and have rubbed a little harder on the point you can see that almost lines up with the fender towards the right side of the pic, and on the corner of the tool box cover, which you can just see at the left of the pic.  All that light gray coloring is bare metal.  YMMV...

[motorat]

ouch!!!
i tie wrapped each corner of my canvas bags to that brace.
no rubbing but they also don't just lift off either

[mattsz]

Mine are a fairly hard plastic-y fake leather, and they aren't rock-solidly mounted, so I can see how things would get scratched up pretty quickly.  I have some ideas about changing my mounting scheme, and I'll be checking out the color match of the touch-up spray that came with the bike! 

[Rich Mintz]

I bought the Kuryakyn throw-over saddlebags I was looking at. I like the convenience of being able to drop them onto the bike and secure them in about 30 seconds, and pull them off likewise.

They aren't a perfect fit -- on the left side, the lift bracket and acorn bolt are in the way -- but they're good enough for me. And I'm optimistic that there won't be too much friction. (The metal rings on the bags are protected.)

They came with a zillion straps -- I'm securing each bag to a passenger footpeg using a long velcro strap with a clip on the end, and securing the two bags together (and through the OEM sissy bar behind the pillion seat) with a different kind of strap. Even at highway speeds, they're not going anywhere.

I'm taking them on a 100-mile ride tomorrow, from NYC to Philadelphia -- we'll see how they hold up.

Pictures here: http://richmintz.com/2013/02/riding-to-philadelphia-tomorrow/

[mattsz]

Wow, they're big!  Should be plenty of room in there for whatever you need.

The aesthetists among us might be inclined to point out to you that you may have your bags on backwards.  I'm pretty sure that they're meant to slant forward instead of backwards, to allow passengers clear access to the foot pegs.  Makes the bike look faster, too.  But they're long enough, if you switch 'em the bottom corners might interfere with the turn signals...

Enjoy your ride!  In Maine, we're most of us living vicariously through you, Rich!

[Blairio]

To stop the paint being scuffed off the likes of pannier racks and fender supports I use lengths of the grey foam pipe lagging - the stuff you clip over your plumbing pipes in winter. Cheap, easy to work with and secured with some gaffa tape.