[Ohm]

I was out cruising around town today, paying bills for the boss

and dropped into the local army surplus store

They had some soft canvas bags that I think might work well as saddle bags for my GL. They are about 14"x12"x4" if I remember correctly and have two straps that go up the back, over the top and down the front to secure the top. I originally thought they would be too soft to really work well but after my evening brainstorming session, walking the hound dogs

I think they might work with some mods. I think what I can do is take some corrugated plastic sign board and make inserts to give them some structure and add some Velcro to the top to better secure the top. Then I will take some scotch guard and water "proof" the bags. I will go back tomorrow and check them out again but I think they will work good and for $17.50 a piece the price ain't bad either.

 

[Blindstitch]

Just make sure it doesn't sit on the muffler.

 

[jayhanig]

I was out cruising around town today, paying bills for the boss

and dropped into the local army surplus store

They had some soft canvas bags that I think might work well as saddle bags for my GL. They are about 14"x12"x4" if I remember correctly and have two straps that go up the back, over the top and down the front to secure the top. I originally thought they would be too soft to really work well but after my evening brainstorming session, walking the hound dogs

I think they might work with some mods. I think what I can do is take some corrugated plastic sign board and make inserts to give them some structure and add some Velcro to the top to better secure the top. Then I will take some scotch guard and water "proof" the bags. I will go back tomorrow and check them out again but I think they will work good and for $17.50 a piece the price ain't bad either.

It's not real clear from what you've written but be sure to rig up some sort of metal frame to keep your saddle bags from leaning into the rear wheel during turns. I've got plain jane naugahyde saddlebags from Willy & Max but I used their universal mounting kit to keep them from getting chewed up.

Universal Mounts I actually mounted my brackets using some "p" clamps.

 

[Ohm]

It's not real clear from what you've written but be sure to rig up some sort of metal frame to keep your saddle bags from leaning into the rear wheel during turns. I've got plain jane naugahyde saddlebags from Willy & Max but I used their universal mounting kit to keep them from getting chewed up.

Universal Mounts I actually mounted my brackets using some "p" clamps.

I will look into that.

 

[kingston73]

You also want to make sure you have a front and rear tie down for them.  Otherwise you might look like Dumbo's ears driving down the highway.

 

[jayhanig]

You also want to make sure you have a front and rear tie down for them.  Otherwise you might look like Dumbo's ears driving down the highway.

That's an image. <G>

 

[Ohm]

Lets try this again, I "posted" earlier but previewed instead of posted

Oh well, they are completely done now anyway, time for photos

Front of the bags

Back of the bags, notice the convenient mounting hardware already on the bags

Here is one of the liners that I made for inside the bags cut out of corrugated plastic sign board, I goofed on this one but it still works fine.

The liners fit in nice and snug and you can see the draw string inner top.

With the liner in it gives the bag a nice shape.

On the bike I installed some 1" wide aluminum bars to use as back supports and tie points, these are just run front the hole in the front of the turn signal mount/seat lock and the stock lower saddle bag tie point, bolts are loctited as well.

Here is a nice front 3/4 view of the bike with the bags installed.

A view from the back.



The bags aren't huge but together provide about 740 cubic inches of space, one has plenty of room to house both liners for my jacket and more if I roll them up tight. The bags were originally butt bags or all things but for a total of $35 I am not complaining, still need to get some "water proofer" though.

 

[Blindstitch]

Of course now that you bought them three is a guy giving away a pair of saddlebags for shipping.

 

[Ohm]

Ehh, oh well, I made the mistake of passing on the extra set of bags JWNovaman had but I think I like these better anyway and the shipping for something that large halfway across the country would be down right painful I'm sure.

 

[Blindstitch]

Actually shipping something like that through USPS wouldn't be that bad. The Supertank came in a box 22x26x15 and weighed 25 pounds. It only cost $40 to ship with $1000 insurance. Would have been close to $30 otherwise.

 

[cxlover]

I love it man, i need something like that for my CX. where can you get plastic like the type you used. Do they sell it at a wal-mart or something?

 

[Shep]

Nice work.I like the way you strengthened the inners

 

[jayhanig]

Lets try this again, I "posted" earlier but previewed instead of posted

Oh well, they are completely done now anyway, time for photos

The bags aren't huge but together provide about 740 cubic inches of space, one has plenty of room to house both liners for my jacket and more if I roll them up tight. The bags were originally butt bags or all things but for a total of $35 I am not complaining, still need to get some "water proofer" though.

Now that was very nicely done.

 

[gopher]

That's a crisp and tidy job Ohm! Plastic garbage bags as liners are effective as the second layer of waterproofing, cheap and handy, black ones would even match.

For the foreigners here, 760 cu. in. is a little over 12 liters.

 

[Shep]

That's a crisp and tidy job Ohm! Plastic garbage bags as liners are effective as the second layer of waterproofing, cheap and handy, black ones would even match.

For the foreigners here, 760 cu. in. is a little over 12 liters.

Is 12 liters the same as 12 litres?<grin>

 

[gopher]

Busted. I think I'll climb into the letterbox.

 

[Shep]

Busted. I think I'll climb into the letterbox.

 

[jayhanig]

Is 12 liters the same as 12 litres?<grin>

In the US, the former is spelled correctly. Less desirable locations spell it like the latter. <G>

 

[gopher]

Poor Canadians

Caught between the 'proper' English spelling and the US variation of a word they don't even use. I'm out of the letterbox, Jay, you had better jump in.

 

[dhoenisch]

Very nice job on those bags. I'm still looking for an idea as I just don't think leather looks good on our bikes. I like your idea a lot, and it's cheap. Do you have a link where those bags can be purchased?



As for water proofing, couldn't you use some of that waterproofing spray you can get at a place that sells camping supplies? I would think one can could do a couple of coats and keep those bags water resistant.



Dan