Am I missing the boat here on bags?

4196 Views 31 Replies 14 Participants Last post by apbling, Jul 28, 2011

apbling

Discussion Starter · Jul 23, 2011

I am confused.

I have some old, floppy, weather saddle bags for 93 vt1100.

I want some new ones. Rigid type. Eyeing up a couple castle and saddleman ones. Now, I don't have the support brackets. Guy at the dealership told me you actually mount them to the brackets and they stay put... is this true? I thought you do the throw over thing, put your passenger seat on and the brackets only held the bags away from your shock and fenders...

BTW, my blinkers are in the stock position... and I'd prefer them to stay there if possible.

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

TorontoBoy

· #2 · Jul 23, 2011

Either way is Ok. Rigid mounted is more secure and they won't move with the wind as much. Throwing it over the fender is also Ok. The brackets prevent the bags from getting sucked into your rear wheel.

You could convert your existing saddlebags into more rigid ones by adding plastic inserts into the bags.

Kathy M

· #3 · Jul 23, 2011

TorontoBoy said:
You could convert your existing saddlebags into more rigid ones by adding plastic inserts into the bags.

Definitely. See attached... makes a great improvement!

Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Car Motor vehicle

See less See more

dernp

· #4 · Jul 24, 2011

I have Saddleman's. Easy mount. It works for me.

apbling

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 24, 2011

So if I get some throw over bags, can they be rigid mounted too?

93gc40

· #6 · Jul 24, 2011

apbling said:
So if I get some throw over bags, can they be rigid mounted too?

Yes, they can. It will require some customizing of the bags but it can be done. I made some semi rigid bags out of some willie max throughs. I reinforec the bags with plastic on the back side. Then I change 2 of the fender bolts those bolts with a stud on the end and secured the bags to the rail with a wing nut. Not quite Quick disconnect but easily removed.

Normspeed

· #7 · Jul 24, 2011

I think rigid bags are easier to rigid mount. But, recently I did a rigid mount on a friend's throw overs, then cut off the yoke and tossed it. We made up some mounts from flat aluminum stock and drilled them so we could bolt through them into the seat brace bolts. The mounts, placed inside the bags, looked like a "T". He already had a good set of bag braces installed and I would not have done the rigid mount with soft bags without bag braces.

bikenut

· #8 · Jul 24, 2011

Curious, anybody find bags that work with the existing signal lights and stock shocks? The guys at Iron Pony tell me I need to move the lights or shocks to fit their bags. They also wanted $80 for the bag bars, and I know I can get a universal for $40. So... have good bags that mount with minor mods?

93gc40

· #9 · Jul 24, 2011

Most SMALL bags will work with the lights in the stock location, under 12" length.

apbling

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 24, 2011

I never need to haul much, so some smaller ones would work great for me. I don't even like the look of having bags, but they are more of a requirement I'll have to live with.

elfnyc

· #11 · Jul 24, 2011

bags ? what where hahaha

Haze

· #12 · Jul 24, 2011

Check the Eureka Boy website for a complete write up on hard mounting of soft bags.
I ride a Shadow Spirit 1100 and the mod worked for me.
Bags are much more secure with the hard mount.
Eureka boy also has a write up for a very easy turn signal relocation.

Saddlebags

Honda Spirit turn signal relocation

Cheers,
Haze

apbling

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 24, 2011

Problem is I have a 93 VT 1100 (pre-spirit) and am not sure if that bracket will work. Maybe I could make something...

apbling

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 25, 2011

Also, what do you do with the holes left over in the rails where the blinkers used to be?

"Captain D"

· #15 · Jul 25, 2011 (Edited)

I fastened my Willie&Max bags to the fender rail, with large "ZipTies" through them with support...
I use them corrogated plastic (political) signs cut to fit fer stiffening up the sides of the bags...
** This gets that garbage off the side of the road too...**
Fender mounted Bag supports were already in place by PO...
I`ve now fashioned a second set of W&Ms to fit, "throw over" the ones fastened on fer MORE storage fer my trip...
I`ll get pics later,
Dennis
11days

Normspeed

· #16 · Jul 25, 2011

I used them for the rear bolts on my hard mounts.
.

apbling said:
Also, what do you do with the holes left over in the rails where the blinkers used to be?

See less See more

apbling

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 25, 2011

Is my bike supposed to have some stock supports because I have nothing.

Just wish aftermarket supports weren't so expensive... Heck, $75+ for some little brackets?

tcanthonyii

· #18 · Jul 26, 2011

apbling said:
Problem is I have a 93 VT 1100 (pre-spirit) and am not sure if that bracket will work. Maybe I could make something...

Just make one. I litterally made mine out of a piece of flat. put in a vice to bend it. Drilled 4 holes and done. No need to spend money when I got the flat for free.

SeaFox

· #19 · Jul 26, 2011

I seen some bags on leatherup that claim to have a rigid insert. Reasonable prices it seemed.

triplmmm

· #20 · Jul 26, 2011

just get the direct mount. don't try you own " customizing ". i have some cheap ones that work great, but i'm looking at the Viking bags now. they will match your bike and have a nice selection & good price.

See less See more

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.