I've done the unthinkable, my dark secret, saddlebags!

[Twisted]

Nice job, I would like to see the brackets you made and the bags off the bike. I have a spare fender and was thinking of doing something like that.

Basically just made a plate to mount in between the fender and fender strut, then bent up some square tubing and welded that to the plate along with some mounting tabs for the bags and a tab to mount it to where the rear pegs mount. I wanted to use round tubing but I have limited tools and a tubing/pipe bender isn't one of them. I did have a harbor freight compact bender which worked with square tubing and flat stock so I went with that. These are the brackets.

 

[Twisted]

And as for the bags, the left one I didn't have to modify but the right one needed to be notched out for the swingarm otherwise it would have been sticking alot further out. I cut the inside of the bag, made a plug out of foam wrapped in tape, and refiberglassed using Evercoat SMC resin, then bodywork ed it smooth.

 

[Twisted]

View attachment 47322
I wonder how the rounded bags would look on a k9. Hats off to you for taking the plunge. Always nice to see people make their own stuff. I'm still working on that shoestring tying thing myself.

Paul, I had actually thought about trying to mold my own bags to look similar to the Bulldogs, but the time it would have taken just wasn't worth it to me. Tryed doing everything fairly cheap so if I hated it I could just toss it aside. In the end it came out better looking than I thought it would. I'd rather have this than one of those big wheeled bagoers I see out there. And it's always nice having something one of a kind.

 

[bigkelk9]

Hats off to ya brother, and as stated above, it's yours and not theirs. Is it for most of us, no. But I'll tell u straight up that u did a very clean job and it's very unique! I'm in total agreement with the few that stated we r very happy to see this done instead of getting rid of it for a hideous hardly.. lol..

 

[Blackie]

Nope not for me! Sorry

I like how they can come off when you want. I'm not crazy either about them, but if that's what YOU want then that's all that matters brother. Nice job

 

[Twisted]

I think it looks great, a little paint and your all set to go

Does your ass look big? It's yours, torque it baby

Thanks Ker, Torque or twerk? Lol Baby got back!

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[CHOPTOP45]

Looks great good work.

 

[heybaylor]

I like it

 

[PROFLYER]

Unreal job!! I've got a K9 with the sissy bar and have always wondered if someone could make a bracket @Mr. Wright that fits into the sissy bar hole and then holds a bag off. One on each side so it's balanced would be sweet. Since the struts can hold the sissy bar (I think it's rated at like 250lbs?) I'd assume it could hold a bag as long as you didn't put a ton of weight in it. You could maybe put a bump stop on the bracket that rest right against the axle cover for some support laterally at the bottom. Sure would beat the bar/t-bag route we're all using currently!

Shannon, wanna fab me a set?? @Twisted did you find those bags as some sort of universal set? Wondering if we could fab up one bracket style for all the 300 bikes that fit a specific bag set mount hole layout....this would be sweet!

 

[Twisted]

Thanks, i appriciate it. Don't see why you couldn't make something up to mount in the sissy bar hole, anythings posible. I didn't want it to look like it was just a set of bags bolted on, still wanted it to look like a custom bike, that's why I did the whole back end. But for just quick luggage, don't see why not. Grab some steel and start bending! As for the bags, they are just older ( under 2002 I think) fiberglass Harley bags I picked up for $40 each on ebay. I wanted the older fiberglass bags so I could modify and re glass the right side. The newer bags are some kind of plastic composite so I don't know if it would work. I was hoping to add 3 inches extensions to the bags but when I got them they were closer to 5". I could have found another set but they were only $115 and anything else was around $300. So the whole back is longer than I wanted but just ran with it, I could always modify it down the road if it bothers me. To do it again I'd probably just buy a set of 3 or 4 inch fiberglass stretched bags to save alot of work. But I was keeping it cheap in case I scrapped the whole project.

I gotta say, I'm kinda shocked that there are a few other guys out there that have considered something along these lines, guess I'm not the only crackpot.

 

[Twisted]

Here's the fender after stretching and the filler panels I made.

 

[Twisted]

And here's the stock bags before the extensions. Like I said I was planning on only adding 3" but went with what I could find cheap. Some might like that better.

 

[Th3InfamousI]

And here's the stock bags before the extensions. Like I said I was planning on only adding 3" but went with what I could find cheap. Some might like that better.

View attachment 47340

Smaller bags look a bit better in my opinion. And if you mold a lid to match the fender you might be cooking with gas

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[Twisted]

Smaller bags look a bit better in my opinion. And if you mold a lid to match the fender you might be cooking with gas

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I thought they looked a little stubby compared to the bike. Still think a small stretch would have been ideal, but I'm too far into it now to change. I figured some would prefer the stock bags.
If I ever change the paint I may shorten the bags and fender. But I'm hoping to get out to Idaho to get my dad's 1980 FLH eventually, then there will be no need for bags on the chopper anymore.

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[PROFLYER]

Grab some steel and start bending!

ya hear that?? @Mr. Wright

I haven't a clue how to do anything like that, and by the time I bought the necessary tools I could buy a set for everyone from the guy who can make them!

 

[Mr. Wright]

, we'll talk

 

[bigkelk9]

I thought they looked a little stubby compared to the bike. Still think a small stretch would have been ideal, but I'm too far into it now to change. I figured some would prefer the stock bags.
If I ever change the paint I may shorten the bags and fender. But I'm hoping to get out to Idaho to get my dad's 1980 FLH eventually, then there will be no need for bags on the chopper anymore.

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I'm kinda with Eric on this one.. although if I ever do get myself to getting a fellow members bagger, I'd stretch the bags on it.. not by alot.. but I would... but as for the chopper.. I think the shorter bags look just a little bit better.. but either way I'm very impressed with your work there brother!

 

[Twisted]

Standing on the sideline and just looking at the short version it looks like a man with butches talent could cut the top out of the existing lids and mold in a radius to match the fender.of course it always looks easier from over r here. Got it goi g on Butch

Always easier said than done, but if everything was easy everyone would do it. Unfortunately the lids are abs plastic. I'd be better off trying mold complete new ones. And if that was the case I'd just mold cooler looking contoured bags. Some things I'll admit are out of my wheelhouse.

 

[bdm7250]

Nice workmanship Butch, Not a fan of baggers at all, but cudos for the quality..

 

[Twisted]

, we'll talk

Hey Shannon, @Mr. Wright , i know this project is not your thing but I need your opinion. And anyone else that wants to chime it. I've seen you paint work and it's bad ass. I'm trying to figure out a good layout to match the fire on my bike, I played a little in sketchpad for ideas. Here's a side view I'm thinking of, but the rear fender is long and is hard to get a feel for how much is too much. I airbrushed a skull and fire last weekend thinking it would be cool for the back of the fender but my skulls are not quite up to par in my opinion for the bike. So as far as fire goes, do you think something like this or go less. Bagged rear ends lend themselves to nice 2 tone jobs, not so much fire. Any ideas?