Yes, you read that correctly, $10 saddle bags:
I though this was pretty clever myself, so I thought I’d share it with all of you guys and gals.
So I bought a pair of 12-can coolers at a Goodwill store a while ago for $5 apiece. By unhooking one end of the shoulder strap from one bag and connecting it to the other, I have made a pair of saddle bags that fit just right over the pillion seat of my S40. (See the photo taken from above the seat to see how this arrangement works.)
The front strap that cuts across the seat is held in place by my butt when I’m riding, and the back strap is held in place by a fabric strap that I’ve looped under the set. This works fine for now, but doesn’t look so sharp, so I’m looking to change that set-up. For one thing, I need to do something to align them better as one now sits a little forward than the other.
I may look into sewing clips or Velcro fasteners on to the bags that I can then use to attach them to the fender or to the rear light stems. But honestly, I think it might work without anchoring down the back strap at all.
So, here are the pros and cons of my set-up as I see them.
Pros:
* They only cost $10!!! (did I mention that already?)
* Waterproof
* Easy on and off (and when I take them off, they have handy carrying straps)
* They keep 24 cans of ...
soda ... cold
* Many pockets to help organize things
* Big enough to carry rain suit, tools, cable lock
* They are a novelty (I get lots of “Why didn’t I think of that?”)
* Chick magnet ... “Those are so
cute!”
Cons:
* Easy on and off for thieves, too
* Not big enough to carry touring gear (but who tours on an S40?)
That’s all. I just wanted to share this in case any folks here might also want to try something like this.