SuzukiSavage.com - My new $10 saddle bags

Spiff

Full Member
2005 No Login

Offline

Your favorite band
sucks!

Posts: 127
In the Spiff Bunker
Gender: male

My new $10 saddle bags
05/21/08 at 07:03:50

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.

Back to top

"Ridicule is the only weapon that can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them."

IP Logged

T Mack 1 - FSO Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline sold 2001 LS650 for a 1986 XLH1100 Posts: 2919 Emmaus,Pa Gender:	Re: My new $10 saddle bags Reply #1 - 05/21/08 at 07:13:43 Cool.... (pun intended). Suggestion, run to the hardware store and get a foot or two of nylon-web strap. Run that under the rear seat, and the make some kind of clips or grommets in the srtap and the bags to secure. (would keep the honest people honest).
Back to top	« Last Edit: 05/21/08 at 12:48:19 by T Mack 1 - FSO » Engineers design things, Technicians make them work. --- 30% of being mechanical is confidence/30% is knowing to go slow when needed/30% is looking repeatedly at what you have/10% is dumb luck IP Logged

bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: My new $10 saddle bags Reply #2 - 05/21/08 at 07:25:20 When my wife and I traveled that what we did never had real saddle bags.
Back to top	william h krumpen IP Logged

Starlifter Serious Thumper Offline It only snows seven months of the year here. Posts: 3746 Eastern Michigan Gender:	Re: My new $10 saddle bags Reply #3 - 05/21/08 at 08:11:25 I did the same thing with a fanny pack, now it's a pillion bag, then I made a fork bag out of an old camera case.
Back to top	Proud to be everything the right-wing hates. IP Logged

Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28637 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: My new $10 saddle bags Reply #4 - 05/21/08 at 10:11:08 Nice bags... Ahhh..,I think you have a tiny boot scuff on your muffler.
Back to top	Ludicrous Speed !... ... ... IP Logged

Spiff

Full Member
2005 No Login

Offline

Your favorite band
sucks!

Posts: 127
In the Spiff Bunker
Gender: male

Re: My new $10 saddle bags
Reply #5 - 05/21/08 at 11:59:58

Serowbot wrote on 05/21/08 at 10:11:08:

Ahhh..,I think you have a tiny boot scuff on your muffler.

I was going to mention that, but then I saw how long my post was already.

Anyway, it seems that on more than one occasion as I've backed my bike into its parking spot in the corner of my garage, the hot muffler makes contact with a roll of black plastic sheeting that I store on a utility shelf.

I've got to stop doing that!

Thanks for the comments, everyone. And Starlifter, I'll be going through some old boxes tonight looking for an old camera case that I think may soon see new life as a fork bag.

Long live cheap accessorizing!

Back to top

"Ridicule is the only weapon that can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them."

IP Logged

Sandy Koocanusa Serious Thumper Offline Don't blame me. I didn't vote for him. Posts: 1878 Bigfork, MT Gender:	Re: My new $10 saddle bags Reply #6 - 05/21/08 at 16:41:47 A very neat idea Spiff. I am getting more and more interested in DIY accessories and mods. Something inside me rebels against paying big bucks for something I can do almost as well (and sometimes better) for less. I think saddle bags are almost to the top of my list, and you've given me some ideas. Thanks!
Back to top	Savage: (adj)1. Wild 2. Uncivilized : Primitive 3. Ferocious 4. Cruel or merciless : Brutal --- Webster's. (n.) 1. A motorcycle named for its seat.--- Sandy's unabridged IP Logged

joeh100 Junior Member Offline http://www.livevideo .com/joeh100 Posts: 99 Cent. Alabama Gender:	Re: My new $10 saddle bags Reply #7 - 05/21/08 at 17:35:54 Great minds think alike. The tail bag in the pic below was a cheap travel bag from wally world that I sewed some nylon straps on. It took me a few days to sew them on though Why are real motorcycle accessories so expensive?
Back to top	Watch my motorcycle videos at Live Video http://www.livevideo.com/joeh100 IP Logged