I'd like to bolt saddle bags to my side rails instead of running them under the seat without relocating my signal lights.  I'd really like to be able to use hard brackets or ghost bracket type mounts without drilling any more holes in the fender or doing other "advanced metal work".  

The back and center mounting bolts screw into the back of the (sissy bar) side rails while the front two holes are drilled all the way through with nuts on the outside.  It seems like I could drill out those two mounting points all the way through and slightly enlarge the holes so that I could use the same type of mounting bolts as are on the front.  Then I could attach the hard mounts to the two bolts that now come all the way through.  

This would be a totally reverse-able upgrade since I could just replace the side rails if I didn't like it.  Has anyone else done this?

I bought these bags at Leatherup.


Then I removed all the straps, buckles, yoke, zippers etc.  I had to cut the top edge off the back of the bags to remove the zippers.  Then finished the raw edge by lacing a piece of vinyl over the top.  Contact cemented the vinyl strip on first then punched the holes with a large hot needle (bags are vinyl)  then laced.


Next I fabricated ghost brackets from 1/4 in. aluminum stock.  The bushing on the left is fastened to the bracket with a 5/16x18 bolt.  The smaller threaded hole is an M6x1.0 and the bracket is fastened to the bag with small bolts and washers from the inside of the bag screwed into tapped holes in the bracket - four across the top and two at the bottom.


I replaced the upper fender rail bolt with a longer one (I used a 5/16x18) and secured it with a coupling nut cut to the needed length.


Here you can see how the bushing fits into the rear hole of the fender rail where the signal light was originally mounted.  The mounting bolt (with washer) fastens through the hole under the fender rail the same way the signal light was fastened.


Here are a couple views of the mounted bags.  I used a stainless acorn nut on the front mount.  Both bags can be removed (2 nuts and 2 bolts) in about two minutes.




Made velcro fasteners - very easy to use and no buckles to fumble with or straps to get in your way.


Pappa's got brand new bags!

Yep, thats class. Only thing I mighta done differently would be to dodge the velcro & use double d-rings. Somethin about velcro leaves me cold. But, not near like those blasted Theme Bikes..aaaarrrggghhh...

Nicely done Sax, really clean looking  

Sax you made that look awesome.

How much could I pay you to fabricate me a pair of those brackets?  I've been struggling with getting my Viking bags mounted.  Already moved the tail-lights to the license plate.