SuzukiSavage.com - Simple solution for my luggage needs

IslandRoad

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The Kiewa Valley, Australia
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Simple solution for my luggage needs
05/05/18 at 02:40:22

I like to ride unencumbered! However, necessity dictates that sometimes I need a bit of storage. I've tried saddlebags, They were handy, but I just couldn't stand the way they changed the look of the bike, especially after you allow enough clearance for the belt guard. I thought about a sissy-bar - but I really am fussy about the look (the stock one is not for me). I know a guy, who knows a guy, that specialises in custom sissy-bars - quote=$500 ... umm, No!

Maybe my obsession with the appearance is a handicap, but hey, that's who I am!

Aaaand, I have a big backpack which is handy, but .... that is the opposite of 'unencumbered'!

I finally found a solution that suits my needs, and my aesthetic predilection!

The bag is from Nelson Riggs. It's a 15 Litre, flexible, waterproof, cylinder. It has D Rings for the straps to go through (it comes with four straps). You seal the velcro on the end, roll it two times, then close the clips ... which make a nice handle.

The other day I found some eye-bolts at the hardware store that have the 'female' end, instead of the 'male' end, which is good because I'm running a 140/90 15 rear tyre, and clearance can be an issue on the inside of the rear fender.

The eye-bolts have an M8 thread. The're good looking stainless steel, with a kind of dull, metallic look. I attached them with some M8 - 16 mm Allen key button head bolts ... and copious amounts of 'Loktite'.

It does look a bit like I gave the old-girl ear-rings on her hips, but at least they match the round bar-end mirrors - you know ... they're round too!

The D-rings on the bag match up perfectly with the 'rear' most bolt-hole from the fender-rail, and the key-way hole near the rear of the fender. The D-rings on the bag mean that I don't have to yank the straps to hard ... that bag ain't going anywhere. That's a good thing because the rear hole is simply through the fender, it's not reinforced like the three holes near the seat.

BTW, I whacked a bit of adhesive weather-strip on the base of the eye-bolts, because I made the mistake previously of bolting aluminium tie-down rods straight onto the fender, and scratching up the paint.

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Luggage_On_2.jpg

S40, 2014, Dyna, Raptor, 52.5/152.5, spacer mod, sea level, cat-eye LED tail light, bullet style halogen turn signals, 'Superbars' with custom 40mm risers, modified stock seat, Metzeler tyres.

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IslandRoad Serious Thumper Offline It doesn't vibrate, it purrs! Posts: 1147 The Kiewa Valley, Australia Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #1 - 05/05/18 at 02:41:27 *
Back to top	Eye_Bolt_1.jpg S40, 2014, Dyna, Raptor, 52.5/152.5, spacer mod, sea level, cat-eye LED tail light, bullet style halogen turn signals, 'Superbars' with custom 40mm risers, modified stock seat, Metzeler tyres. IP Logged

IslandRoad Serious Thumper Offline It doesn't vibrate, it purrs! Posts: 1147 The Kiewa Valley, Australia Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #2 - 05/05/18 at 02:41:48 **
Back to top	Allen_Key_Bolt_1.jpg S40, 2014, Dyna, Raptor, 52.5/152.5, spacer mod, sea level, cat-eye LED tail light, bullet style halogen turn signals, 'Superbars' with custom 40mm risers, modified stock seat, Metzeler tyres. IP Logged

IslandRoad Serious Thumper Offline It doesn't vibrate, it purrs! Posts: 1147 The Kiewa Valley, Australia Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #3 - 05/05/18 at 02:42:02 ***
Back to top	Front_View_1.jpg S40, 2014, Dyna, Raptor, 52.5/152.5, spacer mod, sea level, cat-eye LED tail light, bullet style halogen turn signals, 'Superbars' with custom 40mm risers, modified stock seat, Metzeler tyres. IP Logged

IslandRoad Serious Thumper Offline It doesn't vibrate, it purrs! Posts: 1147 The Kiewa Valley, Australia Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #4 - 05/05/18 at 02:42:26 ****
Back to top	Rear_View_2_001.jpg S40, 2014, Dyna, Raptor, 52.5/152.5, spacer mod, sea level, cat-eye LED tail light, bullet style halogen turn signals, 'Superbars' with custom 40mm risers, modified stock seat, Metzeler tyres. IP Logged

IslandRoad Serious Thumper Offline It doesn't vibrate, it purrs! Posts: 1147 The Kiewa Valley, Australia Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #5 - 05/05/18 at 02:48:03 One last note, Obviously I have removed the chrome "eyebrows" from the rear fender. I've also previously moved the turn signals, and tail light, to the license plate bracket, and reduced the height of the pillion seat by about 50% Just sharing ...
Back to top	S40, 2014, Dyna, Raptor, 52.5/152.5, spacer mod, sea level, cat-eye LED tail light, bullet style halogen turn signals, 'Superbars' with custom 40mm risers, modified stock seat, Metzeler tyres. IP Logged

Steve H Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1223 Spartanburg, SC Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #6 - 05/06/18 at 10:51:10 Those eyebolts look the trick for keeping something fastened to the back of the bike. Not too obtrusive when not in use but very handy when needed. Won't snag the pants of pillion rider either, if you ever have one. That's a great idea.
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28846 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #7 - 05/06/18 at 12:20:07 Earrings,... she looks a bit of a pirate... Nice solution...
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28903 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #8 - 05/06/18 at 13:08:05 I've had them on my front rail bolts. but I didn't get the shiny ones... dull black for me.
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IslandRoad

Serious Thumper

Offline

It doesn't vibrate,
it purrs!

Posts: 1147
The Kiewa Valley, Australia
Gender: male

Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs
Reply #9 - 05/07/18 at 00:38:08

I know, in hindsight, it seems like a really simple thing. But honestly I had tried strapping stuff to the back of the bike before, and it's kind hard to get it to stay put!! The Nelson Rigg bag has D rings on it, so you're not really strapping it down, so much as just tying it off. That's a good thing because the hole at the rear of the fender is not really reinforced, so you don't wanna be yanking the strap too hard back there Wink

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S40, 2014, Dyna, Raptor, 52.5/152.5, spacer mod, sea level, cat-eye LED tail light, bullet style halogen turn signals, 'Superbars' with custom 40mm risers, modified stock seat, Metzeler tyres.

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LANCER Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Savage Beast Performance Parts Posts: 10687 Oklahoma Gender:	Re: Simple solution for my luggage needs Reply #10 - 05/07/18 at 08:25:31 NICE
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