Bag questions

[kaliron5]

Hi Guys,

I want to buy Saddlebags for my bike, but I dont know if these will fit without resting on the muffler. Please let me know your thoughts. Also, I'd love to know your thoughts about these bags from Moto-Direct before I buy them.

No need for any mounting hardware or support brackets. Just put under passenger seat over the rear fender and tie-down to the motorcycle frame using the attached leather tie-downs on each bag. You can easily choose how high or low you want to hang the bags by adjusting the center strap. These are designed not to flop around in the wind or get into the rear wheel and also to give adequate leg space for the passenger. Each bag is treated for water resistant (not water proof). They are going to haul a lot of stuff and will last many years to come.

Features:


BRAND NEW IN THE BOX WITH TAGS ATTACHED. WE SELL NO DEFECTS, REJECTS OR SECONDS LIKE OTHER SELLERS DO!
2 YEAR WARRANTY!
105 DAY 105% MONEY BACK SATISFACTION GUARANTEE
MADE BY EXL SPORTS. EXL IS AN AMERICAN COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN MOTORSPORTS LUGGAGE AND ACCESSORIES!
Dimensions: Length:14" Width: 6" Height: 11"
Reinforced stitching and durable construction allow many years of use
Treated for water resistence to keep your bags looking good for years
NO HARDWARE OR BRACKETS NEEDED!
GENUINE QUALITY COWHIDE LEATHER!
ALL NICKEL ACCESSORIES SO WILL NOT RUST
Rigid side walls to maintain its shape
This will look good and will fit most of the Harley Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, BMW motorcycles


http://upload4.postimage.org/1209553/HL2003SB.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1209553/photo_hosting.html)

[Dupo]

I have moto-direct bags. Those bags WILL fit. Look at my pics in the picture section. I have the same bags with the studs. You will have to pull them up farther than the holes are to tie them so they dont hit the pipe. Its not that hard to do, i just wrapped the leather tie in the diamond holes, pulled tight and tied them.

Now for the bad... these bags suck..... but read on

--Rigid side is bs. Its just thick leather, not rigid plastic like it should be. It DOES hold without hardware or hitting your tires though. Just dont be swayed by "rigid sides".
--Nickel Accessories so it wont rust. BS. Mine rusted. Now, i did get caught in a few rainstorms too. If you can avoid getting them wet, they shouldnt rust on you.
--The Straps arent all that great. In two weeks of heavy use, they started getting very thin. The leather used isnt that great quality. Im sure within a year, one of them would have broken.
--The leather itself .... isnt all that great. If you get them wet too many times they will get white blotches from water damage. They will also start to sag and warp.

If you want a cheap set of bags to get by, these are perfect. Dont expect them to last a lifetime though. If you can avoid getting them wet and store the bike in the garage and dont ride in the rain, they should last alot longer than mine. If you get them, treat them with water repellent for leather. If you can take VERY good care of these, they should last. If you are going to get them wet, store the bike outside, use them heavily .... dont get them.

I just purchased a set of saddleman bags for my Spirit. From having motodirect bags then going to saddleman.... its like night and day quality-wise and durability-wise.

Final decision is up to you. I gave you everything i can about em!

[Badbob]

Take a look at these. They are not designed for a GZ250 at all. I didn't mout these and I plan to redo them at some point because I don't like how they are mounted. It's way to hard to gethem on and off. My point here is that if you like the bags you can make them work.

http://robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/266-2/dscn5086.jpg

http://robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/262-2/dscn5085.jpg

http://robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/222-2/dscn5075.jpg

[mg]http://robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/218-2/dscn5074.jpg[/img]

BTW: These have been in the rain and sun a good bit. Water just beads up and runs off.

[Dupo]

Yep thats the brand i have now, Saddleman. Great quality bags. If he wants quality, go with this brand. If he wants cheap and quick, go with motodirect.

[kaliron5]

Thanks guys

[Bill]

Badbob,

I would like to get some saddle bags for my wife's GZ250. I would appreciate if you could answers a few questions about the Saddleman bags.
1. What size/model are the bags you have that fit the GZ250?
2. Do you know if any other models would also fit?
3. How do you have yours mounted and what other alternatives for a better method are you going to use?

Cheers!

[Badbob]

They are mounted using some non Suzuki bag guards and some really long bolts.

http://robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/218-2/dscn5074.jpg

The two nuts you see in the photo do no do anything but act as spacers.

There are holes through the back of the bag with fender washers on both sides for reinforcement and a nylock nut on the inside holse everything to gether.

If I had done this I would not have done it this way. The basic idea is sound but the implementation I do not like. The hardware is all SAE so you need to add SAE wrenches to your tool kit. Use metric hardware if at all possible. The spacer nuts are to large for the bolt and are just spacers, If you remove the bag you have to put a nut on there to keep you bike together. Nuts that actually fit may also male it easier to remove the bag. A strip of aluminum about 2 inches wide mounted on each side instead of the fender washers would give better support.

I don't know what size they are but I can measure them if you like. They don't make this exact model any more.

I think that pretty much any bag with a stiff back could be mounted using this method, If you can weld you can put just about anything on there. How about a couple of 50Cal Ammo cans. Chromed of course.
:cool:

[Bill]

How about a couple of 50Cal Ammo cans. Chromed of course.
:cool:

Hmmmmmmm! I wonder if she still has those Ammo cans from her military days and how much to get them chromed? I'm not sure if she would go for the idea but I like it! :tup:

Cheers!

[Badbob]

SAW boxes are a bit larger and there is also a 50cal tall ammo can. They are strong, cheap, waterproof, lockable and readily available.

Ammo Can lock. (http://www.themagtool.com/ammocanlock.html) They will not get in here with a knife.

Check out the KLR650 and Adventure touring forums and groups for some ideas. If you google for saddle bags you may not find them. Search for ammo can panniers.

Painting the boxes to match the bike with some pin striping or flames.

[Dupo]

Ammo cans ... lol. Now thats something you wouldnt see every day.

[Badbob]

Ammo cans ... lol. Now thats something you wouldnt see every day.

If I can get around to it you will get to see some. The largest hold up has been getting the cans in good/excelent condition. I may need to make a road trip to get them. There is only one place here that has any and they almost never have more than one of each and wany way to much for them.

I have a real need for hard lockable water proof storage that can't be removed from the bike and doesn't cost $1000. Ammo cans would do the trick.

If I mount them correctly I should also be able to carry heavy items in them down low to the ground. Most saddle bags are designed to look cool not carry cargo. I've seen saddle bags that were only rated to carry 5lbs.

[Badbob]

Just in case some of you think it can't be done. This is a Honda Rebel with some 20mm cans mounted. Yes its a bit extreme since they. They weight close to 20lbs. You could haul a lot of groceries.



http://robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/1153-1/Honda-Rebel-20mm-Ammo-Cans.jpg

[Dupo]

Yea, just a little extreme lol.