Saddlebag Support Bars

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cameron987
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Saddlebag Support Bars

#1

Post by cameron987 »

I've been looking to add some simple leather saddlebags to my 78 GL 1000 and I need some advice. I think I need some kind of support bar system for the bags, but I'm not having any luck finding anything online.

Have any of you done anything like this? Any recommendations?

Picture of my bike and sample picture of the saddlebags are attached.
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Sagebrush
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Re: Saddlebag Support Bars

#2

Post by Sagebrush »

You will have to fabricate something from scratch or heavily modify something from a different bike. You certainly won't find anything made to do what you want.
Dean Spalding
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: Saddlebag Support Bars

#3

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Here are a couple of pics of my GS400 with the bags I made for it. The first time I rode it with the bags they were just hanging and the lacing on one side snagged on the lower shock nut. I didn't get hurt but I realized they would need something to keep the bottoms of the bags away from the moving parts.

I had some 3/4"x1/8" steel strip so I bent up supports from that. If you look closely you can see where they bolted to the rack at the top/rear and the passenger footpeg mount at the bottom/front. These bags were made from fairly soft leather so I also made hoops of steel strip to support them inside (you can see the bolts where the hoop bolts to the bag below the reflector on the front of the bag) and bolted the hoop to the support. Its been a while so I can't remember off hand whether they have any other internal support but if you are interested I can dig them out and take pics.
This was quite adequate to keep the bags out of trouble, even when I brought home groceries in them.
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Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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cameron987
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Re: Saddlebag Support Bars

#4

Post by cameron987 »

Thanks, guys. Surprised there isn't something premade out there. What do most people use for Throwover bags?
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: Saddlebag Support Bars

#5

Post by Sidecar Bob »

If you threw those bags over the seat they wpiuldn't hang down far enough to get into trouble. If they are mounted below the seat you'll need to do something like I did.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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cameron987
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Re: Saddlebag Support Bars

#6

Post by cameron987 »

Did some more digging and answered my own question. Found these brackets that seem to be exactly what I'm looking for.

https://www.jpcycles.com/product/840006 ... t-brackets
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