soft saddlebags?

[wibornz]

How do you keep them from bowing in and rubbing on the rear wheel?  Brand new bags and they are already just about worn thorough by rubbing on the rear tire.

[bomber]

on bikes that don't have anything that prevents that (like yours, it seems) a simple rack of round stock can be fabricated to keep the bags outa the wheel . . .. . doesn't need to be big, or particularly strong, either . . . .

[bluepoof]

+1 on the mounts above.  Please don't continue to ride with the bags rubbing against the wheel!    A strap or loose piece can easily get pulled into the wheel and tangle up, causing a bad crash.  

[AzItLies]

+1 on the mounts above.  Please don't continue to ride with the bags rubbing against the wheel!    A strap or loose piece can easily get pulled into the wheel and tangle up, causing a bad crash.  

++1

Very important! Poof is always right btw

I have a Versys that I'm going to fashion something for the same reason. Right now the idea is to get a piece of say 1/4 plastic and have it be say 4" or so in the middle and an inch or so at the two ends where I'll attach it. Still tossing it around.

Maybe some round stock would be the easiest. It would be stronger, just need some convenient attachment points.

Well good luck with it... and heed Poof

[bomber]

you can often find convenient mounting points under the tupperware . . . . this kinda thing would make a great first fabrication project for someone with little expeience at this kinda thing . . .

a glance at some of the options Frenchie posted, above, show a piece of round stock, bent into the right shape, heated with a mapp gas torch, and flattened on the ends . . . this is about all you'd need . . . .3/8 or so would suffice, and yield enough of a flat spot to attach to the bike . . . . . .

[bluepoof]

Poof is always right btw

 

[X1Glider]

How do you keep them from bowing in and rubbing on the rear wheel?  Brand new bags and they are already just about worn thorough by rubbing on the rear tire.

I was going to suggest a Thigh Master but I guess the steel tube contraptions above would net faster results.

[county]

I put my soft bags over a dry bag I use for stuff I don't want to get wet.  

[CLAY]

Ted,
+1 on all the above.  I have simply welded and bent round stock to make a rack like others show and attached it to a washer to slide under some mounting bolt.  I'm sure you have access, but if you don't, swing over here some Saturday and we can make a set in no time.  

[veefer800canuck]

That's why I don't use soft saddlebags anymore. I watched a fellow rider leave a rest stop, the bike went a bit sideways on some gravel and straightened up when he hit the pavement, which snapped one saddlebag down against the rear wheel, and could have gotten sucked in and caused a lockup.

I use the Ventura rack and bag system now. Very happy with it!

[wibornz]

Ted,
+1 on all the above.  I have simply welded and bent round stock to make a rack like others show and attached it to a washer to slide under some mounting bolt.  I'm sure you have access, but if you don't, swing over here some Saturday and we can make a set in no time.  

Name the saturday that you are free and I will be there.  Thanks Clay.

[CLAY]

Name the saturday that you are free and I will be there.  Thanks Clay.

No problem!  Now a Saturday...    Prolly three weeks from tomorrow?

[wibornz]

Ok, thanks again Clay.

[CLAY]

PM sent.  We should be able to knock these out in an afternoon easy.  

[wibornz]

I work afternoons now.  3:00 to 11:00 pm  

So a saturday would work best, or possibly this monday afternoon as I am off.

[CLAY]

So I had it in my head to do some nice ones out of round stock- Ted just needed them for a 3 week trip, so flat stock it was.  Simple, quick, and painless:


A little paint and they'll be perfectly functional.  

[Dan K]

Very nice work.

[wibornz]

I will post up pics of them painted in the next few days.

 Big Thanks Clay.

Zack and I appreciate the effort.

plus 1 to your rep.  

[CLAY]

plus 1 to your rep.  

     Anytime.  

[Redbandit14]

Nice. I have a set of oxfords that are great but starting to sag. making some brackets sounds like a great idea.

[bomber]

see, this is why this place rocks . . . . . .

[wibornz]

They will only be used for about 3 weeks during our trip.  The supports are flexable enough to move with the bike.

[wibornz]

We did a trial pack up for our trip today.  This is Zack and his bike loaded up.

Once again Big thanks Clay

[CLAY]

Glad to help!  Zack is looking great too!  WOW!

[mxvet57]

Glad to help!  Zack is looking great too!  WOW!

If Zack looses any more weight he's going to disappear.

[zer0netgain]

Correct. Usually similar enough to some aftermarket hard-bag mounts, but smaller, lighter as they don't actually carry the weight of the bag; they simply keep the bag from swinging around.

Some examples:  

I'm glad stuff like that exists, but this is why I went to hard luggage and never looked back.  My soft-sided luggage didn't go into the rear wheel, but they would sag like crazy as the day went on.  Nothing they came with added enough rigidity to keep them in place...a serious design oversight.