Saddlebag hardware

[Keithh]

Greetings folks!
I am starting to get the bike ready for a road trip in a few weeks. I dug out the saddle bags and top trunk to get them mounted up. This is the first time I'm been putting these on and it appears that I am missing a piece. I don't have the rear connecting piece - the "V" shaped double tube item that connect the rear of the saddlebags around the rear fender. I figured I would post this and see if anyone out there may have one they could stand to part with. Is the piece really important for securing the set up?

Thanks!

Keith

[jayel]

it keeps the saddlebags from flopping, my bags are unknown manufacture so homemade mounts, my back mount was made from elec. conduit

[natemoen]

Yeah it is important so the bags don't sag and hit the frame or tire.

You could make something easy enough. Try not to use round curves since they are more likely to bend and flex. Use straight lines and sharp bends, less flex.

[Keithh]

Thanks guys! I'm sure I can make something up easily enough - just won't be as pretty!

[GLoweVA]

Keith, are you talking about this bars across the back under the licence plate?


The piece that's on the left side of this pic?


I found these on Ebay, but it's the full set, not just the bar(s) you're looking for.
At least the pics might help someone else identify what it is you're looking for.

[Keithh]

Hi George

You are correct - it is the one under the license plate. I saw the E-Bay stuff - just didn't want to pay for a whole setup for want of one piece. Okay - I'm cheap!

[motoman]

If you already have the outer frame work AND the L mounts the cases set on, that rear piece is NOT necessary.

[Keithh]

Thanks - I do have all the rest of hardware, so I'll mount it up and see how things look.

[natemoen]

I tired riding without that center piece and mine would bounce and knock the frame. Granted my bags are a bit heavier than the fiberglass ones. If the bags do bounce around the aluminum backing plates will quickly fatigue and start cracking.

[motoman]

I tired riding without that center piece and mine would bounce and knock the frame. Granted my bags are a bit heavier than the fiberglass ones. If the bags do bounce around the aluminum backing plates will quickly fatigue and start cracking.

The original cases are mounted to the bottom and top inside of the L brackets Nate. The L shaped mounting plates are also steel not aluminum. Nate, if you'd empty the ammo out of those cases they would'nt be so hard on the mounts and start cracking!

[natemoen]

The original cases are mounted to the bottom and top inside of the L brackets Nate. The L shaped mounting plates are also steel not aluminum. Nate, if you'd empty the ammo out of those cases they would'nt be so hard on the mounts and start cracking!

Yeah the case is mounted high and low on the bracket but only the front of the bracket is mounted down low. The back can still wiggle around.

As to them being steel rather than aluminum, well that might be something that they changed as the years went on. The brackets that I have ARE certainly aluminum.

[mikubuilder]

you could fab something fairly cheap out of threaded rod and maybe slip an electrical conduit over it??? if you have access to a welder you could tack nut and washer to the ends...JAT

[MaximPhil]

Yeah the case is mounted high and low on the bracket but only the front of the bracket is mounted down low. The back can still wiggle around.

As to them being steel rather than aluminum, well that might be something that they changed as the years went on. The brackets that I have ARE certainly aluminum.

Hi Nate,
Mine are also aluminum AND have fatigued and been repaired.
Iwould definitely fab up something to go in that space. While double in chrome matches the lines of the bag surrounds a single in black would blend in too. The threaded rod idea has a lot going for it.
Phil

[scalded dog]

I have an extra one. Later 'Dog

[GLoweVA]

Greetings folks!
I am starting to get the bike ready for a road trip in a few weeks.
Keith

Keith, Road trip? We need pics (or at least a story of how it went on the XS11) (when you get back of course)
Also, how about a pic of the 'fix' for the bag set up, unless you got the part from ScaldedDog.