Topic: Saddle Bag or Storage Options? Single British Style? Opinions, Options, PICS?!

[Lostboy Steve]

So I think I'm going to try to find a way to make an easily removable single saddle bag. I was going to make it out of fiberglass and then have it upholstered in whatever material I do my seat in. I'm open to ideas and pictures. I saw this on ebay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/British-Vintage-Look-Leather-Motorcycle-Saddle-Bag-/120768442429?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c1e5c303d&vxp=mtr but I'm not sure of its weight capacity. I do however like its minimal look. Unfortunately I am unable to hop on and ride. I usually have to bring a backpack with me, which is a lot on the shoulders after a good few miles. Anyone have bags on their bikes?

[LesterPiglet]

How would that bag fare in the rain?

[lucky]

Those saddle bags do not look like they can carry very much at all.
Even a lawyer has to carry more than that.

[Lostboy Steve]

No idea.. And way too much money for what it is, but still I think I like the look.

[750K]

I've got a set of thick black leather bags I leave on my 77, they go under the seat and tie off at the front to the passenger pegs. They are for a horse, got them at a tack & saddle store last year for $120. Perfect day bags, rain gear is in one side and I can fit a full picnic lunch and 8 pack of beer in the other side. I'll see if I can post a pic of them on my bike, they are nice and slim and fit the bike well. No chrome bangles or studs or tassels, haha.

[70CB750]

Check out Cabelas for saddle bags.

[bollingball]

I've got a set of thick black leather bags I leave on my 77, they go under the seat and tie off at the front to the passenger pegs. They are for a horse, got them at a tack & saddle store last year for $120. Perfect day bags, rain gear is in one side and I can fit a full picnic lunch and 8 pack of beer in the other side. I'll see if I can post a pic of them on my bike, they are nice and slim and fit the bike well. No chrome bangles or studs or tassels, haha.

I did the same thing in the mid 70s worked out OK. But a lot of maintenance in the rain. Use plastic bags inside. Now I use a short sissy bar and Alice pack and spray it with tent sealer It give me something to lean back on for longer trips. But those long trips are getting shorter the older I get.
 I don't think that single bag will hold much just for sunny sunday drives IMHO
http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product.asp?ProductID=7246

Ken

[750K]

I've got a set of thick black leather bags I leave on my 77, they go under the seat and tie off at the front to the passenger pegs. They are for a horse, got them at a tack & saddle store last year for $120. Perfect day bags, rain gear is in one side and I can fit a full picnic lunch and 8 pack of beer in the other side. I'll see if I can post a pic of them on my bike, they are nice and slim and fit the bike well. No chrome bangles or studs or tassels, haha.

I did the same thing in the mid 70s worked out OK. But a lot of maintenance in the rain. Use plastic bags inside. 

That was my plan, although I mink oil the hell out of them and they had a waxy sort of coating on them when I bought them. That might have been a saddle soap for all I know. Have to look into some leather waterproofing spray them and my larger travel bags.

[750K]

Here's what I'm using, like I mentioned they're wide enough to fit an 8 pack of beer and food for the day with a bunch of rain gear or a towel and swim gear or dry clothes.

[trueblue]

Here's what I'm using, it just sits on my standard luggage rack, it is expandable, fully tucked in it holds my 5 litre water bottle for work, and lunchbox, plus it always has my rain gear in it, it is also water proof, I have been in some serious deluges with it on and it never got wet inside once, it also has a waterproof cover which pulls out from the back, the rear pocket zips off to become a fanny pack, and it also has a shoulder strap and a set of backpack straps that clip on.  The most I have carried in it was when I was travelling to my girlfriends place before we moved in together, I could fit enough work clothes for a week, plus civies and a spare pair of boots.   

http://www.rjays.com.au/home/products/luggage-expandable-explorer-rack-bag.html

[brewsky]

Why not bite the bullet and install real bags?

Riding a bike without bags is like wearing pants with no pockets!

[DJ_AX]

I tried a few different styles of bags... ended just going with a good back pack.
It's tight and flat on my back when I just have my laptop.
And easily expands when I need to pick up a couple bags of plaster from the hardware store.

[Toxic]

What about backpacks that are designed for riding..  I have the Ogio Areo and it fits so close to your body it doesn't catch the wind and tug on you.  It's kind of a semi hard shell design.

[Lostboy Steve]

Here's what I'm using, like I mentioned they're wide enough to fit an 8 pack of beer and food for the day with a bunch of rain gear or a towel and swim gear or dry clothes.

Yeah I was looking at similar bags from a saddle store. They are nice and narrow but deep. I wasn't sure how they would fit on a motorcycle tho. Those look good!

[Lostboy Steve]

What about backpacks that are designed for riding..  I have the Ogio Areo and it fits so close to your body it doesn't catch the wind and tug on you.  It's kind of a semi hard shell design.

Yeah I have a nice ogio riding pack, but again I like being free from a bag.

[Lostboy Steve]

Why not bite the bullet and install real bags?

Riding a bike without bags is like wearing pants with no pockets!

I'm not against that at all, but I would want to paint to match...

[750K]

I'm real happy with them, one thing I like about a soft bag vs. a hard bag is I can unlock the seat and undo two straps in a jif and throw these over my shoulder. My wife and I did a nice day ride at the end of last summer up the Sunshine coast, we stopped at a lake with a public beach on the ride home. Undid the bag with all our food and swim gear and packed it down to the beach. Not to mention I don't think I could fit in the spot I park in at work with hard bags when there's others bikes there, the one's I have don't stick out any more than the points cover.

I picked up wider used set of leather bags off of craigslist this year for longer trips, between the two I'll have tons of storeage.

[754]

 I run a medium size leather saddlebag, behind my sissybar, over the taillight.. darn handy..

[jamesb]

Here's what I'm using, like I mentioned they're wide enough to fit an 8 pack of beer and food for the day with a bunch of rain gear or a towel and swim gear or dry clothes.

thats a nice looking bike

[750K]

^^^Cheers, it's a work in progress haha. It looks better in pics, the tank and side covers will get repainted sometime this year. Runs great though, which is all I care about at the moment.

[lucky]

Here's what I'm using, like I mentioned they're wide enough to fit an 8 pack of beer and food for the day with a bunch of rain gear or a towel and swim gear or dry clothes.
[img width=600 height=450]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a256/j-dough/bags

Very nice looking bag!

Goes with that bike.

[brewsky]

Why not bite the bullet and install real bags?

Riding a bike without bags is like wearing pants with no pockets!

I'm not against that at all, but I would want to paint to match...

The paint on the bags actually does match, and I have a Vetter fairing and trunk that came with the bike also that matches.
I'm guessing that they were added by the dealer when sold and matched there, but that's just a guess.
With the computer matching available now, there shouldn't be a problem matching an existing color.

[Lostboy Steve]

Why not bite the bullet and install real bags?

Riding a bike without bags is like wearing pants with no pockets!

I'm not against that at all, but I would want to paint to match...

The paint on the bags actually does match, and I have a Vetter fairing and trunk that came with the bike also that matches.
I'm guessing that they were added by the dealer when sold and matched there, but that's just a guess.
With the computer matching available now, there shouldn't be a problem matching an existing color.

Yeah I know yours are, I'm worried about my original brown being matched.

[Lostboy Steve]

Anyway, thinking about these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649&item=330725877503&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

Also thinking of having my seat upholstered to match. My father-in-law says it will look weird what do you think. Here the bike:

[mono]

it's your bike - do what you want to it!  i personally like the brown CB seats -- thinking about getting one for my 550 eventually.

[brewsky]

One more option.......
I actually had these on my 750 before mounting the hard bags:

[TwoTired]

Maybe you'll have interest in the RKA line?

http://www.rka-luggage.com/A01%20Products/prod.html

I have waterproof rubberized bags that came with my CB700S.  They are huge and VERY utilitarian.  But, they mount very simply like the saddle bags shown in the RKA video.  My set from Fieldshear mount the same way, but are far more stylish.

I rescued an old RKA tank bag, as well as an Eclipse and a Lockhart.  They all had bad buckles which I repaired with new ones.
Anyway, the RKA is my favorite of the bunch. And all the tank bags have the map feature on top which is great for maps or written directions.
They hold a lot/are expandable and detach via 3 squeeze release buckles.
You might consider these.

I couldn't pass up the newish Fieldsheer saddle bags, and three tank bags for $100.

The stock rear turn sigs on my 550s all interfere with saddle bag mounting.  So, I'll have to figure a way to move them back near the tail light that looks descent.

Leather is very durable for wear.  It doesn't stand up the the elements very well without a lot of hand nurturing.  I've also not seen any leather bags that are water proof, or stay that way without constant care.  The ones you've posted about so far will take on water while riding about in rain.

I'm far more about function and utility than looks and style, though.  So, maybe none of this interests you.

Cheers,