Saddlebags, brackets/supports or luggage rack?

[DonGee]

Yeah, and I don't know if I saw it here or elsewhere about some issues with Oneida Suzuki. No matter. I grabbed the pair on eBay Thanks.

[DonGee]

Just a little update for those interested.

I received the oem supports and they're in excellent shape and I look forward to installing them. That's the good news. I also bought some Milwaukee saddlebags that are supposed to fit, but I just draped them over my seat to see how they'd look once installed . Well, while they do look nice enough, I think they're just too damn big for the bike. If I were sitting in a normal riding position, the front of the bag would be under my butt-cheeks. and not in a good way. Yeah, I suppose I could relocate the signals, but I'd rather not.



So the search continues for SMALL bags. Measuring from the shock to the turn signal is only about 11", and I haven't really seen much that small out there. I'm not averse to just getting a rack to mount behind the seat and using a bungie net, but I can't find racks, either.

[navigator]

You can always use a bungee net on the rear seat, provided you are not 2-up.
Even better than a bungee net, look into ROK straps.

[DonGee]

Thanks. Yeah, I've read good things about the ROK straps. I already have a bungie net from my old bike, but there's no good place to attach it, although I suppose I could use the fender.

But I haven't totally given up on the bags, yet. I'd like to find slant-style bags in the right size. I'm even contemplating trying a swing-arm bag mounted in the normal saddlebag position, but that's likely too small. I may just end up with a soft-sided canvas bag since I have supports. There are seemingly hundreds of bags and styles out there, and like Goldilocks, I'm spending all this time looking for the the one that's 'just right'.

Good luck with that!

[navigator]

I have a teardrop shape cortech tail bag that mounts using 4 built-in shock cords and hooks, I mount it on the rear seat and hook the cords to the saddlebag supports you just bought.
Great for overnight or a rain suit, etc.
Unfortunately it is discontinued.
BUT, viking makes a similar bag here: easy on / off.
https://www.vikingbags.com/sport-cordur ... 7cQAvD_BwE

[DonGee]

Yep. Lots of tail bags out there, too. A man could go crazy...and I'm getting there.

[LSU Tiger]

I have saddle bag supports i bought from my local suzuki dealership about fifteen years ago. not sure what i paid but they work, look good and were easy to install. i also bought bags from my local dealer after i installed the supports. i could tell they fit.

[DonGee]

Another update for those curious.

I finally got around to installing the oem saddlebag supports I bought off eBay. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be (thanks to some helpful instructions from navigator), As for bags, after several purchases and returns through Amazon, I had just about given up on finding appropriate bags that would work okay without costing me too much, when I decided to look one more time. I saw a set that looked at least on paper that they might work, and they had very good reviews, so I gave it a shot. Well, they arrived today, and I'm glad I waited. They are throwovers, and I tried to get them under the seat, but the yoke was thick enough that there just wasn't enough room under there to be able to re-install the seat. So instead, I laid them atop the seat, fastened the yoke to the passenger grabstrap with two zip-ties, and used three more zip-ties on each side to fasten the bags to the supports to keep them from flopping around. That worked great and I'm quite certain they're not going anywhere.

The bags are big enough, but not too big, and I didn't have to relocate the signals. They're soft bags but with some shape to them, made of some patchwork buffalo leather, but for $50, I don't expect them to last forever.

BTW, I'll have another, related follow-up question coming shortly.