saddlebag mount install
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
ok. I got everythijng mounted up but I have a question....where the mounts connect to the stays there is a 1/2 spacer. Does that go between the mount and the stay, or can I put the stay right against the mount and put the spacer on the outside to take up some of the bolt length? The second way looks like it holds everything tighter to the bike, but if that is the way it was supposed to be, why not just eliminate the spacer and use shorter bolts?
Does that make sense? Is there a reason for the spacer? Does it need to set the stay away from the mount for some reason?
Thanks!
Almost there. Next step after I figure this out is to drill the new bags and mount them!
Does that make sense? Is there a reason for the spacer? Does it need to set the stay away from the mount for some reason?
Thanks!
Almost there. Next step after I figure this out is to drill the new bags and mount them!
You get them mounted yet? I would say, unless the bag is in danger of contacting some moving part or the exhaust, forgo the spacers and keep it tight.
I've just ordered some Viking bags and I'm looking to try to mount them as tight as possible to the fender. I'm not looking to have much of any space at all behind the bag. I need this to be as narrow as possible.
Thanks! I just ordered the factory honda mounting hardware last night.
They make an "extra large" that is 2 inches longer. I believe that would require relocating the rear turn signals...(which wouldn't be that big a deal. Make sure you use the coupon code on the Viking page and get like 30%-40% off
I ordered the lockable leather wrapped Viking bags and installed them today with the Honda mounting hardware.
Gotta say, I'm not impressed with the bags at all. First off all, they didn't ship their "Universal mounting hardware" with the bags like they were supposed to. Then I had to jump through a bunch of hoops to get them to sent it, including sending them a picture of what I didn't receive. Makes sense right? I ended up not needing their mounting hardware in the end, except for some of the washers.
Then right after I already drilled 2 of the holes, I saw that the glue they used to stick the leather to the plastic was letting go, and is smeared all over the back on one of the bags. The mounting bolts were going through that part so I figure that will hold it together anyway.
Speaking of the plastic, it is pretty thin, as is the leather. I am legitimately concerned that the mounting bolts will rip through eventually. And for a bag that is supposed to be leather with plastic inserts, the construction of the bag has a lot less leather than I was expecting. The entire back panel has no leather at all. It's just a sheet of thin plastic and that is meant to support all the weight.
The two bags look like they were made by two different companies trying to copy each other. The rivets aren't in the same location on each bag, the stitching around the outside edge is different thicknesses, and the hinges on each bag are not in the same place or level with each other.
I suppose you could chalk all of that up to the price you pay for a hand crafted product, but I don't believe they are hand crafted. At least not by anybody with any skill. The work is too sloppy. Especially that glue that is letting go and smeared all over the back of one of the bags.
I got these bags for 30% off of the original price of $275. The listed price and the price I paid are far too high for the product I received in my opinion. I know that motorcycle accessories are always way over priced, but even taking that into account, I feel pretty ripped off.
I would say that if you are going to order from Viking, get the hard bags. People seem to find those worth the price of admission. Unfortunately, $400 was just too rich for my blood.
Gotta say, I'm not impressed with the bags at all. First off all, they didn't ship their "Universal mounting hardware" with the bags like they were supposed to. Then I had to jump through a bunch of hoops to get them to sent it, including sending them a picture of what I didn't receive. Makes sense right? I ended up not needing their mounting hardware in the end, except for some of the washers.
Then right after I already drilled 2 of the holes, I saw that the glue they used to stick the leather to the plastic was letting go, and is smeared all over the back on one of the bags. The mounting bolts were going through that part so I figure that will hold it together anyway.
Speaking of the plastic, it is pretty thin, as is the leather. I am legitimately concerned that the mounting bolts will rip through eventually. And for a bag that is supposed to be leather with plastic inserts, the construction of the bag has a lot less leather than I was expecting. The entire back panel has no leather at all. It's just a sheet of thin plastic and that is meant to support all the weight.
The two bags look like they were made by two different companies trying to copy each other. The rivets aren't in the same location on each bag, the stitching around the outside edge is different thicknesses, and the hinges on each bag are not in the same place or level with each other.
I suppose you could chalk all of that up to the price you pay for a hand crafted product, but I don't believe they are hand crafted. At least not by anybody with any skill. The work is too sloppy. Especially that glue that is letting go and smeared all over the back of one of the bags.
I got these bags for 30% off of the original price of $275. The listed price and the price I paid are far too high for the product I received in my opinion. I know that motorcycle accessories are always way over priced, but even taking that into account, I feel pretty ripped off.
I would say that if you are going to order from Viking, get the hard bags. People seem to find those worth the price of admission. Unfortunately, $400 was just too rich for my blood.
Yes, they are the Viking hard bags. Size Large.
Yeah I should have got those instead. They even open away from the bike instead of towards the bike like mine, which would make getting things in and out SO much easier. I can't even open my bags all the way because the top of them is lower than the grab rails so they just open till a bit less than vertical, with a huge flap jutting out over the bag so I have to bend down to see what's inside, and snake my arm in at weird angles to fish out my stuff.
Lol the more I use these bags the more I hate them.
I also didn't use any of the Viking mounting hardware, except for some large washers. I used the Honda mounting brackets and stays. The stays would only work in a specific spot on the bags I got since positioning them anywhere else would make the holes interfere with various parts of the bag.
I used the washers on the honda mounting bolts to help form a tighter seal and better support the thin wall of the bags.
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