Looking for Saddle bag cover

[n1tgb]

My wife and I came home from a long ride through VT. She took out items out of the Right saddle bag and didn't latch the cover all the way but she did lock it. Any how made it all the way to work the next day and left in the middle of the day to go to Springfield MA when i got there i was sick because the cover was missing. Called Cindy and she found it back in Brattleboro VT on the highway in not so good condition. So we are looking for a cover, right side for an 86 or at least the compartment box that sets inside the top.
Thanks
Cliff

[Mr Jensee]

3 options, contact Carl Leo and see if he has any. Be prepared to have to paint it as it may not be your year's colors,
Check Ebay, from time to time covers show up, but it is rare since they are the most lost items.
or, order a new one from Kawasaki, be warned they are NOT cheap. Any year XII lids should fit.

As soon as you get it make tethers for your lids. This way they won't fall off and be lost when you do forget to lock them. If I think about it I will take pictures of mine and post them here soon.

[SgtSlag]

Please DO post pictures of your tether system! Sounds like a great idea. Cheers!

[Mr Jensee]

Well, it's actually NOT mine. Folks on here gave me the info when I first got my Voyager. It is pretty simple really. I am at work offshore right now but will be home next Thursday. I will post some pictures. Basically all you need to do is get 8 closed terminal connectors and cut 4 12''-14" lengths medium duty (mine are blue 2.4 mm) hedge trimmer line. Put the connectors on each end of the piece of trimmer line and double crimp them. Inside each saddle bag you will find at least 1 acorn nut on the inside front and rear hinges and one on the underside latch of each lid. Attach the teathers there and secure with some loctite. I used very small washers I got from Home Depot to make sure the connectors could not slip over the acorn nuts. That is it. The tethers are just long enough that I can open each lid and hang the lids on the side of the saddlebag when open. You have full access to the opening. The rubber seal on the underside of the lid will prevent you scratching the saddlebags when you hang them. I have not lost a single one since I put them on 2 years ago and the trimmer line does not deteriorate with age.

[debron]

I used the same connectors as Mr Jensee but I used 130lb test sturgeon leader. Ran it through the connector and knotted the line then crimped. Next time I will put some shrink tubing over the line where it lays on the saddle bag (for chafe protection) when the lid is opened, but so far, so good (about 6,000 miles)

In addition to this or weed-eater line, 14 or 16 ga. STRANDED wire should work well too. If I have problems with the sturgeon leader, I have some nylon (I think) line used for laying out construction projects I may try.

[Mr Jensee]

The weed trimmer line works really really well and there is never an issue with it scratching anything. It is plenty strong enough to hold the lids and cheap and easy to acquire.

[Me Again]

I just used "work shoe" shoestrings ,(the type that look like they are braided). They are soft ,pliable and your not going to break them.

[SgtSlag]

Thank you, everyone! Cheers!

[leghorn1956]

Hi there folks. I just got ready to put tethers on my lids, but i don't have any bolts on the covers. The bags have little bolts i can fasten to; but the lids have rivets and they are on the outside of the lid. I am worried that by hooking up to that part of the lid, the rubber gasket will get a crease in it and might not seal properly. Maybe i will epoxy some fasteners on the sides of the lids. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

[kjsett]

Hi there folks. I just got ready to put tethers on my lids, but i don't have any bolts on the covers. The bags have little bolts i can fasten to; but the lids have rivets and they are on the outside of the lid. I am worried that by hooking up to that part of the lid, the rubber gasket will get a crease in it and might not seal properly. Maybe i will epoxy some fasteners on the sides of the lids. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Hi, I finally made tethers for my 03 XII and it is so much better. I don't have to worry about setting them down somewhere where they will fall off and get damaged. I would avoid getting into them because of this. Now I just have to make sure the small compartment is latched so stuff doesn't fall out.

I will find my pictures I took and add a post of what I did. But I did approach it from a what would happen if they got loose. I figured that there would be a shock factor and that there would also be flexing and such. I decided not to use terminal connectors because when flexed they will eventually crimp and break. After all they are only made of aluminum or some other soft metal. They are to conduct electricity not hold structurally. I went with heavy boot laces because they are designed to hold under stress and have a certain amount of shock factor. But I did want to be able to remove the lid, so used carabiners to allow that. I did drill 4 holes in the lid, but used the latch mount's bottom 2 bolts to mount a thing to. Right now can't remember what they are called, but they weren't expensive and found them at Home Depot. I also got metric nylon keeper nuts to replace out the stock nuts. I find the oem nuts on the latches keep loosening. I took several looks at the lid and made sure that everything would work before I drilled, even though the Stainless nuts with a rubberized washer will be on the back side.
I am posting this now so i will remember to get the pics to add later.

[gearheadfla]

Here is what I did
http://abbikeboard.com/forum/viewtopic. ... ilit=twist

[leghorn1956]

Perfect guys. I like the idea using small disconnects. Sometimes you have to look outside the box. Thanks again.