Saddlebag issues

[EVAHank]

I have an '03 Voyager XII with a little over 100kmiles on her. She's getting 'put up' for the winter to get ready for spring (although the riding season never really ends here in New Mexico), and one of the things I need to address is my saddle bags. Over the last 10kmiles or so, they have both developed cracks in the bottom that are weakening them badly. Carl Leo will sell me some good low mileage ones for a good price, but I don't have the money to go that route yet. Soooo... Has anyone else had this problem, and what did you do to fix it (besides replacing the bags)? Any advice or comments would be welcome. Thanks!!

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank & 'The Grey Ladies'

[gearheadfla]

I away's thought about using the foam "liner" in the bottom of the saddle bag as a pattern to cut a plywood floor for the bottoms, maybe epoxy it in. My bags are in good shape still but I'm thinking it would make them stronger anyway. Could even put anchor points in the plywood to tie down loose cargo so it ain't flopping around in the bag. I carry tools, rain gear, 1st aid kit and a spare alternator on long trips with me (the only time the XII has let me down was when the alt. went out a couple hundred miles from home) ROK got me home but it still ruined the trip.

[mountainman]

I carry my spare alternator clamped to a piece of 3/8"x8"x8" plywood. It sets forward in saddle bag.

[joerod777]

OK, so when does the alternator go bad? My 2003 Voyager XII only has 29,000 miles on it.

[gearheadfla]

OK, so when does the alternator go bad? My 2003 Voyager XII only has 29,000 miles on it.

Believe it or not, when the alt. went out on my 88 it only had 7000 miles on it, yes that was two years ago, it only had 4500 on it when I got it, I think it may have been my fault by not checking the battery water level, the battery was dry as a bone when I checked it on the side of the road, not sure if it was dry because of me, or when the alt. fried it may have been overcharging and boiled it out. Most of the alt problems are when the brushes wear out, they can be replaced, my alt was a crispy critter and that cant be fixed. lol It's just cheap insurance to find a used one on E-Bay or get one from Carl to carry on long trips. It IS NOT a common problem, just makes me feel better to have it. The irony is, I broke down about 5 blocks from where Carl Leo lives now. If only he would have moved down earlier.

[mountainman]

Mine went crispy at 28000mi. Left us sitting on a long stretch of highway, made for a long day. Afterward I installed a battery monitor and a digital volt gauge. Had I have know it quit charging I could have drastically cut power consumption and made it to the next town.

[glich54]

I repaired a crack in the side of a saddlebag with fiberglass cloth & epoxy resin...Drillled a small hole at the end of the crack to keep it from migrating, sanded it, then layered on the cloth soaked in epoxy on the inside of the bag (sanding with 100 grit after drying between each layer to get good adhesion)...been three years now with no problems...if you do 3-4 layers it should be pretty strong...just like repairing a fiberglass boat...

[kjsett]

I have an '03 Voyager XII with a little over 100kmiles on her. She's getting 'put up' for the winter to get ready for spring (although the riding season never really ends here in New Mexico), and one of the things I need to address is my saddle bags. Over the last 10kmiles or so, they have both developed cracks in the bottom that are weakening them badly. Carl Leo will sell me some good low mileage ones for a good price, but I don't have the money to go that route yet. Soooo... Has anyone else had this problem, and what did you do to fix it (besides replacing the bags)? Any advice or comments would be welcome. Thanks!!

Ride Safe & Sane;
Hank & 'The Grey Ladies'

If wild ideas are allowed, would having the bottoms treated with that Rhino Tuff stuff you spray into the bed of a pickup help. I have already had the bottom come out of the right bag, but that was helped by a mechanic. The generosity of one of our own supplied a replacement bag, but it is still waiting to be matched up painted.
Just thinking???

[chevyman1]

Use the internet and look up repairing ABS plastic there are a couple of good ways to fix cracks.
I used a Weller soldering iron 25W melt the plastic together about half way threw
then I went back over with some filler material (scrap ABS plastic) to fill the crack level to the surface do both sides, sand and fill any imperfections with spot putty.
I had good results with this method but you will have to repaint.

another way I repaired was with ABS pipe cement(ABS only it's black) If you can work it into the crack, I also seen that acrylic cement is suppose to work better
and it's a thin liquid that would flow into the crack better.
I have use the ABS cement with good results but I have not tried the acrylic cement

[HMB Don]

After the bag is repaired; make sure that the rubber bushings are on the mounting bracket, there should be three on each side. Next using the plastic star adjuster on the back two mounting studs on the bottom of the bags, adjust the bags so there isn't any slop when the bag is mounted. Very important

My son came over last week, while we were standing around the 1200 I gave him, I started touching things on the Voyager. When I got to the right saddle bags is was loose, just rattling around. I reached down and adjusted the plastic star adjusting nuts and all was good in less then two minutes.

The 1200 Voyager is getting old now, so everyone should check the grounds on the motorcycle. A good cleaning where the ground is bolted to the frame or engine. This helps the life of fuel pumps, alt, starter and battery. At 194,000 Miles my 2002 Voyager still has the fuel pump and starter it came with. I changed the Alt at 156,000 mile just as PM service. I sold the old Alt to Kris from KC. My battery's last 36 to 48 months, as soon as the battery starts showing signs of going south I change it. I use Interstate battery's and I've had very good luck with them.

[cushman eagle]

I made many repairs on the GS1100GK Suzuki fairing that I owned, before I got the Voyager, using fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin,as glich54 suggested.I had no repeat failures where I repaired the cracks,and I felt the repairs were stronger than the original plastic.

[OldKawDrvr]

I've made many repairs to the ABS plastic with ABS cement and glass cloth. Spread the crack and get some cement in there. After it's dry rough up the inside around the crack and use the cement like epoxy with the cloth to reinforce the repair. Spot putty on the outside and touch up the paint. I got white cement from McMaster-Carr. The black stuff at the hardware store. I found sheets of ABS plastic on Ebay. You can warm it up with an oven or a heat gun to shape it and use it to reinforce or replace broken out chunks of plastic.

[glich54]

I made many repairs on the GS1100GK Suzuki fairing that I owned, before I got the Voyager, using fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin,as glich54 suggested.I had no repeat failures where I repaired the cracks,and I felt the repairs were stronger than the original plastic.

Coinsidence...I too had a GS1100GK before I got a Voyager (and I assume from your name you also have a Cushman Eagle... For some reason fiberglass cloth/epoxy resin didn't seem to stick as well to the GK ABS as it does on the Voyager...The GK was great bike with a bullet-proof engine....only downside was the riding position was a killer on my knees...

[cushman eagle]

Yes, glich54,I do have a 1958 Cushman eagle.As you noted in my previous post I had a GS1100GK, which at 85000 miles I was planning to repaint, when I found my Voyager.I am glad I went to the XII, as it is a nicer touring bike with cruise control and running 1000 rpm slower at 65 mph.There is also no valve adjustment.

[Mr Jensee]

Ah, former GS owners. I owned a GS1000LN. fortunately no fairings were involved!