Saddlebag Lid Mod

[chicagorandy]

I decided to add a form of 'restraint' to the lids on my saddlebags., Both showed the scars from the PO not having anything holding them on and them sliding along the ground.

I chose to purchase some 18" fishing leaders and clip off the terminal hardware swivels and clips leaving just the cables with formed loop ends.







For the bags themselves I attached one end of the leader to the top nut holding the bag lock



The lids required me to drill out one of the pop rivets on each end





Then I put a new aluminum 1/8"pop rivet on each end of the lids thru the leader loop and under the metal backing strip





Using the 18" long leaders allows the lids to hang down as shown in these last two pics. Using a shorter leader will decrease the amount of 'hang'. This length lets them move completely out of the way, and yet if they pop off in travel they still can't hit the pavement.





There are MANY different ways to skin this particular cat, this is just my first attempt and I hope it gives someone else the initiative to make their own version and post pics.

[debron]

Nice Randy. I did something similar but used 130 lb test sturgeon leader (sturgeon fishing is popular on the Columbia River.) The sturgeon leader is a "fabric" of some type (as opposed to steel) so it's easy to cut to length. I used electrical ring crimp connectors at the ends to go under screws for attachment. After three years and 50,000 miles it's holding up well.

[Lucasind]

.....Good Job ! and a nice write up ! I do believe you've been bit by the voyager bug

[voyager55]

Story time--- When I first bought my voyager in 2005, I lost a lid on the driver's side during my first group ride. I had it latched, not locked thou. Being a newbie I Never knew it could still come off. It flew off & almost hit the tail gunner in the face. I wasn't aware it came off!
They stopped the ride, group waited for me while I went to look for it.
Found it quite a ways back, on a busy highway. To my amazement it only had a little ding in one corner. I had the protection chrome guards on it . Tar road. I thought for sure it would of been run over by a truck and be in a million pieces, lol I was lucky.
When I got home I got out the wire and attached both sides to the bags. No problems since, lol

[chicagorandy]

I do tend to try and personalize my rigs - LOL

I have a digital volt meter on order and will post that one too, yes it's been done before but with homage to the Rifleman's Creed (Vietnam Vet myself):

"This is my Voyager, there are many others like it.... but this one is MINE."

[Mr Jensee]

I did the same thing using weed trimmer line and electrical 16-14 ring terminals. I also kept the lines short at 10" so they hang just to the side of the saddlebag opening so I don't run the risk of scratching the rest of the bag. The lid rests on the rubber seal that lines the rim so it won't scratch the bag or the lid. A new lid will cost you $300 minus the shipping charges. I don't recommend losing one.

[chicagorandy]

After a while of using this mod I am concerned about the abrasive nature of these very thin steel leaders and am going to swap them out for something else.

Paracord? Boot laces? Weed Trimmer line? I dunno, but it will be something else.

[Steve do]

Get some of the larger weed eater fuel line to slide over them, since you have them already made, or maybe some 1/8" fuel line like used on lawnmowers. Mr Jensee's idea even better. # 120 weed eater line, who doesn't have that around the house?

Steven

[Me Again]

This length lets them move completely out of the way, and yet if they pop off in travel they still can't hit the pavement.

That's a nice theory ,but a lot of people have flipped their lids and didn't notice until they got home or maybe you just forgot to put it back on after a soda break or putting on your rain gear and I'm pretty sure those would scrape pavement when you take a corner.

[the2knights]

I used 14 gauge wire with black coating (could use any color you want). I would make them shorter as well. I agree, they only need to barely touch the pavement to make some pretty deep cuts!

[SgtSlag]

I have to do this mod still... I like the strength of the metal fishing leader, but I am also concerned about the abrasive nature of braided steel rubbing on the plastic saddlebags. My thought is to slip some clear plastic fish aquarium tubing over the leaders, so that the aquarium tubing takes the abrasion. I have the tubing left over from a previous M/C project (don't ask -- I can't remember what it was for...), so all I need are the braided steel leaders. Thanks for the detailed photo's of your project -- they really help explain how to attach the ends of the leaders to the covers, and the saddlebags. Cheers!

[chicagorandy]

I was out in the garage doing a driving light bar install so I was a good time to upgrade the wire leaders I am using to attach the lids. I took some thin windshield washer hose from PepBoys and using a very thin stiff wire pulled an end of the fishing leader thru the tubing and then re-attached the end loop using the castle nut on the bag.





This should prevent any chafing from the steel wire.

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

[Mr Jensee]

I'd still shorten the line quite a bit to have the lid hang to the side of the bags. I just feel that there is a much better chance of damage to those expensive lids where you have them hang. Other than that, you have a good approach to tethers.

[chicagorandy]

I agree with the good advice tip.

Now that I have the raw materials (stiff thin wire) and rubber hose to make these tethers, the next time I am in a store that sells them, I'll be picking up shorter wire leaders. The bag side will be easy-peasy, the lid will of course involve drilling out the pop rivet and using a new one, again NOT a major deal.

[FLAGert]

PO on my 1990 used a flat woven nylon webbing to keep the lids with the bike. When I bought the bike from my brother, Barry, he advised to to keep the lid standing upright like soldiers. Good advise I've found. Haven't lost a lid but had a clamp open that I forgot to lock.

[chicagorandy]

I have changed out the long leaders with 12" ones from Bass Pro Shop.(cutting off the clips and swivels brings the OAL down about an inch and a half).

Covered by 7/64" windshield washer hose and terminated by small electrical ring connectors.



I found that by threading the leader loop through the ring wire connector 'tube' the loop coould be forced over the ring and then pulled back taut.



NO way for it to come loose and the ring bears the connection load rather than the leader wire strands.

They attach to the lid with your basic 1/8" pop rivet :



And to the saddlebag using the top cap nut:



So NOW a lid will hang just enough to have full access to the saddlebag but not drag the ground on a tight turn if one came off:



Thus ends my saddlerbag lid odyssey.

[Mr Jensee]

:thmup:mo betta. You are aproaching Jedi status Padewan.

[chicagorandy]

After a couple weeks now of living with the shortened lid restraints I can report they are working great. The rubber tubing is a terrific cushion and the steel leaders are holding fast.

[SgtSlag]

Thanks for the update, ChicagoRandy. Much appreciated to hear that it is working according to theory -- not everything does. I still need to do this on my bike, but it will now likely wait until Spring, as I will be mothballing the bike this weekend, for the long Winter Sleep. Cheers!