How do you widen the rear on the OEM saddlebag rails?

[BF]

How do you widen the rear on the OEM Saddlebag rails?  I read it on here somewhere in somebody's thread about adding a trailer hitch, but searching hasn't turned up anything. 

I know some folks on here have figured out how to widen their rails when adding trailer hitches and the like.  I think it had something to do with adding spacers somehow.....but I can't figure it out.  I need to add about an inch on each side if that's possible. 

Is there a tutorial somewhere?  Pictures would be very nice. 

[BF]

I'm trying to make the rails go around a set of these.....

[Jess from VA]

I don't remember a link to adjusting the bag guard rails..... there is a link to add washers to the fender strut mounts to move the fender over to clear a car tire (and perhaps that might help with your hitch mount spacing).

http://rides.webshots.com/album/558419637qsIyod?vhost=rides

I suppose you could try to add spacers/washers to the front and rear mounts, but there is still the under-bag mount which may no longer line up.  It's not absolutely necessary, but using all the mounts gives better protection in a fall-down.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I'm trying to make the rails go around a set of these.....

If you can get'em to fit thats going to look pretty cool with all the leather    I saw Fudgie post something about spreading them out however I don't remember the details.

[BF]

I'm trying to make the rails go around a set of these.....

If you can get'em to fit thats going to look pretty cool with all the leather    I saw Fudgie post something about spreading them out however I don't remember the details.

Thanks.  I've got big plans for this bike.  Have spend most of the summer and this fall buying everything that's going to go on it. 

However, I'm pretty sure that someone (or a few someones) had to widen the rail at the rear after they installed a Hitch Doc...or similar trailer hitch.  I seem to remember a thread about it with pictures and everything.....just can't find it now. 

[fudgie]

 I saw Fudgie post something about spreading them out however I don't remember the details.

Hey now, I cant post stuff like that! 

[fudgie]

What did was, get them spread nice and wide, the way they look good.  Measured. Got myself 3/4" copper with 2 elbows and cut it to length of what I measured. Soldered it all up and added 3''-4" pc (I think) to the elbows. Just need enough to cover the old oem rail clips. Spread the oem rails and slipped on the new copper pc. Now where the little oem clamps that held the original rail bar, is a little hole. I drilled a hole in the copper at each rail point and dropped in a screw. This keeps the copper from falling of. Mine did once after I left a bar and hit RR tracks. Kinda embarrassing.  I also painted it black. When I pull the tire, I just undo the 2 screws and it comes right off. You cannot see it unless you know what to look for. The bags and hitch hide it.

[Dave Weaver]

I am not you, but I will tell you what I would do.  I would think to myself how nice those bags look without the rails and the send the bag rails to a fellow VRCC member (me) and thereby completely satisfy two people.

[BF]

What did was, get them spread nice and wide, the way they look good.  Measured. Got myself 3/4" copper with 2 elbows and cut it to length of what I measured. Soldered it all up and added 3''-4" pc (I think) to the elbows. Just need enough to cover the old oem rail clips. Spread the oem rails and slipped on the new copper pc. Now where the little oem clamps that held the original rail bar, is a little hole. I drilled a hole in the copper at each rail point and dropped in a screw. This keeps the copper from falling of. Mine did once after I left a bar and hit RR tracks. Kinda embarrassing.  I also painted it black. When I pull the tire, I just undo the 2 screws and it comes right off. You cannot see it unless you know what to look for. The bags and hitch hide it.

Fudgie....you the man.  That's pretty darn close to what I think I read somewhere.  Sometimes the remembererrrrr works better than others.  Would it be possible for you to post a few pics of your mod?  Sure would appreaciate it if you could. 

At any rate, I think I'll swing by Lowe's tomorrow and cruise the plumbing section before I got to go in to work. 

[fudgie]

Fudgie....you the man.  That's pretty darn close to what I think I read somewhere.  Sometimes the remembererrrrr works better than others.  Would it be possible for you to post a few pics of your mod?  Sure would appreaciate it if you could. 

At any rate, I think I'll swing by Lowe's tomorrow and cruise the plumbing section before I got to go in to work. 

Well the bikes put away for winter  and I gotta work tomorrow. Kinda a hassel for me to post a pic. Only can do it at work since my pc is sooo slooow. And even that can be a bitch. My partner did my last set of pics for me on her computer.  Sorry. Its pretty straight forward once you get in there and look. I can help you along.

[RonW]

.... I am not you, but I will tell you what I would do.  I would think to myself how nice those bags look without the rails and the send the bag rails to a fellow VRCC member (me) and thereby completely satisfy two people.

judging by the absence of 'saddlebag brackets' (in the pics), the owner might have went out and purchased those Hondaline saddlebag rails. The saddlebag 'rails' shown in the pics are actually saddlebag guards. They're not designed to support those OEM hard bags that you see on Tourers unless you plywood the open bottom. Tourer hard bags are supported by factory brackets that are hidden from view. They're like large L-brackets with a sheet metal running board bolted onto the horizontal leg which the Tourer hard bags rest on.

[Edit] just added it up from an OEM parts website. The L-brackets + floorboard for just one side of the bike alone totals $280 without the spacers and other hardware. Again, these are not the Hondaline saddlebag rails which aren't sold new anymore.

[Bone]

Here is a picture of the rack under the bag of my 98 Tourer.

[fudgie]

Oh, well since I can see the pix now you are talking about the bag rails.  I thought you were talking about the little 'rail' under the rear fender. My bad.  Sig 9 my procedures then.

Walkure machined some spacers for his rails that look good.

[BF]

Oh, well since I can see the pix now you are talking about the bag rails.  I thought you were talking about the little 'rail' under the rear fender. My bad.  Sig 9 my procedures then.

Walkure machined some spacers for his rails that look good.

Thanks fudgie.   

[BF]

.... I am not you, but I will tell you what I would do.  I would think to myself how nice those bags look without the rails and the send the bag rails to a fellow VRCC member (me) and thereby completely satisfy two people.

judging by the absence of 'saddlebag brackets' (in the pics), the owner might have went out and purchased those Hondaline saddlebag rails. The saddlebag 'rails' shown in the pics are actually saddlebag guards. They're not designed to support those OEM hard bags that you see on Tourers unless you plywood the open bottom. Tourer hard bags are supported by factory brackets that are hidden from view. They're like large L-brackets with a sheet metal running board bolted onto the horizontal leg which the Tourer hard bags rest on.

[Edit] just added it up from an OEM parts website. The L-brackets + floorboard for just one side of the bike alone totals $280 without the spacers and other hardware. Again, these are not the Hondaline saddlebag rails which aren't sold new anymore.

Yes, I know that they're not designed to support the bags.  I have them mounted to OEM leather bag mounts that I've modified to mount these bags on.  

The rails (or guards) ARE OEM I assure you.  I've seen them used on Champion hard bags before and look good.  These Mustang bags are just a touch wider than the OEM and Champion bags.  If I can get them to spread out at the rear (as others have done when used with a Hitch Doc), then I'm going to use them on the bike.  

[RonW]

The rails (or guards) ARE OEM I assure you.  I've seen them used on Champion hard bags before and look good.

yes, those are OEM Hondaline. Using 'pronouns' some times does that, albeit if you keep repeating the item's sir name than a given sentence gets long winded. I meant just to differentiate the Guard Rails (in your pics) from the saddlebag Brackets that support Tourer hard bags for people listening in that haven't seen the two.

These Mustang bags are just a touch wider than the OEM and Champion bags.  If I can get them to spread out at the rear (as others have done when used with a Hitch Doc), then I'm going to use them on the bike.

.... here's my idea (uh-oh) of how it should be done.