Jumbo Strong Bags

[pancho]

I just bought a set of Tsukayu Jumbo Strong bags from ebay,, hand laid up FIBERGLASS,, yes,, they are the older ones with the hinge on the side, and need a bit of work, but come with the mounts and overall in pretty good condition for the price I paid. I attemped to buy a set of beatup OEM Valkyrie bags and mounts a couple of times, but the price just goes too high for me.



I plan on fixing them, and painting them up to match my bumblebee,, something along these lines.



I would like to use an OEM bag guard (or one of the clones), but pretty sure the bags are too wide. I wonder if anyone has used or modified the Jumbo Strong with a bag guard on their bike?

I see BF that you have used a guard and it fits nicely, these bags are probably two inches wider at the bottom,,  I wonder how you mounted the lower and rear supports on the guard rails?

[hubcapsc]

Cool!

There's a set of Champion (also nice fiberglass) bags on eBay for $750... there's
two sizes of Patriot bags, the bigger kind is the one that is practically the same
size and shape as OEM Honda bags.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-Vulcan-2000-Patriot-Hard-Saddlebags-/181294912107?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a3604d26b&vxp=mtr

The rails on that yellow bike are different than I've seen... someone told me recently that
Honda made a different kind of rails for a short while at first... I wonder what kind those
are?

-Mike

[pancho]

That bike was one done up by Tsykayu to show their bags at one of the bike shows a couple of years ago. I am thinking that guard might be something they had fabbed bp to fit,, it looks to be aluminum or SS and not finished off in chrome.

[Jess from VA]

If you search some of BFs posts on his Mustang/Tsykayu install, you will read about him adding spacers to his OE bag rails.  I do not know if his bags are regular or jumbo Strong size.

[pancho]

Thanks Jess....  his are the Strong size,, not the Jumbo, but I will look for that post,,, I didn't know he did one.

Hey Mike, I did a bit research on this before I bought (looking forward to getting them) these bags, and the bags you showed on ebay,, while they could be mounted to a Valkyrie, since they have flat inside surfaces,, they would need to be mounted a couple of inches out off the fender for clearances of the caliper and drive in compression.  Not the best look.



This is what the inside of the Tsykayu looks like. The picture makes the indentation look exaggerated, I think it is about an inch on an over 11 inch wide bags.

[Jess from VA]

OK, here are the threads I was talking about Ponch.  Note, he talks about spacers (holding the bags off the bike) too.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,43468.msg413406.html#msg413406

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,55502.0.html

[hubcapsc]

The close bike here has Champions on it, but I don't know what he had to
go through to mount them...



-Mike

[pancho]

Well, they fit good enough,,, don't they.  Looks good to me.

[pancho]

OK, here are the threads I was talking about Ponch.  Note, he talks about spacers (holding the bags off the bike) too.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,43468.msg413406.html#msg413406

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,55502.0.html

Thanks Jess,, I remember seeing Salty1's followup when he did it last year,, but didn't remember it as I was dealing with other things at the time. There is some good info there.

[BF]

Yep, I had to make some spacers to spread out the rails a little at the rear of the bike to get them around the Mustang bags using the mounting method that I did. 

Here's some posts about my bag rail spacers......

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,53745.msg515206.html#msg515206

How they're attached to the underside of the bag.....



Someone else's oem bag rails with the Champion bags....



I have a picture of how he mounted his rails to the underside of his Champion bags but I can't find it right now....must be in another folder or on my other computer........but at any rate, he attached his rails to the underside of his bags exactly like I did. 

[pancho]

That red and white bike looks like the same one in mikes picture...... Well, I'm thinking that the only way I can see if the OEM rails will work is to have a set when I get the bags done. They are a couple of inches wider, but they can go pretty close to the fender...??  We will see, first step is to get them, do repairs and paint.  I wonder, what kind of mounts came with your Mustang bags BF ?? 
I appreciate the info on the mounting.

[BF]

That red and white bike looks like the same one in mikes picture...... Well, I'm thinking that the only way I can see if the OEM rails will work is to have a set when I get the bags done. They are a couple of inches wider, but they can go pretty close to the fender...??  We will see, first step is to get them, do repairs and paint.  I wonder, what kind of mounts came with your Mustang bags BF ?? 
I appreciate the info on the mounting.

They don't come with any mounts. 

The Mustangs are exactly the same as the Tsykayu "quick release strong" bags.....and Tsykayu recommonds Easy Brackets.

The easy brakets hold the bags pretty far away from the fender.  There have been several members that have used them....and to me, they just don't look right.  I've got some pics if you need to seem them. 

I wanted the bags as close the the rear fender as possible to memic the OEM hardbags, specifically so that I could use the set of OEM bag rails that I had. 

The best way I found to do that was to use a set of the OEM leather bag mounts. 

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,43468.msg413406.html#msg413406

Tsykayu does make a set of bag mounts that are milled from bar stock and are very nice and really beefy.....those are the ones that they supply with the Strong bags. 

I bought a set from Tsykayu to try....but they hold the bags off from the rear fender a little further than what I wanted.  If I wasn't going to use the bag rails, I probably would have used them to mount my Mustangs. 

Member Detn8er used a set of the Tsykayu mounts to mount his Mustangs.  Here.....

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,59778.0.html

Tsykayu doesn't list their mounts on their site for sale, but they will sell them seperate.  Call or email them. 

I've never seen anyone try to use a set of the OEM bag rails with a set of the Jumbo Strongs and I doubt that they'll work with those bags....I think that they're simply too wide, but if you get them to fit and work, I'd love to see the final product.   

[BF]

Yep, I had to make some spacers to spread out the rails a little at the rear of the bike to get them around the Mustang bags using the mounting method that I did. 

Here's some posts about my bag rail spacers......

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,53745.msg515206.html#msg515206

How they're attached to the underside of the bag.....



Someone else's oem bag rails with the Champion bags....



I have a picture of how he mounted his rails to the underside of his Champion bags but I can't find it right now....must be in another folder or on my other computer........but at any rate, he attached his rails to the underside of his bags exactly like I did. 

Here.....found the pic......

[pancho]

Yeah, I'm with you, I want the bags as close to the fender as possible, and the Valkyrie OEM bag mounts will not work on these like they did on yours,,, by the way that was a good inovation and modification of those mounts.... nice.

I have talked to Kin at Tsykayu, and they will sell me a set of mounts (only after he verified that I had a set of Tsukayu bags) for about $100.     These are what I need,, the Z brackets,, and probably what you have..



I have some mounts coming with the bags, but won't know if they are the ones I need until the bags get here,, (didn't show them in the pictures) probably Wednesday or so. I wonder if you still have the Tsykayu mounts and if you want to hang on to them if you do.....  I MAY need a set.

I will certainly take some pictures of the project as it comes together,, we will see about the OEM bag rails.

[BF]

Nope, sold them. 

[pancho]

Well, got the bags and mounts today,, the mounts are the ones I hoped would be with the bags.



I like the size of the bags, and after setting them on the bike to see the fit, when they are placed to best line up with the curve of the fender, the cutout for the shocks does not match up,, actually is not needed, and there is a lot of unnecessary unused space behind the bags. Where the weight will be in the bags, it will cause a lot of stress on the mounting points and the back of the bags,, I will need to make a strut from the passenger footpeg mount to the bottom of the bags. The Z mounts keep the bags out a bit more than I want them and may end up building some custom mounts. They are solid well built large bags, but I am thinking that there are probably better choices for the Valkyrie,, but since I only paid $200 for them, I am not complaining. After some work and paint they will work out just fine for my bike.  If I would have paid $700 for them, I would be really disappointed with them for this application.

The Leatherlyke bags I have now are cheap, but I sure will miss the easy on/off and actually their weight distribution of the cargo on the bike is better as is stress on the mounts.

[pancho]

Talk about a Phat Girl!!





This is the only thing I don't like about them...



Oh well,, they have been sanded primed and I'm working on the body work,, get them painted soon. I think I will like them.

[Jess from VA]

Nice job on the mount.   

Too bad so much space is lost on the shock cutouts.  On the upside, cleaning the tops of your pipes will be a breeze.

[salty1]

I think you'll like your Tsukayu bags. I mounted strongs on my Valk with the supplied Z mounts. They are not as close to the bike as I would  like, but as you say they are solid.

[gordonv]

Maybe you can fit a speaker in there, add a sound system?

[salty1]

Maybe you can fit a speaker in there, add a sound system?

All communications and tunes are "piped" through my J&M Integrator (in my tank bag) then to my helmet speakers.

[pancho]

Nice job on the mount.   

Too bad so much space is lost on the shock cutouts.  On the upside, cleaning the tops of your pipes will be a breeze.

HA, well, even with my awesome math skills, they still came out 1 inch further forward than I wanted them...???   but they go right along with the fender.

Hey gordonv,, I think there is a fairing in my future for the speakers,, maybe that space can be used for a "concealed compartment".

[Tundra]

I had those bags for years with the Valkyrie style latches. I loved them, real nice quality fiberglass. The quality of the bags I believe is better than the ABS OEM bags.
The mounting system and fit and finish of the OEM is second to none.
Yours Look great, nice job
Then


Now...I have no complaints with my old bags. Probably spent allot of cash I didn't need to. They looked great too.

[pancho]

Well, your bike looked good then, and it looks good now. What kind of windshield and cut is that on your bike tundra?

"The mounting system and fit and finish of the OEM is second to none."   Yeah, I think I am going to build a brace from the passenger peg mount to the bottom of these bags for a bit of extra stability,, may even bend up a set of rails so they can have some more stability across the back. They are solid, but you can never have enough stability!!

[Tundra]

The windshield is a Clearview direct replacement, mounted on the OEM mounting brackets. I ordered 17" from the headlight cutout, I prefer looking over it as apposed to through it.
  The new owner of my bags had a brace/support made which runs across the bottom connecting the two bags and giving much more support/stability, eliminating vibrations. Looks good too.
  Thanks for the good words.

[pancho]

  The new owner of my bags had a brace/support made which runs across the bottom connecting the two bags and giving much more support/stability, eliminating vibrations. Looks good too.
 

Tundra,  I wonder about that brace,, did he make it run behind the tire?? below the fender?? is it visible??

[Tundra]

Yes, yes, and yes. I do not have any pics, but it looks good like it belongs there.
Grumpy made it, he's a mechanic, machinist, metal smith magician.

[pancho]

Thanks,, I am certainly aware of Grumpys work, is that a set of his tips on your bike? I have a few metal working tools myself and can surely bend a piece of tubing to go around there, but would like to see what someone else has done.

I am going to build braces for the front, but have not given up on the ides of getting a set of rails to go around the bags and provide additional support across the back,, just not ready to spend the money on them until I am pretty sure I can make them work.

[salty1]

Pancho I followed BF's lead and used these. I'm not sure this would work with the Z mounted Jumbos because the bag is sticking farther out from the fender. The modified OEM mounts pulled the bags in nice and tight.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SADDLEBAG-SADDLE-BAG-RAILS-GUARDS-FOR-HONDA-VALKYRIE-/151238612923?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item23368617bb&vxp=mtr

[pancho]

Hey Salty1, actually, I don't think the bags are further out from the fender, because the Jumbos do not have a flat back. The area where the Z mounts go is indented about an inch,, the concern is that the bags are about two inches wider at 11 inches plus. I believe I would have to space the mounting points out at the front about two inches to keep them off the bags, but I need to do some measurements on someones bike that has rails before I make any decisions. I have them on the bike and rode about eighty miles yesterday,, I like them. Just a temporary flat black paint job at this point, but they seem to work just fine even without any additional supports,, that won't stop me from adding some.

[salty1]

Pancho, I believe your right about probabling needing to increase the spacing at the mounting points. That might be tricky to make it look good.  ???

[pancho]

Finally got the bags finished up and painted,, here is what I ended up with. Looking at the pictures, if I was going to do it again, I would change the loop on the lid, but all in all I am happy with the results. When I called US paint for the pearl yellow, they had the base coat, reducer and catalyst, but no pearl (AJ9076) top coat and I was informed it would be three weeks!!  My local paint supply that could mix the colors wanted $400 for the yellow base and pearl alone, so I mixed my own paint. I used Aztec Gold candy  pearl additive I found at Hobby Lobby for $6, With fine line tape, orange pin stripe from eBay, flat black, yellow base and plenty of clear in acrylic enamel, the supplies were under $60. I cannot see any difference in color or pearelence,,, I may shoot the bags after a couple of weeks for complete curing of the acrylic enamel with some urethane clear just for a hard surface...  maybe.  Now if I would just get the fairing in.

[Jess from VA]

Very nice job.   

Having the trim run over the lids to the bags is a nice touch.  The custom airbrushing I have on my bags looks a bit wrong running all across the bags and ending abruptly at the lids. 

Any cager that says she didn't see you (before impact) is either blind or lying. 

[Bone]

Looks real good 

[salty1]

Turned out real nice!   

[Bighead]

Nice Job Pancho

[pancho]

Very nice job.  

Having the trim run over the lids to the bags is a nice touch.  The custom airbrushing I have on my bags looks a bit wrong running all across the bags and ending abruptly at the lids.  

Any cager that says she didn't see you (before impact) is either blind or lying.  

                                              Thanks guys

Oh No,,, that woman isn't going to hit me Jess!!!  She will slam on the brakes just in time and make someone rear end her.          
                                             Don't try to curse me.

[Jess from VA]

Don't try to curse me.

Ponch, my comments were only intended to compliment the design and bright color.  I don't go in for that superstition stuff.   

(I have been reluctant to put in print that I have not had a flat in continuous riding since 1970, but will do so now) 

[pancho]

     " (I have been reluctant to put in print that I have not had a flat in continuous riding since 1970,                 

                                                        but will do so now) "


                      Now you did it!!

[BF]

I've never really cared much for the Bumblebee paint, however, you guys are making me rethink that.  Both of you guys have done an outstanding job with your bikes.  Well done.