Last update Champion saddlebags

[_Sheffjs_]

Well the mosquitoes at the cottage ate me up so I am done for now. I will make the cross bar next, now that I am at this point and can see what I need to do to make one. I also have a couple of slight modifications and done!  

I did not want to compromise the stock hardware so a few extra steps were needed.  Found great stainless steel hoop brackets to do the trick.  

[dinosnake]

Wow, I think they look great!  Their angle seems to match and reflect the radiator pods, so the front and back seem to share the same stylistic interpretation.  I really like it.  I may end up looking into this!

[_Sheffjs_]

Wow, I think they look great!  Their angle seems to match and reflect the radiator pods, so the front and back seem to share the same stylistic interpretation.  I really like it.  I may end up looking into this!

Thank you. 

[bscrive]

They do look badass Jerry.  I especially like them with just the front OE seat.   

I am concerned that you will get some awful howling from the heat shield, especially from the bottom part that is not attached to anything.  It may start flapping, and damage the bottom of the bags.

I would bring it to a metal shop and see if they can put some bends in it to give the heat shield more rigidity.


Brian

[_Sheffjs_]

I used collar washers with thick rubber washers on both sides of the fiberglass and have the bag mounted to the bottom as well as the side and the stock Honda hardware has a connecting point at the bottom that is strong. I will make a brace connecting both sides tomorrow. Basically used the 1500 as my model.  Still it is a learning process and I need to keep an eye on all of this. 

[Tundra]

Looks fantastic Jerry, blacked out fast fat girl. Nice job

[havoc]

looks great!

[Jess from VA]

This looks very good indeed.  

Yes, traditionally we try to get the bags as close to the fender as possible.  The way the rear fender goes from fat to less fat down low was always going to result in extra space in there.  And I'm assuming you have around 30 percent more carrying capacity than the Corbins.

Those of us with tight-to-fender bags also then have a very difficult time getting our hands in there to clean on the insides (short of removal).

I would not try to mod up filler panels at all.  It wouldn't look better and will result in a dirt trap.

It would be nice if there were some rear (low) looped guards for fall/tipovers.  While the forward engine guards will keep the bike up to some degree, it looks like the bag bottoms may still make contact in a tipover.  

[_Sheffjs_]

This looks very good indeed.  

Yes, traditionally we try to get the bags as close to the fender as possible.  The way the rear fender goes from fat to less fat down low was always going to result in extra space in there.  And I'm assuming you have around 30 percent more carrying capacity than the Corbins.

Those of us with tight-to-fender bags also then have a very difficult time getting our hands in there to clean on the insides (short of removal).

I would not try to mod up filler panels at all.  It wouldn't look better and will result in a dirt trap.

It would be nice if there were some rear (low) looped guards for fall/tipovers.  While the forward engine guards will keep the bike up to some degree, it looks like the bag bottoms may still make contact in a tipover.  

Wow,  you hit a few nails on that one.  I was thinking last night, I can't tip this over without a few words spoken.  Next nail.  After it was finished (to this point) I decided no fillers. 

Now that it is done I'm starting to think that the stock 1500 hardware and bags might work with the top 1800 bracket much better.   It is what it is.   

[Jess from VA]

IF your current bag mount system is pretty solid, you might be able to add something underneath the leading forward edge (or outside forward corner) of the mounts to take the hit/scrape.... assuming that is the (first) point of contact in a tipover.  I suppose the only way to know that will be to gently let it down (on a padded surface) to find the exact contact point.  

Either steel plate or steel bar bolted on.  The thickness to be determined by how high it is necessary to keep the bags from ground contact (it should not have to be very wide, but thick/tall enough).  Even if this resulted a bit of a bend to the mount (on a fall), the point is to keep those spendy Champions from ground contact.

Oh, and do not forget to swing wide around car bumpers in the driveway or other tight spots.  I grabbed a bag (guard) on the wife's Dakota bumper once, fortunately I was only rolling... but I still came to an instant unexpected stop, and slid up on the tank.  

[_Sheffjs_]

IF your current bag mount system is pretty solid, you might be able to add something underneath the leading forward edge (or outside forward corner) of the mounts to take the hit/scrape.... assuming that is the (first) point of contact in a tipover.  I suppose the only way to know that will be to gently let it down (on a padded surface) to find the exact contact point.  

Either steel plate or steel bar bolted on.  The thickness to be determined by how high it is necessary to keep the bags from ground contact (it should not have to be very wide, but thick/tall enough).  Even if this resulted a bit of a bend to the mount (on a fall), the point is to keep those spendy Champions from ground contact.

Oh, and do not forget to swing wide around car bumpers in the driveway or other tight spots.  I grabbed a bag (guard) on the wife's Dakota bumper once, fortunately I was only rolling... but I still came to an instant unexpected stop, and slid up on the tank.  

Well I have a 1500 with bags so I am used to the wide load.  I thought I would be done when I figured out a back brace (and I have a good solution now) but now I have to do more thinking. 

[dans2014]

  WOW. nice job

[Kidd]

Yeah , truly

WOW. nice job

[Dave Ritsema]

Beautiful work! That's what should have come from the factory!

[_Sheffjs_]

Thank you all for the positive posts and I want to thank Hubcap because I feel by him putting up the Shadow Saddlebag on blocks next to his 18c gave me all the incentive I needed and the extra thought provoking from Mike made me go the next step and create a back brace securely mounted to the frame near where the blinkers were before the mod. Happy to say it is solid like bull with no wobble.  To anyone that is interested in going this route, if I had a do over I would have used 1500 Valkyrie saddlebags and most important the chrome brackets (powder coated black of course) off the 1500 as well. I am convinced it would tuck in better than what I have done and hide the brackets better. Now I am getting ready soon to go to bike night in Wiki Wachee and taking the 1500 Valkyrie the 18 year old phat girl.