Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech saddle bag and brackets

I need some tips and tricks kind of guidance. I bought some bags for my BSA and wahted to fab up some brackets to keep them out of the sprocket/brake/wheel. I bought some 1/4 round rod and do have a welder and average skill. My intention was to weld the rod to some plate and drill the plate for a bolt on attach point. My question is where to attach it? Any one know where the factory units bolt up? Links to pics?

I'll assume you didn't mean BSA.

The brackets bolt to the chrome piece that the rear mud guard bolts to. If you're fabbing,(and someone may have a better idea - This was my plan) It would appear that a 1/4" half collar (pipe) with a 1/8" thich washer welded to one end would get you started on the anchor point. May need to cut the collar down a bit. Weld your rod to the collars.

-OR-
You can save yourself a lot of p1ssin' around and get a set of Honda Magna brackets - they're much cheaper than the Triumphs. I thing the ones for the 750 do the trick.

Yeah- I meant BSM aka Speedmaster. I had been looking at BSA'a earlier. Thanks for the info.

You could use ss bbq forks like Shaun (nobby) did years ago.

Looks nice- thanks.

I bought Easy Bracket saddlebag mounting system for my '05 America, which has the Triumph tall sissy bar. Brackets are specifically for this application, but the bracket's front docking posts wont allowthe bracket to clear the bike's side reflectors. Manufacturer yesterday recommended chrome washers installed on both front and rear docking posts could solve the problem (but personally, I think it won't solve the fitment problem, but I'll give it a try this weekend). Maufacturer also said I might consider removing the side reflectors, which I don't want to do. Cust serv rep also said they haven't had any reports of this problem before now. Any of you out there purchased Easy Brackets and did you encounter this situation?

Appreciate your comments and suggestions.

Move the reflectors? I removed mine when I installed the sissy bar.

Gerry,
Phil is right......reflectors must be removed to install the sissy bar.
If I remember correctly, my sissy bar kit came with either new set of reflectors or new tape to mount them on the brackets. I left them off.
If you had your sissy bar installed over at RPM this is probably what they did.

If you can install the EZ bracket's with the reflectors in place, you will effectively have covered them up with the saddle bags anyway. Remove the reflectors. I laughed when I saw that the fender strut rail kit had new reflectors for installation! Make sure you also disconnect your bat'tree before installing them! Just kidding you.

Thanks. Yes, RPM installed the sissy bar kit and mounted the reflectors onto the rails. I guess I'm warming up to the idea of removing the reflectors. It's just that I won't have the brackets and bags mounted all the time and so initially I didn't want to remove the reflectors. Didn't want to do any more modifications than necessary, which is why I liked the Easy Bracket system., and too the bike stays as "original" as possible.

Anyway, thanks for the imput. Gives me some assurance as to options, which really aren't many. Manufacturer asked me to get back with them to let them know if the shim method worked. I don't think it will, because then the bolts will be too short. However, they said they'd send me longer bolts if that became an issue after installing chrome or stainless steel washers.

Ok, I installed Easy Brackets for saddlebags this weekend. Install went good, but now left wondering how / where to "tie down" the saddlebags at the bottom. Do I now need to fabricate some kind of frame anyway, just so I can keep the bags from flopping in the wind? I wish now I had gone ahead and bought "traditional brackets."

Anbody else out there installed "Easy" Brackets on their America?

I've had the EZ brackets on mine for a couple of years now with no problem with anything flopping around. The brackets support the hard backs of the bags so you shouldn't have very much movement... you shouldn't have to tie anything anywhere.
The EZ brackets are great when you don't use the bags all the time... much cleaner look.

A lot of people put a piece of fiberglass or fiberboard (w/o the holes) on the inside of the bag before attaching the bolts to the bag. That's what I should have done, I still might one of these days. They just don't seem like they could carry a lot of weight the way they are. I won't put more then clothes, rainsuit or maybe some tools in them, though I have carried a gallon of milk in there though.

I reinforced the bags on the inside. Glad I did. Altho mine are leather, some of the ones with plastic backing have cracked and ripped off. More support is more betterer.

I've got saddlemen jumbo drifters on the ez-backets. When they
started to tear, after the New Hampshire Rally, I put plexi-glass
backing plates on the inside. Solid as a rock now. I also took
a Dremel with a little grinding stone to the right side bracket.
Now it goes on/off without a block of wood and a hammer.

I'm finally happy with my set-up.
Uncle Charlie

I found I needed some washers under the rear posts to make the slots in each paralell to eachother.

Really do appreciate all the responses, especially the "reinforcement" suggestion. I kind of concluded yesterday that I will try out plexi-glass or something similar.

Bennybmn, regarding the washers under the docking posts; when I spoke with Dave at the 800 number at Easy Brackets, he mentioned the docking posts in front are puposely shorter than the ones in back due to the slight tapering of the America's fender. He suggested that if I did shim the posts, I should do all four posts equally to maintain the same original proportion front to back. I elected to not shim, and instead removed the reflectors from the sissy bar rail (as per suggestions in this forum). That solved the bracket fitment / clearance problem for me.

What would the 800 number for ez brackets be? I have questions...

I think they may have changed the post lengths since I got mine too...

866-521-3024

866 is toll free.

Sweeet..., thanks Jim..

His name is Jim?

I doin't have the tel # with me here at the office, but it looks like moe has that covered for you. The email below is how I did follow-up with Dave at Easy Brackets. He was very interested in my particular situation and willing to help me figure out a solution.

Gerry


David Havens [davidhavens@sbcglobal.net]