Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Saddleman Jumbo Drifter

Where is the best place online to purchase Saddleman Jumbo Drifters and EZ Brackets? Also, are there instructions in the forum on how to install the EZ brackets with the Drifters and how to reinforce the drifters as I hear is important to do.

I bought my old drifters from www.cruisercustomizing.com - good price, good service.

Installing the EZ brackets is fairly simple - instructions come with them.

Reinforcing the bags is important as bolts driven through the plastic backings will pull through or tear a section out of the back of the bags. Get a large sheet of plate, bend it to 90 degrees, sit the bags on it and then bolt it in.

A better option is to get the K-Drive bags that come with their own mounts. Expensive, but no mucking around.

These guys have good prices and free shiping I have no history with them. so can't vouch

http://www.cruisercustomizing.com

Hmmm talk about timing on the last two posts. That was not there when I wrote mine

Sandmann, when you say "sit the bags on it and then bolt it in" you mean on the back outside of the bags right?

Yeah, I saw that site. Looks like someplace I would trust. Which Easy Brackets do I need? They have a ton but none that say Triumph, http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/list.c...amp;sblid=prev. I do have a sissy bar.

Get a quote from Eddy. He's a Saddlemen's distributor.

http://fasteddysports.com/order/Parts/saddlebags.htm

I've been a big proponent of the Jumbo Saddlemen with easy Brackets, but mine have developed a nasty crack on the plastic back side DESPITE reinforcement.
I'm not happy.

I have the jumbo drifters and I got a little carried away re-enforcing the backs but they will never tear apart, that's for sure!

Phil, can you give us some specs on how you made your Saddleman's indestructible?

Indestructible... That's pretty close. I could probably drop these off a building and the bags would hold!

That's 12g aluminum I had laying about. Cut a piece twice the size of the back so I'd have enough to wrap. Laid the back of the bag on the aluminum and traced the outline. Came in about an inch and re-drew the line and then cut the back profile. I then marked where the bottom came to and took the pieces to work as my brake would not handle this. Bent the bottoms, came home and test fit, and cut the excess off. Mounted the EZ Brackets to brackets and bags and then drilled and mounted the rest of the bolts (fender washers inside on all bolts). Dremeled off the excess bolt lengths. Took everything apart and used flat black crinkle spray paint.

One thing you can't see is smaller metal brackets I bent into an L shape that are attached from the inside of the bags on the top left and right bolts. I did this because I noticed the front and back edges on these bags seem to sag a bit and these keep those edges nice and flat. You can see how flat the front edge is in the top photo.

This mod added about 3 pounds to each bag (including the EZ Brackets) and I keep them full of tools and emergency type stuff. I did this last year and I see no degradation in the EZ Bracket posts/brackets or the mounting bolts. Of course, the backs are not cracking!

Happy Birthday Phil!
can you direct me to the easy brackets I would need for my America ? I was up on the web site and didnt find any for my bike. Thanks Phil

Here's a good thread about Jumbo Drifters and brackets. I think if you get a bag with plastic backs and don't somehow support it by the bottom (or manufacture a real back as Phil has done), if you put any weight in them at all, they'll eventually crack. I got the bag brackets with bottom support from Bella Corse and will see how long it takes for the bars to snap. They're over a year old now and the bags carry quite a bit of weight.

Got tired of the drill after going through 2 sets of Saddlemen Drifters. They do look good, and have a great warranty.

Here's the link I found Erwin:

http://www.easybrackets.com/products/triumph_motorcycles.htm

thanks phil