Saddle Bags

SADDLE BAGS
Jim Riordan's Bike
Saddle Bags securely installed in about a minute!

Jim's Pin System

Jim Installing Bag	Pin	Lock Pin in Seat	Light Re-Location	Pin inside Bag	Measuring Hole

Alternative Pin System

Pin w\head	Installing Stainless Bushing	Bushing Installed	Assembly Installed	Finished

The alternative pin system uses a pin with a head to grab. If you take your seat off frequently this works well except the pin sticks out a little more. The bushing was made from a 5\8" stainless bolt. Most of the head was machined off so that it left only a thin washer. The center was drilled out so that the pin would slide through. You have to tap the seat hole to 5\8" and screw the bushing in. The bushing protects the seat from frequent installation of the pin.
Instructions Below

Thought I would pass along what I think is a fairly trick way to mount saddle bags. I wanted to use the standard Yamaha bags which appear to be well constructed with nice leather bags and hard plastic backs. The part number is ABA-3Jk73-00-04. Suggested resale is $248.00 for the pair. They are pictured in the V-Max catalog. In the catalog, they are in the perfect position to keep them away from the pipes and yet out of the passenger's way. Problem is, the catalog shows the leather attachment straps simply hanging over the seats (look at the catalog photo closely) so the passenger has to sit on them and any dirtbag can sling them over his shoulder and walk away with them.

My solution was to first get the stock turn signals out of the way so the bags could be placed where I wanted them. I removed the existing turn signals and mounted new Lockhart-Phillips mini billet turnsignals (PN 122-9980, about $17.00 for the set of two), to the license plate bracket. Since the "ears" of the bracket extend past the license plate anyway, I simply bent the tips 90 degrees toward the front of the bike, drilled the slot slightly larger to accomodate the Lockhart lights and mounted the lights right next to and on either side of the plate. It now looks like it came that way.

Then, since I had a Corbin seat which mounts to Max via two screws on either side of the bike, I drilled out the screw mounting holes in the frame to accomodate 5/16 diameter aircraft quick releases. These are the kind with the two balls on the end of the shaft and a button at the other end which, when pushed, allows the balls to drop into the pin so the pin can be easily removed from the hole. The pins are made by Hartwell Corp, Lockwell Division. The pins (2 ea) to replace the seat screws when you are not using the saddlebags is PN LG5CB-875. I also had to slightly enlarge the holes in the Corbin seat to allow the pins to fit loosely enough that the pins are easy to install and remove quickly.

I then drilled two 1/2 inch diameter holes in the plastic backs of each of the saddlebags for the quick release pins to pass through. The first hole I drilled at the forward side of the bag, 5 & 1/4 inches down from the top of the plastic back and 7/8 of an inch in from the forward edge of the hard plastic back. I then mounted the fronts of the saddlebags through the seat mounting holes using fastener pin number # PN LG5CB-1250.

I then drilled two more 1/2 inch diameter holes in the backs of the saddlebags at the aft side to line up with the holes where the turn signals used to mount. The "aft" saddlebag mounting holes were drilled at 4 & 1/2 inches down from the top and 3/4 of an inch in from the aft edge of the hard plastic back. (please note that once drilled, for mounting purposes, you now have a left and right saddlebag. The distance between the holes would work either way, but the difference in height makes them "one-side-specific"). Since the turn signal holes were larger than the 5/16 quick release fasteners, I simply slid two 5/16 washers behind the holes and put the rear quick releases PN LG5CB-1125 through them. Now I can put on the saddlebags or take them off instantly and remove the seat instantly, with no tools, yet a passerby would have to actually open the bags to gain access to the fasteners. When mounted, they look just like the ones in the catalog. I never cut the original mounting straps off, I just tucked them behind the bags, so they still retain the option of being laced together and slung over the seats if you wanted to. Tucking the flaps behind the bags also gives the job a finished appearance and protects the edges of your seat from wear. Remember that to make this a completely interchangeable system, you need to order two pins for each of the three different sizes/part numbers. You will have six pins all together. To order the pins, you can contact Hartwell/Lockwell Corp at (714) 579-4425 or fax them at (714) 777-4031. Ask for Chris Padilla. Please see the photos of the pins and the finished project accompanying this article. ©1998 Jim Riordan 530-676-4729 or jriordan@riordanco.com