Hmmm... Do These Saddlebags Make My Butt Look Big?

[rexolio]

Okay, so I got some saddlebags a couple of weeks ago from the shop where I got my bike. The _helpful_ clerk there assured me that the saddlebags I got was the smallest they had and said they would be fine for my bike, even taking them out to my bike to check.

The saddlebags are nice, but not the best - they're not leather!

I got universal brackets (man, don't even get me started on putting these things on) and mounted the saddlebags as high as high as I could get them to keep the right side as far away from the exhaust as I could. Still, I'm concerned they're just not the right size and that one day the exhaust will burn a hole in the bottom and all my stuff will go flying down the street.

I've checked the bottom of the saddlebags and yes, they're warm after a long ride, but not hot. However, there's a difference in the bottom of the one over the exhaust. The one on the left is very hard, the one on the right not so much (obviously the heat has done this???)

Anyway, please take a look and let me know what you think:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhQ0porCgMs

[Sarris]

Rex;

I have the Suzuki faux (read fake) leather bags and made an aluminum shield as shown in this thread except I fastened mine with pop rivets. No more problems with melting.

http://www.gz250bike.com/viewtopic.php?t=1028

[Easy Rider]

I've checked the bottom of the saddlebags and yes, they're warm after a long ride, but not hot.

As long as they STAY where they are now, I don't think you will have any problem.........unless maybe you sit at idle for a really LONG time.....which you shouldn't do with an air cooled engine anyway.

My right bag sits an inch or less from the end of the right muffler. It just went on a 1,200 mile trip with no problem. It is real leather.

Sarris is not the only one to put an aluminum sheet/plate on the bottom of the bag. If it really worrys you, that is the thing to do.

[rexolio]

Thanks everyone... I feel much better about it now. And at least IF it starts to become a problem, I have a solution (aluminum shield).

Love this forum!!!!!

[Orpheus]

I've checked the bottom of the saddlebags and yes, they're warm after a long ride, but not hot.

As long as they STAY where they are now, I don't think you will have any problem.

Exactly. I finally burned a small hole in my Suzuki bags after taking them on a camping trip. I didn't notice that I had packed too much stuff in the right one, so it ended up touching the exhaust and burning a hole maybe as big as a dime.