Saddle bag brackets.

[Water Warrior 2]

So here I am drawing a big fat zero in my search for saddle bag brackets. looked at everything here on the forum for vendors and DIY. DIY will be a lot more trouble than it is worth, lack of tools and a place to work is one problem. Went looking for 3/8 metal tubing today and can't even find that in town, GRRRR. So back to the net and look for manufactured items. Nada. Can't find the sites where I found them before. Anybody have a site/manufacturer/vendor etc with brackets for the 250. Thanks in advance for the reply.

[Dupo]

Google is your friend :)

http://www.mcenterprisesusa.com/garage/blowouts.html

15th from the very bottom. $50 blowout special.

[Gadzooks Mike]

I have no saddle bag brackets and don't seem to need them. The bags I bought http://www.leatherup.com/product.asp?pf_id=029 seem to do fine without the brackets. The front corner of the bag rests on top of the spring/shock. They've been on there a year now and I've had no problems.

[xt477]

How did these fit under your seat Mike? I'm assuming you took the rear seat off and made a hole in the bags for the bolt? And what did the bottom of the bags mount to? the shocks?

Could we see sum pix? I am about to order some and would be nice to see how others have mounted theirs.

[Easy Rider]

Anybody have a site/manufacturer/vendor etc with brackets for the 250. Thanks in advance for the reply.

At the risk of stating the obvious: Suzuki has a set available......or is that not what you mean by "brackets"?

[Gadzooks Mike]

xt477 - I just took off the seat, sat the bags on the fender, and put the seat back on. No holes, no mount, no nothing. I'll see what I can do about a pic for you, but seriously, there's not much to see. Oh wait, I posted a pic awhile back for something else. Let me see if I can find the link.

[Gadzooks Mike]

xt477 - pardon the photography, but you'll see what I mean here.
http://upload8.postimage.org/543221/photo_hosting.html

[Dupo]

[quote="Water Warrior":2o3an7q2]Anybody have a site/manufacturer/vendor etc with brackets for the 250. Thanks in advance for the reply.

At the risk of stating the obvious: Suzuki has a set available......or is that not what you mean by "brackets"?[/quote:2o3an7q2]

Suzuki charges more than anyone else. Same as a 'Hondaline' product. Way over priced.

[Water Warrior 2]

I should have been a bit more clear with my question. It is the brackets that keep the bags from getting tangled up in the rear wheel. There was an e-bay link here concerning SS brackets for about $30 but I haven't had any luck getting to it. Operator error more than likely. I am sure Suzuki would sell the brackets to me here in the GWN but the cost would be out of this world so to speak.

[Water Warrior 2]

Okay, so here is what I did. Spent most of the night on the computer looking for saddle bag support brackets. Found some for a reasonable price before factoring in the shipping costs. Not real impressed with some ideas of shipping costs but everyone has to make a buck. Just for the hell of it went to my favorite Yammy dealer in town(no Zuk dealer here) and asked for a price on Suzuki brackets. One call later and I am poorer by $82.70 OTD. That is actually cheaper than any U.S. supplier can deliver for with all the taxes and shipping costs. I do like to support local business when ever possible unless the price is off the wall sort of thing. Eventually I will get it all together for Happy Hobo and she can post some pics of the bike with the bags mounted. After that we will have an adventure installing grip heaters.

[Badbob]

I have the stainless steel ones purchased from eBay. $25 if I remember correctly.

Most of these are just a soft steel rod with about a half inch offset and some chrome. If you can find one thats close it can probably bent a little and made to work. The set on my wifes bike are not for a Suzuki. but they work fine. The Stainless steel brackets come with instructions that tell you to bend them to fit.

You could make some easy.

[KiwiGZ]

Back after a long break and 2000 miles on my GZ - amazing how far you travel communting into work and back everyday!

I can not find these here in New Zealand easily, however a google search turned up a couple of US dealers that seem to have all the GZ250 accessories ...

RideNow - http://www.ridenow.com/results/b2c-cru- ... and=Suzuki (http://www.ridenow.com/results/b2c-cru-bik-saddlebag.aspx?Brand=Suzuki) (saddlebag guards $48.53)

Bells Susuki store on eBay (saddlebag guards $54.95)

Ron Ayers - http://www.ronayers.com/catalogs/sga/type.cfm?secid=17 (saddlebag guards $53.93)

Now to find an NZ supplier!!

Wayne :o)

[Water Warrior 2]

All good sources for sure but the shipping to the GWN would be the same as buying them here. Still, I won't rule out U.S. sources if they can save me $$. Overall we have save a bundle ordering from South of the Border.

[Stretch]

Are you just looking for the Suzuki standard saddlebag brackets?

"Keep your saddlebags from having a sagging look with these custom designed saddlebag supports" Part #: 99950-70534 MSRP $55.95.
http://upload9.postimage.org/376316/Saddlebagbracket.jpg (http://upload9.postimage.org/376316/photo_hosting.html)

I found most websites bounced within $5 of the MSRP. If you bring the part number to a Suzuki dealer they can order it for you (mine gave me 15% off when I ordered mine yesterday). You can find the nearest dealer at http://www.suzukicycles.com/Accessories (on the top line menu) and this page gives you a handy little utility to find the standard accessories.

Best of luck!
-Bob

[jonathan180iq]

Don't spend money on overpriced metal "U"s.

http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/forum ... -made.html (http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/forum/cruisers/14946-12-gz250-saddlebag-supports-home-made.html)

You're welcome.
-Jonathan

[Water Warrior 2]

Jonathan, thanks for the info. Problem here is lack of tools and such. Would have loved to make brackets but lack of tools, workspace and overall tool storage is a bother for an apartment dweller.

[Badbob]

I should have done that. Although I only paid $20 for mine.

[jonathan180iq]

This happened to me when I was a little younger and didn't have any of my current tools. In this case, I just ran over to home depot, bought the parts that I needed (it was for a car at the time) and found a machininst in the area to do the work. It only took him 5 minutes and only cost me $15.

Also, I prefer getting stuff done locally first, before I go through the process of ordering online. I don;t like to wait on shipping.

-Jonathan

[finallyinthesaddle]

Quick, and probably stupid, question: Are the supports made with the intent to keep the bags off the shocks? or just away from the bike?? The problem I'm having is this. I want rigid mounted saddlebags, but I would like to keep the look of leather, in other words, no ammo cans or hard bags. I'm having a heck of a time getting the bags to clear the spring. I can't move them back w/o hitting the turn signal, and I can't move them up too far or they'll look stupid. Would supports be helpful in this? or does it not matter if the bags hit the springs? :??: :??: :??: :??:

[Easy Rider]

Quick, and probably stupid, question: Are the supports made with the intent to keep the bags off the shocks? or just away from the bike??

No and no.
They are made to keep the bags out of the SPOKES and from rubbing on the wheel.
The stock supports also keep them off of the springs....mostly.

Rubbing on the springs isn't a problem.......for the springs. It might wear the bags, over a LONG period of time.
My bags "hide" most of the spring but just barely touches them.

What do you mean by "rigid mounted"? A throw-over bag mounted UNDER the rear seat ends up being pretty rigid and fairly far forward, unless you "hack" the yoke some.

A really large bag would cover most of the spring and go all the way to the turn signals, depending on exaclty how you mounted them.

If I was going to get large bags, I would look for ones that disconnect from the yoke so that you could have a solid mount but still be easily removable.

[Badbob]

These are hard mounted with bolts the same way I mounted my ammo cans. The supports keep them off the springs unless the are loaded heavy. They are not Suzuki supports.

http://www.robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/186-2/dscn5065.jpg

http://www.robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/218-2/dscn5074.jpg

http://www.robertkeeney.com/gallery/d/222-2/dscn5075.jpg

The previous owner opted to cut (not drill) holes in the back of the bag instead of making and adapter plate. This did not hold up well and I later added some reinforcement plates on either side that I do not have pictures of.

Wilie & Max have a Universal Support /Hardmount Kit that you might want to take a look at.
http://www.willieandmax.com/fam_bracket.html

[finallyinthesaddle]

These are hard mounted with bolts the same way I mounted my ammo cans. The supports keep them off the springs unless the are loaded heavy. They are not Suzuki supports.


The previous owner opted to cut (not drill) holes in the back of the bag instead of making and adapter plate. This did not hold up well and I later added some reinforcement plates on either side that I do not have pictures of.

Wilie & Max have a Universal Support /Hardmount Kit that you might want to take a look at.
http://www.willieandmax.com/fam_bracket.html

Those pics are basically what I want to do. My bags are the cut-away or swept variety and I can get them to clear the spring but I was concerned that if I had a rider on the back and the springs were compressed they would be basically sitting on the spring. I wasn't sure how far out I could spacer them and still have them be sturdy. I will definately look closer at that kit. Thanks!! I was also going to "cut" holes in the bags, but I planned to have a piece of wood or something inside them to give the bolts added support.

[BigIron]

Don't spend money on overpriced metal "U"s.

http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/forum ... -made.html (http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/forum/cruisers/14946-12-gz250-saddlebag-supports-home-made.html)

You're welcome.
-Jonathan

Yep, I just made a set myself except I used 1/2" OD tubing.

[VTXorcist]

Well, I'm working on a budget and it doesn't include $60 for saddlebag brackets. So, I'm making my own as well, using 1/4" steel bars, some coupling nuts, some eye bolts, and some cheapie chrome spray paint. I'll take some pics and letcha know how they turn out! (Wish I had the know-how to make some ghost brackets like the poster above did; looks sweet!)

I can't find the "How to make your own saddlebag brackets" post and the links folks have posted appear to be broken, so I may just make my own mod guide. I'm sure the way I'm doing it is not the best way, but it'll probably spark some conversation that'll end up including the best method for later readers.