I didn't want this to get lost in the other thread, so here goes.

I'm getting these faux leather throw-over saddlebags:



Well, I'm not overly interested in the "throw-over" part; I want to mount them to be nice and sturdy (the center throw-over strap can be removed for this purpose).

So what exactly do I need? I don't care about a quick connect/disconnect option. I don't mind to remove and re-mount them the old fashioned way. But I do want them to be solid.

What hardware is needed?

 

Go to Amazon and order some Willie and Max saddlebag brackets or universal brackets. They look like this;

Willie and Max

Universal brackets
You will have to drill four holes in your new saddlebags, get some bolts that are long enough to go through the bags and the top of the brackets and into the fender (these replace the fender bolts). Then two bolts through the flat piece on the bottom and the bottom holes you drilled in the bags and into the bottom of vertical parts of the brackets, which I believe are threaded. I can post a video link if that helps.

 

Thanks. And I assume that these will also prevent the bags from getting into the rear brake rotor and other things?

 

Yeah, they bump out a little bit, and being universal you may need spacers or bushings to get them to sit right. It will be on you to make sure everything clears, you may even have to relocate your turn signals.
A flat piece of steel may be used at the top with the brackets attaching to the steel and the bolt closest to the seat going through bag, bracket, steel, then fender, and the other one mounted with the bolt threads inside the bag, and then a third bolt mounting to steel then fender by turn signal, thereby keeping turn signals in place if they're on the fender strut.

 

Do you own the bags already? I put a set of leather bags from a Heritage on one of my Fat Boys and just used factory Heritage mounting hardware. Got almost everything off e-bay. I did have V&H longshots on the bike already, so the exhaust wasn't an issue. As I recall, I had to drill 1 hole in the strut on each side, but it wasn't a difficult install and it was solid and worked out good.

 

Ghost Brackets http://www.ghostbrackets.com/compone...page/Itemid,1/

 

These are "mini" saddlebags and they're only 11-3/4" long, so probably not in this case. I have about 15 inches to work with.

 

They're supposed to be in today, so that should give me a clearer picture.

 

Update: Bags are now mounted. Have you ever had an incident where you were puzzled about how to do something and then it suddenly hit you? Well, I had my "Duh!" moment yesterday. I realized that I could mount these exactly like I mounted the ammo can. I went to Lowe's and bought a strip of flat steel. 1/4-inch thick and 3 inches wide, plus some bolts with matching nuts, washers, and locking washers. I then hacksawed two pieces of the steel strip to roughly match the length of the saddlebags. Next it was a matter of measuring and marking where the holes go. I screwed up on one of them because I wasn't thinking in opposites, and had to re-drill.

On each one I went through the fender, then through a rubber/foam strip, then the side of the bags, then the steel plate, then screwed on the nut with a lock washer. She's solid as a rock. I was a bit tired of the ammo can, but the mounting method has been flawless.

Anyway, here's the old ammo can for reference:



And here are the new "mini" bags. They give me plenty of storage without making the Fatboy look like a bagger. They also give plenty of clearance for the swingarm, brake rotor, etc... This is a night shot so don't expect much.

 

By the way, as you can see in the second picture, I removed the stupid factory passenger pillion. I have the correct one coming from LePera, but it'll take about a month.