Hey guys,

Next year I'm planning on carrying my boys camping 4 or 5 times next year on the bike. I am thinking that I may could use a little more room to strap gear down and was looking for any info or suggestions from those that had the racks on top of the saddlebags. I was curious if there was any problem with them leaking after installing them. Also are there any alternatives to HD racks that I might should consider? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Haven't done it, but I have friends that have. Do what everyone does with the rack on the tour pack, and make sure you put a dollup of silicone over each hole in the inside when you put it together. Then they're leakproof.

 

I've had the racks on the bags of four different baggers. No leaks to date!

 

I've also been debating getting these racks. How useful are they for strapping stuff down, for example sleeping bags or wet tarps that you don't want to put in the saddlebags?

 

Those racks on the bags are just for looks. You can haul a ton of stuff on my bike without them. You can get by with less just try. If not get a tralier. Take the 4by camping or you will have no place for fire wood. And if you don't have a fire then you aren't camping you are just sleeping in a tent.

 

Try these "lid haulers". Here is their link.
http://www.ridetek.com/

I bought my '08 SG to tour, period. No hop up's, no chrome goodies, etc. (not that there is anything wrong with that!). But I have spent quite a bit of time figuring out ways to do the kinds of things you suggest. Anyhow, these lid haulers work great. They were actually the first thing I bought, and they have been on my hard bags now for 22k. (picked up the bike in April of this year). I carry my sleeping bag in a water proof bag on one side and my sleeping pad and rain gear, all in a waterproof bag, on the other side. No problems yet!

Whats nice about these as well is that when your not carrying anything on the bags, they serve to protect the paint on top of the bags. I leave 'em on all the time. They are inexpensive, relatively speaking, and ez to slap on and off.

Hope this was helpful.

 

Thanks for that link, just what I'm looking for. I wasn't crazy about the idea of bolting chrome racks on my lids as I like the current lines.

Edit: Bummer, they don't do business outside the states....

 

I put a set on mine, it's not hard to do, you just need to measure twice and drill once.

I found when you got to screw them in, use some black silicon on the mounting wash (Light coating both sides) will make them water tight.

 

my thought from lookin at these is there is not much room to put stuff ontop of the saddlebags with the tourpack so close. I did however go to the local ace hardware and buy 20 feet of 1 inch yellow nylon strapping and 8 plastic buckles. chopped em up into like 12 inch or 15 inch lengths with a bunch left over and can strap lawn chairs or tents or bedrolls and stuff like that to the bag guards. use three for each side and carried a large folding camp chair on each side. add fishin rods and stuff too cost like 10 bucks and it stays off the paint

 

I have them, no leakage here. Dont use them to carry more gear though.