I'm gonna assume you'll be working with the bag off the bike and possibly without the top installed. I only say this because the only problem I have with removing my liners when bags in place is my tour-pak and getting them out around it. With the bags off and on the floor the liners just slip in and out. So yea I think your good to go with your plan.

Nate

 

I almost never use my Tourpak (it's a Street Glide after all), and yes, I'll be working with the bags off the bike for convenience sake. Glad to hear that they slip out without a problem. Been stressing the sub install for a while now and this should make it a thousand times easier.

 

I just realized what your planning to do. Forget the liners. Make your mold (or frame) out of stiff cardboard and duct tape. Build the boxes with a flange that you can rivet, screw, glue or glass to the bag.

 

Okay, so here we go.

The "grand idea" is to have a form-fitted sub enclosure for the rear half of the saddlebags. Building a cardboard form (tried it) and then trying to glass the outside of it and sand-shape-sand-shape-etc is inviting too many hours of work for an imperfect fit. The liners provide a ready-made form that fits wonderfully and can be framed to fit the sub and an amp mount, and will be glassed from the inside instead. That way I can build thickness without affecting the fit. Remember that if there is space between the enclosure and the inside of the bag, it will rattle and cause distortion due to vibrations. I can easily install rubber spacers where the now-rigid liner may not contact the hard bag.

The other bonus is that once installed, the front half of the liner becomes a (very) small place to keep gloves, beer, cellphones, etc. and it's already carpeted. Unhook the wires, and the whole shebang just slides out.

 

As an after thought you may want to figure a way to attatch a couple tabs or some pulls of some sort to aid in removal after being made ridgid. The liner sits below the top of the bag and without flexing a side inward there's nothing to grab and pull the liner out. Just a thought, cause I'm not sure you could just turn the bag upside down and shake the liners out, you may need something to help coax them out.

Nate

 

Already thought of that. Either going to install a pull handle, or maybe get creative and mold a finger pull into the top-front of the box itself. That's one of the reasons I needed to know if the liner had to flex to come out.

Don't think "shaking" $800 worth of sound equipment upside down would be the smartest move....

 

If you're looking for a more permanent liner - I've been planning to get these soon:

http://www.sumax.com/BagLiningKits.htm

 

OK then, your way ahead of me. Was just trying to be helpful. I was thinking about the first removal, before any audio stuff was added. You've obviously thought this out for awhile, I only started thinking about it a little while ago. I'll stop worrying about it now, and say good luck with your project, let us know how it works out.

Nate

 

That's a little cheaper than HD...excellent.

You guys in the US are lucky. HD USA - Liners $149.99. Canada - Liners $186.95. Zanotti - Liners $115.

Thanks for the link.

 

Hey, don't take me the wrong way. I really appreciate any input. I've done way too many projects where I thought I had all the answers only to find out...I was just a little wrong and had to start again. As always, you guys ARE being helpful.

Many thanks.