Anyone who rides a Dyna, knows Defender Saddlebags are the ultimate luggage system. Designed to Mil spec. Safety requirements, large carrying capacity, weather resistance, and on the fly access to name a few features… these saddlebags where originally intend for the Highway patrol Defender FXDP cruiser a bike that needs No introduction. The OEM cages (guard rails) for these saddlebags are highly engineered like no any other, supported at 3 points so as NOT to flap at high-speed, or shift the center of gravity backwards causing the dreaded Dyna wobble, also to support the bike in case of an accident protecting the rider/trooper.

Unfortunately until now, there has been NO proper way to install these saddlebags on a late Dyna (2006-2017) without them being SAGGY and FLAPPY going down the road …and compromising the safety of the rider. The cages are NOT for decorative purposes…

In comes these highly engineered trellis 'Defender Subframe Support System' to mount your original FXDP saddlebags and cages (guard rails) SAFELY on late model Dyna’s (06-17) with NO DRILLING or WELDING . Because mounting them on the rear fender strut unsupported is NOT an option...and loosing the rear passenger pegs is also NOT an option...

This is post is not and advertisement, its to let folks know that it is now possible to install these saddlebags for Dyna without compromising the features that made these bags so attractive in the first place.

You Tube

 

Sooooo...this post IS an advertisement. Which is fine...I guess? Like there's no reason to not call this what it is. So cool maybe just tell us about your new mounting system without doing the whole click bait 'this isn't an ad!' thing

 

so you have to have pass pegs installed appears they link into each other?

thanks
Pat

 

Pat,
Yes, by recreating the "3rd mounting point" essentially in the exact same location as the early Dyna chassis for the newer Dyna's
We are able to use these offset footpegs mounts for the passenger without compromise to comfort and reach.
This all important 3rd mounting point is also ESSENTIAL to keep the saddlebags FIRMLY installed, and the cages (Guardrails) functional.
You cant have a chair standing on 2 legs, right?

 

Saddlebags are not chair, not a fair comparison, not even close. Human stands on two legs...

 

In structural engineering, it is recognized that it takes 3 points to stabilize a structure. This is known as triangular rigidity or truss bar stiffness matrix (triangles have 3 points).
Motorcycle chassis design and saddlebags are recognized as mechanical structures and those same rules apply.
I would say that you can compare the structural integrity of a chair in this situation more so than to that of a human...
BTW human beings are living organism with self balancing ability...In terms of structural engineering, they can walk on two legs but would be but would benefit from a third (3) to be considered structurally rigid :=)

 

Well, I can also say that in structural engineering, 2 points is also an recognized method to stabilize a construction.
I can sense that you didn’t recognized my human comparison was just sarcasm for the chair comparison :=)

Lets not kid around yes, it is true that you add more rigidity by adding an extra point, but in this case, is it necessary? The saddlebags is not a part of the frame and actually does more harm to the frame then without under a crash. Yes, they can act like crash protections, but since the struts are one of the last parts that hits the ground(don’t quote me on that), the saddlebags making it one of the first that hits the ground. This could bend or break the struts. Sometimes it is better to to break off to prevent further damage.

Saddlebags dont need the extra rigidity, and it is just adding more weight to an already heavy construction. That’s my 2 cents on that.

 

I just want to clarify a few things. The reason Harley came out with this system on the FXR (and 3 point systems on the Softail) was because the rear mounting hole was not through the frame, only the strut covers and fender, so they needed the extra support if loading the bags heavy. The DYNA is a different story. The frame of the Dyna goes all the way back to the end of the struts (except on the older Wide Glide and Fat Bob models that had the extended strut covers). The hard mount bags that Harley made for the Dynas were all 2 point systems, even the hard bags they made in the 2000s. They used a 3 point system for their detachable bags because they weren't mounting them solidly to the upper two mounts. I am not knocking the Deviant Fabrications product, as it is a fine product if you want that look. Check out this video to see that it is possible to make a bracket strong enough to stand on with a 2 point system on a Dyna.


Keep ridin'
Garry

 

Thanks for chiming in Garry and for your very informative video.

The LP saddlebags are well engineered with esoteric innovation in design and manufacturing truly an industry standard.

In fact one of the bikes at the shop has them, and the lady that rides that Dyna could not be more pleased,

This is an informative post not a product comparison that’s why I’m posting in a forum not SM. In developing our new line of fairings, we spent lots of time in the simulator/wind tunnel to tune out any design flaws with the fixed fairings currently in development (Fxrt/p and FXRD).

This is something we spent more time and money on that even the MOCO because this Technology was NOT available to the OEM in 1981... when the fairings where designed.

The Dyna we where testing had a VERY popular OEM Saddlebag with a brace in the back tying the left side to the right, at certain speeds, (46-52mph) vibration in the chassis would start in the back of the Dyna moving up toward the neck of the frame. This vibration would increase with speed and multiply almost exponentially over bumps. It was attributed to 2 things,

1) The harmonic vibrations created from the language lateral movement (not visible to the naked eye like those of a bird wings) that would sometimes last up to 4s with closer frequency when weight was added and speed increased.

2) The offset of the weight to the back kind of like when the passenger is sitting too far to the back.

This was almost completely eliminated when the bags where removed, and when a strap was added to the front of the bags tying them to the chassis minimizing the lateral flap, and shifting the center of gravity towards the front of the chassis.

Thus, we applied our resources towards developing a luggage system supported on 3 points (to the motorcycle chassis) to go with our soon to be released over engineered FXRT/P and FXRD...

That being said, the MOCO has used 3 point mounting on ALL its platforms,

The FXR strut is as solid a frame extension as you can get,supports the rear fender, passenger and the tour pac as is the Softail rear fender support rail also a VERY solid chassis extension...

3 point mounting is used on ALL touring models and Sportser OEM hard saddlebags as well as the Dyna defender OEM Saddlebags for a reason.

I may post some of what we experienced with different saddlebags at a latter date.

Why is all this important? Because this vibration is ONE of the causes to the dreaded “Dyna Wobble”, “non linear chassis tracking” even at lower speeds and an array of other issues often discussed as “problematic” by Dyna riders. Not to mention for the guardrails to function anything like intended, they cannot just be hanging off the fenders strut they will fold on impact. A 3rd point is needed to triangulate this support.So if hi performance luggage is what you are after, you may want to understand read this entry.