Your project is the one that convinced me it was worth the effort. Joe the Powder Pro did an awesome job notching his as well but the way yours turned out is what convinced me I could be satisfied with the results if I get it right.

I'm going to measure the shocks and pick up some PVC pipe to use as the mold for the fiberglass. Due to the angle of the shock I may have to heat up some PVC sheet and use the pipe as a form but elongate the curve to create the pocket I need.

 

I would suggest sticking with 4" ABS pipe for the mod. There are several adhesives that hold extremely well. It can all be made to look like factory with little effort. It's a hell of a lot easier than using fiberglass. You can pick up a 5' section of ABS from Lowes for around $20.00 or I have alot of it left I could send you.

 

Yours was another that influenced how I am approaching my mods. Your bags turned out nice and cover the shock well. The lowering blocks I installed put the shock at more of an angle and while a chunk of PVC pipe would cover the shock I believe I want to swap out the current shocks for either air or slammers. This would get the angle of the shock back to a little closer to the angle of the front of the bag. I don't want to mod the bags more than once. I also want the bag sitting a littler farther back to keep the space around the passenger pegs but not too far bag. This is why I don't think a piece of pipe will do what I think I need at the moment. I will keep my mind open though. I don't think of fiberglass as being hard to use, I patched floor boards before with it so it's not new to me. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

My bike has ABS and the module is near the passenger peg. The VnH pipes have a relocation bracket to clear the pipes. That put the bracket near the ABS bracket. After putting on the LA Choppers lowering blocks the passenger peg contacted the bracket for the ABS on bumps. I had to put shorter spacers in place to eliminate the interference I found during a test ride. The Cycle Visions bracket under the seat was cutting into the leather so I put a bevel on the edge with a grinder. I also relocated the rear turn signals. I thought about putting pockets in the bags for the rear directionals but wanted to move them eventually anyhow so no sense in modifying the bags for them. I used the existing hardware and some spacers to move them to the plastic tag bracket. That's it for now. I hope to be able to ride to work tomorrow if the weather holds. I'll have to eventually modify the fender or make a filler panel since I removed the fender strut cover.

 

The pictures show the bracket I made to mock up the fairing on my bike since the bracket that came with the fairing was for a Road King. Using the HD windsreen quick release clamps moved the attachment point forward plus the quick release clamps wouldn't allow their bracket to fully engage due to the design. I would have had to cut out a piece of their bracket just to let it attach to the clamp. The other photos show how the fairing attaches to the clamps and brackets.

 

I actually used a piece of stiff plastic to mock it up. You can get sheets of plastic at Home Despot or Lowes Life. I was cheap and had a old piece of Tupper Wear that I cut up for the plastic, don't tell the wife. Once I had that about where I wanted it I bought a thin piece of sheet metal from Lowes Life and cut it out with a jig saw and angle grinder with cutoff wheel. I mounted that up to see how the position was. I was able to ride it down my street with the plastic but not out on the road. The thin metal allowed me to ride it to work and such but I wouldn't leave it that way. The metal brackets came out close enough that I am modifying the original stainless brackets in the photo to be the final brackets. I was going to buy some sheet aluminum but couldn't find anything I liked at the retail stores, and I'm a cheap bastard. I plan on leaving them hanging down below the clamps so I can if I chose attach driving light to them. I'm going to wire everything eventually with a quick disconnect for ease of maintenance and switching up if I so choose. I miss the Fat Bob dual headlamp and may modify the fairing at some point or make a quick release harness for the lights so I can switch back to the dual headlight when I remove the fairing. the headlight bucket is a repop off of FLEA-BAY. The lamp itself is a factory take off also from the auction site. I did buy a crystal lens from another auction but it was right hand drive countries that drive on the left. It would have unnecessarily blinded oncoming traffic. I've seen them on other bikes in pictures since I started looking for headlights. I bet there are lots of them running around unknowingly using the wrong headlight. Oh well. Maybe I can sell mine to a Brit since I waited too long to return it.

 

I found another thread about DIY air suspension. I've ordered a set of Monroe air shocks as described in the other thread. I'll remove the lowing blocks I installed with the stock shocks, install the air shocks and rig them up then begin cuttng the shock pockets on the bags. I was holding off as I didn't like the way the lowering blocks angled the shocks and impacted the way I would have to modify the bags. I wanted air suspension anyhow. I'm glad I didn't get in a hurry and just start chopping things up.

I wish I had made my own under seat bracket instead of buying the cycle visions bracket. Theirs is nice and finished well but it impacts the seat I have, was cutting into the pleather and makes it difficult to install the seat. I would have made it from thinner stock and added a place to install the air fitting for the shocks. I don't plan on adding a compressor and valve for on the go adjustments, I am cheap and just don't think I need that ability though I could change my mind. Too much work and expense for the few times it might come in handy and I'm not about showing off so it just isn't worth it to me at the moment.

 

Finally doing some more work. Got the original mounting plates whittled down using only hand tools which sucks. Got some primer on them and will finish coat tomorrow. Eventually I'll pick up some aluminum plate to make better ones. Hope the air shocks get here soon so I can work on the bags.

 

I mounted the air shocks tonight. I had to buy four bushings and a good from Lowes. I also had to trim the bushings and press them into the upper shock eye. I used my shop press but a c clamp would have worked. I didn't buy a valve and compressor like others have and I think I will end up doing so. The air shock has lots of adjustability but sits high unloaded on the jiffy stand or too low with me sitting on her. The compressor would give me the ability to adjust ride height every time I mount up. Either that or a travel limiter so the suspension doesn't extend so far every time I lean her on the jiffy stand. I also need to make a better mount for the passenger peg as its going to hit my exhaust too much.

 

Sorry these are upside down but these are the bushings and the bold I had to buy to work with the shocks and the stock shock mounts. I also had to shorten the bushings I pressed into the upper shock rubber bushings.