I am off on a trip from Chicago to New Orleans in early June and I need somewhere to put all my stuff. I am looking for a cheap and easily removable way to do this. I have looked into the quick release brackets such as ghost brackets, but I am not nuts about the relocation kits or the price and am still interested in a cheaper alternative. It seems like some throw over bags can be had for around $100. Has anyone every used throw overs on a Night Train without brackets? Do any throw over brackets lend themselves to quick removal? If I have to I will use the whole quick release package, but I just wanted to see what others have been doing.


Scott

 

If you really don't want saddlebags, it sounds like you're thinking of taking too much stuff. If this is just a road trip for a week or so, pack for half the time you're going to be gone. Wash clothes on 3rd or 4th day. You can get a lot of stuff into an equipment (sports) type bag & and just bungi it on the back! You can also add the Bronson touch and tie a roll bag onto the handlebars over the headlight. That's the way we did it back in the day !!!

 

I had thought about that, and also a back pack, I just wanted to see if anyone had other ideas. After a couple of days you stink like exhaust all the time any way...

Scott

 

Don't know if this will work for you, but I faced the same problem with my sportster. I used the nylon saddlebags I had for horseback riding (took them off my saddle). I lined the back and bottom with sheetmetal to keep them stiff, and used leather ties to hold them to the shocks, although on the softtail you could use frame. In my case I set them over the fender and under the seat, so they were there to stay. I used them that way for two years before selling the bike, and it worked great. It probably didn't look too cool, but neither do I, so what the hell.
Somethin' to think about anyway.

 

I use my carry-on luggage (like a flight attendant's bag). set it on the passanger seat and bungee it to the back rest. all it cost me was a couple of bungee cords.

just my thought on the subject

 

Look at a Nelson/Riggs pack that fits over your sissy bar and snugsdown with velcro. A little over a $100 and carrys a ton of stuff. Two weeks on the road with mine and had more than I needed. Pack light and go to the laundry....

 

Between a roll up bag on the bars, a duffle bag bungied on the back, and a backpack, you should be able to fit everything. Im with you, i dont like add on bags either.

 

If you don't plan on really using the saddlebags any other time, you should probably just get a bag that'll slide over a sissybar. I have one and I've been able to pack for a week. This is what I have. http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US

 

I have a set of throw over bags and a nelson rigg tail bag more than enough room and they come off very easy

[IMG]local://upfiles/5757/9CF2930D4EBA4703B39E62A45C358F2F.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/5757/D2AE99C62F5C451CBD6427BAED8C5EAA.jpg[/IMG]

 

Back in the day I took a cross country trip with a Backpack strapped to the back of the sissy bar and a couple of sport bags sitting on the seat and strapped to the front of the sissy bar.

Road trip down Route 66 to Phoenix, a couple days in Vegas and back home by way of riding to the top of Pikes Peak.

One added bonus was the sport bags also worked as a backrest for me.

I did find out that cheap sport bags aren’t water proof though. Live and learn.


Here's a Pikes Peak picture: