Installed harley hard bags on my c50 this weekend I used the harley hardware so that they would be quick release. I used some scrap aluminum and stainless I got out of our local recycle place. All the work was done at my dad,s house using mostly hand tools,he does at least have a drill press. Most parts were made with a side grinder useing a cut off wheel to make the big cuts,and a grinding wheel to do the rough shaping . The finle shaping was done with files. so most people should be able to do this mod with very few tools. Sorry i do not have any measurments right now most every thing was done by fit and try. The photos were taken as we went along and we only had the weekend to get it all done as my wife was visiting her son giving me limited time. since the pictures I have made a couple of adjustments. When we first finished the bags were a little low in the front and from behind the bags looked as though they were leaning out. the adjustments I made were done with spacers to acheave the look I wanted. I need to go back and remake one of the mounts as i do not like the way it looks with the spacers. also last weekend we took the stock exhuast and turned it into a two into one. It is only short term untill i can aford a after market two into one. i know all about changing the back preasure and all but as i said it is only short term.
this is a peice of aluminum i picked up from the scrap yard it was covered in powder coat and was a pain to clean up
this is the rear bracket i made it was cut from a peice of aluminum squar tubing it was the best way to make a 90 since we di not have a break and no other way to bend anything other then clamping it in a vice and beating it with a hammer. There are two threaded holes in the bottem of the finder strut I am not sure what they are there for but the worked out perfect.
this is one of the front brackets that we made out of a peice of the 1/4" aluminum plate that was coated in powder coating we put the square hole in it so we could use 5/16 stainless carage bolts so there would be no bolt head showing.
Rear bracket in place
Front bracket in place we some what polished the aluminum just so it looks half way presentable i will most likely have the parts chromed.
Close up of the front plate mounted. I had earlier done the rear foot peg mod so i bolted the front bracket on over the extentions that were added at that time. I also have to pick up some longer bolts so i can put the foot pegs back on. The bolts that were there were not long enough after the plate was added.
a photo with the bag mounted as i said you can see the front of the bag is a little low.
I have a couple more adjustments to make and i also have to tie the two bags together at the bottom i hape to have it all done in the next week and i will post pics as i go.
Also just a side note to this post.
The harley bars I used I bought from a dealer in Morristown TN. They were take offs i gave 75.00 for the both but i learned a big leason we started making all the brackets on one side and just made copies for the other side. When we mounted every thing on the other side things did not seem to line up well. As it turned out the bar for that side was bent and was un usable i went back to the dealer and he perty much told me to bad. i had to buy another bar for that side and he charged me 50.00 for that one. Just my opion i have no problem buying a used part that might be scratched or dinged but if it is completly unusable i belive he should have exchanged the part for me or at least discounted the other one not raise the price on it.Just a rant and a warning be carefull when buying used parts.
this is a peice of aluminum i picked up from the scrap yard it was covered in powder coat and was a pain to clean up
this is the rear bracket i made it was cut from a peice of aluminum squar tubing it was the best way to make a 90 since we di not have a break and no other way to bend anything other then clamping it in a vice and beating it with a hammer. There are two threaded holes in the bottem of the finder strut I am not sure what they are there for but the worked out perfect.
this is one of the front brackets that we made out of a peice of the 1/4" aluminum plate that was coated in powder coating we put the square hole in it so we could use 5/16 stainless carage bolts so there would be no bolt head showing.
Rear bracket in place
Front bracket in place we some what polished the aluminum just so it looks half way presentable i will most likely have the parts chromed.
Close up of the front plate mounted. I had earlier done the rear foot peg mod so i bolted the front bracket on over the extentions that were added at that time. I also have to pick up some longer bolts so i can put the foot pegs back on. The bolts that were there were not long enough after the plate was added.
a photo with the bag mounted as i said you can see the front of the bag is a little low.
I have a couple more adjustments to make and i also have to tie the two bags together at the bottom i hape to have it all done in the next week and i will post pics as i go.
Also just a side note to this post.
The harley bars I used I bought from a dealer in Morristown TN. They were take offs i gave 75.00 for the both but i learned a big leason we started making all the brackets on one side and just made copies for the other side. When we mounted every thing on the other side things did not seem to line up well. As it turned out the bar for that side was bent and was un usable i went back to the dealer and he perty much told me to bad. i had to buy another bar for that side and he charged me 50.00 for that one. Just my opion i have no problem buying a used part that might be scratched or dinged but if it is completly unusable i belive he should have exchanged the part for me or at least discounted the other one not raise the price on it.Just a rant and a warning be carefull when buying used parts.