Triumphrat

TCL · 03-25-2007, 07:26 PM

I'm looking to get some saddle bags for my Bonnie. I do not want to mount them unless I am touring out of town, so I want to be able to remove them fairly easily and fit as much as I can in them. Some questions:

-What are the best dimensions for bags on the Bonnie? I don't want it to be so big it is in the way, but I want the biggest that will fit.
-What brackets are you using with your bags?
-Am I ruining the period look by using a hard case
like these or is this a good idea?

I appreciate your feedback and advice. :yayyy:

[ This message was edited by: TCL on 2007-03-25 17:26 ]

merlin · 03-25-2007, 08:30 PM

I think you should stand bach a few feet, I'm about to go on a rampage. Just bear in mind you are not the target, Triumph is.
To answer your question - you can't. You can't really have what you want. Alot of folk will post how they do this and they do that, but the fact is there is no factory answer and the third party stuff just doesn't cut it.
The Hepco's are huge. Huge in size, look and price
Leather lyke is uglier than samsonite luggage from 1963
The assortment of pannier rails all have a common ancestor in Rube Goldberg. None of this stuff is easy off if you want the rails off too. None of this looks appropriate on the bike. So what to do? I've got got Saddlemen cruise/slants on Thunderbike rails. They fit between the tail signals and the shocks so the bike doesn't get big assed. Ya see, that's a big issue no one discusses - most of the options fit outside the shocks and you look a whale going down the road. But the volume of the bags is not sufficient for a week trip. My large tank bag inhibits lock to lock turning of the handlbars (my hands hit the bag) so I moved it to the tail. I use a Joe Rocket Manta Ray magnetic tank bag for small do-dads.
Companies that make boating dry bags and now starting to make them in shapes other than cylindrical. I just got one that is rectangular and fits on the tail. You might consider something like that.
Anyway, I think Triumph let us down on this part of the bike. If they had solved it, the bike would truely approach 'Do Anything'. Do I have a right to complain? Na, I love this bike and this issue just presents a challenge.
Hey, I feel better now!
Sorry if I offended anyones choice in gear - I kinda wish I could justify (afford) the Hepco's. Go with them if you can.

TCL · 03-25-2007, 08:41 PM

Thanks for the input Merlin. I agree with you on your diatribe. We have 50 different aftermarket taillights just for this bike, 50 different tank covers, 50 different mirror choices, but when it comes to bags, it's all a shot in the dark.

Antny · 03-25-2007, 08:52 PM

Check out ghost brackets www.motoleather.com

[ This message was edited by: Antny on 2007-03-25 18:53 ]

RedBird · 03-25-2007, 09:55 PM

You need some rails to keep the bags from damaging the bike or the tire damaging the bags. I use Triumph rails that came with the worthless Triumph leather bags. I don't worry too much about looks when I am going on a week trip. :-D I put the Cortech bags on with the tailbag and stuff em full. They have been tested at high speeds and passed with no problems. Does the ash-end look big--yeah, but bags do that. I leave the rails on all the time--don't mind the look, and I put my pistol rugs on them with a few tools inside when I'm just going a few hundred miles. The tank bag is the smallest one Cortech makes, and I don't want anything bigger.

Merlin, I wish you would tell us how you really feel about bonnie bags. :-D :-D

Anyway, here's a pic of the bike loaded to go on a trip, FWIW.

TCL · 03-25-2007, 10:01 PM

Man those Ghost Bracket look cool, but not cheap.

lindsayt · 03-25-2007, 10:06 PM

Funny you'd bring this up - I just ordered my luggage brackets and saddlebags. I'm going with the brackets from newbonneville.com - they're black powdercoated and barely noticeable when the bags are off, which is important to me since I love the simple, natural lines of the straight bonnie.

For bags I'm going with the Givi T-421 soft bags. They're a little on the big side - but they'll offer plenty of space and should still be safely above the pipes. They're 22L each in the compact form, and 33L each wen expanded. I'll post what I think after it all comes in and I've tried them out. The bags definitely don't fit the 1960s look, but they look pretty good, and I can take them off when I don't need them, so the bike can still look stunning.

prtaves · 01-20-2010, 07:25 PM

Trying to locate a replacement saddlebag for my Sprint. Original Triumph bag, left side. Saphire. Scraped up against a pole and I actually just need the top cover. I am told that I can pop the pins on the hinge and just replace the cover. Any suggestions on where to look, besides a dealer would be very appriciated. Just went through a horrible diovorce and I am trying to fix my baby on the cheap! I saw a few on Ebay but the color was red and orange etc.

Phil

seanst100 · 02-20-2011, 01:26 PM

Hi There,

Do you have any photos with the bags mounted on your bike? Any trouble installing them?

Sean

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindsayt

Funny you'd bring this up - I just ordered my luggage brackets and saddlebags. I'm going with the brackets from newbonneville.com - they're black powdercoated and barely noticeable when the bags are off, which is important to me since I love the simple, natural lines of the straight bonnie.

For bags I'm going with the Givi T-421 soft bags. They're a little on the big side - but they'll offer plenty of space and should still be safely above the pipes. They're 22L each in the compact form, and 33L each wen expanded. I'll post what I think after it all comes in and I've tried them out. The bags definitely don't fit the 1960s look, but they look pretty good, and I can take them off when I don't need them, so the bike can still look stunning.

Owenbrau · 02-20-2011, 02:26 PM

I have Quick Mounts from MC Resources, bought from NewBonneville.