PVC Saddlebags Melt??

I am shopping for a set of saddlebags and I have an area of about 14.5 x 11 to work with... I'm buying some on thursday. But back to my question... How close can I have the bottom of the bag to the top of the muffler without it melting the bag?

 

I was just looking at a bunch of different saddlebags for my bike and this was a similar concern for me.

What I found is a lot of the new synthetic/textile bags (not all) have heat resistant/reflective panels in the bottoms of the bags that will help protect them from the heat coming up from the mufflers. According to the manufacturers, though they will help, they will not protect the bags from anything more than a brief contact directly with the hot mufflers.

From what I'm seeing, the best thing to do would be to keep the bags far enough away from the mufflers so they still clear them by at least an inch or two even when heavily loaded and going over heavy bumps (bouncing the bags around). That should allow enough airflow to keep the heat buildup from causing much, if any damage to them.

If you're putting them on an older XJ, you should have plenty of clearance, since the stock mufflers sit so low on the bike.

 

well i found some nice ones by saddlemen. they are the highway ones... and size MED.

 

I was checking out the Saddlemen stuff as well - which ones are you looking at?

 

They are the small ones... highway something or another... either that or the ones by jafrum?

 

I remember them now. I was looking at the faux/leather bags as well. One thing I found out about the leather bags (even the throwovers) was that they need additional supports. That about doubled the cost of the lower priced bags - provided you could even find the supports for your bike in the first place (which I couldn't).

's why I've decided to go with the textile bags instead, since they strap into place using the frame/footpegs and sit far enough out that there's no risk of them getting caught in the rear wheel. They don't look quite as cool, but I'm more about function over form for this bike anyways. That, and they end up being cheaper than the cost of a set of the faux/leather bags and supports.

I haven't bought mine yet because I have parts I need to order from Chacal to get my bike up and running properly first. Once it's running smoothly, I'll definitely be dropping the $ for a set though.

Here's the discussion thread we had a little bit ago about them - http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=16494.html

 

can you post the link of yours that you're looking at?

 

Here's links to a couple different ones I liked the looks of. Since I'm looking for something that will fit my work stuff - laptop, notebooks, tech books, etc, and not worrying about carrying a passenger, I'm leaning heavily towards the square/rectangular styles.

Givi - T421's

MotPak GTS60's - Ranger G posted pics of the set on his Seca in that thread I posted the link to.

Nelson Rigg CL-850's

 

Not bad at all! But not the style I'm browsin for... What I'm looking for is the standard style. My wife rides with often. and She'll want the bags too... So I just got home, and went and looked and did some figuring... If I get a 12x9x??? it'll fit nicely... and I shouldn't need any supports for the bags because my rear shock is like right there...

 

I used some pipe clamps to put some risers on my mufflers to keep the bags from resting directly on them.

mikeg

 

How close can I allow the bags to get to the bike? 1"?

 

I have a 83 750 maxim and bought saddle bags last year. They fit under the seat and sat about 1 inch tops over the pipes. Not far enough. The bags were leather and it burned some on the bottom and one almost got caught in my back wheel. I did not have bag supports on to keep them out from the wheel. You would have to custom make those. Anyway, i have since given up on the saddle bags all together. The only way i could see it working is to lower the exhaust pipes some. This has been done by others and i personally like the exhaust were it is. My option was to make a back rest and use a T-bag like this one. http://auto.sears.com/RAIDER-NYLON-MOTO ... Id=2011876
I can lower my license plate down to the bottom of the fender (i have a original mounting plate just for this) and use the bag on the back, sitting down on top of the tail light. this allows for a passenger to ride with. Or i can place it sitting on the pass. seat and use it as a backrest for ME. When not having the bag on the back fender, i move the license plate back to its original spot. Here is a pic of my backrest i made. http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=11044.html

 

So was yours real leather then? and it burnt?

 

Here are a couple pictures of what I did to keep the bags from resting directly on my pipes. It has kept them from melting for a year now. It only takes a couple minutes to put them on or take them off.

mikeg

 

Nice idea.
Well mine did not melt. But left a black residue burnt on my pipes. That too hot for me. I also had to move back the rear turn signals to make room.

 

Yeah. my plan is to get some real leather bags... they are 15 x 10 x 6. which should bump them up about an inch off of the pipes, though the pipes will be blowing the exhaust directly on the base of the bags. I'm removing the rear signals, and tail light. fabbing up a bracket that will utilize the original tail light's holes, and make that the License plate bracket. and then getting one of those sweet looking "Versa-Light" things... its an integrated tail/brake/ turn light led strip that mounts with your license plate.