Home made hard luggage

[VP1]

I've never been one to buy things if I can make it, so with that in mind I've set out to make some hard luggage for my 1100E. I'm tired of having 25 lbs of books hanging off my neck on my 30 mile trip to and from school everyday.

I've mocked up a very rough design idea in cardboard to get dimensions and positioning right. I'll be going finalizing the design tomorrow and start making hard parts soon. Will keep the photos coming

-Todd

[VP1]

fillllllller

[bonanzadave]

You can buy .50 cal ammo cans at the army surplus store. That should hold some books.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I would use something like this every once in a while.




Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[pete]

I wanna see what you do Todd, I've contemplated something similar in the past but never thought I could achieve it. Now that I've done some very (crappy) welding and fibreglassing, I reckon it's definitely doable.

For my scrambler, I've been thinking about something removable just for the right side, be it a little sort of rack I can strap a backpack or something to or if I make up a smallish pannier that is no wider than the width of the scrambler pipe the other side... this is all way down the track for me if I do it though.

What do you intend to make it with? I initially was thinking a metal frame with a couple of layers of fibreglass and a thin sheet of metal for the bottom.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

Hi,

I would use something like this every once in a while.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

Hehe.... Now that's funny yet genius, BassCliff .

[Planecrazy]

For years I had a cooler attached to the back of my GS550L. Did I go the easy route and use one with an attached lid? Naaaaah ... I added hinges to one that I already had. Painted it black and called it good. Worked great for over a decade!

Having said that, when I bought my GS1100G, I went with "proper" luggage, hehe!

Enjoy! Necessity is the mother of invention!!

Regards,

[Dodik]

i actually want to build a set for me as well, im thinking fiberglass will do and i will use this guys work for inspiration, i get two weeks off work in august hopefully i'll be able to build them then.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=650175

[ddaniels]

Back before my dad gave me his '80 550L around 1995 or so, he bought and used a circular saw hardshell case mounted to the luggage rack. Didn't lock, but looked ok. That case now holds my.....err....circular saw.

[argonsagas]

I have mostly used existing stock bags that were modified to fit the bikes, although the mounting frame has had to be modified and/or fabricated from scratch to suit the bike.

Having a luggage rack helps a LOT, as you can tie almost anything there.

The fastest way to get the weight off your back would be one or two soft bags that you can just bungee-cord across the passenger seat.

This/they can be removed from the bike and carried with you when you get to school.

I have expandable sports bags on the Bandit. They become larger (and more useable) than many hard bags when fully opened, and just zip back to smaller size when empty.

Rain is a concern if you ride every day, but a plastic bag as an insert is easy to do.

[1_v8_merc]

You can buy .50 cal ammo cans at the army surplus store. That should hold some books.

Dude, that's a ****ing BRILLIANT idea!
Ammo cans, and weld up some simple mounting brackets....

Seriously, I'm gonna give that a shot......should get some looks, no?

[Redman]

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I've mocked up a very rough design idea in cardboard to get dimensions and positioning right. I'll be going finalizing the design tomorrow and start making hard parts soon. Will keep the photos coming

-Todd

COnstruction.... fibreglass? Plastic sheeting? ah, plywood?

Mounting ... angle iron?, alunimum tubing?

.

[kingofvenus]

Why be so cheap,(and half, you know what) when you can buy used stuff for almost as, or even cheaper. The GK bags on my 850 look like they belong on it. Bikes with milk crates on them, get laughed at...

[silverhorse47]

They might get laughed at...but they don't get stolen from. *S*

[hjfisk]

Why be so cheap,(and half, you know what) when you can buy used stuff for almost as, or even cheaper. The GK bags on my 850 look like they belong on it. Bikes with milk crates on them, get laughed at...

But laughter is the best medicine