Project 3 from Trip. Category: On Road Fabrication

Been wrestling with a Yamaha, lots of wrenching, finally got it running but it came back needing rejetting. I noticed that the HD saddlebags a friend gave her were zip tied to the swingarm and the back bottom corner could easily blow into the wheel with a good gust or overloading. Perhaps it wouldn't cause a wreck, but she's not a very good rider and would probably whip her head around to see what caused the noise if it touched. Those who ride know this is a quick way to meet the pavement intimately.

So, saddlebag supports were in order. Picked up some 3/8" round from TSC, had some 15/16 cold roll laying around. First thought was to use 1x1/2" square, punch a hole for the bolt, another in the end and do it up like a socket weld. One exploded drillbit later, the pieces took flight across the shop and are now adding iron to my garden.

Started with the mount pieces, spun a piece of 15/16" to 7/8 diameter, faced, drilled a 3/8" hole down the length.

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Parted them with the chop saw, my parting tool is in need of some attention, this was quicker

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Faced to length and chamfered them, set them aside to for a few while I bent up the rails.

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Rather than fight with it, I put a torch to the rod. Set up a 1x1/2x20" piece of stock clamped to the table, clamped a 1" socket 3/8" + a hair, away and marked out my heat lines. Start of the bend, start of the bend - 1/2" start of the bend plus length of the bend. BIG MAPP torch head and some gentle attention and the rod was putty in my hands.

You can see the clamped 'jig' in the lower left. The copper wire is a partial template, one piece visible bent

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One corner got wonky on me, heated a bit too far from the start (but hey, I haven't done bending like this since the Navy)

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Held them up, marked and cut them. Clamped the ends to the table, set a 1/16" filler rod under the tip of the rod, next to the mount piece. The other end was rested on a 1" riser, to give me the proper angle. (finger was over the pic, sorry) Tacked both up and then repositioned for easier welding

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Found a great use for the crappy little drillpress vises from HF...

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Welds look like arse, couldn't wrangle the torch, my hand is getting worse, plus arthritis acting up from the weather changes. I can not wait for my new torch to get here Tuesday. and literally, this project could not wait, she's moving soon, I had to get it done quick.

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Test fit, pulled them back off, sanded and painted, they're drying now and should go on Tuesday after work.

Looks good that should keep the saddle bag away from the wheel.

Was a fun project, after the frustrations. I tell ya though, they sell them for HD for about $50 made in China... this one is almost a freebie, I did it for cost of material and the hope she'll toss me a couple bucks. It was a test run, I have three bikes that could use them, two Softtails and a Dyna, I'm not sure I'm going to do them now. IF I do them, they'll be stainless and polished out, and custom fit to the bags, rather than generic ones like they import.

One thing I'll do different, I'll more clearly mark which side is which, it took me a few minutes to double-check each setup to make sure they were mirrored :)

Also, forgot to button my shirt, so I have a nice, cherry red triangle from the bottom of my beard to the top most buttoned button on my shirt LOL