What do you all think of my luggage solution?

[mnl119]

Hi all,

This is my second gen2 Vmax. My 2009 had the factory OEM side bags. I was never real happy with them. They were not lockable, small, and just felt flimsy. Not to mention you can't get them anymore and if you can they are expensive.

When I purchased my 2014 a few months ago, I started looking at other options. Attached are pictures of what I came up with. I built the supports from galvanized metal brackets from Lowes. The bracket metal is probably 0.2" thick. They are fairly stable and are probably good for about 20 pounds in each bag. The bags are Viking leather bags that I think were manufactured for a VLX 600, but I think most Viking bags have the same holes in the back. I had to replace the factory OEM rear blinkers with aftermarket LED's off eBay for clearance. Honestly, I think they look better than the clunky OEM blinkers, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I also had to add load resistors to keep the blinkers from going hyperactive.

The top case is just a generic removable 30L case off eBay. It interferes slightly with the Corbin tall backrest so it can only open to about 60 degrees, but that's good enough. The OEM Yamaha short backrest does not interfere at all. Clearance for the rear footpads is good, and my daughter found that they didn't rub the back of her ankles when we tried them out. Clearance from the exhaust is also good, but I guess we'll see after a few thousand miles.

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with how the project turned out. I probably spent about $450 dollars total since the bags were closeouts for about $150, and they are high-quality. I tried modifying other bag stays, but never really found anything close enough that was stable.

 

[Fire-medic]

V-Wing! I bet pics of the brackets would be viewed frequently by Gen II owners that would consider bags.

 

[da_yammie]

Hi all,

This is my second gen2 Vmax. My 2009 had the factory OEM side bags. I was never real happy with them. They were not lockable, small, and just felt flimsy. Not to mention you can't get them anymore and if you can they are expensive.

When I purchased my 2014 a few months ago, I started looking at other options. Attached are pictures of what I came up with. I built the supports from galvanized metal brackets from Lowes. The bracket metal is probably 0.2" thick. They are fairly stable and are probably good for about 20 pounds in each bag. The bags are Viking leather bags that I think were manufactured for a VLX 600, but I think most Viking bags have the same holes in the back. I had to replace the factor OEM rear blinkers with aftermarket LED's off eBay for clearance. Honestly, I think they look better than the clunky OEM blinkers, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I also had to add load resistors to keep the blinkers from going hyperactive.

The top case is just a generic removable 30L case off eBay. It interferes slightly with the Corbin tall backrest so it can only open to about 60 degrees, but that's good enough. The OEM Yamaha short backrest does not interfere at all. Clearance for the rear footpads is good, and my daughter found that they didn't rub the back of her ankles when we tried them out. Clearance from the exhaust is also good, but I guess we'll see after a few thousand miles.

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with how the project turned out. I probably spent about $450 dollars total since the bags were closeouts for about $150, and they are high-quality. I tried modifying other bag stays, but never really found anything close enough that was stable.

Looks not too bad at all!

 

[dgamber0]

Looks great. Ready for Sturgis!

 

[Jasoa99]

V-Wing! I bet pics of the brackets would be viewed frequently by Gen II owners that would consider bags.

 

[Jasoa99]

Hello
I did something similar but used Viking’s painted bags and bolts,spacers, and rubber washers.

 

[mnl119]

Hello
I did something similar but used Viking’s painted bags and bolts,spacers, and rubber washers.

Curious... what did you do with your blinkers? Relocate? Replace? Also, loos like you relocated the passenger pegs... true?

 

[Redrum]

I like soft bags since they conform better with my whiskey bottles.

I bought the box you have attached to the backrest at an auction for $2. It was new never installed. Still not installed but sitting nicely waiting for me to do something with it. Just haven't figured out what yet

 

[Jasoa99]

Curious... what did you do with your blinkers? Relocate? Replace? Also, loos like you relocated the passenger pegs... true?

I have star rider performance license relocation kit and smoked taillight with integrated blinkers. The pass peg relocation kit is from exactrep in the UK

 

[mnl119]

Hi all,

This is my second gen2 Vmax. My 2009 had the factory OEM side bags. I was never real happy with them. They were not lockable, small, and just felt flimsy. Not to mention you can't get them anymore and if you can they are expensive.

When I purchased my 2014 a few months ago, I started looking at other options. Attached are pictures of what I came up with. I built the supports from galvanized metal brackets from Lowes. The bracket metal is probably 0.2" thick. They are fairly stable and are probably good for about 20 pounds in each bag. The bags are Viking leather bags that I think were manufactured for a VLX 600, but I think most Viking bags have the same holes in the back. I had to replace the factor OEM rear blinkers with aftermarket LED's off eBay for clearance. Honestly, I think they look better than the clunky OEM blinkers, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I also had to add load resistors to keep the blinkers from going hyperactive.

The top case is just a generic removable 30L case off eBay. It interferes slightly with the Corbin tall backrest so it can only open to about 60 degrees, but that's good enough. The OEM Yamaha short backrest does not interfere at all. Clearance for the rear footpads is good, and my daughter found that they didn't rub the back of her ankles when we tried them out. Clearance from the exhaust is also good, but I guess we'll see after a few thousand miles.

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with how the project turned out. I probably spent about $450 dollars total since the bags were closeouts for about $150, and they are high-quality. I tried modifying other bag stays, but never really found anything close enough that was stable.

Update: I thought of a way to make my brackets much more stable by doubling up on some of the steel. I could probably stand on the bags now and they'd hold the weight (but I'm not going to try it... well after a few beers maybe). Not pictured here is a cross support that actually sits inside the bags and helps keep the brackets square and attaches the bags to the bracket. It attaches to the bolts sticking out in the pictures.

 

[D Larson]

Update: I thought of a way to make my brackets much more stable by doubling up on some of the steel. I could probably stand on the bags now and they'd hold the weight (but I'm not going to try it... well after a few beers maybe). Not pictured here is a cross support that actually sits inside the bags and helps keep the brackets square and attaches the bags to the bracket. It attaches to the bolts sticking out in the pictures.

How do they do with the exhaust? I would think cruising down the highway the air flow would carry it away. Any city driving and the angle would send hot exhaust onto the bags.

 

[mnl119]

How do they do with the exhaust? I would think cruising down the highway the air flow would carry it away. Any city driving and the angle would send hot exhaust onto the bags.

That's a good question. I haven't been out on the bike for any long trips with the bags as they are to test the temperature on the bags. At a standstill, most of the exhaust flow misses the bags because the pipes are angled out, sort of like the OEM bags. My bags only stick out a couple more inches from the OEM bags (going on memory here from my last gen 2), so I think it'll be OK.

Anyway, if the bags get toasted, I'm not too worried as they were not that expensive. I'll just go with something else that's skinnier. The hard parts of the project were finding a solution for the blinkers and designing/manufacturing the bracket. I'm not a welder.

 

[D Larson]

That's a good question. I haven't been out on the bike for any long trips with the bags as they are to test the temperature on the bags. At a standstill, most of the exhaust flow misses the bags because the pipes are angled out, sort of like the OEM bags. My bags only stick out a couple more inches from the OEM bags (going on memory here from my last gen 2), so I think it'll be OK.

Anyway, if the bags get toasted, I'm not too worried as they were not that expensive. I'll just go with something else that's skinnier. The hard parts of the project were finding a solution for the blinkers and designing/manufacturing the bracket. I'm not a welder.

Please post some photos of your rear turn signal solution.
I am looking at these
https://jld7.com/products/np18imfb9w745unlnpg0pnwg8rurytThey are built for a Yamaha R1. They look great on that bike. I spoke to the owner and he has never done a VMAX specific solution. I may have to just buy them and figure out the mounting myself.

 

[mnl119]

Please post some photos of your rear turn signal solution.
I am looking at these
https://jld7.com/products/np18imfb9w745unlnpg0pnwg8rurytThey are built for a Yamaha R1. They look great on that bike. I spoke to the owner and he has never done a VMAX specific solution. I may have to just buy them and figure out the mounting myself.

Attached is a photo of what they look like on the bike. Here's a link to where I got them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165283837586
Here's a link to the load resistors I used which enable no-cut installation:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/272369378879
Here's a link to the wire adapters that go from Yamaha OEM to the butt connectors on the LED turn signal harness:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/322308627039
Here's link to an integrated tail light/blinker solution that another poster used. I chose not to go this route:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291815764015?hash=item43f193302f:g:RKwAAOSwzbxadCF0

 

[Jasoa99]

With the stock cans I had no issues with exhaust exit. The srp exhaust on the bike now had the exits directly beneath the bags. I installed dei reflective foil on the bottom of each as a precaution. You can’t see it unless you’re on your knees. Things do get warm in them.

 

[mnl119]

Final Update (I promise): So after taking the bike out for a 50 mile trip, the bottom of the bags did get a little warm (slightly more than the top on a sunny day). So I added an aluminum heat shield to protect the bags a bit. I also added a third cross member to again increase stiffness. The heat shield definitely works as the bags now stay at ambient temperature.

 

[02GF74]

I don't like the style of bag - they wold suit a horse or Harley better but my styling opinion shouldn't matter - but nevertheless but you have positioned them so they fit nicely on the frame.

What concerns me is the pannier frame itself, how they are constructed and attached, photos of which you have posted.

If I were doing it, I would be using steel tube, bent to shape with mounting points welded on. To do that requires a welder and tube bender, the last of which I do not have and most folks won't have either, hence the reason why you are using steel strip and bolts.

What is of slight concern is that there is no support at the bottom - the bags will we subject to vibration and that will fatigue the metal which may fail - the last thing anyone wants to see in the rear view mirrors is their luggage bouncing down the road behind them.

Below is a photo of the type of thing I'd would be looking to make - notice that the front lower end the rack is joined to the bike frame (that may not be possible on the Vmax) and also the rear lower ends are joined together - that oughta be possible to do with a bar that passes close to the number plate.

 

[02GF74]

oh, if sticking with your design, then I'd be getting rid of the bar marked by a red cross to replace it with the orange line - this reduces the moment on the mounting bolts (think instead of the rack trying to rotate around the bolts but with a strip where the orange bar is, it hangs more vertically from the front and rear bolts - it will still try to twist but less so)

Also a bar at the back to join the rack on the other side (the other orange line)

Make sure you use nyloc or spring washers for the bolts holding the metal strips together so the bolts do not undo.

 

[chargerblk]

I did a soft bag set up. I have Givi side bags and a Fly Racing tail bag. I removed rear seat so tail bag sits lower and more firmly on fender.
All bags are expandable with clever zippers. I bought some generic brackets that bolt to existing mounts to keep bags away from fender and wheels.
I am on bike daily as I use it for a grocery getter. I am always forgetting something so have to go out numerous times !
I wish I knew how to get photos on here because I think I have come up with a decent solution in both form and function.
Also, the project was not overly expensive.
My preference would have been the factory bags for purely aesthetic reasons but what I have is much cheaper and carries way more stuff.

 

[mnl119]

oh, if sticking with your design, then I'd be getting rid of the bar marked by a red cross to replace it with the orange line - this reduces the moment on the mounting bolts (think instead of the rack trying to rotate around the bolts but with a strip where the orange bar is, it hangs more vertically from the front and rear bolts - it will still try to twist but less so)

Also a bar at the back to join the rack on the other side (the other orange line)

Make sure you use nyloc or spring washers for the bolts holding the metal strips together so the bolts do not undo.

View attachment 85316

The moment of inertia about the axis of the crossbar does not depend on where that bracket attaches to the horizontal bar. It's determined by the downward force and it's distance from the vertical plain containing that crossbar. At any rate, your orange line would require another 1/2" spacer on the bolts to avoid interference with the fender, which would actually increase the moment of inertia. I agree that a bar across the back would be great for stabilization, but it's more work than I'm going to do on this. I'm not going to be carrying 100's of pounds in these bags.

As far as metal fatigue, these bars are 0.2" of galvanized metal. The crossbar is 0.6" thick when the three layers are combined. I doubt that will be a problem. Exactrep makes a pannier stay for the gen 2 Vmax. It would be prone to all the problems that you mention as it only attaches to the two mount plates I have shown. This is similar to about every bag stay I've ever seen. The bolts are M8 stainless bolts. All bolts are held with lock washers.