V7 Side Cover Bag interest

[GTM®]

A little off topic, but I do like that little saddlebag accessory. Racer has so little on-board storage space to work with, it would be useful for day rides... Expensive bit of detailing, but possibly worth it.

I have a local leather guy, happy to price match, as well as custom seats. I believe they send the bag with a new side cover, which you don’t need really.

 

[Godfrey]

I have a local leather guy, happy to price match, as well as custom seats. I believe they send the bag with a new side cover, which you don’t need really.

Hmm. That's an idea.

One thought about the BAAK product was that the bag and side cover could be easily swapped back to the stock side cover when desired, for whatever reason.

Although my mind reaches further too: If it could be made such that the bag is easily removed from the side cover when not desired, that would be great. It might even be better to make it out of the kind of weatherproof material with zip closure that my bicycle frame bag is made of ... lighter, less maintenance, and likely a bit more space than leather in the same volume, with a thin bit of padding in it.

We'll have to discuss it off-line a bit... perhaps not immediately, but soon.

thx!

 

[Stradagene]

BAAK will sell you the little saddle bag with or without an extra side panel.
It's mounted with three throughbolts (riveted if you have them attach it) - so I bought an extra side panel in case I want to switch it out. I never have wanted to. It's too useful!

FWIW - the BAAK black leather bag is a lighter weight leather than the other colors. I would have preferred the thicker, stiffer leather of the other colors, but I thought that the black bag matched the color scheme of my bike better.

 

[Godfrey]

Thanks. There are all kinds of options, I see. Lots to think about...

I agree that such a bag will likely be fitted and never move. It's kind of a shame that there's no storage on the bike to speak of .. the little depression in the fender under the seat isn't really big enough to fit even a minimal (useful) tool kit easily.

 

[Oadslug]

... It's kind of a shame that there's no storage on the bike to speak of .. the little depression in the fender under the seat isn't really big enough to fit even a minimal (useful) tool kit easily.

FYI... I did find a small toolkit that fits under the seat perfectly! Made by some mad puzzle/tool genius — Motion Pro MP tool. I haven’t had much need to test it yet, but looks like it will cover most of what’s needed, and there is room to add additional sockets/hex (and the GT Oil Cap Tool), which I plan on doing. Regardless, the side panel bag is pretty cool.

 

[Godfrey]

Thanks! I'll look into that too.

 

[Godfrey]

I'll look at that tool kit in more detail and get back to you, Todd.

On the saddlebag, I'm looking at the design and considering what I want out of it. I like the concept and looks of the bag as I saw it, but when it comes to bags, "the devil is in the details." Take it from a photographer with at least three dozen unused bags in the closet ... because all of them failed for me on some point of the details...

 

[Jovito]

I would definitely be interested, almost bought the one from BAAK.

 

[GTM®]

I would definitely be interested, almost bought the one from BAAK.

Thanks, well, everyone let me know what you're looking for and I'll put my guy to work.

 

[TimmyTheHog]

If the design and price (of course ) is right, I will consider ordering them.

What "I" want is nothing fancy huge but enough to store the tool kit, some wrenches, sparkplug socket & gloves...I am talking about total of both sides.

and oh ya, please make them lockable

There, my wish list heh...

 

[dududuckling]

I'd be interested to see how does the bag mount onto the current side cover. Permanent vs easily detachable for when it rains (like once or twice here in California). Or if the leather has a waterproof treatment already.

And probably large enough to fit a cheeseburger and fries from In'n'out? I can see myself eating fries from the side bag on long rides

 

[Godfrey]

Next thing, someone's going to say they want the cupholders to accommodate a Big Gulp ... !

 

[Mayakovski]

Next thing, someone's going to say they want the cupholders to accommodate a Big Gulp ... !

That's a great idea, I want it with a bar end mount.

 

[dududuckling]

I got the idea from Baak = they are French = French fries plus their side bag measures 20 cm x 20 cm x 7 cm, which is perfect size. Anyway back on topic.

 

[Stradagene]

It's worth noting that given the position of the bag I don't like to carry anything large or bulky in it - not even a microfiber cloth (certainly not a tool kit). I personally use mine to carry my phone, wallet, a small cable (for locking my helmet), and a GT-Rx oil cap tool.

 

[Godfrey]

Yes, it's a small bag for carrying the incidentals. A small toolkit would fit, given that its so hard to put one under the seat in the space available, but it can't be very large or heavy.

My phone and wallet go into dedicated pockets I have on my riding jacket, so it's not useful for that (for me). I was thinking more the bike incidentals, like light tools, a cloth for wiping things, some wipes for the headlight, when traveling, etc.

 

[Stradagene]

Yes, it's a small bag for carrying the incidentals. A small toolkit would fit, given that its so hard to put one under the seat in the space available, but it can't be very large or heavy.

My phone and wallet go into dedicated pockets I have on my riding jacket, so it's not useful for that (for me). I was thinking more the bike incidentals, like light tools, a cloth for wiping things, some wipes for the headlight, when traveling, etc.

And I, on the other hand, don't like to have anything in my pockets when I ride.

I still think you'll find that anything bulky in that location is bothersome - but people have different levels of tolerance for that sort of thing, so maybe you would think it was fine. I, personally, would find it very uncomfortable if there was anything that bulky in the side panel saddle bag.

 

[Godfrey]

And I, on the other hand, don't like to have anything in my pockets when I ride.

I still think you'll find that anything bulky in that location is bothersome - but people have different levels of tolerance for that sort of thing, so maybe you would think it was fine. I, personally, would find it very uncomfortable if there was anything that bulky in the side panel saddle bag.

That's one of the reasons I'm taking my time thinking about the bag and what I'd use it for: Exactly what goes into it, what it's useful for, changes what I'd like regards the design and its closure too.

I agree: we all have our own habits about what we carry and how. I picked this jacket because it had pockets that felt were comfortable and held what I wanted in convenient and accessible places. It's not a great jacket, but it's been pretty functional over the past year. I plan to buy a better quality jacket this coming Fall ... but I consider my jacket to be part of my luggage on a motorcycle, it must be capable of carrying some of the junk I need to have with me.

It's all good!

G

 

[Echon]

The biggest issue I'd foresee is how much contact there'd be with my legs. I'm gonna have to take a look at where my legs actually go on the bike tomorrow when I go to my drug test.

 

[Stradagene]

The biggest issue I'd foresee is how much contact there'd be with my legs. I'm gonna have to take a look at where my legs actually go on the bike tomorrow

That’s exactly the issue with the location of the bag that I am referring to. Because bulky items stored there do interfere with where one’s legs go, I find that I only like using the side cover saddle bag for storage of small items that would get lost or fly out of the under seat storage area (for example the GT-Rx oil cap tool [which every V7/V9 owner should have, BTW] - which I unfortunately know by experience will not stay in the under seat tool tray when riding).

Even the bulk of a microfiber cloth in the side cover saddle bag interferes with the freedom I would like my legs to have when accessing and articulating the foot controls... That said I don’t even notice the bag as long as I only carry small items there, and keeping small items there keeps them secure and instantly accessible. All in all, I love having the BAAK-style side cover saddle bag on my V7R!