Audace Courier Bags VS. Saddle Bags

[Ken Wantje]

So I'm ready to add some luggage to my Audace and I've narrowed it down to Hepco & Becker's Courier Bags as my 1st choice and SW Motech also has a nice pair of Saddle bags I checked out at Americade this year. The H&B uses the C-Bow mounts and the only thing I'm reluctant about the C-Bow mounts is how far out they appear to put the bags from the fender. I prefer a close fit which is why the SWMotech saddlebags are my 2nd choice. Has anyone out there installed either of these products and if so could you post some pics from different views? I would love to purchase the original Moto Guzzi canvas courier bags but from what I've been told the mounting brackets are unobtanium and the bags are close to $1200 for a set vs $599 for H&B. Doesn't Moto Guzzi usually put something like the bags on deep discount close out since the mounting hardware is no longer available?

 

[scottmastrocinque]

Good luck on your quest! I just acquired a 2016 Eldorado and was shocked to discover that almost everything accessory wise and especially bags and mounts, are no longer available. Apparently, the scuttlebutt on the internet seems to indicate that the supplier Moto Guzzi used, went out of business.

My bike has a beautiful set of the Moto Guzzi factory leather bags, but I would have liked to have mounted the painted hard bags. Unfortunately, it will never happen. So, I live with the beautiful leather bags. Things could be worse right?

 

[whatthe]

I have the H&B bags with the c bow hardware on a 2016 Eldo. I agree that the bags stick out too far and at an outward angle to clear the shocks. I made a bracket from the inner fender to the locking part of the c bow that bring the bags in closer. The bags themselves are great they are easy on and easy off and very well made. I have the Nevada bags.

 

[scottmastrocinque]

I am very happy to read this as I just ordered the C-bow system for my black and white 1200 Sport with these cases. Very excited. The metal is removable with screws and depending upon how I like the silver metal color on the motorcycle, I may have it painted white to match the bike pattern.

We’ll see!

 

[Ken Wantje]

I would like to modify the brackets to get the bags a little closer to the fender but other than that I'm happy with the look and the overall quality is very nice.

 

[Ken Wantje]

They are also very close to the mufflers but there doesn't appear to be enough heat to be of concern.

 

[Ken Wantje]

I did finally install the C-Bow Hepco & Becker Legacy Courier Bags on my Audace. I had to add an adapter plate to raise the bags up since they were resting on the mufflers and to bend them in at the top to close the gap. I do have a brand new spare bag available for sale in the classifieds here.

 

[John L]

I bought my Eldo in 2015 and ordered the Cali rack for it at the same time, the Cali brackets that came with the rack would not work because of the extra depth of the Eldo guard so I had to make up a bracket to fit, that's the first pic. Then I decided to add the Hepco & Becker bags, again at this time they were only available for the Cali so I had to add another bracket to make them fit. I was never happy with the gap between the guard and bags so made up some smaller L shaped brackets and did away with the support that runs past the shock. I doubled up all the L shaped brackets for strength and added an aluminum plate to tie it all together (I used aluminum and plastic sheet to mock it all up first). Only tools used throughout were a vice, a drill and a big hammer and a jigsaw for the plate. Hopefully all the pics help explain all this. I now have to have an extension on the key to be able to lock and unlock the bags to the mounts. The last ccouple of pics are with the Hepco & Becker sisssy bar and rack fitted, I've used a P clip to attach the support bracket for the Cali rack to the Hepco & Becker rack for extra support for the H&B rack. I've used this set up for a few years now without problems and I tend to overload the bags on occasion.