Soft luggage with high mount pipe

Has anyone had any luck with soft luggage and a high mount pipe? I understand the pipe is a trade off, but would like to have an option...

I can only comment on what I did with my VTEC's under seat exhaust and the tourmaster sport bags.  I went to Year One, Exit 129 off 85N from Suwanee, and got some adhesive backed heat shield and put it on the back of my bags.  I then took a straight metal bar and attached it to the license plate bracket.  It held the bags about 1 inch from the pipes.  The heat shield is only good for radiant heat so the 1 inch clearance was enough.  Went down to Daytona and back with them on and no problems.

It wasn't the prettiest solution, but it was cheap and worked like a charm.

I used the Joe Rocket Sportbike saddlebags on my 97 VFR w/TBR high-mount and my g/f used the same model bags (of course a few years newer) on her 00 VFR w/TBR high-mount.

Hav

IMO The easiest solution for soft luggage on Vtec is the Rocket locker Seat Sac. ( w/o passanger, of course ) .

TwistedGrip, Mar. 26 2004IMO The easiest solution for soft luggage on Vtec is the Rocket locker Seat Sac. ( w/o passanger, of course ) .

I have a luggage locker, and it is small. Works great, but it doesn't hold much. Maybe one saddlebags worth. It's made really well and looks good though.  :cool:

Try this:

UFO's Review of the Tourmaster Cortech Saddlebags

They work great for me. �Rode to work with them on today.

vfrmonkey, Mar. 26 2004Has anyone had any luck with soft luggage and a high mount pipe? I understand the pipe is a trade off, but would like to have an option...

I'm assuming you're talking about a 5th gen VFR with a high mount? I've run into the same problem with my '99 and currently use RKA's 33 liter Supersport saddlebags in red. They're a little pricey, but very well constructed. They install high enough where they don't contact the exhaust. However, I'm also currently looking some hard luggage options without having to lower my exhaust. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know. I've heard the Givi wingracks needs some mods to work with the Corbin gunfighter seat. I need to find out if the tubular mounts will work without mods.

I sent some pics of the Joe Rocket bags to vfr95 via PM so here they are for all:

1997 VFR (Bad Pic):

http://www.havagan.com/temp/vfrdiscussion/...ebags_97vfr.jpg

2000 VFR:

http://www.havagan.com/temp/vfrdiscussion/...ebags_00vfr.jpg

2002 VFR (I have Givi racks installed to keep them from hitting the exhaust, etc.):

http://www.havagan.com/temp/vfrdiscussion/...ebags_02vfr.jpg

Hav

What a great forum!!  These are exactly what I'm looking for. I've got a 2 Bros. high mount on my '98 VFR. Looks like either the RKA or the JR's should do the trick. I'll be using these with a TourMaster Cortech Saddlebag, which has great protective fabric where it touches the bike's surface/paint. How about these saddlebags? Do they protect the surface well?

Thanks guys! Great info!    :bow:

Hey Hav, I guess there is something on the rear seat to raise up the saddlebags? My saddlebags hit my pipe and the only way to do it seams to be to put something on the rear seat first?  ???

Just bought a few months ago for my 5th generation the Cortech Tri-bags system from Tourmaster. I've loaded it up with the items I think I need for a 2 week trip in June.There still is clearance of about 2-3 inches from the pipe (yoshimura) A little balancing act is needed concerning the weight factor over the pipe to minimize contact. It appears to be a good product from write ups.Total capacity, if not mistaken 71 litres. ???

Viffer35, April 04 2004Do they protect the surface well?

I don't trust them. I put some rubber toolbox liner that I cut to fit under my saddlebags.

Hav

ULEWZ, April 04 2004I guess there is something on the rear seat to raise up the saddlebags? My saddlebags hit my pipe and the only way to do it seams to be to put something on the rear seat first?

Nothing on the rear seat except for that rubber toolbox liner. I do use a pair of crossed bungee cords when the load is especially heavy. The bags in the picture, between the two of them, are holding:

5 quarts of Honda HP4 oil
2 16.4 oz bottles of propane
28 packets of Ramen noodles
14 cans of tuna
28 granola bars
14 packets of hot chocolate
14 packets of Lipton instant soup
2 13 oz cans of Honda chain lube
Other sundry items.

[image: user posted image]


Hav

Oh yeah, and they have 2 bottles of water stuck in the outside pockets. Dunno how I forgot those.

Hav

Hav, that looks like a great setup. Are the bags on the red bike the same as on the yellow '00? The one's on the red vif look bigger, maybe it's the angle you took the pic. I think I have to get a set. As long as they stay away from my pipe, they should do the trick.

Thanks for all the info/photos!

ULEWZ, Mar. 26 2004

TwistedGrip, Mar. 26 2004IMO The easiest solution for soft luggage on Vtec is the Rocket locker Seat Sac. ( w/o passanger, of course ) .

I have a luggage locker, and it is small. Works great, but it doesn't hold much. Maybe one saddlebags worth. It's made really well and looks good though. �:cool:

Wow, I really thought the luggage locker held more than that... or doo you have really big saddlebags?