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| Garyminn | | Set |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 29 Jul 2012 - 21:26 Post title : What Saddlebags Should I Buy? | | | I would appreciate some recommendations and insights regarding saddlebags for my 2012 Triumph Thunderbird. I got the bike a few months ago here in Minnesota, and the bike is fabulous. In fact, my wife likes it so much, she decided to ride 2-up with me, and now can't wait to take overnight trips.
I've looked at the stock bags, but I have read (I believe I recall) that others haven't liked the OEM bags -- plus their pretty expensive ($699 here in the U.S., NOT including mounting hardware...another $159 or so).
MY QUESTION: Does anyone have any success, either with the OEM Thunderbird saddle bags, and would say, "go spend the money, it's worth it"...or does anyone have good success with other bags (like the Viking Bags -- www.vikingbags.com).
I'd love to hear your thoughts -- and would love to learn about what people have discovered regarding saddlebags. I would also like the "quick on/quick off" mounting options -- I'm not one to want to leave the bags on all the time (I still prefer the "power cruiser" look, so I haven't added alot of extra chrome stuff (as much as I love the chrome).
Thanks in advance for any advice and help!
Gary in Minnesota
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| intimidator32 | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2012 | | Posts | : | 913 | | Location | : | lexington, ky, United States |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 01:02 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Gary, I have the Hardstreet slim bags and love them.
Send me a PM with your email and I'll send you some
pictures. Haven't figured out how to post them here it
keeps on telling me the files to big.
| currently on a slow Harley but will have another Triumph eventually 
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| Couchman | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 06/01/2012 | | Posts | : | 30 | | Location | : | Singleton, NSW, Australia |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 01:06 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Gary, I have Cs4 lockable saddlebags on my T'Bird and they look great as well as being very easy to put on and take off the bike. The web site www.cs4-saddlebags.com is well worth looking at. I think they are a Belgium company and I got them delivered to Australia within 2 weeks for under $400 Aus all up which in comparison to the OEM version of over $1000 was excellent.
| Foran Razorbacks, chrome fork leg lowers, T'Bird chrome clutch cover, chrome side panels, chrome lever kit, teardrop drilled stem mirrors, long haul rider & passenger seats, quick release sissy bar kit, cs4 saddlebags. Just for starters.
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 03:57 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Couchman) | | | Thanks so much for the information and the URL. I will take a look tonight. Much appreciated.
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 04:03 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Couchman, I went to the website you shared, and it tells me that their advertised bags don't work (except for the EB Series, which I couldn't find on their webpage) if you have the Triumph T-bird sissy bar, which I do. Can you recommend the specific model of bag you found that worked, especially if you have the sissy bar from Triumph? Thanks, Garyminn
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| Couchman | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/01/2012 | | Posts | : | 30 | | Location | : | Singleton, NSW, Australia |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 04:20 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Good point Garyminn, it dosen't work with the Triumph quick release sissy bar. I bought my T'Bird second hand and it had the Sissy bar on it, which I took off straight away, which is why the CS4 bags suit me. Basically I like the sporty cruiser look, single seat with these saddle bags suits me perfectly as my partner has her own bike (BMW GS800). But I'm sure there must be a way of making it work rather than spending sqillions on the OEM product. They are fairly quick to respond to enquiries via email so it may be worth asking them about the EB series.
| Foran Razorbacks, chrome fork leg lowers, T'Bird chrome clutch cover, chrome side panels, chrome lever kit, teardrop drilled stem mirrors, long haul rider & passenger seats, quick release sissy bar kit, cs4 saddlebags. Just for starters.
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| Noladuck | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 05/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 260 | | Location | : | Portland, Oregon, United States |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 05:09 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: intimidator32) | | | I have the Hardstreet slimbags also. I bought them from fasteddy, and have been very pleased with them. I also bought my ez brackets from eddy, and they work great too. Here's a couple pics:
 
I also have a pair of viking charger bags. They are well made artificial leather, and seem pretty well built, but I decided to go with the slimbags instead, because I wanted the glossy black look. I'm going to sell the viking bags, if I ever get around to it.
Chris
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| zolti | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 23/03/2010 | | Posts | : | 3,127 | | Location | : | newcastle , United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 09:49 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Noladuck) | | | good looking bags nola 
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 16:25 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Couchman) | | | Thanks much, Couchman. I will send them an email and see what they can do for me.
Garyminn
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 16:27 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Noladuck) | | | Those are gorgeous bags. Did you have any difficulty mounting the hardware to hold them, given that you have the longhaul seat, and the quick release Sissy Bar/backrest (which I also have)?
I like the look of the hardside bags, but I go back and forth about those vs. the leather/fake leather. Hard to decide!
Thanks,
Garyminn
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| Noladuck | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 260 | | Location | : | Portland, Oregon, United States |
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| | Posted : 30 Jul 2012 - 23:50 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Just make sure you get the easy brackets that are designed for the sissy bar. FastEddy sells the brackets for both sissy bar, and non sissy bar. The easy brackets are very easy to install, and will work with almost any saddlebag. Once you have the easy brackets installed, all you have to do is drill the holes on the back of each saddlebag, and bolt them to the easy brackets. With a turn of a key. you can remove your bags when ever you need to.
Link
Here is a youtube video that shows the basic installation. The easy brackets don't interfere with removal of the sissy bar. I hope this helps.
Chris
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| Zeek | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 16/11/2010 | | Posts | : | 74 | | Location | : | Victoria, BC, Canada |
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| | Posted : 31 Jul 2012 - 02:50 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Noladuck) | | | Hi Noladuck... is there any chance that you could post a picture of your bike from the rear? I'd like to see how far out the bags go with the ez brackets and sissybar in place. Thanks!
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| Noladuck | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 260 | | Location | : | Portland, Oregon, United States |
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| | Posted : 31 Jul 2012 - 03:35 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Zeek) | | | Hey Zeek, I'll try to get a pic tomorrow. Here's the link to fast eddy for the slimbags
Link
There are some photos from the rear on fasteddy's listing.
Chris
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| Noladuck | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 260 | | Location | : | Portland, Oregon, United States |
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| | Posted : 31 Jul 2012 - 03:49 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Zeek) | | | Here are a couple pics of the matte black slimbags with easy brackets i borrowed  from fasteddy's site. I hope they help.
Chris
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| ThunderRat | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 08/03/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,056 | | Location | : | Castle Hill, NSW, Australia |
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| | Posted : 31 Jul 2012 - 13:54 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | I had the Triumph bags but one came off so I have just replaced them with the new EDGE 112L bags. They look sensational and fit the shape of the bike very well. I attach them with Easy Brackets. I looked at both the Hardstreet Slims and Sixers but found whilst they look good they do not have much usable space inside due to the cutouts. Very similar to the Triumph bags in that regard. The EDGE are big but not cumbersome. I will take a pic on the bike and post it.
| "I started life with nothing and still have most of it left"
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 31 Jul 2012 - 16:08 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: ThunderRat) | | | Thunderat,
Thanks so much for the info. I too am concerned about usable space, and really haven't had the chance to get anywhere to look at the actual bags. As nice as it is to see the bags' photos on websites, for me, it's tough not to see the real item, or not get "real people" opinions about what is working for them.
I will look forward to seeing your photos -- and I'm going to look around town here and see what I can find -- hopefully some motorcycle supply store will have at least a few of the options folks have mentioned.
Thanks again -- I'll keep my eyes open for your photos!
Garyminn
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| intimidator32 | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2012 | | Posts | : | 913 | | Location | : | lexington, ky, United States |
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| | Posted : 31 Jul 2012 - 16:45 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Gary, there is more space in the slims than I thought and I'm
happy with the amount of stuff you can get in them. I'm not
sure without changing pipes that you could get much bigger
bags on a t-bird and not look to wide in the
backend
| currently on a slow Harley but will have another Triumph eventually
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 31 Jul 2012 - 20:47 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Noladuck) | | | Chris, a question about those slimbags -- when you ride 2-up, does your wife/partner complain about her legs resting on the bags, or feeling pushed forward because of the bags' position?
In other words, is there enough room for legs to rest normally on the pegs? Those bags look pretty large (which I like) but I want to make sure it doesn't make the ride less comfortable for my wife.
Thanks for any insights,
Gary
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| Noladuck | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 260 | | Location | : | Portland, Oregon, United States |
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| | Posted : 31 Jul 2012 - 23:20 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Gary,
No complaints from my girlfriend, or my daughter so far. I actually could move the bags back another inch or so, if I wanted to.
These are not huge inside, but they carry enough. I can easily fit my Triumph leather jacket, as well as a few other things inside. They could be bigger, but I don't think it would look good if they stuck out any more than they do.
Here are those pics of the rear, and also a shot from the front looking back.
Chris
 
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| Zeek | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 16/11/2010 | | Posts | : | 74 | | Location | : | Victoria, BC, Canada |
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| | Posted : 01 Aug 2012 - 01:16 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Noladuck) | | | Thanks Chris... those are exactly the shots I was looking for... I think I've found the bags to go with my bird.
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| Blackbird | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 16/01/2011 | | Posts | : | 25 | | Location | : | Madison, WI, United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Aug 2012 - 14:21 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Zeek) | | | Has anyone put on Hardstreet Classic Tour Bags? There a little wider than the Slims and have much more capacity but they do not hug the bike as well as the slims. If someone has these installed could they post some pics.
Thanks
Jeff
|  Blackbird
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| bnz433 | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 10/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 1,842 | | Location | : | Clifton Park (Upstate), NY, United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Aug 2012 - 15:19 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Blackbird) | | | A few guys have the RoadKing hardbags (yes, Harley), but removed the RoadKing badge and replaced with a Thunderbird badge. It's a nice combo of the "leather" look, but are hardbags. And they look pretty roomy compared to the Hardstreets. If I were going to go hardbag, it'd probably be these (less polishing, less scratching). But like everything else in the forum, it's just an opinion. The upside being that you can run to any Harley shop and check 'em out in person, I'd assume.
Check out Eskerinola's album. I forget who else has 'em.
Jamie
| Bennington Triumph Bash - 31May-2June 2019. Home of the (tied in '14 & '15) US RECORD T-BIRD FLOCKING!!!!!
Link
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Aug 2012 - 17:38 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: bnz433) | | | Those bags look nice, but at $1,300 U.S., I will not even contemplate paying Harley Davidson more than 2 or 3 times the cost of comparable bags (for the privilege of the H-D name!) which I will then take off and replace with a Triumph badge!!
Harley arrogance in pricing remains alive and well! 
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| Jango | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 22/02/2011 | | Posts | : | 196 | | Location | : | Jacksonville, Florida, United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Aug 2012 - 18:08 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: bnz433) | | | I have a set and love them. Thought about bags for months. Considered hardbags but painting would have made the Bird to busy for me. Very roomy and I did not have to worry about painit. They are the newer Roadking bags and I found them new on Ebay for $615.00 added easy brackets and had to make another plate for mounting. (Thanks Eskerinola for the help). All in probably around $850. I have extras such as lock and 6 X 9 speakers that brings the price up. I also removed the straps since they tend to sag from what I have seen. Personal choices of course and I get a lot of positive comments. Easy enough as stated to see in person how much room they have. Maintenance, easy.
    
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Aug 2012 - 18:32 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Jango) | | | Your bags look nice (you did a great job in putting them on the bike). For me, I think (and thanks for sending the pics...it helped lead to my next comment), they would be too big for what I want to have on the bike. We won't do a whole lot of overnight riding, so for the few trips we do a year (maybe 2 or 3?) where we spend a couple nights out of town, I think the Hardstreet Slimbags is going to work for me. And I guess if I'm wrong (since I'll use the Easy Mount Brackets) I can buy other bags, or have two sets of bags, if needed later.
Thanks for sending the pics though -- gorgeous bike. I still can't get over the dealer price of $1,300....wow.
Gary
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| Garyminn | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 18/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 21 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 05 Aug 2012 - 05:19 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for your comments, PMs, photos of your bags, etc. I had several good options, based on the info and research folks shared. I decided to purchase the Hardstreet Sixers, and use the Easy Brackets. They have the same volume of space as the Hardstreet Slimbags, and are 4 inches shorter (meaning I won't be kicking them as much when i get on and off the Tbird, and my wife will have a little more legroom, without sacrificing storage space.
Thanks for the recommendation to purchase from FastEddySports.com -- heck, Eddy answers his own phone, is very knowledgeable and just a darn night guy (and fellow Tbird owner).
Thanks again guys!
Gary in Minnesota
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| Noladuck | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 260 | | Location | : | Portland, Oregon, United States |
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| | Posted : 05 Aug 2012 - 18:18 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | I think you made a good choice. I was torn between the the slimbags and the sixers, and only chose the slimbags because they were a bit longer. Apples and oranges, really. Enjoy!
Chris
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| chrisvs | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 17/06/2012 | | Posts | : | 125 | | Location | : | London, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 05 Aug 2012 - 19:34 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | |
Garyminn wrote:
Those bags look nice, but at $1,300 U.S., I will not even contemplate paying Harley Davidson more than 2 or 3 times the cost of comparable bags (for the privilege of the H-D name!) which I will then take off and replace with a Triumph badge!!
Harley arrogance in pricing remains alive and well! |
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Ah Harley.... "1940s Technology at 2012 Prices."......
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| Dougl | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 13/07/2012 | | Posts | : | 544 | | Location | : | Reno, Nevada, United States |
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| | Posted : 10 Aug 2012 - 03:42 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Garyminn) | | | Thanks everyone for the SlimBags pics. My dealer just installed them with EZ brackets. They are the bomb. He first got Edge brackets. I told him to get the EZs. The Edge (ghost) are to be avoided!
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| paulc | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 08/05/2010 | | Posts | : | 441 | | Location | : | Brackley, ENGLAND, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 10 Aug 2012 - 07:26 Post title : Re: What Saddlebags Should I Buy? (Re: Dougl) | | | 
i like the look of these but know nothing about them
| infidel troop scooter club
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