| Author | Message | ||
     Mtuly |
Last October I was one of the many who took full advantage of the fantastic deals on a Ulysses. Mine's a 2009 model. I wanted the Outdoorsman bags but they were no longer available and being the handy guy I am, figured to fabricate the racks myself and pickup a set of used bags either here or on Ebay. Well, little did I know the bags were as rare as hens teeth. Fortunately, a fellow BWB'r was selling the top boxes so I bought one. That was the easiest part. Getting the side boxes has been an exercise in extreme futility. I know, just buy the darn things directly from Hepco and Becker and be done with it. Here's the other part of the story. I promised my lovely wife that if I were to buy 2 Buells for the price of one, I could get the accessories used for better than half price. She bought off on the "deal" and now I'm trying my darndest to keep my side of the bargain. The racks were a booger to fab. The metal wasn't much but trying to make them without being able to look or measure a set as I went was tough. The turned out OK, especially with a coat of Duplicolor bed liner. That's some great stuff and dries in no time! Anyway, here's a couple of pictures of my progress. Oh, the other Buell? It's the sweet 1125 in the background!!!    Oh, and if anyone has a set of Outdoorsman side bags, I'm not too proud to beg....... | ||
| Andymnelson |
That looks sweet! I truly wish I had better fabricating skills... I bought a used rear rack and case for $75 from a local Bueller, side cases for $225 shipped from another Bueller, and bought the racks new from Liberty for $208...total investment: $508, and all paid for with the sales of other Buell parts I had laying around!  | ||
| Mtuly |
Andy, that was my plan too, but as you can see, didn't work out. Did you get the Journey or Outdoorsman bags? If they are the Outdoorsman you are one lucky dude! I'm already beginning to hate your guts!  | ||
| Andymnelson |
Haha  I think I like the Outdoorsman cases better, but I got the Journeys. The Journeys are bigger, which will be nice since I don't have a daily need for them, only on trips. Plus I will be painting the colored inserts. Keep looking, they'll pop up again sooner or later! | ||
| Dynasport |
Must be nice to be able to fabricate things like that. They look good. Good luck finding the bags. I know you want the Outdoorsman bags, but Rossmyers HD in Daytona has the Journeys at a substantial discount. I wanted the Outdoorsman bags as well, but my Journeys have actually been a pleasant surprise so far. | ||
| Terrafirma |
Heck Mike, You should have bought the XP like I did! HAHAHA. But seriously, you are the true McGyver out there. What are you going to do if you can find the appropriate bags, make some out of duct tape, a camping pot, a shoe string and a pair of fish-net stockings? For those who don't know, Mike and I have beens buddies since college, say around 1979.... | ||
| Cyclonedon |
damn, that was a real nice job on the brackets you made! I hope your able to find bags for them. | ||
| Two_buells |
http://www.amotostuff.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?S creen=CTGY&Category_Code=hepco_becker or http://www.sportmotogear.com/category_s/80.htm?sea rching=Y&sort=13&cat=80&show=10&page=3 scroll down for the Junior (outdoorsman) bags | ||
| Dcc46 |
saw these on adv rider , i was gonna buy them but i bought a new flat screen TV yesterday, http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57 6574 | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Crusty posted a link a few months back about a dealer selling extra large outdoorsman bags for 300 bucks a pair. Don't know if any are still available but you might give John Jackson aka Crusty a holler. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/529109.html | ||
| Two_buells |
Mike, Great job on fabricating the racks.  You know if you can make a set for side cases on my 1125R, I'd buy them. If you made a second set and sold them you'd have enough to buy a set of Junior (outdoorsman) bags....just a thought..... | ||
| Tankhead |
Hey I painted my outdoorsman racks with bed liner stuff. Works great..... | ||
| Motorbike |
Nice job mtuly! A lot of people including myself wish they had your fabrication skills! | ||
| Motorbike |
Do you have a separate garage/shop just for your bikes or do your cars set outside? | ||
| Sharkguy |
Try contacting a Guzzi dealership. The outdoorsman bags are the same as used on many of the Guzzis. I know for sure they were using them on the Californias because a buddy of mine has one with them on it. Same Hepco Becker bags. Only difference is they may say Moto Guzzi on them. | ||
| Froggy |
Damn you, I need someone to fab up racks for my 1125Uly! | ||
| Mtuly |
Motobike, I have a 3 car garage. My pickup sits outside during the summer. The bikes and woodworking equipment take up two stalls. What you can't see in these photo's is the other stall where the wife's car stays year around. She can put up with my bike obsession only as long as her car stays inside. That's one of our other "deals"!  | ||
| Mtuly |
Twobuells (I like the name), Tell me more about what you need as far as racks for the 1125. Froggy, a 1125 Uly? I'm assuming your going to do an engine swap. Tell me more. | ||
| Two_buells |
>>>Tell me more about what you need as far as racks for the 1125. I'd just like to get a set of side case racks to use my outdoorsman bags from my Uly. I thought since you have a 1125R it would be easier for you to fab up a set. And for TwoBuells, had that since 1999. at the time I had a 1998 S1 and 1999 S3. Still have the S3, 08 1125R & 09 Uly | ||
| Rays |
Mtuly, clearly you are a 'can do' kind of guy. I've actually been thinking of knocking up a set of racks for my second Uly but I am in the 'should do' class.  Well done ! | ||
| Badrap |
Mtuly, What did you build the racks out of? Are they hollow or solid? | ||
| Froggy |
I wouldn't downgrade the motor and put it in an XB chassis. It wouldn't do it justice. My bike will look like this when I am done  I will start work on swapping the Ulysses tail section over after Homecoming. I would need custom luggage racks and passenger peg mounts. I would have to play around with it in Photoshop to make a mockup of what I think would work. | ||
| Two_buells |
I think the Outdoorsman bags would look better | ||
| Mtuly |
Badrap, The racks are made out of 1/2 ID tubing. Before I go any further I failed to mention that the hoops for the side racks are from a pair of Journey racks purchased on ebay. I had to cut everything apart as the Journey and Outdoorsman racks are the exact opposite, and without the bags, I had to have the hoops to ensure a fit. I still don't know if the bags will fit as the attachment mechanisms were cut off and re-welded. The locking mechanism might not work but that will be a simple fix when I get the bags. While Terrafirma was here with his XP I drew an outline of his side racks on a big piece of cardboard. Whithout that drawing these would have been much more difficult. Froggy, I love the mockup of the 1125 Uly. That's going to be one BA bike and a fantastic sport cruiser! (Message edited by mtuly on May 28, 2010) | ||
| Two_buells |
Here is a Photoshop 1125 & Uly. I got a picture of both bikes, pasted the Uly layer on top of the 1125. than erased the Uly motor,front end. this is real close to the right size  | ||
| Badrap |
I want an 1125GT. That would be a bike I'd buy. We can only wish and hope at this point. |
