| Author | Message | ||
     Ourdee |
Nothing too radical yet. I put luggage on Lil Red prior to HomeComing this year. Well, I was not happy with the job. Yesterday I pulled it apart and cut the welds from the frames I made for the panniers.  Please, excuse my Harbor Freight flux-core welding. My feed rollers are shot. It takes a lot of grinding and re-welding to get to pretty sometimes. Those two short tubes will get drilled for a 1/4" quick pin that captures the rear foot peg pivot pin.  Next there are two lugs on extensions from the pannier frame that will mate to the lugs on the Ventura "L" bracket with 5/16" quick pins. That tack welding makes me nervous. I don't like welding on Lil Red. But it is the best way I have to get everything lined up right.  I had a small rack with a little bag that Ventura made. I cut the upright park of the rack off and laid it down to get a flat top on it. I will mount a top box on it tomorrow. I'll clean up and paint the side racks and bolt the panniers to them also.  I have the side pin brackets tacked in place. Now to pull the pannier racks off and finnish welding them. There is a brace that connects the rear of the pannier racks to each other. I will fabricate them tomorrow. It will attach with quick pins. I am very happy so far with the alignment. The benefit of using this system with quick pins and lugs is the clean look when the bags are removed. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Pretty sweet idea of using the holes in the pivot tubes. | ||
| Ourdee |
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| Ourdee |
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| Ourdee |
   I was looking at this map. May use this 509 mile run to test the luggage mounts. | ||
| Crusty |
I was going to suggest maybe riding to Buellvemberfest to check out how they work, but I think you've already got that in mind. Cool! We'll see you there! | ||
| Ducbsa |
Wheely assist? | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
I like it  | ||
| Pwnzor |
Those... are.... HUGE!!!! Can't wait to see it in person! | ||
| Phelan |
Those are rocking! Might I recommend turning up the preload on that SCG shock, and eventually you may wNt/require to get a heavier spring for it. | ||
| 86129squids |
VERY nice! The volume of those 3 bags is very impressive- I'm guessing you could radically alter your GVWR depending on what you pack. I thought I could load a LOT of crap onto my old Beemer, what with the big milk crate and Krauser bags... you blew me out of the water, buddy! Wheelie assist, indeed.  | ||
| Phelan |
Could fit a while cart of groceries in those  . | ||
| 04buell |
Looks good ourdee. You can never have too many places too put stuff. | ||
| Ourdee |
First, thanks for the words of encouragement. Got the brace for the rear pannier corners done today. Total capacity is 96.5 liters internal stores. I use a luggage scale when I pack for a trip. Then adjust the suspension accordingly. I don't load as heavy as I used to. I need a 2 or 3 inch pad for the seat to un-bend my knees a little for longer rides. I'm thinking a folded towel with my beads tied on top. Hope it doesn't adversely effect the wind on the front of me. The top rack can be mounted forward or rearward a few inches by rotating it 180 degrees in the Ventura mounts. In the forward position it is perfect as a back rest. Rearward will give me enough clearance to scoot back onto the front of the pillion seat. Part of my dance ritual to unbend my knees on longer rides. | ||
| Phelan |
If you aren't already, wear basketball or special riding shorts under your jeans instead of underwear. Makes for much better ventilation and moisture wicking. Have you thought about getting an SX tall seat for longer rides? | ||
| Ourdee |
I like the low seat once I'm there. I am really missing my XT. The Scg lets me flat foot and move the bike around without having to get off and push it. My XT needed air suspension that would let me compress or drop it for parking lots. | ||
| Zac4mac |
I remember catching a bunch of shit over my tour-pac for Loretta...  UR looking good RD!! | ||
| Pwnzor |
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| Ourdee |
 HomeComing with the XT. | ||
| Pwnzor |
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| 04buell |
You had everything but the kitchen sink on your bike at Homecoming that year, didn’t you? | ||
| Ourdee |
The lids for the two panniers I use now can double as sinks. | ||
| 86129squids |
 I'm sure you're quite capable of rigging up a faucet. FWIW, on the north juncture of TN360, there's a natural spring, with convenient simple PVC plumbing done by the local Ruritan chapter. So cool, and the water's awesome. | ||
| Ourdee |
Squids, I sent you a PM. Running through Goshen Valley in E. Tennessee, turn right on War Valley Rd. You will come upon a fork in the road just past where the pavement ends. In that fork is a small block structure with a pipe sticking out of it. Best spring water I have ever had. | ||
| Ourdee |
Here is the top rack rotated.  | ||
| Ourdee |
Now to address that knee bending seat position. I need to be able to put a pad under my seat beads for the long part of the ride. It is pieces of moving blanket. Different shapes layered with a thin hard foam piece for a core. They are glued and drying between two pieces of wax paper with the tape holding their shape. I'll make a waterproof casing for it.  The beads will be tied down over it. Should get 2 to 3 inches of altitude out of it. | ||
| Ourdee |
Still need to cover pad and replace tie downs for beads.  | ||
| Ourdee |
1200 mile round trip to TWOS and back to Indianapolis went off without a hitch. Even made a pass through the Dragon with them. I was able to haul a whole lot of stuff I never used. I had each bag loaded to 30+ pounds including bag weight. Set the suspension per the book and Lil Red rode and handled like a Buell. A red cargo net on top of the top box makes water bottles, snacks, and layered clothing hauling a breeze. Note to self: Keep all inclement weather gear available in top box. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I was really impressed with your home-fab luggage setup. There were a lot of people engaging in visual coitus with your bike over the weekend. | ||
| Ourdee |
Credit for the coitus goes to Erik and his elves. In the first picture of this thread there is a short tube pointing skyward on the right of the piece in the vice. It is just tacked on. I didn't catch that I didn't grind out the tacks and run a bead. I cleaned up the tacks that did not have enough penetration and painted it. That piece is redundant with the other tube also holding the racks off the peg mount on the lower left passenger peg. The weld there cracked and will be a 5 minute fix. I hate wire welding with cheap equipment, but I should have caught that one. | ||
| Zac4mac |
One of the main reasons I love my Uly and it's carrying capabilities is the ability to carry 3 seasons of gear onboard. Damn handy out here where the Plains meet the Rockies. Z | ||
| 86129squids |
After contemplating the term "visual coitus" and then perambulating around RD's response to it all, I need a cold shower. |
