cheap alternative to single sided saddle bag

[aaronrkelly]

I just needed some place to toss my registration, my spare license plate and a few other things.

I really like the look of the single sided bags.....but damn, none of them are cheap......and they are a bit bigger then I needed so I started looking around.

I discovered saddle horn bags. I found a pair made of rough leather......black or natural, run about $15 on eBay. Thats my price range.....so I bit.

The way they are made you can split them right up the middle and end up with a right and left bag.....and the leather thats left is plenty to wrap around a frame rail. Secure with a metal clamp, stainless or plastic zip tie and your good.

If ya want to spend more money they have nicer ones.....these run about $40.

Just sharing in case someones looking for a little bag to carry some stuff.

 

[JP50515]

have you tried them with any weight inside? I like to carry small things, you know milk, oil, whatever on a quick grocery run or something. This is an awesome find btw.

 

[aaronrkelly]

No haven't put much weight in them but they are plenty sturdy. I've no doubt they will easily carry a quart of oil. I don't think they are big enough to put a gallon of milk in though.

 

[BruceDeuce]

try a backpack their cheap and come right off with a pull.

 

[jd750ace]

A tool pouch on the sissy bar will handle the small stuff. I'll take my Road Star when I need milk and charcoal!

 

[pregrid]

spare license plate??

 

[aaronrkelly]

In my state you can run an old license plate on a antique vehicle but you have to keep the original plate in the vehicle.

 

[pregrid]

 

[gggGary]

spare plate...... I was envisioning him kick starting the bike after a bank heist then riding around the corner and changing plates to disguise his bike.

 

[pregrid]

spare plate...... I was envisioning him kick starting the bike after a bank heist then riding around the corner and changing plates to disguise his bike.

 

[aaronrkelly]

spare plate...... I was envisioning him kick starting the bike after a bank heist then riding around the corner and changing plates to disguise his bike.

Shit ya......could easily do that. They dont require you to register the old plate and it can be from any state or year and you can changed them at will.......Im off to buy a ski mask......be right back.

I do think an old plate makes an old bike look good though......

 

[angus67]

cool bike. My wife has a horse, and is always dragging me to tack stores.
Ive seen those, and wondered how they would look on a hard tail. looks good!

 

[aaronrkelly]

.....and Im sure they make some really nice ones......and theyd probably still be cheap compared to what the want for those single sided bags.....wow, they are pricey.

 

[GreasyC]

Why not just put the plates together, I mean store the second one behind the display one?

 

[aaronrkelly]

Why not just put the plates together, I mean store the second one behind the display one?

.....cause I didnt think of that.

Nah, the old plate has slightly different dimensions then new style plates. I had to enlarge the holes......and its embossed so its thick.

To get the old plate on I have to slide the edge up under my tail light.....so I dont think they'd both fit on at the same time.

......plus I didnt think of it.

 

[DogBunny]

aaronkelly, a big thanks to you for steering me towards my local horse tack shop (which is only about a mile away)to look for saddle bags.
They had the one you bought, but I wanted something bigger -- something that would hold a gallon of milk, but not much more. Well, they had the one in this ebay ad:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/220999616595?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
and I picked it up off the shelf for only $21.88 !!! It's going to take some cutting and grommetting, etc. to make it attach like I want, and then I will replace my current solo bag, shown here in an older pic:

What I like about the former and new bag is that they are very low profile and hug the frame between the shock and my leg, yet will hold a gallon of milk, for example. And, the new bag expands, so when empty it flattens against the bike.
The old bag was super cheapo, I got about a year's use out of each bag of the pair before disintegrating.

 

[aaronrkelly]

......well the word "saddle" put me into horse mode......stands to reason Id find something that would work.

Glad you did the same......