Cheap home built tail bag. $40 total cost.

[Kevin1956]

I own 3 tail bags, but one of the most versatile pieces of luggage I have I made myself. I didn't want to spend a bunch of bucks on a bigger tail bag. I used a $20 duffel, a $17 (inc shipping) used seat from eBay, and some nuts and bolts I already had. To stiffen the bag and to keep it from sagging, a $3 cookie sheet from Walmart is silicone glued to the bottom on the inside. It was a perfect fit. Not waterproof, but it works well, holds a lot, and best of all, it locks to the bike. No bungees or straps needed. I carry my seat in the bag with my clothes. I unlock the bag from the bike, put the seat back on, and I'm on my way!

[Alex]

Nice work.

[NevadaWolf]

Very creative!

[Kevin1956]

It will carry a pair of paints, four each of long sleeve t shirts, socks and underwear, along with a sweatshirt, toiletry kit, and the passenger seat with room to spare for other travel essentials.

[allanoue]

Pic on the bike please

[heffree]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

...Not waterproof..

[capt_bugaloo]

Seems like a really great idea. I'd also like to see a couple of shots of it locked on the bike.

[Kevin1956]

allanoue, I'll post a pic soon. I have to get to work in a bit. heffree, I don't worry too much about rain. I live in California. If the weather reports say wet weather, I ain't taking the bike. LOL

[heffree]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

allanoue, I'll post a pic soon. I have to get to work in a bit. heffree, I don't worry too much about rain. I live in California. If the weather reports say wet weather, I ain't taking the bike. LOL

Haha good call. Even being up north-ish you still probably have more riding days than I do over here in snowy utah. I've been waiting weeks for the snow to melt in the mountains so I can go on some nice canyon rides up here...

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

allanoue, I'll post a pic soon. I have to get to work in a bit. heffree, I don't worry too much about rain. I live in California. If the weather reports say wet weather, I ain't taking the bike. LOL

I ride with a laptop on the back seat. I have been caught in heavy thunderstorms, and as long as you keep moving, your back seat will stay dry enough.

[Kevin1956]

@Alex @NevadaWolf @allanoue @heffree @capt_bugaloo : Here it is on the bike. I forgot to mention in the original post, I also glued a piece of 3/16" neoprene foam over the white plastic seat pan to hide it.

[Alex]

Looks fantastic.

[NevadaWolf]

That doesn't look bad at all, probably provides a nice back rest also if loaded up with clothes.

I do need to get some decent luggage on mine. Like my tailbag, but want better saddlebags.

[Kevin1956]

@Nevada Wolf, I'm working on designing mounts for 1400 Pelican Cases as saddlebags. Larger ones may look goofy and interfere with the exhaust. These are smaller than those seen on dual sport bikes. They won't hold a whole lot, but they will be lockable to the bike. Once I build it, I'll make templates for others so they can make their own. A pair of these will be 29 liters combined, and sooooo much cheaper than Givi's hard bags and their ugly mounting system.

[Klondike1020]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

@Nevada Wolf, I'm working on designing mounts for 1450 Pelican Cases as saddlebags. Larger ones may look goofy and interfere with the exhaust. These are smaller than those seen on dual sport bikes. They won't hold a whole lot, but they will be lockable to the bike. Once I build it, I'll make templates for others so they can make their own. A pair of these will be 29 liters combined, and sooooo much cheaper than Givi's hard bags and their ugly mounting system.

Nice tail bag ! Cycle hacker! Points 10+

I have been planning on making hard case rack for my gfs 300 like u are planning w the pelicans! I was looking at harbor freight aluminum cases or plastic ammo cases

But I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

[Kevin1956]

@Klondike1020 - Have you seen these? They're available for the 300, but not the 250. They lock to the bike, don't touch the paint, don't interfere with the passenger seat, and no turn signal relocation needed. Pricey though, $395 for the mounts and bags from motomachines.com. YouTube demo: http://youtu.be/xd7Dm5O0G1M

[Snake]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

@Alex @NevadaWolf @allanoue @heffree @capt_bugaloo : Here it is on the bike. I forgot to mention in the original post, I also glued a piece of 3/16" neoprene foam over the white plastic seat pan to hide it.

Awesome! I love it! A tailbag and trunk.

[capt_bugaloo]

Looks pretty good!

[NevadaWolf]

Looking forward to the template once you do figure something out. It'd be nice to have something to shove my jacket into but that might be asking for a lot on anything less than the rolling luxury liners (Harley, GoldWing, etc).

[Kevin1956]

When riding, I don't put much in the top case @NevadaWolf. I use it basically to lock up my jacket or helmet. The seat bag makes the under seat helmet lock useless, so I hang it off of the left passenger peg and lock it with a cable gun lock. They're plastic coated and available for free from many police departments. These are more convenient than removing the seat anyway.

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

I hang it off of the left passenger peg and lock it with a cable gun lock. They're plastic coated and available for free from many police departments. These are more convenient than removing the seat anyway.

Ohh i am going to have to explore that option! I always hang my helmet on the passenger peg since my RiderCoach related a story of fire ants getting into her helmet when she set it on the ground at a stop.

Thanks!

[Kevin1956]

I used to have an old Bell Star helmet. I was in San Francisco and locked it to my forks with a bicycle U-lock. I returned to the bike just in time to see a dog peeing in it! I threw it away and rode home in extreme cold without it. No helmet law at that time.

[Ninja Bob]

<---noob

What's that tail mounted hard bag thing you've got there? As in, what's the technical term for it, and what's the brand you've got?

[Kevin1956]

@Ninja Bob: The top case is a model S28 Coocase mounted on a SW-Motech rack. Both were purchased through Twisted Throttle. The racks are $177.50. The S28 Coocase is a real bargain. They're on close-out and are currently on sale for only $34.69!

[misfitsailor]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

I returned to the bike just in time to see a dog peeing in it!

Everyone's a critic...

[Kevin1956]

LOL @misfitsailor!

[madmax]

Nice setup. Can you fit a helmet in the Coocase?

[Kevin1956]

@madmax, yes. I have a Shoei Qwest size large. I put it in laying on it's side with the opening pointing to the rear. It came with a nylon bag, kind of like a pillowcase. I always put the helmet in it to avoid scratching the helmet and shield. Not much room left in the case with the helmet in it. Gloves, tire repair, small items will fit inside the helmet though. I never travel with much of anything in the case to avoid handling issues. It's used when parked to lock up the helmet or my jacket.

[Kscreations08]

Originally Posted by Kevin1956

I own 3 tail bags, but one of the most versatile pieces of luggage I have I made myself. I didn't want to spend a bunch of bucks on a bigger tail bag. I used a $20 duffel, a $17 (inc shipping) used seat from eBay, and some nuts and bolts I already had. To stiffen the bag and to keep it from sagging, a $3 cookie sheet from Walmart is silicone glued to the bottom on the inside. It was a perfect fit. Not waterproof, but it works well, holds a lot, and best of all, it locks to the bike. No bungees or straps needed. I carry my seat in the bag with my clothes. I unlock the bag from the bike, put the seat back on, and I'm on my way!

Thank you so much for this post Kevin. I will be adding this to my bike in a couple weeks.

[madmax]

Thanks for the info, I think I will add a Coocase to the Ninja that I just bought yesterday. Do I need the $40 adapter to fit the alum rack? Also can I just mount the Coocase too a spare rear seat, similar to your duffel design?

[Kevin1956]

@madmax You can use the mount supplied with the Coocase to mount it to the Alu-Rack, but I would get the proper length bolts with flat and lock washers to do it. The bolts supplied are way too long. Use flat washers, not the weird things they supply, which are curved universal sheetmetal things for mounting on a tubing type rack. I bought the rack specific adaptor, but it only allows the case to be mounted in one position. It seems to put the case a little bit too far back. The Coocase supplied mount will work better as it allows some fore and aft adjustment, so I suggest using it. You'll save some money too! It can be mounted to a seat pan, but be sure you get it exactly where you want it before drilling the pan. Check your seating position, and be sure you'll be able to swing your leg over it. The seat pan method will allow you to carry a little more weight in the case, as it will center the weight directly over the wheel. Personally, I prefer the rack method as it still allows the ability to carry a passenger and leaves the rear seat free for more luggage. You can NEVER have enough luggage!

[Kevin1956]

BTW: One cool thing about the rack. I also have this Kawasaki tail bag. I've discovered I can remove the Coocase and strap the Kawi bag onto the rack if carrying a passenger. The Coocase mount doesn't have to be removed. It slips over the mount just like it slips over the seat, and is close to a perfect fit.

[Kscreations08]

@Kevin1956, any details on the size of mounting bolts and the brand of silicone glue used? I just bought the bag for $8 and the cookie sheet for $5. I'm really excited to get it mounted but don't know what length of bolts I will need.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Some research is pointing me to 3M spray adhesive

[sharky nrk]

do you think you can fit a large backback in that coocase? I ride with a backpack to work currently but use it travelling form location to location. I do get sick of the weight on my back though. The flat part of the backback that sits against your back is 18 in tall and 14 in wide. Dimensions on the website say 15 x 15.5 roughly but can't tell if that is inside or outside dimensions. I think I could squish it down to 15 tall.

[Kevin1956]

@Kscreations08, I used three 1/4" button head allen bolts, but don't remember the exact length. 5/8" or 3/4" I think. I put flatwashers between the bag and the top of the seat pan too. They keep the cookie sheet and seat pan from distorting when tightened, as the top of the seat pan isn't perfectly flat. Flat washers and nylock nuts on the bottom. To get started, DRILL THE SEAT PAN FIRST. Take a good look WHERE I drilled mine. You want to be sure the bolts don't interfere or hit anything under the seat area. After drilling the seat pan put it on the bike, then position the cookie sheet where you want the bag to sit. Mark it, then use the seat pan as a guide to drill the cookie sheet. Assemble it without the bag so you're sure it right. When that's done, disassemble it. Position and silicon glue the cookie sheet inside the bag, let it dry. Put weight on it for good adhesion. You can now feel where the holes need to be put in the bag. Don't poke the holes in the fabric without heating up something sharp first, a punch, ice pick or a nail. The bag's probably nylon or synthetic. Heat will melt through the fabric, seal the fibers, and will keep the fabric from fraying. Get a good clear silicone sealant from the local auto parts store. You don't need the expensive heat proof stuff.

[Kevin1956]

@sharky nrk Perhaps you could find or make a carboard box with those dimensions to test it? Remember though, the Coocase is rounded. A square box that size would hold a little more. If it won't fit, buy the next larger Coocase. The larger ones definately aren't as cheap though. If anything, you could still wear the backpack with some of it's contents in the Coocase. At least you could reduce the fatigue.

[eddiekay]

excellent !

[Klondike1020]

These Would make great budget hard cases!

But I am concerned that they are not completely weather tight!

they have a grove around the openings and combination lock on the latches.

Very light, relatively sturdy - Combine these with some tubing and you would have cheap bag set.

they are less than 40$ a piece. I might go back during a sale and try to get them cheap

Rough dimensions 10w 18L 16 deep

[Kscreations08]

Just got back from a 700 mile weekend to the southern part of the state and back. My ass still hurts lol. Thank you so much Kevin for the design ideas on the bag. It worked beautifully and is now a permanent fixture to the bike

[Kevin1956]

@Kscreation08 , PICS PICS PICS!