Darkstar, 1st off that sucks. 2nd, can't you go back to the regular saddlebag guards?

 

Darkstar,
I'm sorry to hear this. My easy brackets are supposed to be here Friday. I can deal with most of the stuff you mentioned but I want to check on one thing. Are you saying that the alignment of the installed fender stay bolts DID NOT line up with the bracket. ****, this unit was supposed to be designed specifically for the warrior. Not wishing bad on you but maybe you got one our of a bad batch.

 

I am thinking it was a bad batch because mine bolted up with little problems. I did notice that the "posts" are two sizes. Longer in the rear since the fender is tapered and the instructions are "backwards" on one side. Have not bought bags yet to put on em though. I just looked at the mount bolts for the bags. Yup gonna have to drill em and a little long

 

Sounds like an episode of American Chopper. Got the stuff it was all f^%^#in' wrong did some metal work said Sh** and F*** a few hundred times but then at the end WOW how cool does that look.[/emoticons/emotion-5.gif]
Now you can sell it for $150,000.

 

I called GBC were I purchased the Easy Brackets from and he said the same. It was probably a bad batch.

Yes, the fender stay bolts did not line up with the actual bracket. The mounting tabs/holes were slightly off.

Yes, I know about the longer mounting fender stay bolts that come with the system. The longer ones go in the back due to the taper of the rear fender.

Axeman,
I would just purchase some smaller diameter bolts since you have to get shorter one's anyway instaed of drilling. I changed those over to metric since I ride a metric bike.

My road with this Easy Bracket was a learn as you go adventure, so hopefully by what I have to say here will help some of you make this transition alot less stressful then it was for myself.

 

I hear ya on dthe bolts. What bags did ya get? Got link? /emoticons/emotion-3.gif)

 

Why not just cut the bolts off to length?

 

Well, first off cutting the bolts to length would require one **** of a cutting instrument. The bolts are 3/8" thick. I went and purchased some nice stainless, metric bolts/nuts and lock washers. Plus the bolts would have to be filed down to take any sharp edges off, since the bolt ends are on the inside of my bags.

 

OK got my brackets.
Alignment ok. 3/8" bolts(1" length) between bracket and saddlebag fit through the bracket ok. Very tight fit but I'm definitely ok with that. The length is too long.
I'm using soft saddlebags so plan on putting a plexiglas backing plate on the inside of the saddlebag. Even with this, 3/4" length will be more than enough.
I think it's going to be fine.
Arthur-I'm so glad that guy on American Chopper wasn't my dad/boss.

 

one last clarification which Aceman mentioned above but bears repeating.
The instructions are wrong. The longer fender post goes where the rear bolt was, not the front one.

 

Hey Darkstar, I guess that's why the didn't call them Easy Install [/emoticons/emotion-5.gif]

 

hey Ed, how much you want for the brackets you had before you decided to have all this fun?

 

Axemen,
I got the Saddlemen Drifter Slant Bags (Large) they have a plastic reinforced plate on the inside. Actually, the whole inside of the bags are reinforced with a plastic shell.

 

They sound good DarkStar

 

Where would I mount these on my bike??? I can relate to your experience Ed. I made enough trips to the hardware store that the guys know me by name. My biggest problem is that I typically make something fit that wasn't designed for my application, yours should've worked out of the box. Sounds almost like a typical Barrons accesory. *L* Have a safe trip. ,Shawn

 

JP,
Heading up to Vermont this weekend. Doing Route 100 all the way from the bottom to the top and back down through New Hampshire. Some serious canyon carving going on this weekend! WooHoo!

Ed

 

I'm still thinking of getting these inspite of the problems. I need some hard bags that lock. And nobody is making them. So this looks like my only choice. Does the big metal plate go between the bag and the bike or hidden in the bag?
thanks

 

Is everything a pain to install..I swear. Good info Dark. I think I am going to pass on the brackets

 

Thanks, Dark. Good info, as usual. And yes, it is so very true:

The DEVIL is in the details!!!

 

I'd just like to add my 2 cents to this thread;

I received my Easy Brackets yesterday, and they fit just fine, no problems at all. I love them! The best saddlebag attachment system I have seen. Great product, high quality, high price. I really like the idea of being able to take just one saddlebag when I need to bring some stuff to work, for instance. Also the fact that it locks in place is great.

 

The metal plate goes between the bag and the bike. It attaches by drilling through bags then is secured to the bag by 4 - bolts.

 

When y'all say the bag locks in place what exactly do you mean? Can you actually put a pad lock in there to secure the bags or do you mean it's just held in place with something like a cotter pin?

 

The Easybrackets have a lock built in each bracket, with a lever that goes under one of the the fastening posts after you have slid the bracket onto them. I found it a little irritating that you can't put the bags on the bike without locking them, but I guess that's a safety issue.

My Givi bags with Easy brackets have now worked just fine for a month driving around Europe, so I am happier than ever with them. I have the stock bazooka on my bike, so I have mounted the bags pretty high on the brackets and put a drybag on the rear fender in between the bags, and tied it all together with bungee cords. Works great and provides plenty of packing space. I'll get a picture up someday!

 

Thanks. Just the info I was looking for.

 

Just finished mounting the Saddlemen Rigid Mount Universal bags on the EasyBrackets. Very nice system, easy install, works as advertised although a tad pricey. But, I was not disappointed in the least with the product, definitely got what I paid for. Unlike Ghost Brackets (which I also tried and sent back), the EasyBrackets are manufactured to specifically fit the Warrior and you don't have to fumble with adapters and brackets making the darn things fit the bike.