Looking for something to put on tops of bags....

[darryldale]

On long drives the better half has a habit of changing her leg position by putting her feet on the saddlebags.

She hasn't scratched them yet but figure it's only a matter of time if I don't do something about it.

Don't have the money to buy saddlebag racks so am thinking of just getting some sort of clear (or that fake carbon fibre looking stuff) and sticking it to the top of the saddlebags. Hopefully something I can get off at a later date if it needs to be replaced.

Anybody have any ideas or has anybody put on something similar?

Darryl

[dantama]

The idea of hiding paint with leather hasn't appealed to me, didn't catch on in the 80's when the car bra fad was going either. So I would go get some kind of clearbra type clear protectant film put on it. It's nearly invisible, and you still see the great paint color.

I wish I had done that when my bike was brand new.

[mikey911s]

Darryl...there are two types of protectant film..... permanent and temporary. One is by 3M for preventing paint chips and is usually available from the internet or people that install window tint. Also, there is a company called BugWrap that makes one that's like a Saran Wrap product. It's 2 1/2 mils thick and is a DIY install that you can use on your car during bug season. Put it on and peel it off. Either one may do the job for you.

[rickyboy]

Hi there "darryldale", if you're like Dan, you won't want these on the Nomad. But I like the look and it does a great job of avoiding those scuffs when I swing the leg over getting on or off.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Saddlebag-Chaps-VN1500-VN1600-Kawasaki-Nomad-1500-1600_W0QQitemZ260574949446QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotor cycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3cab7a3046
I'd probably <s>cringe</s> freak! and then ban my better half from the bike if she used my saddle bags as a foot rest of any kind. Having said that though,.... I ride solo.
Any way,... have a look. They don't scratch the paint and they fit tight enough that I don't get any road sand etc. under these things. When I take the bags off for a thorough cleaning and waxing they're easy to remove. They've been on the bike for a a few yrs. now without any damage ie. rubbing, scuffing the paint.
As far as that "clear plastic film stuff" that's been mentioned....isn't that going to scratch? Then won't it still look like your saddle bags are scratched. They may not be if the stuff protects the paint, but it must look like they're scratched just the same.

[dantama]

Hi there "darryldale", if you're like Dan, you won't want these on the Nomad. But I like the look and it does a great job of avoiding those scuffs when I swing the leg over getting on or off.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Saddlebag-Chaps-VN1500-VN1600-Kawasaki-Nomad-1500-1600_W0QQitemZ260574949446QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotor cycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3cab7a3046
I'd probably <s>cringe</s> freak! and then ban my better half from the bike if she used my saddle bags as a foot rest of any kind. Having said that though,.... I ride solo.
Any way,... have a look. They don't scratch the paint and they fit tight enough that I don't get any road sand etc. under these things. When I take the bags off for a thorough cleaning and waxing they're easy to remove. They've been on the bike for a a few yrs. now without any damage ie. rubbing, scuffing the paint.
As far as that "clear plastic film stuff" that's been mentioned....isn't that going to scratch? Then won't it still look like your saddle bags are scratched. They may not be if the stuff protects the paint, but it must look like they're scratched just the same.

Ricky, one of the problems with scratching paint is that it goes through the color, down to a primer or metal layer which is a different color. With the plastic film, it looks like the paint, but is durable enough not to scratch all the way through. So the scratch is on clear, and scratches down to clear, and therefore is very hard to see.

Scratching through green paint, down to gray primer, shows up a lot.

On the cars we've had that has it on the front, I've never noticed any scratches on it, and it's been all over the front area of the car that gets a lot of stone chips etc when it's just paint with no film.

Now as for leather bikes http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif I'm going to invent a way to completely cover a nomad in leather. It'll look like a Road King Classic trunk, but the whole bike will be leather!

Of course I'll sell it one piece at a time so you leather addicts will keep coming back for the next piece.

[hammer]

Maybe you could ask her to wrap her feet in soft cloth???

[josh]

And give her a bottle of spray wax so she can wax the bike for you while you ride

[Top Cat]

Wow, you are a very understanding husband. Thats all I got to say. http://s2.images.proboards.com/lipsrsealed.gif

[dantama]

Rickyboy and Cycle Cat finishing up his leather bike :)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/dantama/motorycle%20posts/MtRushmorebike.jpg

[darryldale]

Thanks for all the tips guys.

I was actually considering the leather chaps but for right now think I'm going to order some of the 3M protective film off of ebay.

Can get more than enough to do the tops of the bags several times over for less than $20.

Darryl

[pagemastr]

GF didn't get her leg lifted far enough to get it over the tank while getting off of the Nomad. Sort of 'walked' her foot across the tank to get her leg the rest of the way over the bike. She only did it ONCE http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[cyclecat]

Hey Dan

Don't know how my name got in this conversation since I never said anything. If you don't like leather and want to ride a Nomad that looks like every other one on the road, good for you. As for me and Brian and a few other people I know, the point to the leather is personalize our rides. I happen to think the leather on our Nomads is unique and looks pretty good.

I have an opinion about fairings and trunks on Nomads but I would never voice that opinion on here since there are a lot of folks on this forum like that look.

Leather is a biker thing, always has been, always will be. I have actually seen a Nomad that had the hard bags covered with leather and they looked really nice - unique and one of a kind.

[cyclecat]

Go to any auto trim place and get the thin clear film that is used for rock chip protection on car headlights and put on the bags. We have a piece on our front fender to protect the paint where the fork bag hits the fender; virtually invisible and really does protect the paint.

[dantama]

Hey Dan

Don't know how my name got in this conversation since I never said anything. If you don't like leather and want to ride a Nomad that looks like every other one on the road, good for you. As for me and Brian and a few other people I know, the point to the leather is personalize our rides. I happen to think the leather on our Nomads is unique and looks pretty good.

I have an opinion about fairings and trunks on Nomads but I would never voice that opinion on here since there are a lot of folks on this forum like that look.

Leather is a biker thing, always has been, always will be. I have actually seen a Nomad that had the hard bags covered with leather and they looked really nice - unique and one of a kind.

Cycle Cat, I was teasing Rickyboy and only brought your name into it because you are known for your quality leather work. So I made a joke about you building leather to cover every part of his bike.

I hope Rickyboy is still taking it in good humor. I had hoped that my sincere compliments to you on your leather working skills while we were at Devils Tower would earn me the good graces to make a joke about you covering Ricky's bike for him.

It wasn't a slam on your skills, taste, or ability, and I apologize for it coming off that way to you.

People make jokes about me and my profession in a light hearted way, and knowing that it isn't meant to injure, I take it as the joke they meant it to be, not as a literal slam to my line of work.

Your name only came up because you are the only one with the skills to cover his bike from head to toe.

[jandreu]

Take a look at this;

http://www.thetankslapper.biz/index.html

[clayton]

Thanks for all the tips guys.

I was actually considering the leather chaps but for right now think I'm going to order some of the 3M protective film off of ebay.

Can get more than enough to do the tops of the bags several times over for less than $20.

Darryl

Got a link for the stuff on Ebay?

[hammer]

The Tankslapper??? I wonder if Vince could do a commercial like SlapChop for that. Stop having a boring tank, stop having a boring life!!

[darryldale]

Thanks for all the tips guys.

I was actually considering the leather chaps but for right now think I'm going to order some of the 3M protective film off of ebay.

Can get more than enough to do the tops of the bags several times over for less than $20.

Darryl

Got a link for the stuff on Ebay?

Here is the one I ordered (but doing a search for 3m paint protection returns a couple hundred results):

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170461571153&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2056wt_939

Darryl

[petenomad]

Vince got arrested for slapping a hooker around. I'm not sure how many people would want to hire him for anything with the word "slap" in it again.

[rickyboy]

Hey Dan,
I'm totally OK with your comments and "the leather bike." In fact I would have posted/responded earlier, but I just now picked myself up off the ground. .... ;).....well not really, but I had to chuckle.
I'm sorry that "Cycle Cat" might have misunderstood your jesting. I hope it's alright now and she see's you were taking a poke at me and nothing more.
But for me,.....I don't give a .....darn,..... if you, the public, like leather on a motorcycle or prefer to see the paint, any more than if you ride a Nomad or a <s>Harley</s> Yamaha or a Honda. .....kidding G.L.. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif
Really, if the bike owner likes/loves his ride that's all that matters really. Having said that though, I was happy and did care to hear the positive feedback on the bib/bra of mine. Thanks for that Bros. and Sisters.

[dantama]

Hey Dan,
I'm totally OK with your comments and "the leather bike." In fact I would have posted/responded earlier, but I just now picked myself up off the ground. .... ;).....well not really, but I had to chuckle.
I'm sorry that "Cycle Cat" might have misunderstood your jesting. I hope it's alright now and she see's you were taking a poke at me and nothing more.
But for me,.....I don't give a .....darn,..... if you, the public, like leather on a motorcycle or prefer to see the paint, any more than if you ride a Nomad or a <s>Harley</s> Yamaha or a Honda. .....kidding G.L.. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif
Really, if the bike owner likes/loves his ride that's all that matters really. Having said that though, I was happy and did care to hear the positive feedback on the bib/bra of mine. Thanks for that Bros. and Sisters.




This should do a good job of protecting too.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f377/nstees/Picture013.jpg


But is there a point where you decide not to ride with them?

[rickyboy]

I was just imagining that "protection" in a good ol west coast rain storm.

[hammer]

I was imagining what would be riding that and I bet it's not a guy. Hey Rick, what the hell happened to our weather??

[josh]

IF it is a guy riding that, wouldn't it be almost fun to ride with him to watch the people looking at his bike???

[rickyboy]

I was imagining what would be riding that and I bet it's not a guy. Hey Rick, what the hell happened to our weather??

hammer you said what I was afraid to say ;)....I had a vision also and it wasn't a guy riding the bike. But I thought it would just give Dan more to analyze about me.

And what the hell did happen to the good weather? Are you up and about and riding the bike? I thought you were out of commission with your back. The next time the forecast looks good for more than 2-3 days I'll be getting insured, and on the road.