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New Craven saddlebags (panniers) web page

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:46 pm
by oligee7275
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for starting the Craven web page.
Just some additional info for your page.
Craven discontinued manufacturing motorcycle luggage in 2003 according to an e-mail I received back from them while inquiring about obtaining new Craven roundels for the Golden Arrows that I have. I was refered to another company in England that did not respond to e-mails or phone calls. I surmised that they where probably out of business.
There didn't appear to be any rhyme or reason as to the mounting of the Golden Arrow panniers. I've seen them with the straps vertical and horizontal. The carry strap on the end away from the latches and between the latches. The factory brochure shows the panniers mounted with the straps horizontal as mine are. Since the mounting hardware was delivered in a bag a person was pretty much left to themselves as to how the bags got mounted. I'm thinking that there's no "right" way or "wrong"way to mount them just the owners way. Also they used 2 different types of latches and locks. The early type like you show on your Spaceman top case and the later type like on the Clubman case next to it.
My panniers have the early type latches and lock while my Spaceman has the later type latches and locks. (Thanks to Alan Atherton who so graciously gave me keys for my early locks)
Are you or Duane interested in any more photos for your web pages?
I could take some photos of them mounted on my 1959 R60.
Now, If I could just find the Craven mounting racks for a 1968 Norton Commando Fastback I'd have a luggage system for it too.
Dean

New Craven saddlebags (panniers) web page

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:26 pm
by niall4473
Hi Jeff,
Enjoyed your Craven page, my Mum and Dad knew Ken and Molly Craven quite well in the 1960's.
Just a couple of small snippets of info, what Oligee says is correct, in late 2003 I enquired about some fittings to put Dads old Silver Arrows on my ES2 Norton, they were very helpful, if rather slow, and told me they'd lost their records and weren't sure what I'd need, so they'd send me enough of everything to make sure I had enough, (They did too, 2 racks, dozens of fasteners, clips, stays, clamps, enough for 2 bikes), that was in November 2003 and by the time I wrote back to say thanks they'd finished, so I might have been the last customer.
The County boxes, the ex Police ones, (mine say GMP- Greater Manchester Police inside) as well as hinged lids had more permanent fixings as Police panniers don't get taken off often.
The Silver Arrows aren't plywood, its some sort of resinated fibre sheet, something like Tufnol, Paxolin or what they used to make Trabant bodies out of in the DDR, whatever it is it gets very brittle with age. Also there was a matching top case, I've got one but never seen another like it.
Thanks for the webpage, nice to see period accessories getting a mention, theres too much of this originality no matter what these days and so many interesting bits have been junked and replaced with OEM that wasn't as good.
Dad has a Raush headlamp shell on his R69.........

New Craven saddlebags (panniers) web page

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:47 pm
by jeff dean
Thanks for the comments!

I would love to get photos of more Craven panniers and top cases. Please send them to:

jeff.dean@att.net

New Craven saddlebags (panniers) web page

Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 6:04 pm
by jeff dean
For those interested, I have started a Craven web page:

http://bmwdean.com/craven.htm

Also, Duane Ausherman's offers good additional information:

http://www.w6rec.com/duane/bmw/bags/craven/index.htm

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I am in the market for Golden Arrow, Silver Arrow, or County saddlebags and "W" rack.