Leather Panniers

[Bruce Frey]

I have a similar pair on my R12, but they have a military style mounting bracket that is incorrectly made and really does not belong on a civilian bike. The bags are OK, but I do not like the mounts and need to revise the mounting system. Everything comes from Eastern Europe.


These bags and incorrect brackets are readily available at Veterama and Oldtimer Garage used to carry them, but I do not see them listed in their current offerings. I am sure Blitz Bikes and a few others have them in the USA. If you are interested, I will look for links.

My plan is to eventually modify the bags and do away with the mounting system because they are not really correct for my bike. They are handy, though, which is why I use them..

Bruce

[tricyclerob]

Bruce,
Would it be possible to get the measurments of your bags? Height, width, and depth? I'm sure I've seen reproductions of the type bags you have somewhere.
I'm not too concerned with the mounting system as I'm a little handy with a welder, and I was thinking about using the "Police Bag" frame brackets, and modifying the bag brackets to suit the frame brackets.

Thanks for the reply, rj

[Bruce Frey]

The outside dimensions are:

34cm width
33cm height
13.5cm depth

The front flap is 10cm
The side flaps are 6.5cm

The height permits the bag to be over the axel and sidecar ball. I do not see any constraints on the depth or width, although you need to keep it behind the pillion passenger's legs (if that is a concern).

I have one of the bags in the house if you want some pix of the frame. The bags are well made.

Bruce

[schrader7032]

Vech has leather saddle bags with almost those same dimensions:

71 60 1 234 030--one leather saddle bag Earles Fork Twins requires one mount set 71 64 6 541 233 Measurements: 5.5 inches deep 11 inches high 13 inches wide. Mounts on existing bolts at rear fender no hole-drilling required

Kurt in S.A.

[tricyclerob]

Bruce,
Thanks a lot for the information. I may consider them although they are only slightly larger than what I have now. Mine have a sheet metal insert for the front and back sides as well as the botton. Do yours have any inside support?

Kurt,
I have the black leather police bags from Vech now, Great for day rides or overnight but not too good for a camping trip.

I thought the brown ones like Bruce has were much bigger than mine as they appear so in the photos. The brown ones are deeper [higher?] by 2 1/8"- 55cm., but rest is less than 1/2" diff.

I even tried the "ammo can" route, but they are too heavy empty. {Don't laugh or gag on your coffee}, It's a "rider"/camper, and remember "form follows function".
Here's a link to that and just ignore the yellow lens, it's quite foggy around here in the am, and it pops right off. Also ignore the lens hood, now gone.
As you can see I,m not a slave to convention,
http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread. ... post230618

I was thinking something the same size as the brown ones but maybe 6"/150cm deep/wide.

I would love to find out who did the leatherwork on the tool box on Mr Nettesheim's R16. That is the style of work I've been looking for only in a set of bags.

Thanks to everyone for their help, rob jones

[Allan.Atherton]

Vech has leather saddle bags with almost those same dimensions:
71 60 1 234 030--one leather saddle bag Earles Fork Twins requires one mount set 71 64 6 541 233 Measurements: 5.5 inches deep 11 inches high 13 inches wide. Mounts on existing bolts at rear fender no hole-drilling required

The black police bags:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roundel/14623723/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roundel/14623724/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roundel/se ... 704528449/

[Bruce Frey]

Bruce,
Thanks a lot for the information. I may consider them although they are only slightly larger than what I have now. Mine have a sheet metal insert for the front and back sides as well as the botton. Do yours have any inside support?
rob jones

Nice R69!

The only metal on the inside is a "hoop" arount the interior at the top. The exterior frame has front and back "L" shaped legs that support the bottom. It has several large rivets through the leather into the frame.

Bruce

[tricyclerob]

Allen, those are the bags I have now, and I must say they are nice bags, well constructed.
I've had then for 6-7 years now and they have held up well, dispite getting good and wet more than once.
One looks a bit more "antique" than the other as a result of falling off at speed on the way to the W.Va MOA rally in '03, due to the knob not being tightened enough.
A local was kind enough to pick it up and chase me down. Good thing too, it held my rainsuit.
The brackets are strong, as I used the police brackets to hold the "ammo can" bags, and they have held up well in spite of the weight of the bags, esp. when loaded.
I looking for something larger than the police bags, but that look vintage.
I have a set of Cravens that need some repair to a lid, but I'd like to go with the brown leather look. rj

[Allan.Atherton]

Allen, those are the bags I have now... I looking for something larger than the police bags, but that look vintage.. Yes, I knew the readily available black police bags were not what you wanted.
But since they had been mentioned, I thought I would show their difference in comparison to the photo of the old brown bags.

[tricyclerob]

Allen,
no problem, I'm hoping someone can I.D. a source for the brown leather bags, military style, or a leather worker than does work in the style of the tool bag mentioned above.
The leatherwork contact would probably be best as I think I'm looking for something bigger than the military bags. I sure thought they were bigger from the photos I've seen. Failing that, I would give thought to the military bags.
Thanks, rj