do I need a rack to put a tail bag on?

[Soaring]

Hey guys! Since I am now officially initiated into highway riding, I started thinking of something bigger then 1-2 hour getaways. so here comes the quesiton of luggage. after searching for the info I liked tourmaster setup that Kerry got and I am contemplating the idea of having it on my poor old gs. now what I noticed is that everyone who posted a pic has a rack on his bike, and being a poor student I have to talk myself into buying each and every piece. So here is the question, do I need a rack to mount tailbag? If so what's my cheapest choice? it looks like people make it themselves, but I am no welder/rack builder. If I don't need it for the tail bag, then what do people use it for? Thanks!

[My Name Is Dave]

I have no clue.  :dunno:

[scratch]

No, you do not need to buy a rack. You can strap the tailbag over the passenger seat. Or, if you get the matching saddlebags, like Tourmaster's, the tailbag hooks up directly to the saddlebags, but you can still use the tailbag seperately.

[Soaring]

so do people get racks to put a tent/sleeping bag on it? or there are some other uses?

[RVertigo]

Tail bag... Tank bag...

If you need more room, get a rack (with or without a top case) or saddle bags.

Or you can search for posts on Packing from davipu...  He's packed so much stuff on a GS you wouldn't freakin' believe it...  The Snowboard was the best.

Roadstergal has some pics of a fully loaded GS too...  Seats, other parts...

Some people are crazy.   :mrgreen:

[Roadstergal]

I prefer saddlebags to tailbags... they put the load lower, and there's more of a chance of scratching the tail with a standard bungee-under tailbag than with saddlebags.

[RVertigo]

Hey...  While you're here...  Where are your crazy packing pics?  My search skills are weak today.

[Roadstergal]

Oh, I gladly yield the crazy packing title to Dave.

My F:
http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17955

The loaded E:
http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20672

[My Name Is Dave]

A good rack is never a bad thing to have, even if it costs big money.  

Dave  

I was talking about boobs, by the way.

[Soaring]

.... yeah, the pic with the snowboard just changed the way I look at this life...   I actually like the idea of saddle bags.... reminds me of all these westerns with cowboys caring their saddles on a shoulder   just one more question, do these saddle bags just hang there or are they actually attached to the bike? my concern would be how much can you lean having these things on your bike? and also any major difference between tourmaster sport  and regular version?

[Roadstergal]

just one more question, do these saddle bags just hang there or are they actually attached to the bike?

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18629

any major difference between tourmaster sport and regular version?

http://www.newenough.com/tour_master_cortech_saddle_bag_page.htm
http://www.newenough.com/tour_master_cortech_sport_saddle_bag_page.htm

[Soaring]

thanks, roadstergal! First link is really great! spent hours reading the threads and somehow missed that one.

as for the next two, I saw them and regular one actually looks different from what Kerry's look like (or may be they are just empty... ), but that's not the issue, the actual quesiton is whether there's any significant difference except for the looks, at this point I don't see so I guess I'll go with regular ones as they are 20l compared to 17l.