Quote from: ShowBizWolf on June 28, 2022, 06:08:56 PM
I like DIY stuff too and I'm pretty crafty... but I love my off the shelf tank bag.

If you can get them in your part of the world, look up what Nelson-Rigg has to offer... especially the magnetic ones.

I looked at some off the shelf ones. There's definitely a lot of nice ones out there.

I have some materials I've been wanting to use for a while. This was the perfect thing for me use them for. Also, I found out a friend of mine has an industrial sewing machine. So it's a good reason to go hang out at his place.

I realize it's a lot of work for negligible cost savings, but I enjoy doing stuff like this

Carry on 

I think Roofaloof is joking. I was joking too.

Building the rack I totally understand since it costs hundreds of dollars to buy one and the DIY results can be similar if you are handy with metal tubing. Tank bags though are relatively cheap compared to the cost of fabric, zippers, magnets, etc., so you rarely see someone try to build one. I was really just curious what custom feature or cost saving measure or creative spark made Roofaloof want to make a tank bag. Having a friend with an industrial sewing machine is a nice benefit. I assume you are going to use some heavy duty vinyl or cordura to keep it water resistant for Seattle weather?

Quote from: Bluesmudge on June 29, 2022, 08:50:59 AM
I think Roofaloof is joking. I was joking too.

I was really just curious what custom feature or cost saving measure or creative spark made Roofaloof want to make a tank bag. Having a friend with an industrial sewing machine is a nice benefit. I assume you are going to use some heavy duty vinyl or cordura to keep it water resistant for Seattle weather?

Gotcha.

It's mostly that I've had some really nice materials to make a bag for a long time. I've been waiting for a project to come along worthy of them. That and finding out my friend has an industrial sewing machine decided it for me!

I also thought it would be nice to have a bag that fitted perfectly with the size and shape of the top of my tank. Making it myself allowed me to make the most use of the available space.

It's made of heavy (18oz) waxed canvas fabric. It's a material I love. It tends to hold up better over time than synthetics like Cordura. The wax repels water and can be easily reapplied. Synthetics have better water resistance initially because they have a plastic layer bonded to them. Over time, this degrades and can't be easily reapplied.

I'm also using a #10 zipper instead of the usual #8. Again, my preference. They're bigger and more durable.

This is the prototype of the bag. It's made of cheaper materials than the final one will be.

Overall, I was happy with the shape and size.

For the final one, I removed the pleats as I didn't need the extra volume. I also added a layer of grippy material (drawer liner) to the bottom where it touches the tank.

Waxing the pieces of the final bag before assembly. It's a lot easier to do it when they're separate and flat like this.

It's pretty easy. Just rub the surface of the cloth with the block of beeswax. Then hit it with a hairdryer to melt it in.

The wax acts as a water repellent coating and protects the cloth from wear as well.

Sewing up the final one on my friend's badass sewing machine! This thing has a 1qt oil pan, 1hp motor, and sews through 4 layers of heavy canvas like it's nothing!

Pix of finished bag incoming...

Quote from: Roofaloof on June 13, 2022, 11:03:57 PM
Passenger footpeg attachment point. In the final version, it'll be bolted on with a fender washer and rubber washer on each side. This will make sure it grips well and provide some vibration isolation.

I like your custom work!

Maybe you already plan to do it, but I suggest taking that metal piece to a grinder and rounding off all the sharp corners.

Quote from: kenmarsh on July 03, 2022, 07:38:07 PM
I like your custom work!

Maybe you already plan to do it, but I suggest taking that metal piece to a grinder and rounding off all the sharp corners.

Thanks

I am. Once all the pieces fit together like I want them to, I'm going to take it apart and finish them.

I plan on sealing the wood parts with polyurethane. The metal parts will get all the sharp edges broken and painted.

It's looking like everything is on track to be ready for my trip in two weeks! 

Finished tank bag!

I'm happy with how it came out. It fits the top of the tank well and has a lot of volume. I'm guessing around 18 liters. When it's empty, it collapses to a nice, small size.

The 4 large magnets and drawer liner I used for attachment seem to keep it firmly in place.

I still need to go for a test ride with it.

The gas tank vents through the cap. Make sure you have that part breathable. Many tank bags have a rubber foam bottom to not scratch the tank as well as provide "grip" for not sliding (cos magnets will let it slide) and that makes a tight seal and you'll starve for fuel.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on July 06, 2022, 06:58:41 AM
The gas tank vents through the cap. Make sure you have that part breathable. Many tank bags have a rubber foam bottom to not scratch the tank as well as provide "grip" for not sliding (cos magnets will let it slide) and that makes a tight seal and you'll starve for fuel.
Cool.
Buddha.

Thanks for the tip! I guess I got lucky with my choice of materials. My anti slip mat is perforated, so it'll allow the tank to breathe.

Oh I can't wait to compare luggage bag systems. It's not a competition, as you've already said you're doing yours on a budget and I've already put a lot of money and time into mine, but it will be a good comparison to what's possible on this bike.

Finished the luggage system in August. It's working great!

I've gone on a few short trips and one long, multi-day, 350 mile trip. On the long trip, I carried about 30# of gear on each side.

Another pic

I really like how the look of the wood goes with the rest of the bike.

After a long winter nap, my bike is starting to wake up!

I have a few things it needs to get ready for the season:
- Full carb disassembly, inspection, cleaning
- Replace air filter
- Replace fuel filter
- Find and repair electrical issue causing headlight to blow
- Oil & filter change
- Replace front brake hose

I only pulled the carb bowls after buying the bike last year. I cleaned them out, cleaned the jets, and replaced the gaskets and drain screws. It ran pretty well, but I want to know exactly what state they're in. I have a drop in the powerband from 6-7k RPM that I'd love to get rid of.

Late in the season, something was causing my headlight to blow. Both hi and low would blow out within 20 min or so of riding. I'm guessing it's a bad ground. I may also upgrade the circuit with heavier gauge wiring and relays. This has helped with headlight output on some other bikes I've had.

After moving the handlebars, I have maybe 1/2" of slack in the front brake hose. It's also likely the original one. Both of these lead me to want to replace it.

Looking forward to working on and riding it!

I pulled the carbs and started taking them apart yesterday. To my surprise, they were in good overall shape. The passages were pretty clean and even the diaphragms were in nice shape. They were still stretchy, with no cracks, folds, or hardening.

I replaced the jet o-rings when I pulled the bowls last year. They're still in good shape.

I did manage to lose one of the needle springs. Or maybe it wasn't there to begin with, I'm not sure. It appears that a previous owner shimmed the needles. There was an additional washer under the plastic washer.

I'm going to clean everything really well, replace what I need to, set float height, and reassemble.

Took the day off yesterday to work on the bike. Also got an unusually nice PNW day to do it!

Reassembled the carbs after cleaning everything. Replaced the lost jet needle spring with a pen spring cut to length and replaced the pilot air screw o-rings with some 3x1mm units from my Harbor Freight kit. The HF o-rings held up well after a year on the main jet, so I'm happy to save some $ over OEM ones. Plus, I was wanting to get it together and on the road.

I'd forgotten what a PITA the airbox is to get back in place. After much shoving and cursing, it all came together nicely. I also replaced the insulator o-rings with Suzuki ones. As expected, they were flatter than pancakes.

Got pretty much everything else checked off my list. Changed out the air filter & fuel filter. Gave it an oil & oil filter change (Rotella FTW!). Sorted a few electrical gremlins.

To my delight, it fired right up on the first try cranking! Always a great feeling after pulling everything apart.

I didn't have much time to ride, but did a quick 20 minute outing to see how it felt. The engine is running better than ever after all the carb work! I'd previously had a noticeable hesitation from 6-7k RPM and a somewhat erratic idle. Now it pulls smoothly across the board and idles very well, even before it's fully warmed up.

I still need to replace the front brake line and take care of a few other small issues before it's ready for long distance rides, but it's at least rideable for the time being.

That's a lot of work. Good job getting it running right!