Saddlebags anyone! Fieldsheer Expander

UPS stopped by the house today!

Ok, before you all go bonkers on me for not buying the "other" brand bags...

This past year has been a hard one, for a lot of people across our country

There was a time when scraping up a hundred bucks for farkles was no big deal, now is not one of those times in my home. Disclaimer: I count my blessings every day and respect those who have it a bit tougher than I do.

Why did I get the Fieldsheer Expander?

Because I think they are a GREAT value.

Because many others have used them.

But most of all... Prices are down, like $72.99 down.

Something happened the other night

The wife suggested "it would be good for me" to take a couple of the trips I passed up in 2009.

So I started watching New Enough for clearance items and for some reason they have luggage right now. I've been watching PNW's banner ads, good vendors, every one of them, props to each. But I've spend a lot of money with New Enough and I find value in their prices and customer service.

Look Great Newenough has some great deals, scored a set of boots from them once. I really need to check them out more often than I do.

So what trips are you planning on taking this summer?

Hodakaguy

griz901 wrote:

The wife suggested it would be "good for me" to take a couple of the trips I passed up in 2009.

Now, that's something a fellow doesn't hear every day.....or ever!

Nice score on the bags.....

So without beating a dead horse (that I can't seem to load from smileys right now), I'll get these mounted up and let you know how they work for me.

Now if I can just find the motorcycle behind the rest of my winter project materials

Hodakaguy wrote:

Look Great Newenough has some great deals, scored a set of boots from them once. I really need to check them out more often than I do.

So what trips are you planning on taking this summer?

Hodakaguy

You know, I really have the bug to come down and meet the Kennewick crowd. I won't be able to ride my local forest roads until April'ish if we have a warm spring season. I've got a aunt in Burbank off Tuttle Lane. My daughter has been bugging me to bring her down to go horseback riding and I would like to bring the bike too.

Locally (sort of), the advrider crowd has several events planned a little south of me. Westfest, Montana 1000, Triple TTT or some such thing in Idaho. I'd like to hit at least one of them this summer.

Up in my neck of the woods, I've already planned a two day, 220 mile loop through some of my favorite areas.

I have more in my head and probably not enough time or money to do them all. But I gotta try.

I'll be sure to post in the trip planning sections and upcoming rides if I take off!

p.s. It was BuckNasty's ride report that finally sold me on the Fieldsheer bags, the price was just icing on the cake.

Later guys,

griz

Very nice. Can't wait to see them mounted up.

*I really hope this is a good riding year for all of us.

Inspector wrote:

*I really hope this is a good riding year for all of us.

Me too, me too...

Inspector wrote:

Very nice. Can't wait to see them mounted up.

I've got a little tweaking to do, but no major issues I can see. Putting them on for the first time was exactly like I expected in my head when I ordered them.

I was concerned the bags were designed for a low exhaust and can't sit on top of the can. I already knew my XR has standoffs on the can and very good clearance to the side panel.





My Borrego rack has two tabs already on the under fender support, I'll bend them up 30 degrees and use them as my mounting points to keep the bags from flopping outward.







Trying to keep the weight at or in front of the rear axle to minimize the load on the subframe. I can sit comfortably and stand with no interference from the bags. I like the soft bags so I if I do go down I don't have to worry about a hard bag tweaking my leg.



So my first impression with the bags mounted is they'll work great for me and a big

There is one small detail that will probably end up being a BIG deal if I don't watch it. I noticed the stitching on the attachment straps (the short ones you wrap around the bike and clip to the bag clips to keep them from flopping around) only have one row of stitches in them.

Any durable nylon webbing usually has a couple rows of stitching and many times a cross hatch or "X" pattern. Time will tell if these start coming loose and if they do, I'll sew them up myself.

Hope y'all have a great Superbowl weekend

griz