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Let's talk fairings and saddlebags.

If you were going to design and build a custom fairing for your ride, what would it look like? What features would it have?? 500 watt sound system (overpowered and ridiculous just like your bike, LOL)? Navigation system? What if you had to chose between sound or navigation because of panel space limitations?

Saddle bags, trunk bag? Bagger.
Talk to me.

Rick

Grand Canard wrote:Let's talk fairings and saddlebags.

If you were going to design and build a custom fairing for your ride, what would it look like? What features would it have?? 500 watt sound system (overpowered and ridiculous just like your bike, LOL)? Navigation system? What if you had to chose between sound or navigation because of panel space limitations?

Saddle bags, trunk bag? Bagger.
Talk to me.

Rick

Good topic Ricky ! Baggers are the big rave now and look beautiful, IMHO. Problem is trying to keep the physical size and gross weight down and in an area where a 30" in seamed guy or even a gal can still handle ! And overall cost has to be considered too ! But here are some of my likes and wants:
1. A frame attached fairing. ( Like the Road Glide & GW.)
2. Saddlebags. (look intergraded but quick detachable)
3. Rear suspension. (Mono design, to allow narrower
and roomier saddlebags)
4. Actual Fall over protection. (These beasts are "heavy",
and relying on folding foot pegs just does not cut it !
We need front & rear fall over protection, same as HD
and GW.)
5. "DESIGN" all of the above being said and IMHO, we need to go back to the drawing board ! How cool would it be to come up with a much more flowing integrated bagger, more on the lines of a Ness builds ! Make this thing "look" narrower and less intimidating !
I know this is an aggressive & expensive venture, but one that I feel would open doors to the huge "bagger crowd". Craig H.

Roadglide fairing would be cool for sure..handling and looks I like. Batwing would be a way easier design and mount...

As far as tunes I guess the more power the better. Guys are either going to not listen at all or be full throttle on the volume.

Not sure you need detachable bags....none of the true touring bikes regardless of brand have detachable bags. HD, Honda, Yamaha etc. Maybe detachable to take them into the hotel but not so as to ride without them...

One thing for sure if it is a full blown touring...get the suspenstion to be a Touring suspension...not cruiser style...the smoother the better as the competiton in the touring all have untra smooth rides.

This full blown Tourer just might be the answer to getting Boss Hoss sales going again. Convince the wife with a demo ride of the quality and ride and your mom's brother Robert is the answer!!

Here's a picture of my RoadKing with Corbin Beetle Bags on it . I always thought a similar fitted bag would look good on a Hoss if the bags followed the lines of the rear fender and the frame as they do on the Harley . Of course they were made to fit over the rear shocks as they would have to be on the Hoss so the usable space would be limited but they still had quite a bit of room inside .

hogv8 wrote:Here's a picture of my RoadKing with Corbin Beetle Bags on it . I always thought a similar fitted bag would look good on a Hoss if the bags followed the lines of the rear fender and the frame as they do on the Harley . Of course they were made to fit over the rear shocks as they would have to be on the Hoss so the usable space would be limited but they still had quite a bit of room inside .

P7240028.JPG

Just me..not a fan really of the Beetle bags styling...

BUT... Corbin is one place that could / would design from ground up a unique set of bags and tour pack

I love those Beetle bags hogv8, and I agree, they would look great on a BH.
Barry, when I said "quick disconnect", I was thinking of All of the HD hard baggers. Half a twist on two fasteners and off the bags come, I consider that as quick as you can get. And I doubt that real bagger riders remove their bags to ride !
Easy quick removal is for cleaning, maintenance and tyre changes.

craig haymaker wrote:I love those Beetle bags hogv8, and I agree, they would look great on a BH.
Barry, when I said "quick disconnect", I was thinking of All of the HD hard baggers. Half a twist on two fasteners and off the bags come, I consider that as quick as you can get. And I doubt that real bagger riders remove their bags to ride !
Easy quick removal is for cleaning, maintenance and tyre changes.

For sure...I get that kind of being removable....was just wondering if you wanted them removable and bike still looking good to go riding without them on...not a problem. Harley touring bags are quickly removable but the bike looks like crap without them...

Just talking about a Bagger Boss Hoss is very exciting...can't wait to see the end result.

I like the trunk in the Standard model BH, please don't get rid of that. If you guys make a mono suspension with bags the bikes rear could be narrower overall and bags still useful which would be good.I think Boss Hoss Concepts made a BH with a mono suspension once. Personally I find that I can go on 2 week trips with just the trunk and the bag that I keep on the luggage rack with careful packing. Most riders including myself tend to take to much stuff with them on a bike. Now that Gina goes with me on the bike I would like more space so bags would be nice. On a trip where you know exactly where you're going you can mail a package of clean new stuff to the location and then send the old stuff back. Walmart is your friend on some trips as its easier to show some stuff away and buy new sometimes. I use mountaineering hi tech shirts and jacket as it rolls up into stuff bags that can be squeezed into an unbelievable small space. The trunk on my Boss Hoss will cary lots of stuff bags. I love the trunk.

I believe Dennis...aka Petite Moose was one of the few that ever had a full blown touring Hoss....got a pic Dennis?

Dave, have you seen the rear glove compartment on the newer model std. bikes ? You can hardly get your hand down inside, a lot different than my 02 !!
I love the looks of the custom baggers now days. The only problem is they ain't got no power !!
What do you all think, as far as "sales volume/revenue goes :
A full blown Touring bike OR a Bagger ?
Like the awsomely cool HD baggers, there could be a kick-ass infotainment system and gages in it's frame mounted fairing, saddle bags - there goes my retirement, calling Ronnie !

If you go with the high power stereo, look to installing some kind of volume control at the hand control.

Barry, SimonHoss from the other site has a touring BH bike also.

LSS this is nothing more than BH saddle bags ( pretty useless sizewise ) and a HD Tourpack.

craig haymaker wrote:Dave, have you seen the rear glove compartment on the newer model std. bikes ? You can hardly get your hand down inside, a lot different than my 02 !!
I love the looks of the custom baggers now days. The only problem is they ain't got no power !!
What do you all think, as far as "sales volume/revenue goes :
A full blown Touring bike OR a Bagger ?
Like the awsomely cool HD baggers, there could be a kick-ass infotainment system and gages in it's frame mounted fairing, saddle bags - there goes my retirement, calling Ronnie !

I just assumed the newer Standards were the same as my 2003. I put a down jacket, raingear, extra brake pads, socks, and some hi tech layer type shirts in there and still have room for more room in the trunk.

Suggestions for a touring bike ... Would probably be quicker for me to drive to TN and map it all out LoL.

Radio / GPS ... No need for one OR the other. Look at the 2015 GMC line of trucks. My Radio IS the GPS and Satellite Radio and it is all in one 8" touch screen. It has bluetooth capabilities so using my phone for music is easy. 500 Watts with matching speakers would be about right to get a good volume with clarity at highway speed. Only thing it is not, is ..... waterproof.

Holly EFI has a digital display screen that has dozens of display options from oil tach, speedo, volts, vacuum etc. Integrating both into one fairing would not be difficult, Especially if you went frame mounted like the Road Glides.

Saddle bags will need to be useful, unlike the current option. The current saddlebags have about 8oz. of storage space and take the removal of 6) 1/4" bolts to remove. It adds 30 minutes to the tire change process After you make the wiring disconnect-able. for an $1800 option, they are small, ugly and unfinished inside. I would not recommend the HD style pins. A short stubby flat head on the back side of the bags allows for removal by a thief in a parking lot in about 10 seconds for both sides. Quick release can be done in a much more secure fashion.

I have a pic of a guy that made a touring Vanquish with BH Fairing and HD style saddlebags. When I find the pic I will post it. It flows VERY nicely and the bags are useful.

With the new FI bikes, Cruise control is possible and is a MUST. Handlebar controls would be a BIG bonus but what you don't want to do is end up with Goldwing bars that look like they could control the space shuttle. Radio controls on the bars would be nice but if we have to choose, I reach for the radio now so ...

I guess it didn't flow as well as my mind recalled BUT I think it looks better than the current option.

Carrying capacity in the bags and trunk
would be a priority to me.
Maybe a built-in section in each saddlebag
to be able to carry a gallon of gas in each
saddlebag?
Anybody ever run out of gas yet?
Nice to have a locking feature in a trunk for helmet,
gloves, and jacket......

Puff wrote:Carrying capacity in the bags and trunk
would be a priority to me.
Maybe a built-in section in each saddlebag
to be able to carry a gallon of gas in each
saddlebag?
Anybody ever run out of gas yet?
Nice to have a locking feature in a trunk for helmet,
gloves, and jacket......

I think its easier to stop for gas than carry it. I like stopping about every hundred to a hundred and fifty miles anyway and thats no problem for my bike. I thought the fuel injected ones do better than that.

I'm not a big dresser fan, but that Vanquish doesn't look half bad. I think it flows pretty well. I dunno, the more I look at it, the more I like it

Carl La Fong wrote:I'm not a big dresser fan, but that Vanquish doesn't look half bad. I think it flows pretty well. I dunno, the more I look at it, the more I like it

Ultra COOL kickass dresser....I like batwings better but that bike flows nicely as is...

Carl La Fong wrote:I'm not a big dresser fan, but that Vanquish doesn't look half bad. I think it flows pretty well. I dunno, the more I look at it, the more I like it

Be careful Carl.. Next thing is you might start liking trikes

Yep, the vanquish look is my favourite and a batwing fairing. Sound system? I bought a Jaguar so that I could hear my music purely, on my Hoss my pipes provide the only music.

randy burkey wrote:

Carl La Fong wrote:I'm not a big dresser fan, but that Vanquish doesn't look half bad. I think it flows pretty well. I dunno, the more I look at it, the more I like it

Be careful Carl.. Next thing is you might start liking trikes

I am going to mix a batch of trike "coolaid" and disguise it as Rum and send to Carl...we can all get a kick out of him after when he praises trikes...lol

Sounds good to me! LOL

If you had to choose, would it be navigation system or ridiculously powerful sound system?

Unfortunately, can't have both and be weatherproof.