Aftermarket hard bags on Nomad

[ChevyNomad]

You can always take this opportunity to custom build your own...

[andyvh1959]

Custom build your own bags is a huge undertaking that few people have the skills to undertake. I've modified ABS plastic aftermarket bags for a friends bike and that alone took a lot of work, designing, fabricating. You have to fully understand the end goal to even know how to start making a form to create the rough shape of the bags. Then to produce a decent looking left and right bag is doubly difficult.

Best to go with OEM bags, either Kawasaki or even Harley, and mount those to you bike. Many of the aftermarket bags are way too small to look right proportions wise. Some mount aftermarket bags too far back because of the shocks. Some even mount Harley bags on their bikes way too far back, again because of the shocks, which don't look right either with the bags so far back.

Stick with the factory Kawasaki bags or the largest aftermarket bags to make the look right.

[The Black Knight]

Originally Posted by andyvh1959

Custom build your own bags is a huge undertaking that few people have the skills to undertake. I've modified ABS plastic aftermarket bags for a friends bike and that alone took a lot of work, designing, fabricating. You have to fully understand the end goal to even know how to start making a form to create the rough shape of the bags. Then to produce a decent looking left and right bag is doubly difficult.

Best to go with OEM bags, either Kawasaki or even Harley, and mount those to you bike. Many of the aftermarket bags are way too small to look right proportions wise. Some mount aftermarket bags too far back because of the shocks. Some even mount Harley bags on their bikes way too far back, again because of the shocks, which don't look right either with the bags so far back.

Stick with the factory Kawasaki bags or the largest aftermarket bags to make the look right.

[ChevyNomad]

I agree it’s a big undertaking, just saying the opportunity is there.

[andyvh1959]

However, many hard bags, factory and aftermarket, are made of ABS and can be modified to custom fit around shocks. I've seen pictures of Harley bags on a VN1600 Classic, mounted way too far back, and the shape of the Harley bags really don't look good (to me) with the lines of the Vulcan. But they could be modified to mount forward and around the shocks. Also, too many people mount the bags way too wide on the bike, which looks like they're tacked on, rather than fitted to the bike. There is a lot to consider to get bags mounted and looking right.

[redjay]

Harley bags are very angular and do not go with the curvature of many bikes. I have seen Harley bags on many non Harley bikes that look ridiculous.

[ChevyNomad]

stock bags are nice, some custom bags are meh, personally I like mine...

[andyvh1959]

Viking make some nice bags:
https://www.vikingbags.com/lamellar-...BoCzFMQAvD_BwE

But they are considerably smaller than the OEM Nomad bags by quite a bit. However, they will fit with the stock exhaust on the Classic.

On my Classic I am changing it over to Vance & Hines true Duals (it has the VH Bigshots on now), and then I'll mount the OEM bags I bought used on Ebay.

[andyvh1959]

This talk of custom bags gets me thinking; convert the Nomad side opening bags to top opening. Take the stock bag and solvent bond the door to the case. Then create a cut line about two inches below the current latch handle, follow that line around the front and back ends, then slightly taper up to a cut line front to back a few inches higher. The hinge point can be on the outside cut line so the now, cover, swings up and to the outside.

The cover framing and cover seal flange would have to be made from ABS sheet stock, so that an adhesive backed D seal can run around the seal flange, and seal against the cover when closed. I think it could be done, but the seal flange would require some busy time constructing it from ABS stock. I'm really surprised Kawasaki didn't do that when they applied the Nomad bags to the Vaquero. Would have been an interesting feature between the 1600 Nomad and the 1700 Nomad. I think the 1600 Nomad bags are much better looking that the 1700 Nomad bags.

[Peg]

Nomad bags on the Vaq was Kaw's response to all the negative comments they got for the top-opening bags they put on the Voyager... It's about the last time I recall Kaw actually responding to customer feedback.

[DragonLady58]

Mutazu's delux jumbo bags are great (on the 1500/1600/1700 nomads, etc), follow the lines of the bike perfectly, and are top loaders....keeps your cloths and tools dry when in the rain....
Yea Peg, MaKawas response to the crap going wrong on the bikes are pratically met with total silence....

[nomadtom69]

found a few on ebay here is the link https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...ebags&_sacat=0