Blackvapor did you ever get your bags mounted? I am looking to do the same with eithier the slims or the classic tour. I have not seen you around these parts lately?
Hey there. I've actually been getting much more active on the forum lately. I've been bitten by the mod bug something fierce, and I've been going nuts on my Stryker.
I did finally get the Hardstreet Slim Bags and I mounted them with the Easy Brackets, so I had the option of removing them quickly and easily.
First of all... Dealing with Cycra to get my Slim Bags was one of the most painful experiences I've EVER had with an online retailer. They took 2 MONTHS to ship my bags aft I ordered them. Every time I called them, it was "They're shipping this week, they're shipping this week..." 8 weeks later.... Very frustrating. But anyway...
I like the bags and I like the brackets, but I'm still not completely in love with them together on my bike. I love the storage capacity, but the stick on weather stripping around the lip of the bag covers keeps falling off, and I've lost 2 of the corner rubber pieces while riding. I'm going to call Cycra to see if I can get some replacements, but I'm expecting it to take forever.
I love the convenience of easy on, easy off... But what I don't like is how far they stick out on the sides of the bike. I was really hoping to have them tucked in closer. They don't look bad... Just not quite as I was expecting.
It was also quite a challenge getting the brackets mounted exactly the same place on both bags. I'm pretty anal about that kind of thing and measured 20 times before I drilled the holes... The right side is absolutely perfect. I couldn't have mounted it any better. But, I also had the exhaust I could sit it on and measure. Although I took a long time to make sure the left side bag was in the exact same spot, it is off a little and I don't understand why.
I'm just dealing with it for now, because I love having the storage capacity. I have one bag filled with a ton of everyday biker necessities... Gloves, half cover, kickstand plate, first aid kit, tire repair kit, sunscreen, etc, etc. now I never have to say, "****, I forgot to grab the ..... " The other side I leave open. Fits my large leather jacket so I don't have to walk around with it, a few groceries if I need to stop, shopping, etc. the biggest benefit is I don't have to wear a backpack anymore.
The Vance & Hines 2-into-2 Big Radius pipes are in my near future. Because those pipes look like they come down lower, especially since they sweep downwards, I'm going to take the easy brackets off and remount my bags lower, so they're following the curve of the rear fender better. I'm really hoping that will allow me to get the brackets in a better spot of the back of the bag so they are more even. Then, I'll just have to worry about filling in the existing holes I already drilled in the bags.
I'll definitely try to get some pictures posted of how they look now. I've actually been meaning to start my own mod / build page like everyone else.
