tank protector

[luxrybound]

Thinking about getting the Techspec high fusion has anyone used it?

 

[Tree Doc]

Not the "High Fusion" but the "Snake Skin" on a different bike. The TechSpec stuff was really nice, though. Personally, I don't see the tank grips being a real advantage on an FJR. I had mine on an SV650 and it really helped with the forward bias ergos on that or any other sport bike but with the FJR's seating ergos, I don't see it as a real advantage and I don't miss having one on my FJR one bit. YMMV and I liked the Snake Skin best.

 

[CO FJR]

I just installed the Snake Skin last week on my 2010, nice stuff easy to install and realign

 

[luxrybound]

Thanks for the input. I'm not really looking for the grip performance part of the grips..More on the protection from scratches etc.

 

[fossil]

I really like my Bagster. Slow to get but I thought is was worth the wait.

https://www.bagster.com/en/protege-reservoir.php

 

[2Bull]

Put on a clear bra today. Man did I mess it up. Tricky stuff. I may have a professional do it over. Way it looks now its like wearing an expensive suit with a pair of shoes from the Salvation Army!

 

[Meltdown]

I got a Bagster myself. Long wait doesn't begin to describe it. I ordered mine in APRIL and is showed up 3 weeks ago.

Just keep in mind that you won't be using a tank bag with this set up...even one of Bagster's own. The top mounting points put the bag directly under the handlebars. A very stupid idea on an FJR.

Looks good, right?

WRONG

The volume pot for the Krista lights and the cruise control module both hit the tank bag. Even if they weren't there, they wouldn't allow for full lock to lock turning of the handlebars. Happily the tank bag has a set of backpack straps so my 13 year old now has a French, handmade, Bagster backpack. :blink:

I've cut the mounting clips off of the tankbag and am going to send them to Linda T and see about having her build something that is shorter in the front and sits about 6 inches back from where the Bagster bag would fit. It's a pity because the tankbag is really a well put together item.

 

[RaYzerman19]

Won't a magnetic bag work with the Bagster tank protector? Strap up front for "just in case"?

 

[Meltdown]

I doubt it. The Bagster tank bra is fairly thick and unless a tank bag has VERY powerful magnets, I don't think it would stick to the tank.

Won't a magnetic bag work with the Bagster tank protector? Strap up front for "just in case"?

 

[Fred W]

That is correct. The Bagster is very thick, which is an added advantage to us 1st gen riders. Between the Bagster and a heat blanket added under the tank, you can not feel any engine heat thru the tank even on the hottest days.

 

As to tank bags, it depends on what you have for bar risers, but you definitely can put a smaller size bag. Actually this applies to any tank bags on the FJR. All bigger bags will foul against the controls on the bars when they are turned. Some folks just live with the reduced turning radius. I use a Bagster bag (that I already owned) which is designed for use on dual sport style bikes with short tanks. It is what Bagster calls their "City Trail". The (only?) place in the US to buy Bagster stuff is RideAddict.com

 

 

Here are some pics of it on my bike and electrified:

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see in the last picture, I had to make an extension strap loop to go forward through the clips on the tank cover. This actually works out real nicely, and allows for easy refueling by pushing the bag to the side, after disconnecting just the rear metal clips. Though the bag is utilitarian, I suppose that it's not all that attractive, especially after my hack job of fitting a GPS 'es into the map window at a previous time. I usually just keep a map shoved in there for looks.

 

I always have this bag mounted on my FJR any time I ride it, as it has all of my electronic-a wired into it and powered by the one powerlet connection up on the right side faring panel "D". At $100 it is a pretty useful bag on the FJR. I think some of the other really small Bagster bags would work OK as well.

 

Maybe the Newsign?

 

 

 

...or the little Tweety?

 

 

[Meltdown]

Thanks for the post, Fred.

I did look at both bags you had mentioned as well as the one that you have. I suppose that I could modify the Tweety to work, but I'd have to reverse the straps.

For example, if you look at the Tweety mounted on the tank, you'll see that the main part of the bag still mounts under the handlebars. The extensions are built for the rear mounting points.

I'm not sure how the Newsign bag would work since it's almost as long as the bag I have now. 17.5 inches vs. 16.1 inches.

The bag that you have looks like it would be a winner. It's only 13.75 inches long. Although I'm curious on how it would have mounted if you had not modified the front mounting points by adding the extensions. The rear clips on my bag are fixed in place and don't have a lot of stretch in them. From looking at your pictures, it doesn't look like the rear straps holding the clips do either. I don't see how it would have been possible to mount the bag on your bike without either stretching the front or rear mounting points so they would line up with the tank bra.

Again, referring to the Tweety, you can see from the picture that the rear mounting straps have extensions built in. Did it initially come with extensions on the front or back? Do the rear straps stretch?

Thanks in advance.

That is correct. The Bagster is very thick, which is an added advantage to us 1st gen riders. Between the Bagster and a heat blanket added under the tank, you can not feel any engine heat thru the tank even on the hottest days.

 

As to tank bags, it depends on what you have for bar risers, but you definitely can put a smaller size bag. Actually this applies to any tank bags on the FJR. All bigger bags will foul against the controls on the bars when they are turned. Some folks just live with the reduced turning radius. I use a Bagster bag (that I already owned) which is designed for use on dual sport style bikes with short tanks. It is what Bagster calls their "City Trail". The (only?) place in the US to buy Bagster stuff is RideAddict.com

 

 

Here are some pics of it on my bike and electrified:

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see in the last picture, I had to make an extension strap loop to go forward through the clips on the tank cover. This actually works out real nicely, and allows for easy refueling by pushing the bag to the side, after disconnecting just the rear metal clips. Though the bag is utilitarian, I suppose that it's not all that attractive, especially after my hack job of fitting a GPS 'es into the map window at a previous time. I usually just keep a map shoved in there for looks.

 

I always have this bag mounted on my FJR any time I ride it, as it has all of my electronic-a wired into it and powered by the one powerlet connection up on the right side faring panel "D". At $100 it is a pretty useful bag on the FJR. I think some of the other really small Bagster bags would work OK as well.

 

Maybe the Newsign?

 

 

 

...or the little Tweety?

 

 

[Fred W]

The way that I envision the two smaller bags (Tweety and Newsign) would work is that they are not very wide and so should not foul the bars as much as a bigger bag would.

Here's a couple of better pictures of how I extended the front straps on the City Trail bag.

I used an extra piece of nylon web strap with a buckle on it that I had laying around and looped that strap through the two standard webbed straps on the front of the bag and then through the plastic hooks on the tank cover. You could use just about anything that you wanted to make that loop. The rear metal clips are in their normal (stock) configuration.

 

[Meltdown]

Thanks, Fred. That makes sense.

I ordered a Newsign bag and hopefully that will do the trick. I'll post up some pictures when it arrives. Thanks for the help.

The way that I envision the two smaller bags (Tweety and Newsign) would work is that they are not very wide and so should not foul the bars as much as a bigger bag would.

Here's a couple of better pictures of how I extended the front straps on the City Trail bag.

I used an extra piece of nylon web strap with a buckle on it that I had laying around and looped that strap through the two standard webbed straps on the front of the bag and then through the plastic hooks on the tank cover. You could use just about anything that you wanted to make that loop. The rear metal clips are in their normal (stock) configuration.

 

[DJB]

I have a Bags Connection Tank bag that locks onto a shoe that is screwed onto the tank. Will the bagster stop the bag from engaging?

 

[Fred W]

Thanks, Fred. That makes sense.

I ordered a Newsign bag and hopefully that will do the trick. I'll post up some pictures when it arrives. Thanks for the help.

Please post back with your impressions and pics of the Newsign bag on the FJR when you get it. That is the one that I am thinking of upgrading to on the FJR and relegating my old City Trail to off-road duty on the 'Strom.

I have a Bags Connection Tank bag that locks onto a shoe that is screwed onto the tank. Will the bagster stop the bag from engaging?

That is a good question. I think that it should not, since the Bagster leaves the entire tank ring visible, but it may be a tight fit or require some trimming of the Bagster? Here's what the top of the tank protector looks like with the bag removed.