Side or saddle bags scratching
 

I'm going on a 7000km trip in Europe and I like to use soft side bags. I'm almost sure they will scratch the paint.
What ways are there to prevent this from happening?
Any ideas?

Lots of duct/gaffer-tape where they will rub. Clean the paintwork first.

You need to have something stuck over the paintwork; anything that is loose will trap dirt and grind your paint away.

You can get thick clear plastic stuff that is specially designed for this but the thicker it is, the less easy it is to follow the curves of the bodywork.

You could also give it some scratches yourself, then you don't care about the next scratches :cool4: or buy some used panels.

If this will be a regular event I'd fit the sort of rack meant to hold hard cases. Gives more places to fasten the bags to, useful places to grab the bike, keeps everything off the exhaust and usually adds rigidity to the frame.

Andy

You can get clear sticky back plastic on a roll - it's called Fablon from our little DIY store. You can put three or four layers on and hardly see it.

@bigyellowtractor
Thanks for your answer, I didn't know there was something specially made for this. Does it have a name or do they know at the motorbikeshop?

Unfortunately I'm the type of person who like to keep his brand new bike as long as possible in a new state :mchappy:
But I have to admit it's a lot easier to just let it go and see what happens.
Side panels are not an option since it is a scooter.

Sticky backed Vinyl or about 50 HU stickers ;)

I hope it will be a regular event because I love riding on two wheels to unknown places and taking photographs. But I'm only a starting traveller on two wheels. Last year I did a trip through ten countries in Europe and the Alps on a BMW F650. This year I will go on a lightweight scooter because I think it's a very relaxed way of driving. And I don't need the extra power, I never take highways.
I don't know if this is an option for me because my bike is a scooter. But it certainly is a very good, perhaps the best option for motorcycles. But I don't think it is cheap. I'm on a budget, no money for those big BMW's with hard cases all around (I bought my soft cases for 20euros). I love the sight of them though!

Thanks, I will look it up!

So I have to order 51 HU stickers because I also need one in sight for everyone to see!

The stuff I have seen in the UK bike shops is Fablon but cut up in to smaller bits and packaged as a "special" for bikes, at a price.

I have used Fablon, taken straight off a roll and it worked fine; good for saddle bags and tank bags. Yea, you can get a few creases in it, but they aren't permanent, like scratches.
So, a roll of Fablon (which seems to be the common trade name used here) and a pair of scissors works great for me!

I also found this!

Or this, seems simple en useful.

That'll work, as will almost any plastic tape. The stuff I'm talking about is way thicker than fablon; just measured a bit at 0.75mm.

Hello duive01!

First, welcome on the forums from another noob and fellow scooterist!

I am in the process of gearing up my Honda FES 125 Pantheon scooter. Would you care to share what scooter you ride and what luggage you bought?

Also what do you use the "trunk" under the seat for?

Oh, and do you run regular "street" tires?

Thank you in advance.

Peter

I've been out of the industry for a while, but commercial vans used to be fitted with what we called rubbing strakes. It was a triangular section rubber about 15mm per side that you glued to your van doors. The drivers could then go round London scratching other vehicles and suffering little damage themselves by opening the doors in spaces that were really too tight. A line or too of this on scooter bodywork might be neat and practical if you can still buy it?

Andy

That stuff last about five miles before it's toast,

I've used that stuff; it is sold in the UK in woodwork supply places because it has a high friction coefficient which means it is used on workbenches to stop work items from sliding about.
As ever, it is cheaper from those sources than if bought in a bike shop where it is sold for similar purposes, including versions that are formed to the shape of specific saddles to help you not lose your pillion passenger under "hard acceleration".
I have found it useful when put underneath soft luggage - it does as it says, preventing scratches and stopping the bags from sliding about; I've only used it for road bikes though; I take the point about sand, grit etc getting into the weave of the material.

Duive,

I just returned from a trip to the next Polo Super-Store. Bought a pair of Drive1 saddlebags (20 ltr each) for 60 Euros and a yellow Drive dufflebag (65 ltr) for 50 Euros.

Seems like I´ll be quite happy with the saddlebags. They come with a neoprene padding to prevent rubbing. Threaded two velcro straps underneath the seat and hooked the rear straps to the hand rail to prevent them from slipping. Easy as a pie!

I could have gone with larger soft luggage but the 20 ltr bags still give any space to handle the scooter and don´t bother a potential pillion.

If it tickles my fancy I´ll glue some protective plastic foil and glue it to the rig.

Hiya

3M paint protection film is good stuff, but hard to apply smoothly on compound curves. Doesn't wear through. Its got 2 protective layers you need to peel off first, or you'll struggle!

Mostly I've bought from Lamin-X both in the UK as a 5'x1' strip to chop up as needed, or once from the parent co in the USA as a 15'x1'. Blocks UV too.

VentureShield and DuraShield Paint Protection and Clear Bra Rolls

http://www.lamin-x.co.uk/shop/paintprotection.htm

:)

I have a nice shiny silver Yamaha Fazer 1000 (along with my DR650) and I run soft saddlebags on both.

For the Fazer, I use painter's tape on the side panels at point of contact with the bags.

Sometimes I double up, depending on duration of trip -- two layers of painter's tape, a layer of tougher duct tape, a top layer of painter's.

Simple and effective. Never the slightest mar. :thumbup1:

Indeed simple, effective I cannot yet confirm. But I'm looking for a simple solution and this one I sure will try. Thanks!

I'm dealing with the same issue. Always had hard luggage before, and this is the first time with soft panniers. I'm going to try Fablon, which is cheap and easily available in the UK. Perhaps two layers. Hopefully it will come off with heat and a bit of meths/white spirit/carb cleaner.

I'd regard gaffer/duct tape as a last resort. I was forced to use half a roll to secure the bonnet of my car when the latch failed on a long trip, and made the mistake of leaving it there for a week or two when I got home. I got the silver part off OK, but the cloth mesh and adhesive were very hard to remove. I couldn't find a solvent that would loosen it and ended up doing it mm by mm with an old credit card. Not something I want to repeat with my precious bike :)

Unless anyone knows the secret ...

Painter's tape. Painter's tape. Painter's tape. Use a couple layers. No residue to worry about. Peels off clean, maybe wipe with some Windex. Or, couple layers of painter's tape and a layer of duct for added protection.

Painter's tape ... :thumbup1:

Removing the adhesive from paintwork
 

Hi there one of the best solvents that I have found for removing the left over adhesive from paintwork and plastics is (wait for it) Ronsons lighter fuel I know it doesnt sound right but many years ago when I had a video shop pre DVD when the videos arrived many had stickers in the top corner offering them at special discount prices, So these stickers had to be removed lol and the best way to do that leaving no marks at all was with lighter fuel I use lighter fuel for all sorts of cleaning processes now with great results, also another great under-rated cleaning fluid is WD40.
Good luck Keep Upright Bill :scooter:

Heh - I hear you! Would that be what is called 'masking tape' in the UK? Papery-type stuff, easily torn, used to mask off areas not painted?

If so, sounds like a plan. I have tons of the stuff.

Cleaning baked-on residue of duct tape:

I tried WD-40 on it. No luck. Never thought of lighter fluid, mainly cos I didn't have any, but it sounds good.

Soft luggage will rub no matter what you try mate, things have a way of conspiring against you...it's a side effect of that type of luggage. I used soft luggage on a pristine bike I've had since new, and was (at the time) horrified to learn when enquiring about a trade-in, that after 5300klm's of touring with care to this very issue, the luggage and occy-straps had done over $1k of damage to the duck-tail and passenger grab rail. Bear in mind that's on a sportsbike.

Tbh, I didn't give a damn, as the fun and experience easily outweighed the damage...I bought new, negotiated over $2k on the purchase price, and happy to wear the depreciation. It's only fair to expect blemishes on anything fresh off the showroom floor. Only the most anal of owners would care...they'd be the type to tight to stump up for new price and annoy me at sale time, and tbh most people wouldn't notice it unless pointed out. As a mechanic, I take absolute care and condition of my bike in every way (more important), but if the next owner wants to haggle over trivial stuff like that, they can sod-off and try to find better. Tyre-kickers are the anit-christ...you either want or you don't! Best of luck to them...you want perfect, buy new. My advice is to ride and use what you want, how you want, and not worry about the next owner...you didn't buy for them anyway!!! ;)

On a bike with a tubular frame. try a hardware store for the round form insulating foam for water pipes. It simply clamps itself to teh pipe and all the wear will be on teh foam which is slightly compressible so flexes.

Stop soft bags scratching paint work
 

I bought some black plastic strips from the autoshop that are used to protect car doors, etc. They have sticky backs, are cheap and look OK like racing stripes when you don't have bags on.

You're right but it's a brand new bike...it isn't nice to have it scratched up after one month!

Exactly ... the roll is usually like two inches wide and blue. Used it many times on my silver FZ1 (Fazer) with soft saddlebags and never a blemish.

In the UK it's usually white, and comes in widths from 1/4" to 2" and more. Right - next day off, it's going on.

Cheers.