NOTICE:  These are tech pages explaining how I did these mods to my bike.  In almost every case -
I DO NOT SELL THE PARTS DESCRIBED.  I do tell you where I got them.  EXCEPTION - I do sell my custom exhaust mods. 

BobG LeatherLyke Shock Protector Brace

MarkT
 

UPDATE:  3/26/05 Dragonryder2 (Kathryn) tells me the brace is still available from Craft Tool & Die and is now $65 with a club discount.

Progressive says saddlebags (or anything) resting against the shocks is a NO NO. Puts a lateral torque on the shock that they were not designed for and will likely cause early failure. LeatherLyke saddlebags rest directly on the side of the middle of the shocks with several pounds of pressure if they are fully loaded. Now that you bought those nearly $300 shocks, didja want to spend $50 or so to protect them? YOU BETCHA SVEN!

I received the LeatherLyke shock protector brackets from Craft Tool and Die - thanks to BobG for the design. VERY nicely made, really complements the bike and gets those LeatherLykes off the shocks. They are billet aluminum, hard black anodized and they look just SUPER. I spoke to Barry about collaborating with BobG and getting a patent on the design, and selling it to LL, or manufacturing the brackets for them. Of course if you wait to get them from LeatherLyke you'll be paying more like a hundred bucks.

OK so check out these pics.

Before:  After:    Closeup:

Notice the bags are no longer sagging towards the tire at the bottom: 

The black brace is discreet - but if you don't want it there when you remove the bags, all it takes is the big allen wrench in your kit and about 30 seconds to remove it.

So what is the brace made out of? 3/8" X 1-1/16" black anodized billet aluminum.

The brace is perfectly compatible with the bike, the bags, and the shocks: To install it, you remove the forward bolt, then replace the black grommit with the brace. The bike doesn't know it's there. When you retighten the bolt, first reinstall the bag. Then position the brace so it's in it's rearmost position while the nylon bumper on the bag is in contact with the flange. The bag thinks it's on the shock & doesn't know it's there. And lastly, NUTTIN is touchin the side of the shock - clearance is 3/16" with my 416s. The shock sez AHHHHHHHHH.

OK so how do I get this wonderful brace? Contact names are Bud or Berry. They normally sell the bag backets for $55.00 including freight but ask to see if your group has a discount (eg, the VRCC does).

Their contact info is:

Craft Tool and Die (408) 436-1750 2075 Bering Drive "K" San Jose CA 95131

OK, that's it! If you have LeatherLykes, you will like this mod, even if you don't have Progressive shocks. It just looks a lot cleaner to have those bags off the shocks.