Backpack Saddlebags

Has anyone here ever tried making a set of soft saddle bags out of backpacks? Soft bags are so expensive... I've got a backpack that matches my bike, and I can get another one just like it. How reasonable would it be to remove/reinstall the straps so that they work to hold the two bags on either side of the seat, mounted horizontally? Any stoppers I've not considered? BTW, I've got an 05 Interceptor.

Thanks!

 

It would probably need to be a pretty rigid backpack for this to work. But I'm betting with the right resources, a little money and some good engineering you could make it work. However, you've got to consider heat resistance, keeping the bags out away from the undertail area and a few other things, so it may be worth a little more money to buy bags online.

You can find soft saddlebags online for around $69 at Newenough.com plus $8 for shipping, and sometimes they have really good deals for less than that. They had a set of Nelson Riggs Standard saddlebags for $50-55 late last year that I should have bought. Good luck either way that you go!

 

Now these are cool:
http://www.lockitt.com/LGSpeedPac.htm

But a little pricey. A pair of these mounted horizontally would definitely be different...

 

Bungee cord a milkcrate to your passenger seat! if you want to go cheap!

I would recommend against making your own. Several big bike luggage companies have stopped making them at all, because of constant problems.