HOMEMADE HANDLEBAR BAG

Having  tried  to buy a Handlebar bag here in Turkey for several months without success, ordering one from abroad and have it posted here is not an option because of sticky fingered Customs officers…….the only option, make one!!

Walking around the local market yesterday, I came across a Bag/Belt/Leather stall, the chap had   quite a variety of ”Bum bags” (Fanny bags they call them in America) and ”Man bags.” Not being either Gay or trendy I ignored the ”Man bags” and explained to the stall holder in my very bad Turkish that I needed to walk off with some ”Bum bags” to try them on my motorbike, I left him Linda as collateral.

Two of the ”Bum bags” were a perfect fit on the handlebar brace, one made of leather, the other made of canvas. I decided to blow this years holiday budget and pay the extra 1 Pound (1.5 USD) for the leather bag.

The leather bag cost me 4 Pounds (6 USD) my cunning plan was to remove the strap and cut it up to make 3 or 4 small velcro straps to secure the bag to the handlebars. I tried to use Superglue to attach the Velcro to the small straps, but it didn’t work, nor did stapling……Damn, have to sew it properly instead!!

I will have you know that I actually sewed one whole piece of Velcro myself, after Linda threaded the needle for me, being a good wife she took pity on me and took over the rest of the sewing.

Three Velcro straps were made all together, two near the top of the bag that will correspond to the handlebar brace, and one strap at the bottom of the bag that will wrap around the base of the handlebar, plus two cable ties for luck.

The finished article, all done and tested today, I now have two cameras in the bag ready to hand whilst riding along, one still camera, and one video. There’s still room in the bag for batteries, fags and coins.

On the left side of the bag is a pouch for a mobile phone, my two-way radio fits in there perfectly.

~ by travelswithmymotorbike on March 19, 2010.