Generation III Ghost Bracket
1. Here is the bike with the bags…
2. …and without the bags
3. Here are the Generation III Ghost Brackets with locking latches.
4. This is a two-part system; the first part is the hanging hardware (quickdisconnect mounts). A set of four Allen head bolts, eight washers, and the four mounting bungs (the keepers).
5. The Ghost Brackets were installed by first removing the two stock bolts from the fender supports and replacing them with the brackets’ bolts and stainless steel slotted bracket supports called “keepers.”
6. Once the bolts were in place, the tech took a quick measurement to see how far apart to adjust the mounts. He placed the brackets on the keepers then made the adjustments to the bracket bolts (Arrow on the bolts) for the keepers.
7. Part two is the hardware for the bags. The G3 bracket can be mounted to any hard backside mount bag. However, CAO Distributing uses and recommends the Edge Leather bags. (www.edgeleather.com) He placed the bag next to the bracket to make sure the bags clear the taillights.
8. Then the tech marked where to install the G3 bracket on the bag.
9. Once the bag was marked, two holes were drilled for the bolts.
10. Once the holes were drilled, the brackets were bolted onto the bag.
11. Then the bag was placed onto the mounting bungs to check that the bag would not hit the taillight. Now the bags are ready to be filled with everything you need on your trip, from tools to clean underwear. Lock the key on the top of the bracket, and away you go!
12. There are a lot of styles as well as sizes of bags to choose from. Once you pick the bag, the install could take less than an hour.
13. Here’s a closer look at one style of bag. You can see the difference in the sizes available.
14. With the Generation III Ghost Brackets, you can fill ’em up with your stuff and get to your destination with your things intact. You can also easily remove the bags and the bike is back to looking stock or at least what it looked like before the trip.
We are well into the riding season, and most of us are planning a few big trips, like Sturgis or Daytona. As you start to pack your things on your bike, you may realize that you have more stuff than space to carry everything. What do you do? If you are not on a bagger, your only option might be to grab every bungee cord you have, tie your things down to the bike, and hope everything makes it to the destination safely and securely. Or you could try to get your hands on a set of saddlebag rigs to help your things fit on your bike. But most of these types of bags take a lot of work to bolt and unbolt. Most of us want to remove the bags once we get to our destination so that our bikes look the same as before the trip.
We came across a company called CAO Distributing, Inc. with a product called Generation III Ghost Brackets. These brackets are a quick-release saddlebag system that allows you to put on or take off your saddlebags. They connect to fixed mounting hardware that you bolt to the frame struts. Depending on the size of bag and the model of bike, the brackets are adjustable, so you can mount them to the front two bolts without having to relocate the rear taillight or first and last bolts to fit. Also, being that they are adjustable, you can get an extra set of mounting hardware and use the bags on multiple bikes.
