Craven Bags

I am hoping this is a Norton enough question for this forum.....
Can folks with Craven bags (on their Norton) tell me what the distance is between the two upper mounting points on either the rack or the bags?
I am asking because I have two set of Craven bags and to my surprise the distance between the two upper mounts is different for each set of bags.
I'd like to make them standard so either set of bags can go on the rack.

When Craven sold the bags perhaps the owners installed the mounting hardware on the bags and so they are all over the map. But you'd think there would be a standard set of mounting dimensions.

Stephen Hill

I bought a set of Craven bags about 15 years ago, still have them on the bike. I found them on Walnecks cycle trader. The rack had been used but the bags never mounted. The mounting hardware was still in small sealed plastic bags, no holes drilled in the fiberglass. I have been running Dunstall silencers and to get them to fit they are mounted on the upper rail of the rack. I had to drill the holes in the bags to the correct height to fit above the Dunstalls.
You probably have the support brace that runs down to the rear foot pegs, you need that.
Coming back from the Michigan Rally a few years brace, we rode thru heavy rain all the way from Qttawa to Rouse Point NY on Lake Champlain, not a drop of moisture inside the Cravens. Mine are top loaders.
Good bags, I wish they were still in business? I think they went belly up.

Mick

They were very much universal parts and were supplied undrilled. I had a set from new and canted them forwards so that they would fit above upswept reverse cone silencers but with room for a pillion and allowing a tent to be carried across the carrier.



The later production, such as these had a thinner (too flexible) support to the footrests and there is a case to be made for a bracing strap behind the wheel which I think some earlier kits had. If the Cravens start to oscillate, the tail can wag the dog and it's not very pleasant.

Thanks for the information! This helps me decide how to proceed. Craven is back in business and you can buy new bags, racks, mounting hardware, etc. They appear to be part of Draganfly. Here is a link to their site and catalogue: www.cravens.org.uk
Stephen Hill

I had a look at the new Craven production at the stafford show, they looked (and smelt) the same as the originals. it's really good to see them back in production, they always were a very good product.

Fitting the rack and bags was always a bit of a game.