Bag antler holes

[Gitbox]

What's the best way to locate and drill holes in the covers where the antlers attach, i.e. so I can attach them without removing the covers?

Thanks.

[pilotsailing]

If you have access to lots of plywood this could be a simple way. Park the bike on one sheet of plywood using the centerstand. Take the saddlebags off. Remove the antlers. Screw the antler bolts back into the bike without the antlers. Using another sheet of plywood, stand it up right next to the bolts . screw a couple of boards to the first sheet of plywood to prevent the second one from moving around, but will allow it to be lifted up and away . Take a hammer and hit the plywood next to the bolt heads to make indentions from the bolt heads into the plywood. Drill holes in the plywood to allow the bolts to go through.  Put the antler cover in place on the bike and position the plywood next to it.  The holes in the plywood should mark where to drill the antlers. Hope you get the idea,  important to keep everything straight and square so things line up correctly.

[pilotsailing]

Just thought of another way to do it. Take a sheet of metal, mate the antlers to it and drill the holes in the metal where the bolts go, now fold the metal in the middle, bottom up, so now there are two metal edges facing up, one with holes drilled and one without, drill through the existing holes into the side that has no holes, now you have a sheet of metal, folded in the middle, with the edges facing up, and 2 holes drilled in each fold which match, now take short bolts, mount one edge to the bike where the antlers go, the metal should go down and gently fold back up. insert the covers on the bike, and the outside metal edge should be just touching it, with holes in it marking where to drill the antler cover. Hope this comes accross. 

[Nosmo]

When I did this mod to my bike, I just put some masking tape on the backside of the antler covers, installed some shorter bolts in the attachment holes, and pushed the covers firmly against the bolt heads, which left "witness" marks in the tape. The I used a Uni-bit to drill the aft holes, and after drilling pilot holes for the front, I used the legendary Dremel tool small sanding drum to profile the holes to fit around the square portion of the antler  See pic below:

[connie_rider]

When I did mine, I;
   Cut off the heads of a couple of bolts
   Sharpened the shank of the bolt to a point.
   Screwed the sharpened bolts into the holes,
   Installed the covers and pushed.

The sharpened bolt shanks made nice indentions into the back of the covers.
Drill your initial holes a bit small and confirm alignment.
Then trip hole to size..

Ride safe, Ted

[snarf]

When I did mine, I;
 cut off the heads of a couple of bolts
 sharpened the shank of the bolt to a point.
 Screwed the sharpened bolts into the holes,
 Installed the cover and pushed.
The sharpened bolt shanks mad nice indentions into the back of the covers.

Ride safe, Ted

+1 that's how I did mine

[Silverado]

When I did this mod to my bike, I just put some masking tape on the backside of the antler covers, installed some shorter bolts in the attachment holes, and pushed the covers firmly against the bolt heads, which left "witness" marks in the tape. The I used a Uni-bit to drill the aft holes, and after drilling pilot holes for the front, I used the legendary Dremel tool small sanding drum to profile the holes to fit around the square portion of the antler  See pic below:

Nice Job....I really like your method.