I've had my Heritage since 2002 and the only problem I've ever had with the bike since I bought it was that the bags just kept looking crappier and crappier. I never understood why Harley Davidson just didn't make their bags hard until I looked into buying a new set which was priced a little over $800. Then I understood why they don't want their bags lasting forever. They want to make the money off the new bag purchases.

Well the way the economy is I just don't have the money to spend $800 bucks for a new set. So I did a little research online and I found a site by the name of Leather Lid Inserts. I was skeptical at first but I contacted the owner of the company and he assured me that my bags would be in good hands. I shipped him my bags and within 2 weeks I got my bags back all fat and sassy looking. Only took $150 bucks for him to install his lid and side supports in my bag. They look brand new and he also reconditioned the leather which was nice of the company to do considering I didn't even ask for that.

So if your bags are sagging and just looking like crap you should check this site out and you could save yourself $650 dollars by putting these inserts in your bag. He also mentioned he just doesn't do softails bags he does all other harley bags.

www.leatherlidinserts.com

 

Or, you can do them yourself - it isn't hard.

http://www.gotsaggybags.com/

 

You know I looked into Got Saggy Bags and I just didn't like the reviews I read on other forums about this product. I just kept on reading about how the lids eventually end up caving in with Got Saggy Bags and they eventually end up ruining your bags in the long run because the lids aren't custom shaped to your bags lid like Leather Lid Inserts.

Got Saggy Bags just takes a flat piece of ABS uses as a lid inserts.

You can buy the do it yourself kit from Leather Lid Inserts, but I just don't have the time to sit down and do it myself.

I also found another site called Bag Bones but they didn't seem very reliable either.

 

I had got saggy bags in my 03 Heritage for 6 years. Bags never sagged. They looked as good on the day I traded her in as the day I rolled her out of the show room. With over 21k on the clock. Now that may not be much for some guys but I rode only on weekends and mostly road trips. My job doesn't allow for motorcycle travel.

Maybe the trick is to put them into the bags when new and not after they already are sagging. In any event they served me well.
Ratkiller

 

I just wonder why Harley Davidson hasn't gotten on the ball with this type of product. Why would they want their bags to look the way they do after a few years? You'd think they'd want to get in with one of these companies and promote their product. But from what I understand they don't like working with aftermarket companies. Even though it's a product that easily helps promote their bikes and make them look more luxurious then other motorcycle companies.

 

This is why I hate soft saddles, even one day I get a Road King, will get a RK standard w/hard saddle bags.

 

I think all harley needs to do with their new model soft bags is on the back of the bag where it bolts on. There's a piece of ABS where the bags bolt onto the bike. Why not extend the side of the ABS out so the sides of the bags don't cave in on you. Then all you have to worry about is the lid. But with that ABS support I doub't the lid would be that big of a problem.

Plus on the new 08 models they use a downgraded type of leather on the bags. It's not 100% leather which baffles me.

 

Does anyone know if there's a way to put hard saddle bags on a heritage softail classic without them being the heritage softail classic bags?

What kind of modifications would there need to be? I'm just wondering if the pipe placement would be an issue or not.

Let me know if you have any info on this method.

 

Harley was given the oppertunity to use bag liners by the owner of "Gotsaggybags" almost five years ago. He met with the higher ups in the company. After much discussion the MoCo's position was that the leather Heritage bags when aged, give the Heritage motorcycle "character" and that was the style most wanted in that model. Too bad they didn't ask the people that were purchasing the bikes.
As far as putting hard bags on the Heritage, there are several companies that sell kits to install the Road King or Ultra style bags on the bike.

 

any idea to what companies do the road king style bag kits for heritages?