Saddle Bags
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,378
Likes: 2
From: Macon, GA USA
I lock mine as I cannot afford to take a chance. All depends on if I am riding locally or on a long trip what I keep in them.
Locally I keep a Gore-tex rain suite, which Gore-tex is, the only materiel that is water proof and not water resistant. I keep the tools that came with the bike and two or three others. A small shock pump, cassette take box as my 02 Ultra is the last year for cassettes tapes, bungee cords to tie stuff on my racks. Some soft tee shirts to clean my windshield. I all so have a tourpack, lower fairing with glove box only on the left because the right lower faring does not have one for with the sidecar lower fairing, pouches on my dash and on my rear crash bars, sidecar with trunk and rack. So when I am on one of my road trips or camping I am comfortable. To me unless it is 500 miles one way it is not a road trip. You never have too much room.
Locally I keep a Gore-tex rain suite, which Gore-tex is, the only materiel that is water proof and not water resistant. I keep the tools that came with the bike and two or three others. A small shock pump, cassette take box as my 02 Ultra is the last year for cassettes tapes, bungee cords to tie stuff on my racks. Some soft tee shirts to clean my windshield. I all so have a tourpack, lower fairing with glove box only on the left because the right lower faring does not have one for with the sidecar lower fairing, pouches on my dash and on my rear crash bars, sidecar with trunk and rack. So when I am on one of my road trips or camping I am comfortable. To me unless it is 500 miles one way it is not a road trip. You never have too much room.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,053
Likes: 12,327
From: Arkansas
Mine are usually empty when I put them on and leave the house. Usually have **** in them when I get home (beer, wine etc).
If I'm taking **** someplace when I leave home, they will be full when I leave the house and empty when I get back.
Sometimes they have **** in them when I leave and have the same **** in them when I get home (rain gear for example).
I've never carried cinderblocks in my saddle bags and wouldn't recommend it but suppose you could if really wanted to.
Hope that helps.
EDIT....BTW, welcome to the forum and don't let us get you down. It's all in good fun and most of us on here during the day are a bunch of sarcastic old bastards anyway.
If I'm taking **** someplace when I leave home, they will be full when I leave the house and empty when I get back.
Sometimes they have **** in them when I leave and have the same **** in them when I get home (rain gear for example).
I've never carried cinderblocks in my saddle bags and wouldn't recommend it but suppose you could if really wanted to.
Hope that helps.
EDIT....BTW, welcome to the forum and don't let us get you down. It's all in good fun and most of us on here during the day are a bunch of sarcastic old bastards anyway.
Last edited by IronAss; Feb 12, 2013 at 10:42 AM.
Trending Topics
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 13,023
Likes: 989
From: Just Outside Chicago
But i will say if you learn the search tool here on HDF you will also find ALOT of good suggestions.
Mostly for me one has tools..One has rain gear and some extra clothes..
One thing i always carry is a copy of some good reading material..EasyRider,ect. just incase bike breaks down (And i have wrong tools) and i have to wait for help. I ride alone and get very lonely quick
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,053
Likes: 12,327
From: Arkansas
Don't put items that are too much above the recommended weight rating of the bags and I personally would never leave a firearm in a saddlebag if I was going to be away from the bike for any length of time.
If they are hard bags locking them will probably help to keep thieves at bay but if they are leather I wouldn't bother. A locked bag say's "hey there is good **** inside of this bag" and a thief with a good edged tool will have them off pretty quick.
As someone else said, just ride and you will figure it out along the way.
Have fun.
Last edited by IronAss; Feb 12, 2013 at 10:57 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,733
Likes: 38
From: Linden, NC
Different pieces of warm up gear like gloves, a neck gator, rain suit. A Rand Mcnally road atlas just in case I turned right instead of left. A ratty old towel for wiping stuff off. Some old flyers from poker runs. Important stuff like that.
I do have locks on 'em, but rarely actually lock them. Much easier just to take them off if I have to spend the night at some seedy hotel.
I do have locks on 'em, but rarely actually lock them. Much easier just to take them off if I have to spend the night at some seedy hotel.
Last edited by Weevil; Feb 12, 2013 at 12:06 PM.