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Why do some people choose to buy a Heritage with those classic looking leather saddlebags and then let those saddlebags go to ****? It just detracts from the "classic" look of the bike. If you're not going to take care of the saddlebags then why not buy a Deluxe or Fatboy?
this sort of bothers me. Why do people choose to buy a Heritage Classic, then go about completely changing it's looks.
I tell you what bothers me Joseph; it's when people give a **** about what somebody else does when what that somebody else is doing has no bearing on the person who's giving a ****.
For me what somebody else does is their own damn business and it's doesn't bother me unless what they are doing impacts me or mine.
However since you asked for opinions;
I bought my Heritage not just because of the way it looked but also the way it felt when I rode it.
After a while owning the Heritage I added Boom Audio to it so I had tunes and a bigger Klockwerks windshield which provided me and my Wife better wind protection.
However I still had issues with storage space when we were out on long rides so I added the leather tour pak.
As a Patriot Guard Rider I found myself riding in colder weather and the Klockwerks windshield didn't provide much hand protection.
Also the Boom Audio was fine for me while under 50mph but it provided nothing over 50mph or any enjoyment for my Wife at any speed.
That's when the fairing with an upgraded stereo system was added.
Once the fairing was added the hard bag conversion and Leather Pro lowers seem logical as that completed my Heritage "Bagger" conversion.
It should be noted however that given an hour my "Heritage Bagger" can easily be converted back to it's original classic look.
Now that you know at least why one person changed their Heritage's classic look perhaps you'll be less bothered.
The key however is in the two words above "their Heritage", as what you do with yours is really up to you and that doesn't bother me at all.
I guess my post bothered some, but it was not meant to. I just couldn't understand why a person would pay premium price for a heritage instead of just purchasing a bare bones softail standard and THEN customize. I guess I'm just old school and try and save money. I apologize for any "insult" I may have thrown out there. It wasn't my intention.
I guess my post bothered some, but it was not meant to. I just couldn't understand why a person would pay premium price for a heritage instead of just purchasing a bare bones softail standard and THEN customize. I guess I'm just old school and try and save money. I apologize for any "insult" I may have thrown out there. It wasn't my intention.
I really wasn't bothered by your inquiry or insulted so no apology is needed on my end.
I guess I also sometimes wonder why a person does something or acts a certain way, I just don't care so much to need their reason.
As to saving money; one reason for my conversion was in fact to save money as I too am somewhat thrifty.
For my "Heritage Bagger" conversion it cost me about $2250;
Fairing- $1200
Used tour pak with mount- $150
Leather pro lowers- $550
Hard bags with mount- $350
If I had traded my Heritage in for a Street Glide which is what I would have done I still would have the cost of adding the lowers and the tour pak.
Not to mention the loss in the trade-in as well as having to pay freaking 6% sales tax on the Street Glide.
So for me; for $2250 I have the bike that rides like I like it and has the looks and amenities that work for me.
Op. This can be a tough crowd sometimes. There is plenty of knowledge here so dont get discouraged with the posts. For what its worth i am on my 2nd Heritage and both were/are stock in the looks dept and I need the saggy bag fix myself.
Got the "Saggy Bags" kit here, have yet to put it on. So many words in the instructions.
When the wife and I were looking at bikes, we both stopped at the Heritage, looked at each other and we both knew this was the bike for us. (She later got her own, not Heritage.) We just totally loved the look of the bike. The only visual thing I changed was to add the removable luggage rack and hardware. I have, however, strongly considered a faring, many times, but haven't done it. Mostly because I'm a gadget guy and want to add electronic farkles to stuff. Heh. But maintaining the look is key. Esp. as mine is a 2016, I think only it and 2017 have the red conchos and I really love them. I'd like to go to hard bags, but I would have to figure out how to move the conchos, heh!
I understand the OP's question, though, but I also understand the responses. The look is indeed "classic", why mess with it? But at the end of the day, these bikes are indeed extensions of our personality and they ARE going to get modified like another said 100 owners with 300 reasons. In addition to customizing for visual reasons, sometimes it might be for practical reasons. 20,000 miles in the first year of owning the bike, doing 2-up, we had to have the luggage rack because we made so many out of town trips. (Now that I ride alone on my bike, I actually take the entire back seat, sissy bar and luggage rack off in favor of a fender bib. But it does have the metal studs, heh.)
The heritage Softail was first introduced in 1986 and for me seemed like the most amazing thing Harley had done in a long time. I loved everything about that bike back then. I bought a new black and cream in 89. I understand wanting to change things on your bike and most everyone does but nothing catches my eye quicker then a stock Heritage from the 80’s. There’s not many of them left because they were all customized. The rubbies came in and customizing your Heritage took off. was interesting times back then.
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