Anyone know who makes Harley's factory saddlebags? I'd like to get hold of just the molded plastic backs & steel mounting brackets & have some custom bags made that would mount like stock ones.

 

The leather ones??
I'd bet they source them out all over the place to different off-shore vendors of various varieties.

Not to sound like a broken record (sorry guys I promise I'll shut up already about my stinkin' bags) but that's exactly what Max did for my bags (his Ironbags).. The backs are molded fiberglass with stock hard-mounting so they fit really close to the bike and are strong, and they're as custom as you want them to be, and out of 12-14 oz leather.. from plain to fully studded or fringed out or conchos and even top cargo straps if you want. I think now he also offers quick-releases on the cover straps, which is kinda nice.

 

On Heritages.. The decked out fringe bags look pretty cool I think:

 

Yeah, those Ironbags are nice (pricey, but YGWYPF.) I want to use Bubba's detachable kit, and I understand it only works with stock bags. I'm also going for a different look than any current bags offer (something that looks like the '39 H-D accessory bag, but with modern hardware and mounting.)

 

Ya know.. That kit looks pretty cool.. It's kind of a variation on the design of the big OEM bags where they also attach at the rear peg position... Yeah that might be tough... Looks like you have to have that U-shaped brace to attach the 3rd mounting point to. That part for some reason is common only on the OEM's or other H-D brand bags with molded backs. I used Cycle Visions kit with H-D's hard leather bags with a similar U-brace and that worked pretty decent.. It does extend the bags out further from the bike which you might not care for. I wish Bubba's site had some more info or better pics of the hardware itself showing how it works. They're great though.. That's where I got my rear signal relocation license plate kit... Great product design.

 

You might try calling a place in san jose ca. called Just Leather, they have all kinds of leather products for riders.
You can look at the web site at justleathers.com or call them and talk to Mark at 408-286-3450

 

Some of the denizens of this website have posted close-up shots of the Bubba's saddlebag hardware. Looks pretty clean.

 

Yeah.. looks something like two bolts and an extra bracket.. clean but still relatively strong.