Hey folks, I have a 2011 Fatboy Lo and I have the docking points for the Harley quick detach leather saddlebags. Each bag locks onto the mounts and there is a sort of arm that locks onto a mount point down by the passenger pegs.

Thing is, I would rather have hard saddlebags that match the vivid black on the bike, but I want to keep the quick detach options and hardware I have on the bike, and I'd like the bags to fit close and tight to the bike, for a clean, minimalist look. Anyone have something like this?

Thanks!

 

Hi Wabbit,

I'm actually looking for the exact same thing for my '13 Lo! So, I can't help yet, but I'll definitely be watching this thread. Hopefully we'll dig up something nice that will keep the nice clean lines of our bikes.

What gets me is that I have the stock exhaust and my dealer seems to think that most hard bags won't fit. Makes the bags quite expensive if they require a mandatory exhaust upgrade!

I'll post back if I find anything elsewhere.

-TiNB

 

You'd probably have to make custom mounts, I've never seen them, I would think strength and flexing would be a problem. With the factory exhaust, a hard bag would hang too low.

 

Yeah, I'm definitely starting to see that an OEM solution for this doesn't seem to be happening.

Maybe the Locking Leather Covered Rigid Saddlebags for Softail Models-53061-00B with a Ghost bracket or Easy bracket would work... if that is even a possibility.

Or the Hardstreet Slimbags with their own quick release bracket system?

I dunno. Either way, I can't seem to find a way for the HD quick detach system to work out-of-the-box. Hopefully others have better ideas.

Still looking!
-TiNB

 

There isn't an OEM solution. There is a company that makes aftermarket brackets to fit factory RK hard bags into the softail but for the life of me I can't remember it.

If you do find a suction I would be interested in your current setup so I can install it on my factory heritage bags.

 

If I find something to replace my current bags, I'll let you know!

I wonder if they could use the hard shell side that faces my bike, remove the leather sections and build fiberglass off the hard section?

 

They are on Ebay. However, the brackets have arms that go under the hard bag for support. There are 3 mounting points as what the OP described. They can be taken off in about 10 minutes. I have them on my bike.

HERE is the link to them on Ebay.

 

HERE is a posting in a thread here with the above pics.

 

Wildman, those look like it might work, thanks! Just not sure they will work with my pipes.
So I guess they work with whatever hard saddlebags you get?

 

My hard bags are off of a Road King. Any touring bags will work with the brackets. If you would like, I can detach one and take a pic for you.