I recently went from a chopped (Advan Black) to a king (OEM), simply because I wanted to carry my full face on road trips and add speakers to the rear. As mentioned earlier, the vivid black king base model (chrome hardware, lid, bottom and inner mounting plate) was $1066. When you go to the dealer the catalog has this same set up in all offered colors for a little more in cost and/or you can op for black hardware for a little more. I op'd for black hardware and I believe it was about a hundred bucks more. I then bought a Saddlemen back rest and oem liner for it. All-in-all, I think the tour pack ran me about $1,500. I would think the chopped version be be slightly less.

 

You paid $1500 for King OEM tour pack with everything???? Where?

 

From Harley-Davidson-
Vivid Black King Tour Pack with black hardware PN:53000775DH $1,121.95 (https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...e/p/53000399DH) Scroll down to details under the link and select additional colors here, in the file it opens scroll down to page 698 for the different colors of the king and chopped tour pack part numbers with chrome or black hardware.

Tour Pak Lock PN: 90300030 $65.18

King Tour Pack Liner PN:53000323 $98.95 (the liner put me over the $1,500 price point.)

From Saddlemen-
Road Sofa CF Tour Pack Backrest Pad PN:814-07-TPACK-CF $290

Total:$1,576.08

I did get a veterans discount from Saddlemen, which I believe knocked 10% off that $290.

 

I took a different route to be able to carry my modular helmet someplace other than my head when riding, since it doesn’t fit in a chopped pak. I like taking my half helmet along and having a place for the modular when not wearing it. This Saddlemen trunk is about $130. Helmet fits right in it. So I still have use of the chopped pak for clothes, etc. The smaller saddlemen roll bag on the pillion is about $50, and I have everything in there that is used infrequently at most. Jumper pack, flat repair kit with little air compressor, bike cover, rain pants.

 

Ok I read your post as you got everything for 1500, which seemed low. Add HD mounting bracket at 259, your Saddleman backrest and you are at over 2k.

But yeah, if you count ONLY tour pack, liner and a lock, then 1500 sounds right.

Still, way more than AB with complete set for little over 1k

 

OEM Tour pak with OEM black hardware, OEM paired key/lock and Saddlemen back rest, all for $1,477.

If someone already has the detachable mounting points, the $78 detachable mounting rack that can be had on Amazon (I have used it for 2-3 years without any issues), would give a ride a completely usable tour pack on their bike their passenger would enjoy for less then $1,600.

Now if the rider wants additionals like, lights, liner luggage rack and speakers, that will push them closer to the $2k mark,which is where I am at now.

 

Would you say there was much difference from AvantBlack to OEM Tour Pack? If you were really going to examine both, would you see the difference?

 

Here is what I can say, I had the Advan Black chopped tour pack for about a year and a half, I put a luggage rack on it and did a few trips with the bag full (not super heavy stuff) and my full face strapped to the rack, it worked get for its purpose. Last September I was riding into work, had nothing in the bag, hit a pothole or large dip in the road and heard a pop. It sounded like an object hitting the top of the saddle bag or tour pack lid and I really thought nothing of it. When I got to work, I opened the bag to put my helmet and jacket into it and the pop sound I heard was base of the bag completely breaking from side to side along the mounting plate. After contact with my vender and Advan Black, I was sent a replacement bottom despite being well outside of the warranty, the company stood behind its product and I give them props for that, pretty confident HD wouldn't give the same, but who knows.

While I was waiting to see what Advan would do, I looked into the OEM King and decided to get it. What I can say when comparing the two pack, the OEM bag seems to be a bit more solid, as in less flex in the material. Also the hardware, the latching handle, the OEM has a much smoother action them the AB one (kinda like comparing an Auto Ordnance 1911 to a Kimber 1911), the locking mechanism one the OEM doesn't require finding that sweet spot to lock the latch. As to visual appearance (paint), just looking at the two bags, I wouldn't be able to tell you who made which. The base plate in the king encompasses the whole bottom of the bag due to it being designed to support the side marker lights, while the AB's plate only covers the mounting points. I cannot compare the back pads, the chopped one had the wedge (which looks really uncomfortable), but it looks like the OEM version. As to the king, AB's wrap around, I am not a fan of its plain look or the diamond stitch, so I wouldn't have ordered it. Having seen the OEM ones for years, I can say the Saddlemen one looks far better.

IMHO, if you have the money I would recommend getting the OEM pak (overall a higher quality product), but I wouldn't steer anyone away from the AB one if the funding is more in their wheelhouse.

 

I took the advice of @BrandonSmith and got the one linked from his in-depth review. Even with new hardware and blue thread lock on everything, I'm in it for less than $300. The mounting hardware is genuine HD and the vast majority of the time, it's not on the bike. I only use it for longer trips. I don't lock it and will PC the hinges and lock at some point when I do my next batch of home brew PC in the garage. I have been very happy and it was even *air quotes* color matched to the denim of my bike.

 

Ah ok, yeah I remember your post about AB. In-fact, your story made me want to go with them for my TP. But now, as I do every day, struggling with the decision if I should go with HD one. I mean, something that will be used for longer trips maybe twice a year? I am almost tempted to go with Amazon one as @NoRegerts did. I still have time to decide, but I will need to make that decision soon. Part of me, wants to keep things HD and just buy once, cry once and have something that I know will give me peace of mind. Then there is Amazon, which is 300 bucks for everything. Most have good experiences with it. Should I care if I use it only couple times per year? But then again, having solid, HD one would be better, but damn.. the cost...ughh