Posts Tagged saddlebags

Hard Mounted or Throw Over Motorcycle Saddlebags

Motorcycle saddlebags have been around for more then 50 years. They are great for storing supplies for long trips. From everything like purses, tools, first aid kits, drinks and snacks, to spare helmets and cleaning supplies for your bike. There are so many uses for motorcycle saddlebags, as very few of the necessary items for long trips or even trips to the local supermarket actually fit in the pockets of bikers. In addition, there are a few items that should always be carried by bikers, and the pockets won’t accommodate them all, but motorcycle saddlebags will. With all the motorcycle saddlebags out there, what sets them apart? There are two main types of motorcycle saddlebags. There are hard mounted motorcycle saddlebags, and there are throw over motorcycle saddlebags.


Hard Mounted Motorcycle Saddlebags


For more stability, these hard mounted motorcycle saddlebags are definitely in the lead in this area. In the 1950’s a group of bikers drilled holes in their fenders to attach the motorcycle saddlebags. This prevented them from flying off and flapping around. After some major motorcycle manufacturers got wind of the new trend, they saw how popular it was among the bikers. Instead of having the bikers drill holes into their fenders, they made mounting for motorcycle saddlebags. These hard mounted motorcycle saddlebags are now custom on many bikes, and can be added to many more. If you add these hard mounted motorcycle saddlebags to a package with a new motorcycle, you might end up paying more then you would if you added them yourself. The dealer marks it up when they are adding it to the accessories. Now the question is whether you want hard leather or soft leather. Hard leather provides better protection for your items then the soft leather motorcycle saddlebags because the hard leather would resist any objects bumping into them better then the soft leather motorcycle saddlebags. These generally have mounting brackets to keep them off the wheels and other vital motorcycle parts.

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Motorcycle Saddlebags History

Saddlebags are most commonly used to carry luggage on a motorcycle. There are 2 major kinds of motorcycle saddlebags. Throw over saddlebags and hard mount saddlebags. The concept of hard mount saddlebags originated from throw over saddlebags which were used in early 1950 for the first time.


As the motorcycle industry experienced a big boom in 1960 especially after the Vietnam War the motorcycle luggage also evolved. As major motorcycle companies launched bigger and better motorcycle people started traveling farther on there motorcycles. Many riders formed groups and rode cross country and from city to city. The throw over style of saddlebags was soon replaced by a better and more reliable way of carrying luggage.


A group of riders drilled several holes in the back fender of their motorcycles in order to permanently bolt the saddlebags to the motorcycle. This permanent installation resulted in the saddlebags being more reliable and sturdy. This step also contributed towards the aesthetic appeal of the motorcycle. The trend soon gained popularity amongst the riders.

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