Bags
from Carolina Leather
WHY? I
like the "solo" look, but sometimes I need the carrying
capacity of saddlebags. I like the type that throw over the fender,
but I don't like the looks of the chrome braces used to support them.
With my chrome fender rail I can use a pair of bags without them
rubbing on the fender, and if the bags are less than about 12"
deep they won't need braces. I saw a recommendation on the ISRA
bulletin board for bags by Carolina
Leather Works and checked out their site. They had a nice
selection of 10 oz (really heavy) leather bags, and I found a set
(#788P) that seemed to fit my needs. I placed the order online.
SERVICE. Excellent.
The site is easy to understand and navigate. Ordering was simple. The
bags were in stock and arrived in five days--not bad since I ordered
during the Christmas shipping rush. Packaging was good and was
proudly marked "Made in America." I was really impressed
with the quality of the workmanship of these bags. Construction was
of extra heavy leather and seams and piping were neat and straight. I
believe that they will hold up much better than the flimsy bargain
bags. I opted for the bags without a lot of decoration, but I
consider them to be very nice looking.
INSTALLATION. A real
no-brainer. I just threw them over the fender rail and tied them
down. Installation took about 30 seconds. Later, I modified the bags
to use a set of Ghost Brackets. See the write-up here.
RESULTS. Great. They
fit my needs exactly and look good on the bike, too! If you are
looking for a quality set of bags you should check out Pete Yates at
Carolina Leather Works.
Worth the money? Definitely. |