Hard Bags

[Mike C]

I'm looking for some advice out there.  I'm interested in pruchasing hard bags for my '99 Valkyrie.  There are so many products out there, I'm a bit confused, especially since I cannot see/feel the product.  Is fibergalass a good option.  I see some products out there for $300, and I'm a bit skeptical.  Can you purchse the Honda "Tourer" bags from Honda?  Has any one had any luck purchasing and installing hard bags?

Any help or direction would be appreciated!  Be Safe All!!

[MP]

I put Interstate bags on my 97 standard.  Just buy used bags and mounts on ebay, paint to match, and they fit perfect.  Either IS or Tourer bags work.  I think this is the "best" option, but it is NOT the cheapest!

MP

[designer]

Forget about purchasing tourer bags from Honda. cost is too great, 2 or 3 thousand if they have them.  Your best bet is to purchase used bags if you want Honda originals and deal with the paint.  I work at Honda and ran the numbers. I purchased used and painted to my liking.

You also get what you pay for as far as 300 dollar bags go.

[BF]

I'm putting the Mustang hard bags on mine (they come plain or with studs).......







Got 'em for $705.00.  They were on back order for 2 1/2 months, but they've finally been delivered and are happy in my garage eagerly awaiting me to install them.  They come very well packed and secured in a hard fiberglass box.  The box alone must've been 100 bucks.  I'm going to use these to mount them on.....

[f6john]

    If you can't find used Honda hard bags, Champion makes the best aftermarket bags for the Valkyrie that I have seen. Not cheap, but very high quality.

[Robdawg13]

BF - I really like the look of the Mustang bags also -  Please post how your install with the factory brackets goes.  This looks like a great option!

[JimC]

OEM are the best bet by far, but at $1,200 or more for used plus paint, is pricey,

Champion are probably the closest to the OEM for size and shape, but again at $1,200 plus paint (or do they come painted for that price?)

Mustang like the ones above are very nice, serve the purpose as intended at about half the cost.

I bought Jumbo Tsukayu bags, (their standard bags are more comparable in size to the OEM's)  the Tsukayu's are fiberglass bags, great mounting system, look very close to original, (a little more rounded perhaps) $500 shipped to my door, then paint.

It is all in what you want. Function, Form, Looks, Cost?

Do a search on any one of the names mentioned, and you will have at least a nights worth of reading to do.

Jim  

[RTaz]

Mutazu bags $348 delivered in gloss black. They are a lockable hard bag with lights, no they are not going to win a prize for best bags but their not bad.

[mrider]

because the honda bags are made of gold......yeah i know...i have bought a pair of used Harley bags for 300 they are very clean and black so paint isn't a issue at the moment, after i make the brkt i'll have about 350 in to them. 

[Tropic traveler]

Bought a set of NationalCycle Cruiser bags for $500 barely used & the brackets new for $125. Tossed out the Dzus quick fasteners & bolted them on instead. The lock is decent, they don't leak at all, but they hold less than OE Tourer bags. They have good lines for the Valk.
Eventually I will add some silver accent painting to make them match the '99 Black & Silver to complete the Standard to Tourer conversion.
Nothing is as good as the factory set up with the OE mounting system. The bottom bar of the OE mount keeps the bags protected in case of a tip over. The Valk just rests on the engine crash bar & the bag mount with virtually no damage.




 

[Paxton]

Got the same bags / same deal as RTaz. Since "Dragonfly" is Black and FASTER than all others, I did not have to paint them.
https://picasaweb.google.com/103917731019176896112/HardBags?authkey=Gv1sRgCMKX7ZPyoPq-_wE

You can't beat them for the price. Their suggested carrying capacity is 10 lbs each.
They do hold up nicely with the brackets that come w/them... although a bit of reinforcement would be good.

You need to open and close them w/TLC... do NOT place ANYTHING on the lids when they are open.
Rear lighting is great.
They come with another / different set of lights.

I generally liked the others w/different light fixtures... but I thought that the other lights are too large for my taste.
SPECIFICATIONS:

RS Hard saddle bags - Sold in a pair - Made by Mutazu                                   
The set of RS saddlebags comes w/ the mounting kit Free of charge.
* Overall outside Dimensions: Length 27" x Height 14 " x Width 11"
Colors available: Black
Standard Features:
•   Doors open away from the Bike with the Rubber strap
•   Glossy Black finish
•   High impact ABS plastic for Durable construction
•   "Click open" locks w/ two keys for more security
•   Built in Chrome trim LED lights
•   Classic Retro Style fits most Cruisers 
•   Washable floor mats
•   Newly improved universal mounting kits 
 Note: 
1)  These are the universal bags which are designed to attach to the rear fender rails of your bike by using our universal mounting kit.
There are two ways to adjust the mounting positions.  (a) By the adjustment on the mounting brackets. 
(b) By the locations of the holes to be drilled on the back of the bags.
You have doubt if our brackets will fit your bike? Please use the Easy Brackets or the Ghost Brackets instead.
These brackets are specific design to fit your bike. We don't carry these brackets.
 
2)  The Built in tail lights can be used as the auxiliary lights in supplement to the stock lights of the motorcycle.

===================================================================================================

"If only they would all just leave me alone with my old cars and my motorcycles,
I would be content to let life, and the world pass me by"
— Alison Weir (Innocent Traitor)

[9Ball]

Back in the day, the NC bags were very inexpensive....about $450 with the mounting brackets and shipping included.  I ended up putting more money into the paint job than the bags cost.  Seems like over the past few years, NC has "fair trade" type pricing...everyone seems to be charging manufacturer's suggested retail price...closer to $700 or $750 for the bags and extra for the brackets.  At that price, the OEM bags become a better option.  The nice thing about the NC bags is the quick release feature.  Five seconds and they're off the bike.

The new vinyl covered Mustang bags are nice....read somewhere that these are made by the same overseas people that make the jumbo bags (Tsuyaku or some such).  The benefit of these is you don't have to spend a lot to paint them.  If I had to buy new bags, then these would be at the top of the list.  Got to handle them at Americade and they were nice.

old picture, but shows the bags match the bike well...

[MacDragon]

Nice job on the bikes shown here...    RTaz... for the cheap Mutazu's... you did a great job on making them right for the bike.  I've been thinking about the RS bags, but up in the air.  I have the smaller LN bags on my Ace and they work but have to be babied cuz of the cheap quality.  Plastic with plastic hinges.  They are holding up for now.  Their brackets were thrown away.  I have EasyBrackets on Ace and Draco.

[sergio256]

Hi RTaz,
This is really a very nice set on your VALK, I have the same colour VALK ( 1997) and I'd like to mount hard saddlebags instead of my genuine leather bags.
The price of the RS MUTAZU is very interesting and low compared to other providers but I read a lot of negative reviews on it , what is your opinion?
I have several technical questions :
As the bags dimensions are large, I worry about positionning the bags without modifications :
did you need to relocate the turn signals ?
what about the shock absorber ( i don't know if it is the right wording) ? How did you do to avoid the bags in contact with the shock absorber ?
When I look to the photo ( backside) , it gives me the feeling the space between the fender and the bag is not the same between the top and bottom of the bag , is it right ?
Which mounting kit did you use ? I think to use the current one ( same as BF ).
The painting is very nice did you do by yourself ? if not the price of the painting is probably higher than the price of the bags ?
Thanks a lot for your answers .
Sergio

[da prez]

Mike , I have two sets of bags to choose from. Turquoise and black , or strawberry and cream. The s/c bags have been repaired and painted with the seams filled but could be repainted black with no problem. The T/B are pristine .

                                                    da prez

[Bighead]

Hi RTaz,
This is really a very nice set on your VALK, I have the same colour VALK ( 1997) and I'd like to mount hard saddlebags instead of my genuine leather bags.
The price of the RS MUTAZU is very interesting and low compared to other providers but I read a lot of negative reviews on it , what is your opinion?
I have several technical questions :
As the bags dimensions are large, I worry about positionning the bags without modifications :
did you need to relocate the turn signals ?
what about the shock absorber ( i don't know if it is the right wording) ? How did you do to avoid the bags in contact with the shock absorber ?
When I look to the photo ( backside) , it gives me the feeling the space between the fender and the bag is not the same between the top and bottom of the bag , is it right ?
Which mounting kit did you use ? I think to use the current one ( same as BF ).
The painting is very nice did you do by yourself ? if not the price of the painting is probably higher than the price of the bags ?
Thanks a lot for your answers .
Sergio

Can't speaking for Rtaz but this thread is 4 yrs old and he hasn't visited in 9 months or so. Just FYI.

[Ice]

    If you can't find used Honda hard bags, Champion makes the best aftermarket bags for the Valkyrie that I have seen. Not cheap, but very high quality.

I have a set of Champion hard bags I bought in 2010, NO they are not cheap, the only real issue with them is the paint job, you can order in any color you want, but it is not a strong paint, from day one mine have been chipping. It seems everytime I go out I find another ding in the bags.
They are strong and well made (asides the paint) and do not leak even in Monsoon conditions.

[DarkSideR]

You might also want to consider the Leather Lyke Hard Bags. They are black ABS. I have had mine on my Valk for 7 years and they still look great. They mount right to bike (no additional hardware), they lock, and you don't have to paint them. Hope this helps.
https://leatherlyke.com/products/catalog/cross-country-motorcycle-saddlebags-honda-valkyrie

[Wizzard]

I love my leatherlyke bags 

[john]

VALKYRIE SADDLE BAGs '97 Red/White w/ Brackets & Key - FREE SHIP for Buy It Now
$600.00
0 bids

 $1,050.00
 Buy It Now

[sergio256]

Thanks for your answer BIGHEAD, I guess your bags are TSUKAYU bags ?
question : what mounting kit did you use ? and how does it fit with the shock absorber because the bags seem to be set close to the fender , and of course it is really nicer when it is close to the fender

[Jopson]

I got tsukayu strongs on mine. Love them. Would have gone for OEM, but found these used on EBay for $200.

[Andy Cote]

I found some used National Cycle Cruzliner bags locally on Craigslist.  They weren't perfect and needed paint.  Paint was a big expense.  I also found some NOS mounts for a pretty good deal.





I used a couple pix from this site and handed them to the body shop owner.  Wasn't sure I should invest this much - did I say paint was expensive?  Buy I think they came out nice.  Compliments every day.

[Bighead]

Thanks for your answer BIGHEAD, I guess your bags are TSUKAYU bags ?
question : what mounting kit did you use ? and how does it fit with the shock absorber because the bags seem to be set close to the fender , and of course it is really nicer when it is close to the fender

No mine came off a wrecked Interstate bought them off ebay with all mounting hardware for $525 (got lucky) and painted them to match

[MarkT]

I bought some expensive '97 Tourer bags for $4100.  Pretty nice.  Great paint.  And they came with a free motorcycle with only 26k miles. Still waiting for delivery via Haul-Bikes.



Apart from that, Deerslayer has NC bags which held up well until the Dzus fasteners on the rt side dropped it on the road.  I replaced the bags for cheap on ebay ($200 IIRC) slightly used, and increased the friction on the fasteners so it doesn't happen again.



Before that, I had Leatherlyke bags which SUCKED.  They cracked on the mount points, had to reinforce them.  I also had the braces to keep them off the shocks - those are out of production like nearly all Valk bling (except my pipes). Was glad when they were destroyed in the deer incident and the insurance paid for the Nationals.  The mod to reinforce them, if you have them, they will crack - here's the mod:

http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/LL_Reinforcement_Mod/ll_reinforcement_mod.html

[Valkorado]

I bought some expensive '97 Tourer bags for $4100.  Pretty nice.  Great paint.  And they came with a free motorcycle with only 26k miles. Still waiting for delivery via Haul-Bikes.

That's a damn good deal for those bags!  You can probably find use for that attached hardware, too.  That's the original color of the Silver Bullet (it was already silver when I bought it).  Great score Mark, she's a beaut.  Congrats!

[Jess from VA]

Nice.   

[john]

     " And they came with a free motorcycle with only 26k miles " ....   

[sergio256]

Really nice and a very good deal , it is impossible to find such a beauty for that price in Europe !!!

[DarkSideR]

I bought some expensive '97 Tourer bags for $4100.  Pretty nice.  Great paint.  And they came with a free motorcycle with only 26k miles. Still waiting for delivery via Haul-Bikes.

Nice find Mark. I often hear you say that you don't want to wear out the Deer Slayer. I have to admit my last 2,400 round trip ride on the Valk really took a toll on the bike. The bike was given to me by my Dad, and is something quite special to me. I often times want to buy an Interstate or Tourer for the long hauls, and save Dad's bike for the special outings.

Anyone want to start making bets as to how long before Mark has custom exhaust on the new bike?

[MarkT]

Nyuk nyuk.  Got a list of stuff for Jade - and most of it on hand already before the bike is here.  Belly tank, hi-powered AC spots, the new Cyclops LED headlight, LED corner lights and relays and diodes to wire them, LED flasher, Dan-Marc, Clear lenses, baker wings, PC-8 power panel, Garmin mount, Super Highlighter parts, the Ultimate driver's seat & backrest and back OEM pillion off of Deerslayer (might want to replace the back seat OEM pads but I like the "Made in USA" legend); and parts for the exhaust.  Have tons of LED colored light fixtures but haven't decided if I'm going there - got 326 LEDs on Deerslayer and that took years to install. Still need to order a horn upgrade, throttle lock ( unless I use the on-hand Vista-cruise ), shocks, a small set of spots for the crashbars, pullback risers, highway pegs, fwd controls (that one is tentative) and the mods to support that, like on Deerslayer.  Probably not going to add a lot of chrome.  Not only expensive, Unobtainium, but also "chrome don't get you home". Likely will upgrade the stereo - no doubt not enough power.  Probably not adding air system or heated clothes plug, definitely not the Compufire alternator. Probably going for the Michelin ice-X tire. Though I have several rear tires with much rubber left on them. Oughta use them up before they age on the shelf. 

BTW - Various definitions of Jade are, besides indicating the color of the gemstone (which is what I meant)
1.) either of two minerals, jadeite or nephrite, sometimes green, highly esteemed as an ornamental stone for carvings, jewelry, etc.
2.) A vulgar promiscuous woman who flouts propriety - a disreputable, ill-tempered, or indiscreet woman.
3.) An outgoing, often flirtatious girl.
4.) an old or over-worked horse - a worn-out, broken-down, worthless, or vicious horse.
5.) to exhaust or make exhausted from work or use


So basically my new ride is a worn-out slut, flirty, overworked, broken-down, worthless, rode hard and put away wet.  Hmm.  Maybe I can fix it up.  Basically put lipstick on a pig.  Where have I heard that recently?

[Chillerman]

Mark, I have a nice set of MarkT 5" by 36" blade cut with organ pipes in them that I will sell you for a good price  .  I kept them when I sold my bike.

[MarkT]

I heard those are pretty good pipes.  Haven't got a set like that myself but I do have a different model and I met the guy who makes them...  Cool dude. 

[Gryphon Rider]

I heard those are pretty good pipes.  Haven't got a set like that myself but I do have a different model and I met the guy who makes them...  Cool dude.

[CamTom12]

Reviving an old thread…

What’s the best option these days?

Mine is the cream/blue color scheme. I can’t find any used tourer or IS bags on eBay in those colors. I found some leather-wrapped Viking bags at a good price though. I think they’d look ok.

Your thoughts?

[Serk]

Mine's also a '98 Blue and Ivory. I put National Cycle hard bags on it 20+ years ago, always meant to get 'em custom painted but have just left 'em the stock black, I've gotten used to the look...

[Rams]

It is all in what you want. Function, Form, Looks, Cost?

Jim  

Some of the best advice I've read in quite a while.   


Rams

[Jess from VA]

OE are best, but cost, mounts and paint add up.  And don't forget that the OE bag mounts include very effective guards that work in tandem with the engine guards to hold the bike up at about 40 degree in a tip over or a fall and slide (holding the bike up from damage in all but a fall and tumble).

(As detailed above) the best closest looking to OE are Tsukayu.  Strongs or Jumbo Strongs (if you will need more storage).  But they will still need paint (look to local auto body shops, I got some hardbags painted to match for a few hundred once.  They had worked on my wife's cars.... multiple times  ).

https://www.tsukayu.com/Strong.htm

It looks like Tsukayu now come in fiberglass (heavier) and ABS (lighter).

Looks like they now offer OE color matching paint in single tone ($350) or two tone ($450).  Two tone would be sweet, but two tone OEs also have pinstripes, and picking the best of your two color bike may be easier (cheaper too).

The only thing I'm not crazy about is that the bags are sort of undercut and angled back in the front.  OE bags cover most of the shocks in front.


These are the Jumbo Strongs.  See the bag's front angle?


And I'm not sure what hits in a tip over or fall and slide.  They sell some little bolt on bag guards for Strongs and Jumbo Strongs as accessories which would protect from rubs, but it looks like a fall might just crack the bags at the bag guard mounts.

 

[Rams]

And I'm not sure what hits in a tip over or fall and slide.  

All the expensive stuff........................

Rams

[98valk]

Reviving an old thread…

What’s the best option these days?

Mine is the cream/blue color scheme. I can’t find any used tourer or IS bags on eBay in those colors. I found some leather-wrapped Viking bags at a good price though. I think they’d look ok.

Your thoughts?

that '98 color scheme which I have also was not offered as a tourer model. The closest is I/S model with that blue but silver as 2nd color.
So u have to have the bags painted to match.  Also look for shadow Ace tourer bags. they are exactly the same as used on the valkyrie.