Aftermarket Leather Saddlebag ?'s

[Paquette]

JWL--yes Paul is an Indian patsy!!! LOL--You are correct about the western buckle style 48 to early 49 bags. Basicly a one year only. There are buckles available but they do not come close to the cheap, stamped thin metal of the OEM bags. H-D also used a downsized version for the lightweight ( Hummer) bikes. I have seen these bags sold on the God forsaken eBay for $2500.00 plus----

[T. Cotten]

I think we need to define some terms here, just so we can understand what we might be dealing with.

If OEM means "'original equipment manufacturer", then the part was produced by the marque, or was commissioned by the marque.

If it is ''branded", then it is proprietary to that marque, whether they made it, or a subcontracted supplier.

If it is OEM but not branded, then it can be 'aftermarket', even though it approximates the same specs.

(Just as Eaton returned to manufacturing HD-style hydraulic units long after HD abandoned them, they are not HD units, they are aftermarket made by the OEM.)

I am suggesting that these bags must be Milsco's made after HD desired them.
Or by special order. Either way, they would be still considered 'aftermarket' and OEM.
Its obvious that they are custom!

The holes in the back brings these well past the '60s if they fit the different bolt patterns on chubblehead fender rails. However there is no way to be certain that the manufacturer put them there, other than there is no other apparent means of attaching them.

...Cotten

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by jwl
C'mon Paul !! 47 Panhead??????? I know your an Indian guy at heart. I think the bags you are referring to are from 48 and 49. Buckles are available from saddle shops but I have not found EXACT replacements. Close though. I have an original set of bags with all of the buckles if you are interested. John L.

Actually I have seen photos of "1947" (1946?) Panheads taken on a Factory test trip a year or two before the model was introduced in 1948. Unfortunately the bikes are all equipped with winter windshields and leg guards and you can't see engine details very well. Plus the originals were tiny little (secret) snapshots (they were forbidden to take photos). But at least on one bike you can see a funny looking hydraulic front fork. They were bonafide pix from an old experimental test rider. The canned goods and sausage man...

[jwl]

Interesting!! Did the 46-47 Panheads have Loc-tite bags or bags with western buckles?

[Paquette]

In My humble opinion and from years of research I do not believe these bags were made by Milsco. I have searched the Milsco drawings extensively and I can find no reference or drawings for this bag. We all know that Harley as well as other companies farm out a lot of their production ( although H-D accessory catalogs say " made in our own factory and designed by our own engineers"). That would make these items OEM because they are offered by Harley and not available from the supplier. Harley is also VERY strict on their suppliers and do not allow them to sell products they make or have made for the motor company. The only exceptions I know of are a utility bag that Milsco also made for Indian 1936--44, and the WWII Military bags for Indian and Harley are the same, just shipped with different mounting hardware. Even with the excellent relationship I have with Milsco, I cannot buy even seat pans ( properly called shell assemblies) from them. Any motorcycles HD produced in 47 or 48 would be the Locktite bag or an early version of it as there were at least 3 different Locktite designs prior to the one most folks are familiar with. And lastly, I can reproduce most H-D bags from 1929--1957 and one would be hard pressed to tell them from originals.

[T. Cotten]

Paquette!

I bow to your expertise in this field, of course!

How curious that someone would go to such extreme detail to replicate Milsco, obviously not for restoration, back when no one probably cared.


...Cotten

[Paquette]

Cotten,
Thanks for the kind words but if someone in the 60's were making a saddlebag it would stand to reason that they would just naturally ( please excuse my spelling) copy and use an older bag as a pattern just as I have done over the years. Harley would have raised holy hell if Milsco tried to sell this bag!!!! That being said, I know that it is old ( from the rivet patterns) and I think an authentic reproduction. We also have to realise that H-D nor Milsco ever recieved patents for anything until the 1954 "Bubblebag" Royalite plastic bags. I have a copy of the 1953 keynote address that Carl Swenson ( the president of Milsco) gave when they threw a party for Harleys 50th anniversary when he states that the new plastic saddlebag will make the leather ones obsolete!!! As I think most of you know, I am in the final drafts of my book on H-D seats and saddlebags and I have tried to cover all the bases to make this the first work that really nails down all the aspects of this subject!!!!

I really love you guys on this website--THIS IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT-----M

[exeric]

Paquette, a book like yours is going to be an invaluable restoration tool. How soon can we expect to see it, and how far back will it go in H-D's history.

[Paquette]

The working title is " A Guide to Harley Davidson Saddles and Saddlebags, 1905--1965". It has more than 80 illustrations and the research has been based on original Milsco production drawings, H-D accessory catalogs, US patent applications, and over 8 years of restoration work by myself rather than the "he said, I saw once" type of material out there now. It is being published by Booksurge and will be available on Amazon.com and my website. I hope to have it out this summer, just in time for the winter restoration season!!!