Open Road Luggage Blog

You have been riding around town all winter long and you are ready for a longer trip.  The bike has been serviced and it is running great.  You get your gear together and figure out how everything is going to fit.  Looking at the weather you plan around the rain and bad weather hoping to miss most of it.  Now let’s get the motorcycle saddlebags on the bike on, go over your check list and get going.  Nothing is stopping you now.

Want a motorcycle saddle bag with a little bit of sass?  Here’s one with fringes and tassels for a little flair to give you a great look.  This bag is UV protected so it won’t turn white in extreme heat.  Made of PVC and is waterproof.   They are 14″ in length and 11″ high with easy zippered on and off.  With a width of 5.25″ there is plenty of room.  Inside there are also four pockets.  And with all this, there is a lifetime warranty

I was talking to a friend of mine today and he mentioned that the saddlebags he had on his motorcycle had gotten wet and sort of fell apart and lost their shape and he was looking for another set.  I mentioned to him that he should look into hard saddlebags.  They have the look of traditional saddlebags but are made of PVC.  They are durable.  Some are waterproof and some have a lifetime warranty.  They hold their shape and look great.

Daytona is not the only show in Florida. Leesburg and Eustis are two other great places to visit.  Both towns are about a couple hours ride from Daytona on the southern edge of the Ocala National Forest. While you are there, you could  spend some time riding through the National Forest getting in touch with nature, or visit the many lakes in the area.  With your leather saddlebags on the bike you could spend time visiting the shops.  You never know what you might find.

Well it is the begining of the year and like everyone else you probably have made some resolutions and more than likely have broken most of them.  Like me, if you own a motorcycle, one was to do more riding.  To do that, you need more free time.  Let’s take out the calendar and plan this out.  Once a week, mark a few hours or even a day for just riding .  Keep the motorcycle saddlebags packed so they can just be thrown on and you can go.  Have fun.

Reading the classified in the newspaper, I started to look through the yard sales listing to see if any were in the area worth going to.  Always looking for a deal I wrote down the addresses and set out to see if any treasures could be found.  After several stops something caught my eye.  There was a set of old leather saddlebags.  Some of the stitching needed to be repaired and they needed a good coat of oil to bring back the shine.  Would they fit?

I hate days like this.  The weather is lousy, wet and cold. The wind is blowing, the rain is coming down in sheets, with no sign of letting up.   Not a good day for riding.  But it could be a good day to stay dry and check your gear.  Go through the list.  Engine oil needs to be changed, tire pressures checked,  lights checked, clutch and brake cables lubed, leather saddlebags on.  Since there is nothing else to do, you might as well change the oil.

The weather is grey cold and dreary. Your to do list is a mile long and you start your projects but don’t finish them. You are pacing around the house. Every person you call feels the same way. Classic signs of cabin fever.

Best solution, road trip. That will perk your spirit a little. You just got a new set of motorcycle saddlebags and it is time to try them out. You just had the bike serviced and it is ready to go. What are you waiting for?

Looking around there seems to be a lot more hard saddlebags on motorcycles. No not the hard fiberglass bags. These look just like leather. I’ve seen some with studs or conchos or even plain. When you take a closer look they are made of PVC material

These bags hold their shape and some are waterproof. Just think being out in a driving rain pulling over under an overpass and pull out your gear out of your bag and it is dry.