How to Order Custom Leather Motorcycle Saddlebags

Ordering a custom set of leather saddlebags takes four steps: pick the shape that suits your bike, pick the size, tell us what you want changed, and send us a couple of photos. Custom work usually starts from an existing model in our range rather than from a blank sheet, which keeps the price close to a catalogue bag; full-size pairs run $347 to $550 for a set of saddlebags, and the build time is shorter. 

Here's how each step works. 

Step 1 — Pick the shape 

This is the decision that matters most, because it determines how the bags sit against your fender and shocks. Everything else can be changed later. 

Step 2 — Pick the size and the shape

Once you know the shape, the model number tells you the rest. The first digit is the series: 100s are our  Premium full-size pairs, 300s are solo and bike-specific bags, 400s are the budget Standard line, and RK  models are built for Road Kings. The 400 series cannot be customized. 

The suffix is the size or variant. X is wider, +2 is two inches longer, P adds rear pockets, L and R are left and right solo bags, and T is throw-over. So the 103X+2 is a Pony Express, extra wide and two inches longer.  The 112P is a Deluxe Wide Angle with rear pockets. The largest standard pair is the 120 Special Slight  Angle at $550; single solo bags start at $155. 

If you're not sure how much you need: a day's ride and a rain jacket fits in a standard Slight Angle. Touring or two-up wants a Wide Angle, a +2 for extra length, or a Box Top for height. 

Pay attention to what will fit your bike; smaller bikes just cannot use big bags. Measure the space where the bags will sit and remember the turn signals, exhaust, and exterior shocks define the size. 

Step 3 — Say what you want changed

We can build any bag in the range to your specifications. Check our custom gallery for inspiration. Leather color, including a different color on  different parts of the bags, such as black bodies and brown lids. Studs and where they should go on the bag. Conchos and hardware. Contrast piping along the seams. 

Hand tooling worked into the hide. We can change the size of the bags, and we will also try to build bags to match a seat you already have. 

This is the part most companies can't do, and it's why the catalogue is a starting point rather than a menu. 

Step 4 — Send us this information

The more of the picture we have, the faster we can confirm exactly what will work on your bike:

• Year, make, and model. Fitment comes down to the year more often than people expect.

• A photo of the rear of the bike, from the side. That one picture shows us the shock position, fender lines, turn signal location, and exhaust clearance. 

• A photo of the seat, if you want the bags to match it. Tell us who made the seat and what color they used. We do mail leather samples so you can compare and choose the best match.

• What you actually carry. A tool roll and a rain jacket is a different bag from a week of luggage.

• Whether the bags stay on the bike, or need to come off in seconds. We have different options to meet your needs.

How long it takes

Build time depends on the work involved and the time of year. Straightforward custom orders move fastest in the slower autumn and winter months; heavy hand tooling, unusual colors, and bespoke mounting take longer. Spring and summer are the busiest stretch, so if you want bags for riding season,  order before it starts. 

What doesn't change 

Whatever you specify, the construction is the same. Hides come from cattle raised in Texas, tanned in  Milwaukee, then cut and stitched by hand in Stockton, California, where we've been building saddlebags since 1976 — more than 100,000 of them. Black leather is 10–11 oz full grain, drum-dyed so the color runs through the hide; the browns are a firm 8–9 oz full grain. The back of every bag is ABS-plastic reinforced with rubber so they hold their shape, and box top lids are ABS-reinforced as well. Stress points are hand-riveted as well as stitched with industrial-strength nylon thread. Materials and care details are in our FAQ. 

Frequently asked questions 

How do I order custom motorcycle saddlebags? 

Pick a base model from the range, tell us what you want changed — color, studs, conchos, piping,  tooling, hardware — and send photos of your bike and seat. We quote the build, then make it by hand.  Start by calling (209) 983-9200 or emailing rory@leatherworksinc.com. 

How much do custom leather motorcycle saddlebags cost? 

Custom work is quoted on top of a base model, so the starting point is the model you choose: $347 to  $550 for full-size pairs, from $155 for a single solo bag.

Can I get saddlebags that match my motorcycle seat? 

Yes. Send photographs of the seat, and we'll try to find the closest match, if not an exact match, in leather color and stitching so the bags and seat read as one set. 

What do the Leatherworks model numbers mean? 

The first digit is the series: 100s are Premium full-size pairs, 300s are solo and bike-specific bags, 400s are the budget Standard line which cannot be customized; please look at the premium line; RK models fit  Road Kings. Suffixes mark variants — X is wider, +2 is two inches longer, P adds rear pockets, L and R are left and right solos, and T is throw-over. 

Browse the full saddlebag range to find a shape you like, then call (209) 983-9200 or email  rory@leatherworksinc.com and tell us what you want changed.