Softail-to-Bagger in Seconds

10 We then slipped the supplied rubber grommets into the holes and installed the bags. The Quick Disconnect kit features Quarter Turn Locking fasteners (QTL) that allow you to easily install and remove the bags. The Slant bags have a rigid backside that helps them keep their shape. Inside is an elastic mesh pocket to help organize your items.

11 The BR3400 ($164.95) travel bag from Saddlemen is a very universal bag that will fit on just about any bike with or without a sissybar. The bag measures 19 inches tall, 14 inches wide, and 12 inches deep and offers 3,400ci of storage capacity.

12 Since this bike didn't have a sissybar installed we used the Saddlemen Versa-Mount under-seat yoke and harness to secure the bag. The Versa-mount installs under the passenger seat and the Velcro yoke allows you to adjust it so the straps hang just over the sides of where the seat would be.

13 Once the seat was re-installed we used the supplied quick disconnect straps to secure the bag to the Versa mount. If your bike has a sissybar the bag has a multi-adjustable sissybar mount system that will mount to a sissybar of just about any dimension.

14 The BR3400 offers long distance comfort with a removable pad that can be Velcroed to the front of the bag as a backrest. When not in use the pad can be stored in a pouch in the back of the bag, which also doubles as sort of an office space to store pens, cell phones, PDAs, etc. Of course you never know what kind of weather you'll run into, so the bag also comes with a rain cover to keep your gear dry.

15 The BR3400 has two main storage areas a main compartment and an upper compartment. The main area has a padded section to store a laptop and the entire area is large enough to store a full-face helmet and then some. It also has a zippered pouch section to keep loose items together.

16 The top compartment offers plenty of room for some pants, t-shirts, and a dopp kit. The sides of the bag have expendable zippered pockets to store smaller items.

17 Once at your destination you can unload your luggage and easily carry it around, as the BR3400 comes with attachable backpack straps and the saddlebags have handles built into them.

18 As mentioned earlier Memphis Shades offers its Batwing Fairing for Road King models as well. We installed a Batwing fairing with a 9-inch gradient translucent windshield on a '06 Road King. Once again we had Martinez Custom Paint and Design color match the fairing.

19 Here's a look at the Memphis Shades tri-pouch ($89.95) we installed on the fairing. You can see how the windshield goes from black at the bottom to translucent at the top for better visibility. Memphis Shades offers windscreens in various translucent color options to better match the color of your bike.

20 So here's how the two bikes looked without the fairings (and the Softail without the bags).

21 Then in literally seconds the Road King looked more like a Street Glide, and the Deluxe took on a completely new look as a Softail bagger. Both owners were very happy with the wind protection provided by the fairings, and the Deluxe owner was impressed with how different he could make his bike look in no time and with little effort.