Hard or Soft Bags?

[RockinRollin]

Exactly why I picked them up, if I could figure out how to tie them in with the paint job they would be my first choice. But so far no inspiration. I really thought I would have come up with something by now. Does anyone have the Osprey bags made for Indian motorcycle? What about DC, how did he match the bags with that Corbin seat?

[mittico68]

Anyway, just to give you my 2 cents opinion: the Bucos really match the retro style of our Drifters; maybe they're not really Indian tributed, but what the hell, they're so cool!

[RockinRollin]

Will do.

[mittico68]

Well then, give me a shout...

[RockinRollin]

I just might!

[mittico68]

Naaaah, you'd better go with soft bags... and sell your Bucos to me!
Just a friendly and disinterested advice...

[RockinRollin]

Always liked the Buco bags, again I have been trying to think of how to paint them to match a 2 tone bike. The XL bags would be easy, the lines follow the curve of the fender making it easy to match up with the Drifter back fender and the leather bags don't need to be painted. I actually own the set of black Bucos shown in the picture and would love to use them. I just don't know how to match them up.

[Old Drifter]

I'd go with the Buco bags, the look fits the Drifter in my opinion. You can always change them later if you really want to.

[CDNRatMan]

 And 800 owners are really nice people too......

[RockinRollin]

Those are really nice, they look like XL Series bags.
Hard bags look better on the 800 because they fit closer due to the fact you do not have to contend with the shocks on the 1500. That is one benefit to owning an 800 over the 1500.

[CDNRatMan]

 Just my thoughts on the subject. If you want the retro vintage look then yes go with leather. If you want the cool factor then perhaps hard bags. Racingmom's bike has hard bags.
but me it would be the leather soft bags.....

[RockinRollin]

Everybody acquires baggage in life, but how do you carry it?
I have been looking at saddlebags for my Drifter since I bought the bike. I have read all the posts in the forums concerning bags, even asked a few questions. So I will attempt at defining the issues as I see them concerning the selection of saddlebags for Drifters, for me at least. Do you go hard or leather? Both have their merits. Next, finding bags and hangers made for the Drifter or adapting bags and making hangers, brackets? There are very few options concerning hangers and bags made for the Drifter that are still available without modification. So that question answers itself, most likely you need to modify something to fit.
My opinion is the drifter is about show first and functionality second. I would sacrifice some functionality to get bags that really look good on the bike. Case in point the Buco bags on a certain turquoise colored Drifter. To me they are one of the nicest bags I have seen on a Drifter so far. But they are a little on the small side and they may not look good on all drifters. Leonardo's bike was a solid color; you may have trouble matching them to a 2 tone bike which I have. In my opinion the nicest leather bags I have seen were not on a Drifter per say but from an Indian motorcycle (2015 Indian Vintage Chief). Mind you there are some really nice Osprey bags also. Which would probably hold more than the Buco bags.
I had decided on the Buco bags. Then recently a friend went to the Toronto Super Bike Show and brought me back photos of the Vintage Indian Chief with leather bags. To me leather bags give the Drifter a more authentic Indian look, after all the Drifter is an Indian tribute bike. I thought I had it figured out but now I am rethinking the issue. Will it be Buco Bags or leather bags?
So that being said, any opinions, preferences or thoughts?