These bags were made for me by my ex-husband, Scot 'Monk' Austin in 2005. I accidently let the straps rest on hot tailpipes a few times and they had become brittle so I got Scot to cut me 4 new straps in January 2013.
Every year, I wipe down my saddlebags with a damp cloth and apply a light coat of Neetsfoot oil. Last fall, I used saddle soap to clean off the highway grime and then applied a fresh coat of . This is my 7th year using these bags and we have gone over 72,000 kms together, through rain and shine and they are absolutely awesome.
Custom carved saddlebags are a great way to express your individuality and personality in an affordable way and they are less expensive in the long run than poorly made or designed bags. For further information, contact Scot at austinleatherwerks@hotmail.com or visit www.austinleatherwerks.ca.
My bags are aging with elegance. My first set were $200 and they had zippers. Somewhere along the Rogers pass, one of the bags came unzipped and was hanging by a string as we moved through the curves. My husband had to pass me to warn me of the danger I was in. After that, I lashed a string around the zipper pull so it could not come undone. With my leather saddle bags, no zippers and I untie them and throw them over my shoulder when I stop for the night.
