Might as well buy two

With hardbaggers overwhelming the touring sector of the motorcycle industry, seems everyone is touting the latest and greatest gizmo or widget guaranteed to make your ride more comfortable and something you cannot live without. A good many of these products are little more than snake oil covered with carbon fiber or chromed billet. But there are still some innovative thinkers out there.

I met David Gordon during my flight to the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati back in February. It was his first trip to the Expo and he seemed quite excited. And once he realized I was affiliated with Thunder Press , he quickly presented his company, HardBagger, and his debut product, the Top Shelf Saddlebag Organizers. His description and brochure caught my interest and I told him I’d look him up at the show. And I did, or at least I tried to. Every time I went by his booth, the crowd was thick with interested customers and it was impossible to talk with him. So after returning home, Dave sent me a sample to fit the right saddlebag on my 2003 Road King. After six months of continuous use, the Shelf is seldom removed and has become a standard item in my road arsenal.

The Organizer is basically a four-sided ABS plastic box measuring 9 3/4″ x 8″ x 3″ deep. It is thermoform-molded to precise dimensions and conforms exactly to the rear section of late model Harley-Davidson hard saddlebags, 1993 to present. (For 1993–2003, there is both a left- and right-hand configuration. For 2004 to current models, a secondary design of Organizers will fit either side.) Installation is embarrassingly simple: First remove the rear cam-lock Dzus fastener from the interior of the bag. Replace the stock 1" diameter flat washer with the oversized 1.5″ diameter one supplied in the kit. Then remove the rear inside tether strap Torx screw. Install the included 8-32 Phillips with nylon bushing in its place. Insert the Organizer, lining up the large diameter hole to sit directly over the OEM rubber grommet and push the tray down until it snaps in place over the new tether strap screw and bushing. (Since the location of the factory grommet can vary by up to 3/16″, minor trimming of the Shelf’s grommet hole may be required. My unit matched the Road King perfectly without any modification.) Reinstall the Dzus fastener with the larger washer and you are done. A 1/8″ thick, non-slip sponge rubber mat is included in the kit to save your goodies from excessive sliding and vibration.

Simple in design, the Top Shelf has become a permanent addition to my Road King. I only remove it when having to stow extra-large items that will not fit under the tray. It is perfect for all those smaller items (keys, cell phones, glasses, iPods, pocket change) that are prone to fall to the bottom of a saddlebag and often require launching an expedition to recover. The new storage capability quickly became indispensible during road trips and was soon poached by my passenger. Now I’m forced to buy one for the left side so I can once again enjoy the product’s convenience.

Several accessories have been added to accentuate the Top Shelf Organizer including a foam insert with cutouts designed to hold items even more securely, a 12-volt accessory outlet and a rotating 360-degree LED light. HardBaggers is presently tooling up to manufacture trays for the H-D Road King Classic leather bags and for the Victory Motorcycles Cross Country.