In the
late '70's, two friends, nicknamed Willie & Max,
were planning a three-day ride from suburban Chicago
around Lake Michigan. They searched in vain for
luggage to fit their Triumph Bonneville. Harley
Davidson had heavy leather bags for its motorcycles,
but they were expensive and unsuitable for the
Triumphs. The friends resigned themselves to tying
clumsy duffel bags onto their seats (those were the
days before bungee cords) and hoped that it wouldn't
rain and drench their stuff.
Then, Max had an idea. The contract sewing company
he worked for had just received a sample of a new
synthetic leather material called "naugahyde". He
thought something could be made out of the stuff to
fit the bikes. Willie, a talented artist, sketched a
saddlebag design on a lunch napkin, and Max took it
to work. Soon after, they had prototypes that suited
their needs - strong, lightweight, waterproof, good
looking luggage that would hold what they wanted and
attached securely. At the first stop on their ride,
they pulled into a diner as other motorcyclists were
leaving.
The bikers asked Willie & Max where they had
gotten te neat bags. Max replied that he'd made
them. One guy said he would like to buy bags like
that, asked Max if he would make a set for him, and
handed them his name and number. That same scene
played out at stops along their route. By the time
the guys got home they had 10 orders, and the seed
of a business was sown.
From the start, the partners were sold on the
synthetic leather material. Because of the irregular
size and shape of natural hides, there is a lot of
waste when cutting them up for patterns. That makes
real leather twice as expensive as synthetic and
prices many folks out of the market. Leather bags
are heavier, require maintenance to keep them
looking good, and aren't waterproof.
They did ask the manufacturer of the synthetic
leather to make some changes. They wanted the
material thicker and therefore more rugged, and a UV
coating was added so that sunlight wouldn't cause it
to fade or deteriorate. They use the best quality
roller pin buckles they can find, D-rings that
wouldn't rust, and chrome studs and conchos for
decoration.
Later, they brought out more styles and sizes and
developed adjustable yokes, which go over or under
the seat, so the bags fit just about any motorcycle.
Now, all Willie & Max bags, including touring
trunks, tool pouches, and sissy bar bags are lined
with corrugated plastic to maintain the bags' shape,
even when empty. "It wasn't really necessary", says
Max, "but we know how much our customers care about
their bikes' looks."
Willie & Max Luggage - Willie and max saddlebags,
Willie and max bag, Willie and max saddle bag.
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