Big Bike Parts
$119.95
P/N HD90-117BK
bigbikeparts.com
When I bought my Road King last autumn, it wasn’t long before the weather turned cold and I started looking for solutions to help me keep warm while on the bike. The first thing I did was purchase a set of soft lowers to put onto the front engine guards, hoping to keep the wind off my legs. They were made of a Cordura-type material and really didn’t provide much wind protection, and they were not at all waterproof. Worst of all, that one time when I dropped the bike at a dead stop, one of the lowers shredded where the engine guard hit the ground.
Since that product didn’t exactly work the way I’d hoped for, I continued my quest at the 2017 V-Twin Expo where I found Big Bike Parts, a Wisconsin manufacturer and distributor that offers a multitude of bolt-on products and accessories for Harley-Davidson, Indian Motorcycle, and other brands. At their booth was just what I was looking for—a set of Pac-A-Derm soft lowers.
The Pac-A-Derms are made of marine-grade vinyl both front and back, providing wind, rain, bug and debris protection. Each Pac-A-Derm installs easily, using four sets of strong snaps and a hook-and-loop closure that wraps around the lower part of the engine guard. Several additional hook-and-loop closures help snug the Pac-A-Derms and keep them taut. There are also openings between the “snap sets” to allow highway pegs or boards to be attached if desired. On the side facing the rider, each Pac-A-Derm sports an EZ Mount system which has mounted on it a removable marine-grade vinyl EZ Mount Pouch with a hook-and-loop closure.
Installing the Pac-A-Derms took less than five minutes for each side—a few snaps and some hook-and-loop fastening and voila! Instant protection. In March, my bike went from New Jersey, where it was in the 30s, to Daytona, where it was in the 70s and 80s, and the Pac-A-Derms managed the temperature change admirably. My legs were a lot toastier while riding up north, however, they didn’t feel too warm in Daytona. In fact, I left them on all summer; even in Sturgis they didn’t make me uncomfortably warm!
The reason they stay on my bike nearly all the time is that they provide superb wind and rain protection; my legs and feet no longer get soaked from road spray when I’m riding through inclement weather. And the Pac-A-Derms catch all the bugs and road debris that usually litter my jeans after a day of riding. No matter how filthy the Pac-A-Derms get after a road trip, they clean up easily with mild soap or detergent and water.
Big Bike Parts also offers additional products that can be mounted on the EZ Mount in place of an EZ Mount Pouch: the EZ Carry Concealed Pouch and the EZ Mount Classic Bottle Holder. Also available is a Belt Holder so that you can detach the EZ Mount Pouch from your Pac-A-Derm and carry it on your belt.
The Pac-A-Derms’ marine-grade vinyl is thick and tough, and so far, nothing I’ve subjected them to has been able to damage them. They’ve far exceeded my expectations in every way, and have proven their value far above the $119.95 purchase price.
