How Do You Waterproof Leather Saddlebags?

To waterproof leather saddlebags, clean them, condition them, and seal them with wax in one application. On black bags, use Doc Bailey's Leather Black: it cleans, conditions, re-dyes, and waterproofs, so faded bags come back black and shed rain at highway speed. On any other color, use Leather Clear, which cleans, conditions, protects, and waterproofs without changing the color.

Key takeaways

• Saddlebags fail at the stitching first. Waterproofing has to protect the thread, not just the leather.
• Black bags: Leather Black, a special formula that cleans, conditions, re-dyes, and waterproofs.
• Brown, tan, veg-tan, or any other color: Leather Clear, a spray that cleans, conditions, protects, and waterproofs with no color change.
• Follow the One-Hour Rule after every treatment.
• Condition every 3 months to restore and maintain correct conditioning. Give the bags a full treatment before a long tour and again before winter storage.

Why do leather saddlebags leak and fall apart?

Leather is a porous skin. When rain soaks into the fibers they swell, and as the leather dries it loses its natural oils. Do that a few times and the bag goes stiff, fades, and starts to crack. Saddlebags take it worse than a jacket. They ride in rain at highway speed, bake in the sun at every stop, and soak up road grime and salt.

The stitching goes first. It always does. Once the thread dries out and the elements break it down, the seams open and the water gets in.

How do you waterproof leather saddlebags that are black?

Use Leather Black. It is a special formula, and it takes very little. The less you use, the better it works.

1. Wipe off loose mud and dust.
2. Take a small amount, about the size of a dime, and gently scrub the leather to clean the leather, which opens the pores of the skin, allowing the lanolin oil in Doc Bailey's to flow deep into the skin to condition and restore the hide. Then the black dye restores the color, and the special waxes lock the color in and waterproof your black leather.
3. It's touch-dry in seconds, but leave it about an hour, then lightly buff to pick up any excess you might have applied and to seal the waxes.

That is it. Cleaned, conditioned, re-dyed, and waterproofed, with the stitching protected. No sticky or greasy residue, and the colorfast dye is locked in by the wax, so it won't come off on your gear or your jeans. If the seat is as faded as the bags, see how to restore a faded black motorcycle seat.

Does it really keep the rain out?

They call Laconia the rain rally. One year I had three inches of standing water sitting on my motorcycle seat. I wiped it away, and the foam inside was bone dry. That is what the wax does. It keeps the water off the leather, out of the seams, and away from the stitching.

How do you waterproof brown, tan, or veg-tan saddlebags?

Use Leather Clear. It cleans, conditions, protects, and waterproofs any color of leather, including multicolor, with no color change and no darkening. It is the one for Indian veg-tan saddlebags and other water-sensitive leathers that stain the moment they get wet.

1. Spray it on and scrub with the sponge to clean.
2. Spray a little more and wipe it over the bag so the lanolin oil soaks in.
3. It's touch-dry in seconds, but leave it about an hour, then lightly buff to pick up any excess you might have applied and to seal the waxes. It leaves a soft satin finish.

The wax is invisible, but water beads right off.

How does it protect the stitching?

Two ways. The lanolin keeps the leather and the thread conditioned, so the leather does not shrink and pull on its own stitches. The dry protective wax sits on the thread so the elements cannot break it down. Together, that stops stitch-rot before it starts.

Should I treat my bags before a long tour?

Yes. Give them a full treatment before any long trip, so they leave clean, conditioned, and sealed. Treat them again before you store the bike for the season. Mink oil and other animal-fat conditioners go rancid, and rancid fat is what mold feeds on. Doc Bailey's is lanolin-based, and lanolin never goes rancid, so there is nothing on the leather for mold to grow on over the winter.

For a full schedule, read how often you should condition motorcycle leather. Doc Bailey's started in a saddle shop in 1991 and has spent 35 years demonstrating at Sturgis and Daytona Bike Week, on bags that see exactly this kind of weather.

Ready to seal your bags? Get Leather Black for black saddlebags or Leather Clear for every other color. Orders of 2 or more bottles ship free. Both are made in the USA, lanolin-based, silicone-free, and backed by an unconditional money-back guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to waterproof black leather saddlebags?

Use Leather Black. It cleans, conditions, re-dyes, and waterproofs in one application, so faded black bags come back to factory black and the wax seals out the rain.

Will Leather Black rub off on my clothes?

No. Follow the One-Hour Rule. The colorfast dye is locked in by the wax, so it won't come off on you.

Can I use it on brown or veg-tan saddlebags?

Use Leather Clear on any color that is not black. It cleans, conditions, protects, and waterproofs without darkening the leather, including veg-tan bags that stain when they get wet.

How much do I need for a set of saddlebags?

Very little. Start with a small amount, about the size of a dime, and one 4 oz bottle goes a long way. The Less You Use, The Better It Works.

How many saddlebag jobs does one bottle of Leather Black do?

One bottle of Leather Black does a set of saddlebags 25 to 30 times. A little goes a long way.

How often should I waterproof my saddlebags?

Condition every 3 months to restore and maintain correct conditioning. Give them a full treatment before a long tour and again before winter storage.