I'm the new owner of an '01 vn750 w/2.3k miles on it. It's my first bike. I'm looking for advice on the best bag/bracket combo & also on the best highway bars.

What makes up the best bag/bracket combo depends a lot on what you are looking for. Is style or economy important? Do you need something that you can lock? Do the bags need to be easily removable? Do you want hard, soft, or leather bags? I have Fieldsheer bags (made of Cordura nylon) with the Kawasaki saddlebag support on my bike. I would really prefer hard, locking bags, but the only ones I was able to find were made by Leatherlyke and are pretty expensive.

Highway bars depend a bit on whether or not you add an engine guard, and if you do add a guard what make it is. The highway bars may attach to the guard or be an entirely separate piece.

I have the Willie and max compact slants, that look kind of like these but without the studs or the eagle.
http://www.willieandmax.com/sb707s.html

They work fine and are rugged, but they are a tad small for all the stuff I like to carry with me. I would prefer hard locking bags, but I have very little parking space in my garage, and more than once I have hit the bags backing into the garage on the lawn mower or something, so I am sticking with the soft bags. However I hope to get the larger ones this spring.

RB

i would love to get saddle bags for my 97', but cant afford anything at this time.. so i stick with a backpack

If you are just looking for Highway pegs look at my picts, I make a set of brackets that keep the slim line of the bike. Conact me off the group

I'm the new owner of an '01 vn750 w/2.3k miles on it. It's my first bike. I'm looking for advice on the best bag/bracket combo & also on the best highway bars. I put Saddleman - large on mine and made the brackets along with Kawasaki bag kit to move t/s back. The bags are easily removeable and the buckle locks to keep honest thieves out. The jumbos will fit but rubbed and irritated the back of my passenger's legs making her ride uncomfortable. The large worked out better for me. I have pics at the sight below. I put Kury highway pegs on my engine guard (no pics yet).