It depends. In most cases (no pun intended) it will cause scratches over time. I only have them on when actually using them and take care to keep the soft protective material on the bottom of the bags free of dust and dirt. I also make sure to have them snugged down good and tight. No scratched yet. When they do, it should be easy to buff/wax. Over time and lots of use it may become a serious issue. At that point a person could either re-paint or just leave them on all the time and no one will see the scratches.

My $.02

Hello Mike,

I saw your comment here in regards to the Cortech saddlebags. Which ones do you have ? Are they the bigger ones with 20 liters each or the smaller sports bags with 17 liters each ?
How are they mounted ? Is there a mounting kit delivered with the bags which fits to the 09 VMAX ?
I plan to fix the saddlebags without the sissybar, do you think this is possible ?

Lots of questions, sorry for that.

Thank you in advance and greetings from Germany,
Juergen