I have a pair of progressive 412 shocks and I am going to put on some premium Harley saddlebags. Does anybody know if I will have to remove the covers on the progressive shocks to prevent them from scraping against the saddlebag backing or if they will clear without removing the covers?

Mine cleared no problem - the brackets allow the bags more than enough clearance from the Progressive shocks. I have 11" 412's and H-D premium harness leather bags (bolt-on).

That's great news. The progressive shocks appear to be a larger diameter. Any idea how much room you have between the shocks and saddlebags?

I just installed 418s with the premium saddlebags. Molded plastic backside of saddlebags are formed to clear the shocks. Shouldn't be a problem. Installation of support frame takes some time. Good set up. Takes patience.

After my initial installation, I noticed that the side of the premium harness bags rubbed against the battery and oil tank covers. What I did was to insert a 1/2" ID by 1/4" thick collar on the mounting bolt between the bag's frame and the shock. Moved it out enough that it didn't rub anymore. My final installation replaced the shock bolt with a stud (1/2"-13, grade 8), secured with a flange nut then a coupler and finally a short 1.5" into the coupler. Now the bags can be removed without elevating the bike and removing the shock bolt. When the bags are off the bike, I use a cap nut to cover the end of the stud. Same setup for the rear part of the mount only in 5/16".
SEMJPM