It is your bike and you can do what you want with it but I would at least keep the guard in the front of the saddlebags. This guard will keep the bike off your leg if you go down, nothing worst then going down on a bike that weighs 850lbs and having your leg stuck under the bike and the hot exhaust frying your leg. I got rear ended at a stoplight in 09 and the guard rails that wrap around the bags saved my bags and the rails also kept the rear fender from collapsing on the rear tire. I was stopped and the mini-van that rear ended me was doing between 5 and 10 mph when it hit me and I was able to drive the bike home, so those guard rails provide a lot of protection.