What a friggin' tool...
A couple of years ago on my '78 bagged I got home after a 20 mile rude back from the Indi, and the right bag lid was GONE. Took the car and retraced the whole route. Found it in the median of I595 about 5 miles from home. No hinges on any of the bags or TP. Wired them all with safety straps ala NASCAR hoods the next day!
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
From: S.E. PA
lol. thanks for all the comments, I think my fave was other cars tossing coins...that's a good one.
yeah, fortunately only thing in there was my rainsuit folded in the bag & my kickstand plate. So there was nothing that could blow out. The other bag, on the other hand had my glasses, phone, cigars, spare goggles...
Yeah, I would only lock them when I had valuables in them and I would leave it unattended. At home in the garage, I'd leave them unlocked. So I guess I will get in the habit of locking them all the time.
Yep, coulda been worse, just one of those palm of the hand to the forehead slappers....
yeah, fortunately only thing in there was my rainsuit folded in the bag & my kickstand plate. So there was nothing that could blow out. The other bag, on the other hand had my glasses, phone, cigars, spare goggles...
Yeah, I would only lock them when I had valuables in them and I would leave it unattended. At home in the garage, I'd leave them unlocked. So I guess I will get in the habit of locking them all the time.
Yep, coulda been worse, just one of those palm of the hand to the forehead slappers....
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 943
Likes: 41
Easy to do. I've ridden off more than once with my tour pack latches not fastened. It would make one hell of an expensive mess if the wind caught the lid just right and ripped it off the TP base at 70 or 80 mph. I always do a walk around now before I take off and the check latches, tires etc. A little foresight can save big $$.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,347
Likes: 602
From: The 9th Island
About two years ago, I pull up to a light about 4 cars back from the light. I look forward and see a pair of Las Vegas Motor Officers at the beginning of the line, the officer on the right had his saddlebag open. So I ease up between the cars which is illegal here and the cop is eye balling me and getting ready to say something to me as I pull along side of him. Before he gets a word out, "Hey, your saddlebag is open.". He reaches behind and closes while his buddy laughed his a$$ off.
It happens to everyone and I have don't it so many times that the guys I ride with ask me why I reach back and check my saddlebag lids so often.
It happens to everyone and I have don't it so many times that the guys I ride with ask me why I reach back and check my saddlebag lids so often.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 333
Likes: 7
From: Newfoundland
no big deal seeing how you never lost anything, I have left my bags open once before and drove through town with the ram box door open on my truck. noticed at the lights and had to get out and close it haha
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,082
Likes: 11
From: Long Island, NY
On a road trip a couple years ago one of my friends forgot to close his saddle bags and his clothes blew out all over the road for about a 1/2 mile till I caught up to him and let him know. It was pretty funny watching him walk down the road collecting his stuff.
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma
1st ride after picking the my 2010 RG, the lid opens. I am on the freeway and get flagged down. Lost 2 pairs of gloves and one of them were my favorites. Could not go back since I had no idea how far back it was.
Every ride with my group so far, I have had to pull over to close the lid. On the one ride, I had to stop twice. Then a buddy said lock the lid. Well, when I went to do that, I realized that somehow, it had turned to the almost lock position and that was why the latch would not close properly.
Ovey!! I tell ya!!!
Every ride with my group so far, I have had to pull over to close the lid. On the one ride, I had to stop twice. Then a buddy said lock the lid. Well, when I went to do that, I realized that somehow, it had turned to the almost lock position and that was why the latch would not close properly.
Ovey!! I tell ya!!!
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 265
Likes: 10
From: Northern Wisconsin
floppy latches
if your saddlebag latch is floppy, you can fix it easily with a pair of pliers.
I use a tiny channel lock slip joint plier. Flip the latch up and look at the metal bracket bolted to the lower half of the bag, you'll want to grip the metal tabs of this bracket that hold the hinge pin and rotate them downward, all four of them evenly. Do it a little at a time until the latch closes firmly.
I use a tiny channel lock slip joint plier. Flip the latch up and look at the metal bracket bolted to the lower half of the bag, you'll want to grip the metal tabs of this bracket that hold the hinge pin and rotate them downward, all four of them evenly. Do it a little at a time until the latch closes firmly.
