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1994 R1100RS Saddle Bag Fell Off

theocratissak

Site Theocrat
Hi all -
This is my first post. I was a member when I had my 1994 R1100RT and then when I sold the bike I didn't renew my membership. Now with the new (to me) BMW, I'd rejoined.
Now I need some help.
When I bought the RT, it had saddlebags. When I sold it, I didn't sell them. I've been carrying them around with me for 4yrs stored in the garage. Luckily, they fit perfectly on the RS. For about 6 months now, I've not had any issues what-so-ever.
Then of course, I had one. I drive in the city traffic about 200-250 miles a day for Veteran's that are unable to drive in the Las Vegas area. After a long day on the road, I get back to the office and call the Wife and say I need gas. I fill it up, and realize it's a full tank, I should use it. I head out to Baker and back again - realizing I now need gas for the next day to get to work. But hey, it's a BMW!
Last week, after a rough day, I took off and headed for Mesquite. It's 90miles from the M resort to the Casa Blanca. I took a picture to send my wife and returned home. When I got home I realized my Left (Driver) side bag was gone. It was there when I got on.
I had to wake her up, load the dogs and her in the mini van and drive the entire trip from home to Mesquite at about 50mph looking for my lost bag. Saw a couple of police waiting speeders, talked with them and pulled over several times at things that looked like they could be it. Of course, it wasn't until the last 3 miles from home that it was on the side of the road. Trashed.
You can see that it's still 'locked' and had it's top two clips into the slot as well as the one near the passenger.
I didn't hit anyone. I would have felt that, and if for some reason I didn't, I would have been stopped by that person. I didn't feel the bag come off - I didn't notice the driving difference. I had no idea it was off.
So any idea of how it happened? I know all three 'locking' areas to the bike were attached, and the bag was closed and locked.
My wife says I should contact the maker of the bags and see what they can do. I don't know if they'd do anything or if there's something I can do, except spend another $500 on a new set or find a left one on eBay.
I appreciate your thoughts and time on this.
Issak
I will post pictures in a second post.
 
Welcome back Issak,

Sorry your bike's bag went a-bouncing...many of us have had that experience.

I imagine the center locking tab can wear, but the most common cause of saddlebag flight with these cases that the lower front mount wasn't engaged correctly: instead of the bag's two lower front prongs straddling the protruding piece on the bike, the bag is fitted with both lower front prongs on the outside of the bike's piece. In other words, the bike's mount is not captured by the bag. This is fairly easy to overlook visually. If the bag is mismounted in this way, the bag can rotate up a bit which disconnects the center locking tab, and away it goes.

I was riding last week with my friend on his R1100S (same bag design), and while riding behind him noticed that his left bag wasn't quite as close to the bike's centerline as the right bag was. We looked at the next stop, and the lower front mount was just as I describe above, and not secure. He's an excellent rider and a good and careful mechanic, and he's been riding BMWs for approaching 40 years.

You can prevent this by drilling a small hole through the two prongs on the bag and the one prong on the bike - all in line - so that a cotter pin or or other locking pin can be inserted through all three pieces. I'm sure there are several threads on this with pictures.
 
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I had hoped to submit pics to the forums, but that doesn't seem necessary.
I can't say for certain that as you point out, the bag wasn't on the peg as it should be. I'm certain enough, or at least had been and now you leave doubt.
I appreciate the idea, and for my next bag that will be exactly what I do. Bummer. OK, I hope the Wife was planning on getting me a new bag for my birthday.
Thanks,
Issak
 
Happened to me too, on my 94 RS. I was sure I had the handle down and locked, and when I retrieved the bag that was proved by the scrathed on the outside of the handle, but none on the underside of the handle.

I think the older bags could be loaded onto the bike and the handle latched down, even when the front hanger of the bag is not engaged onto the receiver notch. Then a bump is enough to jar the bag loose of the mount. This is what happened on my bike. Since then, back in 96, I am more careful about properly latching the bag onto the bike, and not lot anything in over 150K miles.
 
I have had it happen too. It was on my RT. The handle was in the locked position, but I think I did not have it lined up properly (mismounted) as dbrick mentioned above. Fortunately, I did not lose anything.
 
Happens,
Seems the sidestand sidecase fall off happens more often as one latches the bags at an angle the lower tab sometimes hops up as you close the case.
Have seen them sliding past me as I was following a few folks. We have "lost" two over theyears...one was recovered in front of a large HD riverside hangout:whistle
 
If your bags have a similar mount as the K1200RS, here's how you use the pins mentioned above.

3393Saddlebag_Safety.jpg
 
How trashed is trashed?

There are replacement parts available like lids and handles.

Watch the flea market
http://www.bmwmoa.org/flea/search.p...d=system+case&catid_search=0&do_search=Search

and ebay
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=bmw+system+case&_sacat=0&_from=R40

some are available now on both sites

When I lost mine, I completely forgot to fold down the latching handle before turning the key. Thankfully, some kind souls in the industrial park picked it up and put it out next to the road where I could find it the next day at lunch. Also, it was already scuffed before the trip down the road and it didn't come back too much worse. I still need to add the safety pins, but I double check all the mounts before I get on the bike now, even if I didn't mess with the cases.
 
have had a few sets of those pins to do ours...waiting on a rainy or less likely snowy day to install them:whistle
 
The pins are a great idea. I have an '02 K12RS, and yes, I lost a bag one day riding to work. It came off on a local interstate highway, pretty much at rush hour, and was rescued by a brave (or crazy) guy from THE FAST LANE. He called my insurance agent who called me- I had insurance and registration in the bag.
I went & got the case back, gladly giving dude a "reward" of whatever cash I had on me- about 20 couple dollars.

I just put it down to operator error, figuring I'd lifted the case off its forward mooring whilst loading it for the ride. I had, at the time, recently completed over 3,000 miles on the bike with it fully loaded, and zero problems. I WILL be pinning my cases in the above described manner.
 
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