Secure your luggage

[tibork]

Here is an interesting story that happened to me the last couple of weeks: my wife had to house watch her daughter's (from previous marriage) place for a couple of days and I was to join her the next day. As I am riding down the highway about 70 MPH with all luggages on but all empty I saw in the mirror one of my side boxes flying in the air. I immediately pulled over and went back on the shoulder, I was stunned how this could have happened and concluded I must have not locked it properly. Fortunately aside from some scratches it survived well. I attached it back and again went on my way. The story would end, however just a couple of weeks later we went on a longer 350 mile trip and one time pulled into a rest stop from the freeway and just a few minutes later here comes another motorcyclist, single rider, gorgeous 2014 Indian Chief Vintage bike. He stooped close to us and soon we engaged in a conversation with him. As I am admiring his bike and walking around it I said 'so you ride with just one side bag'? He goes 'What?', I said you don't have a bag on the right side. He comes around, looks at it and says 'OMG I lost it!'. It was a beautiful custom leather bag I'm sure worth many hundreds of dollars - just look up a 2014 Indian Chief Vintage to see what one looks like. He said aside from his motorcycle cover it was empty.

Please double check your lauggages especially when they are empty, make sure they're secured properly. I now always pull on the handles to make sure they are locked.

[jandhumphreyme]

Very good reminder.

In 1999 I purchased a new Triumph Trophy 1200 complete with factory bags, before leaving the dealer the salesman gave me a complete rundown of the bike, part of this instruction was removal and installation of the luggage. A short 15 minutes later I was on I95 heading north when I witnessed the right side bag come loose, and watched helplessly as it flew through the air. Fortunately it came to rest on the bike side and just slid down the road a very short distance before going into the grass. I retrieved the bag, with absolutely no scratches or damage. Lesson learned.

[Omega Man]

A thread from our Best of Forum series on losing luggage-

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread...st-a-Saddlebag

OM

[skibum69]

I had a bag pop off my 1100S, fortunately I had a stab around so it was still there dragging down the road.