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System Cases R1100RT

W

wkuwiz

New member
Hello All.
My wife and I returned on Saturday from a 2200 mile ride through the midwest. Problem is I returned without my right side (system) case. It flew off after a particularly good bump on I-75 coming north out of Cincinnati. A Mercedes Sprinter caught it under carriage and was kind enough to pull over with us and ask for my insurance. :) Thank God it didn't hit my wife's bike as she rode behind me... Needless to say the case was ruined beyond use. Problem was that it was painted from BMW to match the bike. Most system cases are matte black and to find one in Champagne is a needle in the haystack. Hard to find I'm sure (or very expensive).

I'd like to find another and would like to know good used parts shops. I have been looking at the marketplace here, Beemer Boneyard, and e-bay. What others do you recommend?

Model - R1100RT
Year 2001
Right side Case (or a paintable pair).
 
The IBMWR.ORG website has a great marketplace. Put a wanted ad there, here, on ADVRider and you might get lucky but since it's a painted bag the odds are realistically, quite slim. I think you will need to just find a used one and have it painted to match or just paint all three system case lids again so they at least match each other if not the bike perfectly.
 
Sorry to hear you lost that case. Was there any issue with the latch mechanism prior to the loss? Yeah find any system case and have it painted to match. Any good body shop should be able to make the matching paint - tell them it's BMW paint code, 417 - CHAMPAGNER.

I had a pickup truck back up onto my front fender. Local auto body shop matched it perfectly.

You are the first other RT I have come across with the Champagne color. I think that was the only year on the RT. They offered it on the K12LT too, but I don't know what year(s).
 
Good suggestion

Happy and M_stock: Thanks for the suggestions. I have not been on ADV Rider much lately, sticking to the highways. But both good suggestions.
I will see if I can find a paintable case and go to the Body shop. The matte black system cases seem smaller but would make a matched set.

Heck, I may just paint the entire bike a new color. It's not as if the value is in the paint (what little value the bike has to someone else). But it runs like a top and my wife rides my white 2014 behind me. Maybe a matching pair of whites???
 
wkuwiz said:
Latch mechanism must have broken which caused it to lift off at 75mph bump.
Click to expand...

It's possible to have the top hooks seated correctly but misalign the bottom slot in a way that will allow the latch to lock but (obviously) not securely fasten the case. The PO warned me about it and showed me.
 
K7GLE said:
It's possible to have the top hooks seated correctly but misalign the bottom slot in a way that will allow the latch to lock but (obviously) not securely fasten the case. The PO warned me about it and showed me.
Click to expand...

Yes, but I found the latch remnant on the case after I retrieved it from the front of the van. It was a broken piece inset to capture the bottom rail.
IMG_4615.jpg
IMG_4612.jpg
 
K7GLE said:
It's possible to have the top hooks seated correctly but misalign the bottom slot in a way that will allow the latch to lock but (obviously) not securely fasten the case. The PO warned me about it and showed me.
Click to expand...

I have had three different folks ahead of me send their case back my way on a bumpy road...typically happens on left side when case is installed when on sidestand...easy to not engage bottom tab.

Saw cases on our Marketplace, IBMWRA and EBAY yesterday while looking for other stuff...sometimes you have to scroll thru a lot of pages.
 
I can't think of the proper name but some riders have installed a spring loaded pin on the lower mount to make sure it did not depart from the bike.
This is a mod the Norwegian police did on their K1200RS bikes.
Here's a picture



3393Saddlebag_Safety.jpg
 
Lee said:
I can't think of the proper name but some riders have installed a spring loaded pin on the lower mount to make sure it did not depart from the bike.
This is a mod the Norwegian police did on their K1200RS bikes.
Here's a picture



3393Saddlebag_Safety.jpg
Click to expand...

My guess is the mod was done to keep the bags on the bike at high speeds.

Very easy to miss the left side case connection at the foot peg with the bike on the side stand. I have the habit of actually looking and pulling at this connection to make sure the bag is engaged in the lower mount properly. Very easy to miss when you are in a hurry.
 
cycleman2 said:
Very easy to miss the left side case connection at the foot peg with the bike on the side stand. I have the habit of actually looking and pulling at this connection to make sure the bag is engaged in the lower mount properly. Very easy to miss when you are in a hurry.
Click to expand...

It's done to make sure you have the bag properly attached and keep it attached when hitting a large bump.
Some of the K1200RS/GT riders did this mode.
 
change you mindset for searching

henzilla said:
Saw cases on our Marketplace, IBMWRA and EBAY yesterday while looking for other stuff...sometimes you have to scroll thru a lot of pages.
Click to expand...

A good point. And you have to get out of the mindset of BMW owners. Believe it or not I found the needle in the haystack - a champagne case for the right side. It was labeled as a 'saddlebag' for the left on eBay. Imagine that. Shipping today. Woohoo!
 
cycleman2 said:
I have the habit of actually looking and pulling at this connection to make sure the bag is engaged in the lower mount properly.
Click to expand...


Sure, that becomes the drill after you lose one at least once:banghead Or ride with someone who has:whistle
:laugh:laugh:laugh

Good news you found one wkuwiz !
 
Lee said:
I can't think of the proper name but some riders have installed a spring loaded pin on the lower mount to make sure it did not depart from the bike.
This is a mod the Norwegian police did on their K1200RS bikes.
Click to expand...

Oh great, something for me to start worrying about. :laugh

How common is this issue? If the bags are correctly installed, what are the chances of one coming off? Inquiring minds now want to know (whereas 10 minutes ago they didn't care).
 
BC1100S said:
How common is this issue? If the bags are correctly installed, what are the chances of one coming off? .
Click to expand...

We put around 90,000 miles on our 2003 K1200RSs and never had a problem, but I was careful to check both bikes to be sure the bags were correctly installed.
 
BC1100S said:
Oh great, something for me to start worrying about. :laugh

How common is this issue? If the bags are correctly installed, what are the chances of one coming off? Inquiring minds now want to know (whereas 10 minutes ago they didn't care).
Click to expand...

Checking that lower front mount is the key to the case latching properly. If you do this consistently and the latches are in good shape there is next to zero chance of this happening. It is almost ALWAYS because that front mount was not in position that they come off. Oh and you do have to make sure the handles are down before you go anywhere. :thumb
 
happy wanderer said:
Checking that lower front mount is the key to the case latching properly.
Click to expand...

Not catching that front mount seems to be the number one cause of the bags coming off.

Bungee buddies can also be a problem. If you have something strapped to the rear seat and the strap connects to bungee buddies mounted to the top of the bags, the straps can lift the bags out of the mounts.
 
Thanks guys. After a sleepless night where I pictured my loaded cases bouncing down Hwy 101 into oncoming traffic and exploding against the bumper of a Peterbilt, I feel much more relaxed now. :laugh
 
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