Loose bags

[brewsky]

With the bags locked on there is a lot of vertical play in the mounting system.

Did a search..no can find anything related.

Causes clunking on bumps etc.

Any fixes?

TIA

 

[james1300]

With the bags locked on there is a lot of vertical play in the mounting system.Did a search..no can find anything related.

Causes clunking on bumps etc.

Any fixes?

TIA

There was a thread years ago.

Maybe NOT this forum. A rider had LOST a bag.

so... I noticed one fella had his bags "pinned" at the lower mount .

He had drilled a hole thru the lower mount and bag. Saftey pinned the bag to the bike.

 

[brewsky]

With the bags locked on there is a lot of vertical play in the mounting system.Did a search..no can find anything related.

Causes clunking on bumps etc.

Any fixes?

TIA

There was a thread years ago.

Maybe NOT this forum. A rider had LOST a bag.

so... I noticed one fella had his bags "pinned" at the lower mount .

He had drilled a hole thru the lower mount and bag. Saftey pinned the bag to the bike.

 

[brewsky]

I did see the pin mod for the bottom on a previous thread.

The mount system is so loose though, especially at the top front tabs, it seems like some sort of rubber cushion needs to be inserted to remove the slack between the tabs and the frame.

 

[v65]

I did see the pin mod for the bottom on a previous thread.The mount system is so loose though, especially at the top front tabs, it seems like some sort of rubber cushion needs to be inserted to remove the slack between the tabs and the frame.

Funny, in years past there have always been posts from people that can't get them off because they are so tight. They do loosen up over time though - a small piece of rubber or neoprene might be a good idea.

 

[madmike2]

IIRC, some people have used weatherstripping to take up the slop. If I were to do that, I'd place it on the "sides" of the fairing slots or at the "top" of the bottom hole (where the locking piston goes "up" from the bag. If you use some foam at the top of the botom hole, that would keep the bag from "raising" and keep is seated in the top holes and on the bottom brace (by the footpegs).

 

[ponyfool]

I thought the pinning of the bags was due to the lock mechanism falling off. The other solution was to Lock-Tite the lock assembly so that won't happen.

 

[brewsky]

Thanks for the replies.

The weatherstripping sounds like the best bet so far.

If I lift up on the bottom of the bags, they move up and down about 1" (measured at the outside extreme of the bag) due to the slop in the top tabs.

I guess it's time for some experimenting.

I thought maybe I was missing some rubber inserts for the top tabs.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Here is the Picture/Post regarding the Pin Installation:

 

[ELP_JC]

I haven't even put my bags on yet, but I knocked one out on an FJR on the showroom floor when I was checking it out; NOT GOOD. Bag was scuffed where it hit the floor. Dealer was cool about it, but I wasn't impressed by the bags, to say the least.

I like Mike's idea the best. I'm thinking of blocks of fairly hard rubber (still cushiony) that have adhesive on one end. I think we want no slop, but no compression on the flimsy plastic 'locking tab' when closed either, right? Will also experiment with them. Still have to remove the reflector on one bag. Good day gang.

JC

 

[v65]

I haven't even put my bags on yet, but I knocked one out on an FJR on the showroom floor when I was checking it out; NOT GOOD. Bag was scuffed where it hit the floor. Dealer was cool about it, but I wasn't impressed by the bags, to say the least.

You must be like FJR anti-matter or something. There is NO way a new bag that is properly fastened should fall off.

 

[madmike2]

I haven't even put my bags on yet, but I knocked one out on an FJR on the showroom floor when I was checking it out; NOT GOOD. Bag was scuffed where it hit the floor. Dealer was cool about it, but I wasn't impressed by the bags, to say the least.

You must be like FJR anti-matter or something. There is NO way a new bag that is properly fastened should fall off.

Absolutely! It sounds as if it wasn't properly installed and latched.

If you are going to "shim" the locking tab hole, do it in small increments. All you want to do is eliminate the vertical space, not make it so tight the locking tab must be "forced".

 

[ELP_JC]

You must be like FJR anti-matter or something.

Nope; I just tell it like it is. And I have an '07, in case you haven't noticed.

I pulled up the front of the bag, simulating a bump, and it came off. It shouldn't have come off. And yes, it was properly latched, and even locked. Bags were more solid on the other 2 bikes there. Maybe the lock was a bit loose or something; could be. I still feel they're flimsier than they should be, but I'll rarely use them, so no biggie. And yes, I prefer them flimsier than my BMW but without the unsightly bag mounts, for the same reason I don't use them often. Everything is a compromise.

I should have checked my bags before riding the bike home. Time to open the boxes now, I guess. And will also put loctite on the lock screws, which dealer didn't do during assembly. Later.

JC

 

[huron52]

I don't how you guys are doing it?

I have over 100,000kms on my bike. I take them off and on regularly and when on trips I take them off and bring them in the hotel/ motel room for the night. Put them back on the next day.

Never had a problem with them.

Well ok I did have a problem once when a little old lady ran into the back of me while I was stopped at a light. But it broken the tab that comes up. But that wasn't all she broke that day. $7000 damage, Pick up the bike tied the bag in place and carried on the rally I was going too.

 

[v65]

Nope; I just tell it like it is. And I have an '07, in case you haven't noticed.

Yup, me too. The fact that you have an '07 is irrelevant: the '07 bags are identical to the '06 except color, and likely the same since the bike was first introduced. As I said before, it feels like you are going to break the handles off getting them off the bike they are so tight. I install/reinstall my bags frequently and they always get a sharp tug to ensure they are on properly, they never would come off from that. It would be interesting to see what previous owners of FJR's have to say about the '07 bags.

 

[Slow Ride]

Hi just wanted to say my 07 side bags lock tight. There is a rubber spacer

on the lower tab that the bags mount to on mine, does yours have this also?

Chuck

 

[brewsky]

The Fix

Tried some weatherstripping first and the bags would not lock..........too thick.

Next, tried some rubber strips (1 1/4" x 3") cut from a small MC inner tube...........just right.

Now all 4 mounting points are cushioned with rubber, and bags don't move around.

I just placed the strips over the top holes and tucked the ends under the plastic that covers the frame. No glue necessary.

 

[brewsky]

Chuck,

Mine is an 07 and the bags locked down tight....or at least I thought, until I started trying to find the source of the clunking noise on bumpy roads.

Try lifting up on the bottom of the bags and see if there is any play in the top tabs....there was in mine.

Maybe there are differences in tolerances between bikes.

 

[FJR Steve]

***runs off to check panniers before todays ride***