saddlebag cover latches

[Nails]

Apologies if you have enough common sense to see this in the first place.

One of my saddlebag covers flew off on the freeway. It was latched and locked. The latches were bent, but just a little. Mine also were twisted a little. But enough for them to fly.

Look at the tabs on the saddlebag part of the latch. They're less than 1/8" long, and they don't have to be bent much to come loose.

I used channel locks to bend them back; and they were easy to twist in my hands.

And yeah, leashes.

[voyager55]

You also need a tether strap on them to. Which I learned the hard way years ago. Get used latches on Ebay

[Mr Jensee]

Tethers, tethers, tethers, people. Without them you are only compounding your grief.

[Nails]

Leashes or not, it's still annoying when they fly open. I wish I had paid more attention to the latches. Especially since I was carrying home the hardware to make the leashes at the time.
But all's well that ends well: the cover flew right under a guard rail and didn't get destroyed. Now repainted, latches bent to rights, groovy new leashes, and we're good.
You might want to inspect your latches, specifically the little tabs that slip into the cover part of the latch. That's all I'm saying.

[cranky]

... your post finally got me into serious tether looking.... thanks!

[Mr Jensee]

LOCK YOUR LATCHES. They wont stay secure until you do.

[Nails]

Mine flew even though locked. That was the whole point of starting this thread.

[Nails]

into serious tether looking

For the bottom end of the leash, I used 1/4" pipe anchors. Easy to bend to fit any two of those three bolts that secure the bottom half of the latch.

The top end was more difficult because the latch is riveted. I drilled the (very thin) plastic that holds the weatherstrip, just below the weatherstrip (so it wouldn't interfere). I didn't want to fuss with a hole through to the outside. I used a 90-degree doodad on my drill to get in there. I still had to cut the hole by moving the drill sideways, and then worked a little bolt (about the same size as the latch bolts) in there using needle-nose pliers. Then a nut and washer to secure four more of those 1/4" pipe anchors (bent the two holes together to one). I installed these at the lid corners (more room to fit the 1/2"-long bolt) nearest the bike, and then used short leashes so the cover hangs just over the outside of the bag. Finally, I put some sealant crap in the bolts as thread-loc. This is pretty flemzy (especially the lid side), so I just used thin nylon string. If you get my drift.

It's kinda nice to just let the cover hang instead of putting it on the seat -- and then watching it slip onto the ground. With the latches working, I don't think I'll ever need to save them. I just have to be gentle when I hang them.

[Mr Jensee]

Neil you are either hopless or the most unlucky Voyager owner I have seen. But keep plugging.

[cranky]

Nails... just noticed your sig attached, NM Rockies...

Couple years ago I was at a VROC rally in Taos, when I left... I like back roads...
I took 64 along the southern edge of Col....

I was going up and up and up... this was mid June!!!! I got my liner for my
mesh jacket out (my winter rig for KalEfornYa) heave gloves, turned my
heated hand grips on..... and I actually came up to a cattle drive, cowboys
and all... they worked the herd and let me pass... I went down the road,
stopped and took a pic, of course! I was gonna overnite in Paige, by the dam,
walked out and looked at Horseshoe curve... it tuned out to be a 3K mile
trip, it was real nice!!! But the altitude and the cold REALLY surprised me!!!!!

http://tinyurl.com/j9fd2ru Blog The cattle drive is about 90% down, near the end....

[Nails]

the most unlucky Voyager owner I have seen

A regular Midas touch, I reckon.

64 along the southern edge of Col

I did a lot of work between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla. You drove near the Brazos Box, which is whatever is the opposite of a Banana Belt.

Lots of history through there -- Taos was just the start. I think the Chicano Movement sorta started in Tierra Amarilla, even if it seems more centered on SoCal now. (Check out the courthouse conflict.) You got to see the Jicarilla Apache rez, the San Juan Basin (high desert) near Farmington, and the huge Navajo rez. Lots of stories, prehistoric on down.

the altitude and the cold REALLY surprised me

Even at my house near Pecos, I've had snow in June. But like any other mountain weather, if you don't like it just wait a few minutes.

I moved here on purpose. But I'm still planning a 3K+ trip in a few weeks. Why do we have to ride so far just to take a vacation?

[cranky]

... no vacation for me!! GBG ... it's called life, retired many years ago....

Funny, right after retirement, was walking down the hall, and wife asked me
"what are you going to do???!!!! All you have ever done is work!!!".. with much
aplomb.. I said "nothing".. "life is a vacuum and it will fill itself, and I'm
NOT gonna get in the way!!!" .... and quickly became a
motorcycle bum!!!!! And it has been a very rewarding life!!!! My self
imposed eastern limit is the Rockies... and I'll go anywhere between
there and the Pacific!!! Was down to Fredrecksburg, Tx to smell the
Blue Bonnetts, but that has been about my furtherest... to the north,
I've been to Deadwood, SD a couple times.... and anywhere in between!!!!

... forgot to add, I've ridden a few hundred PGR missions... sigh....

[dsmmrm]

Wife to retired husband: What are you going to do today?
Husband: Nothing
Wife: That's what you did yesterday
Husband: I wasn't finished

[823JIM]

On mine even when latched and locked the lids were not secured down very good, lids could still shift around. With no adjustment to the latches there was not much pressure on the latches them self. So I removed the rubber gasket from around the lid and fished a small rubber hose through the cavity (tube type hole around gasket) all the way round gasket, and reinstalled gasket to lids. By doing this it added more latching pressure and a better seal on lid. STIIL NEED TO LOCK LIDS and use tethers.

[Nails]

Exactly!
I was thinking of replacing the gaskets, but your idea is sure cheaper. What, about 1/4" OD diameter? Maybe clear plastic is soft enough.
As mentioned, I got about half way there by bending the latches with channel locks. I basically bent them back the way they used to be, making the little tab go deeper.

[triton28]

How about that soft surgical tubing the health professionals use?
It is relatively small in diameter and would easily compress inside the stock rubber seal when the lid was latched, I suspect.
It is very resilient and would reshape itself almost instantly upon removing the lid.
I haven't tried it, so this is just a suggestion.
Dave

[Nails]

I just used vacuum line ($6/11ft -- really only needed 9ft). It was almost exactly 1/4" OD.

This was a bit difficult to fit in that hole. I wound up using some really strong duct tape to attach two welding rods together (end to end), and then to attach the tubing. It took some effort to do this right. Then pushed and pulled simultaneously. Didn't use any KY jelly or whatever.

Anyway, I think 1/4" OD is about the biggest, and it definitely wasn't too big when it came time to latch. So, I recommend 1/4".

With that, tightened (bent) latches, and leashes, I should rise off of Jenesee's unlucky list. ;)

[Mr Jensee]

In case you need it I found several complete latches on Ebay.