I wonder if this is why there are so many flying panniers?

[Jeremy Mitchell]

Check the pictures out on this auction.  Anything stand out?  I'm not saying everyone that had flying panniers was this ignorant, I'm just saying that maybe this could account for some of the stories we hear about.  Discuss.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawasaki-ZG1400-Concours-2008-Kawasaki-Concours-ZG1400-Clean-Runs-Great-Low-Miles-/110764246501?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item19ca1045e5

[MrPepsi]

I would suspect being on the sales floor they would have the bags off maybe to cut on the size. I think the bags were just set on the bike for the picture then removed again.

[VirginiaJim]

We've seen them installed backwards as well.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

We've seen them installed backwards as well.

I remember that, it was classic. 

[TXIN]

I suppose that's one thing about the C10... couldn't put em on backwards! Lol.

[EpicBadass]

That wouldn't surprise me as having happened....  I've never done anything to secure them additionally but after trying to move them while installed i dont know if i need to.

[wally_games]

I've seen this in a lot of pictures, even on one website. I just can't imagine anyone actually putting them on in this manner and riding, but who knows?

I've not pinned them on my 2011 and don't really feel the need to.

[B.D.F.]

The first group to do that was a motorcycle exhaust company who put a photo of a C-14 with their exhaust, and the saddlebags on backwards, on their web site. They took a minor beating (ribbing, kidding) about it too as I remember.

As I remember, the few who have reported losing saddlebags were pretty able people. Not overly likely (not impossible either of course) that those folks had the bags on backwards.

Just a thought but I think the root problem might be a stack- up of tolerances; loose bags (easy boys!) on a loosely tolerance’d bike might add up to enough total clearance to allow a saddlebag to bounce off given a hard enough bump. I believe everyone who has reported losing a bag went over a substantial bump during the particular ride when the bag was lost.

Brian

Check the pictures out on this auction.  Anything stand out?  I'm not saying everyone that had flying panniers was this ignorant, I'm just saying that maybe this could account for some of the stories we hear about.  Discuss.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawasaki-ZG1400-Concours-2008-Kawasaki-Concours-ZG1400-Clean-Runs-Great-Low-Miles-/110764246501?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item19ca1045e5

[wally_games]

Were all of the lost panniers on 2008-2009 bikes, or have there also be problems with the 2010-2011 bikes?

[DGOLD]

It was so easy to pin my bags that I wonder why not do it just for the peace of mind?

[stevewfl]

It was so easy to pin my bags that I wonder why not do it just for the peace of mind?

No reason. It'd be like pinning your seat to avoid it flying off.

[VirginiaJim]

Oh no  the seats fly off as well?!!

[Conrad]

Flying seats? Are they stock seats and were they installed correctly? 

Where do the pins go?

Some of those aftermarket seats look like they have wings on em, so those flying off wouldn't surprise me.   

[lt1]

As one who had a properly fastened bag come off because of a very sharp bump, I pinned the bags.  The risk seems fairly low.  I do not believe over 5 properly fastened bags have been reported as coming off.  Doesn't bother me at all if the mockers don't want to pin their panniers.  Pinning is cheap insurance against an unlikely event. 

ps  Thanks for the kind word, Brian.

[ZG]

Oh no  the seats fly off as well?!!

Not with enough weight on em... 
 

 

[Jeremy Mitchell]

I haven't had any problems with my bags, but I went ahead and spent the three bucks to pin them and have peace of mind.

[stevewfl]

I want my panniers to take flight and they just won't. 

I even told my state farm agent when insuring some camera gear "the biggest risk to this equipment is the brand of motorcycle i ride, it sheds its luggage".

She said "you bought a new harley!?" I said no its that Kawasaki you already insure, people tell me they take measures to protect against the panniers falling off at speed

[Conrad]

As one who had a properly fastened bag come off because of a very sharp bump, I pinned the bags.  The risk seems fairly low.  I do not believe over 5 properly fastened bags have been reported as coming off.  Doesn't bother me at all if the mockers don't want to pin their panniers.  Pinning is cheap insurance against an unlikely event. 

ps  Thanks for the kind word, Brian.

I don't know if you were counting my post as a mocker or not, if so, it wasn't intended that way. I didn't pin my bags but I am using Zteve's brackets, cheap insurance.

[B.D.F.]

Oy, aaats not mocking, THIS is mocking:



 

And please note that in the above photo the top box is unlatched- this is done in an effort to appease the gods of flying motorcycle luggage by using a sacrificial Chinese (J.C. Whitney) top box instead of the more expensive left saddlebag which is left unchained.

I am sure Clyde knows we are not having fun at his expense, it is just a natural subject to draw a spot 'o wit and a smile. Besides, the entire 'anti saddlebag motorcycle disassociation' kit is fully Kirby approved.



Brian

I don't know if you were counting my post as a mocker or not, if so, it wasn't intended that way. I didn't pin my bags but I am using Zteve's brackets, cheap insurance.

[stlheadake]

I don't think there's any way mine would fall off, they are ALWAYS loaded.  I mean I carry crap!  I've always got 100 lbs (feels like it) of extra gear in both bags just in case I get a wild hair to 'disappear' on my way home from work.  I've considered pinning them just because, but I haven't yet.