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[jtsgro]

Update: The dealer hooked me up took care of replacing bag no charge!!!! Well done HD

[Buy early]

You can search and find several threads on this forum about the problem you experienced. Would suggest you read through them, others have found ways to get satisfaction.

You also may want to jump over to the New Member thread and introduce yourself. Lots of folks on here to commiserate and with and learn from.

[porkypig]

I would recommend NOT getting this bike.

Welcome to the forum.  Having been a newbie myself a couple years ago, please don't be so hasty to put this bike down.  It has many redeeming qualities but the 'disappearing' bags have been an issue for some.  Not for me........yet.  now watch; tomorrow mine will fly off ........take the time to look over this forum (thankfully there aren't as many topics as in other models; really!) Yours is a mechanical issue and may be something you yourself can resolve.  Just saying take some time to look over things that some of us have had issues with and most have overcome with the recommendations and insight from others.  Might just pay off in spades, know what I mean? It is a great bike, all in all, (all 3 models so far) and certainly capable of doing some things that the other, larger bikes just cannot.  Fine-tune that creative instinct I suspect is within you and you just may be the next member we all learn from.  Again, welcome!   Pork...ster

[Jasray]

Same thing happened to me on my 2011, almost exactly as you described.  Not to repeat the great advice you have already been given, but check the previous threads on this subject.  Like you I came to this site as as result of, and doing research on the saddlebag problem.  Now I'm hooked, I comeback and check out this site frequently.  I consider myself a long distance cross country rider (20 years experience), but the experience of the more senior members here on this site make me feel like a true newbie.  Give their opinions some heavy weight because they know what their talking about.

JB

[Mach]

Maybe make a "Sticky" about the subject of bags falling off with remedies.  If anyone crafts a letter to send to state/federal agencies or Harley let me know I would love to send a letter off about this safety issue.  Let the Feds bark at Harley.

[Mach]

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/index.xhtml

[RCFlyer]

I know when I got my 2010 and was playing with the bags one of the latches did not feel right and wouldn't latch correctly.  I took it apart and re-installed it and now it works fine.  When I install the bags I make sure each latch snaps into the locked position and then I bang the bag toward the catch.  Put over 5000 miles on the bike this summer and no problems so far.  Good luck with HD.

[2whlsup]

Take the bags and rear pegs off, Go get a swing arm bag.

[porkypig]

Well, that would be taking abouot $1100 and throwing it over the cliff.  Plus the expense of the swing arm bags.  Examine what the problem really is (i.e. maybe the silver keeper is not dropping into the hole) and make what you paid dearly for function.  Maybe try that first.  then throw the stuff over the cliff.  Or donate it to some good charity.   Pork.

[Willie D]

It's funny that I read about this SNAFU now. When I picked up my 2012 yesterday, the sales staff pointed out that the right side bag had been replaced because when the Tech. took it out for it's test run, the right side fell off and the dealership had to eat the $1000 replacement.

You can bet that I will be checking this latch system out very carefully.

WD

[sjr]

Hi Guys,

Here is what I have done to my 6 day old, 2011 Convertible.
I have read about the issue here regarding the bags "falling off"
I am a tinkerer and enjoy looking at mechanical things and seeing how they work. I also have a patented product not related to motorcycles that I market to security and burglar alarm companies

I have closely examined the latching mechanism on the bags and if I were a Harley designer, I would have made the bags remove in a forward direction instead of rearward, but that is not the issue.   The fix for this is fairly simple in my opinion.

Make sure the bags are installed properly...turn the latching knob inside the saddlebag till the little lever seats itself and the small round post is in the full outer position. At that point the bags are installed properly and secure.

Now...take a medium sized, black wire tie, and position it around the bracket so it keeps the little lever in the "up" or locked position. Tighten the wire tie, cut off the extra. You can hardly notice it being there, and if the lever can't vibrate down from the locked position...the bags can't fall off.

No need to always re-invent the wheel, sometimes a simple solution works.  Of course if you want to remove the bags you need to snip off the wire tie, but so what? Keep a few in your bag and re-install it when you put the bag back on...It takes about 5 seconds.

Hope this is helpful.

[ozarke]

sjr, that is exactly my procedure with my bags.    Zip ties are wonderful little things to have available.   I use them to secure most items which I place on the bike,  travel bags for example, instead of bungee cords and straps.  I have a small side cutter to remove them, then discard.  Putting on new ones take less time and are more secure than other means and you can buy lots of different sizes cheaply.

[RCFlyer]

Hi Guys,

Here is what I have done to my 6 day old, 2011 Convertible.
I have read about the issue here regarding the bags "falling off"
I am a tinkerer and enjoy looking at mechanical things and seeing how they work. I also have a patented product not related to motorcycles that I market to security and burglar alarm companies

I have closely examined the latching mechanism on the bags and if I were a Harley designer, I would have made the bags remove in a forward direction instead of rearward, but that is not the issue.   The fix for this is fairly simple in my opinion.

Make sure the bags are installed properly...turn the latching knob inside the saddlebag till the little lever seats itself and the small round post is in the full outer position. At that point the bags are installed properly and secure.

Now...take a medium sized, black wire tie, and position it around the bracket so it keeps the little lever in the "up" or locked position. Tighten the wire tie, cut off the extra. You can hardly notice it being there, and if the lever can't vibrate down from the locked position...the bags can't fall off.

No need to always re-invent the wheel, sometimes a simple solution works.  Of course if you want to remove the bags you need to snip off the wire tie, but so what? Keep a few in your bag and re-install it when you put the bag back on...It takes about 5 seconds.

Hope this is helpful.

Hey sjr, great suggestion.  Well done!!

[Jasray]

Same solution I have been using (black wire ties).  I was fortunate in that the MoCo agreed to pay for my right side bag so I wasn't out any money, but I didn't want to take any additional chances.  Five thousand miles later, and plenty of that on rough roads, and no additional problems.

[plasmadaddy]

Brukus Saddle Bag Secure. Easy and cheap, why bother with zip ties?


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