Wanted - RH saddlebag lid for 87 VR

[Gearhead]

So I did it - I stupidly neglected to latch my saddlebag lid. Somewhere in the 25 miles between home and work today it took flight. ARRRRGGGHHH Does anybody out there have one for sale? My bike has the brown / tan paint, with the lid being tan.

 

Thanks,

Jeremy

[91nwl]

I think I have a tan one in my garage. No kidding. I'll look when I get home tonight.

[91nwl]

I couldn't find it, but I think it is in there. I'll have to move some stuff and it probably won't be til the weekend, but if you still need one by then, I'll let you know.

[Gearhead]

Thanks, please do if you would.

 

I did find mine this morning, about 3/4 of the way to work. It still goes on and latches so it beats no lid, but it's not too pretty. Big cracks, one down to the edge, scrapes; I think the edge of a car tire caught it and flung it off the road. Kinda funny, it stayed on for the Interstate stretch and flew off at lower speeds.

 

So, yes, if you (or anybody) have a tan lid, that would be just wonderful.

 

Jeremy

[91nwl]

I think mine, if I find it, is brown. Look on e-bay too.

[Squidley]

Jeremy,

I have a right side lid for your MKII, it's black and in fair shape. It has no cracks or breaks, but does have some scratches. There is also 3 holes where they had the chrome rail on the top, it's black. If you want it, it's your for the shipping, let me know if this will work for you.

[84xj1100]

Gearhead,

 

I'm certainly glad that I'm not alone.......I've only owned my 86 for less than a month now......Saturday was perfect so off I went on a 250 km trip down a pile of secondary hwys. I stop in town to gas up and no left lid.

 

In panic mode I start to think about the last time I had it opened and it occured to me that I left the house without latching down (don't ask, I'm still trying to figure it out). I raced back home and began my journey from scratch.....got about half way through and gave up. I figured for sure it would've flown off in the first 150 kms. Extremely depressed I headed home.

 

The next morning my better half woke me and said lets finish your trip and see if we find it......sure enough within 20 kms of the service station I filled up at and first noticed it missing, there it was on the shoulder of the road.

 

More amazing was the fact that all it had was surface scratches, I managed to remove them with some elbow grease.

 

What I am really having a hard time imaging is how long it stayed on.....a lot of bumps, turns, hills and rough roads.......wow.

 

Can anyone tell me how common it is to lose a lid????

[Gearhead]

Well, let's just say I've read of it before. It's a fairly common thing. My dad has a Voyager and it's the same with them, except worse because the latches aren't as good and sometimes people lose them even when latched, if not locked!

 

So here's how dumb it was with me. I knew the danger, I've read others' tales of woe. I went out over the weekend to get something out of the saddlebag. I can't remember if I was in a hurry, or if my hands were full, or what, but I specifically remember setting the lid in place and NOT latching it, and thinking I'd latch it before I ride next on Mon morning. Stupid, stupid, stupid...I always do that kind of stuff, refuse to learn from other people's mistakes, have to make them myself...AARRRGGGHHHHH.

 

Squid, thank you. So there's no rail? The rail on mine is kinda beat up, I'll have to look at it again and get back to you. It wouldn't be the only piece of scraped chrome on my bike though. 91, do you remember if yours has a rail?

 

Jeremy

[mother]

get some electrical wire, make 4 - 12 inch lengths of wire.

 

buy 8 electrical crimp on connectors, the ones with a hole in the end. crimp one of the loop connectors on each end of the 4 wires.

 

remove your lid, take one screw out of the front and rear lock, and remove one srcew out of the latch front and back.

 

install the wire tether to the lid lock and the other end to the saddlebag latch on the front, then install another wire tether to the set on the back. now do the other bag the same way.

 

now you will never loose the lid, and they hang nicely on the side of the saddlebag when removed, rather than falling off the seat or the trunkbox.

 

hope this helps:smile5:

 

cheers, Scott

[Squidley]

Squid, thank you. So there's no rail? The rail on mine is kinda beat up, I'll have to look at it again and get back to you. It wouldn't be the only piece of scraped chrome on my bike though. 91, do you remember if yours has a rail?

 

Jeremy

 

Jeremy,

I'll try to get some pics up on the post here by tomorrow, lifes pretty hectic right now No rail, just the holes from where it was mounted, I'll chat with you soon.

[ddoggma]

I had mine fly off about a month ago...lol Came off on a on ramp right before a major bridge. Had it come off on the bridge, I would of had not got it back. As is, I found it, scratched a bit, but its not broken. I saw a couple on fleabay, when I was checking prices. I dont think I clamped mine down. I was lucky to find it when I back tracked. I had a spot to pull over and all. I think the scratches will buff out, and I now lock em down....

[84xj1100]

Thanks Scott,

 

That sounds like one helluve an idea...........I'll set that up tomorrow. If I remember, perhaps I'll take some pics and post them for others to see.

 

I can't begin to tell you how sick how felt when I looked down and it was gone.....I only had the bike for two weeks.

[Venturous Randy]

I can't begin to tell you how sick how felt when I looked down and it was gone.....I only had the bike for two weeks.

 

Well, you have officially started the learning process on these old bikes.

RandyA

[Condor]

The lid on my '93 came in pieces with lots of tape. I tried to find a lid in the right color to no avail, and finely lucked out and bought a new trunk in the right color off ebay for just $50 bucks. Lids are kinda rare... they're lost more than the bottoms are busted up. A set of saddle bags in your color, off an '87, sold on Ebay last week. I think BongoBob got 'm. The first thing I did to the '91 was install wire keepers as discribed above, and it'll be done on every bike before it hits the road....

[Gearhead]

Thanks y'all. Scott, don't the lids scratch up the sides of the bags over time, hanging against them all the time (when you're accessing the bags)?

 

I kinda assumed these lids are no longer available new. True?

 

Jeremy

[Condor]

don't the lids scratch up the sides of the bags over time, hanging against them all the time (when you're accessing the bags)?

 

I kinda assumed these lids are no longer available new. True?

 

Jeremy

 

Don't know about the lids being available any longer, but on the '91 the lids barely touch the side of the bag bottom. The top upper lip rests on the rubber gasket and the bottom lip on chrome guard. Here's some picks. Even if the lid does put a mark on the bottom every once in a while it's a lot better and cheeper than trying to replace the lid 'cause it got legs... Attached are a few pics of the '91's tethers.