Saddlebags Stuck

Returning from the Hell's Canyon Motorcycle Rally, Baker City, OR, this past Sunday I may have overpacked a saddlebag and now I am unable to open the saddlebag. Perhaps some material is in the way of the latching mechanism.

After a couple of days trying to place pressure at various points and having helping hands depress the "open" button I am exhausted.

My research so far suggest the OEM latch mechanism has some history of sticking and remedies have ranged from cutting off the hinges (trashing the bag) to getting one latch unlocked and insert a 14 inch rod to open the second latch. Once opened, then to lube the latch.

A call to my dealer, RMC, resulting in them being willing to look at it but not sure if they can help. But the next opening in the schedule is a week or more away.

A journey electrician and all around mechanic friend is going to look at it today for me. He's pretty handy and has a great mechanical attitude.

I am looking for any experience and advice from this forum.

Thank you in advance.

The one I know of destroyed the cover getting it open.

I thought I saw a posting about removing the hinge and getting to it that way.

I suggest that you don't rush in to it for now, wait for a few replies cause there are others that have experienced this in the past and found a fix.

Good luck.

Maby a close inspection of the other cover lock unit, would give some clues as to how to open the stuck unit.

I had some clothes get caught in mine one time. If this is the case you are not pushing the button down far enough to release it. Check your other latch and really pay attention how far it goes in when you push it down. Now try the stuck one and see if it goes in as far. If it doesn't get a dowel rod and push down the button real hard and when it goes down as far as the other one pull up on the lid at the same time and it should open. The dowel rod will give you some extra leverage.

You still may need some extra hands.

Hope it works for you.

IPB,

What I had suggested was cutting the TAPERED ROLL PIN. And you can be very sure I DID NOT trash my bags, in fact doing what I did, no-one would ever know.

I did this in a very precise manor.

You might want to reread my post.

Steve

does the little VENTURE sign on the side of the bag come off if so you might be able to get to the hinge bolts and nut i am not for sure but at least its worth a try:confused24:

Dumb question maybe but they are unlocked right? Stranger things have happened.

Dumb question maybe but they are unlocked right? Stranger things have happened.

(sic) That was great!!!

There are no bolts under the venture sign and if you remove it it may not go back on it sticky back held on

bumble bee

iron pony boyz,

How was the rally? I have negotiations so I did not get to go this year. Weather looked like it was going to be better than last year. Last year we hit about every kind of weather except snow.

I used a credit card after trying every thing else I could think of. Destroyed the card but got the latch open. I had a plastic cigar tube that had jammed in between the latch so it would not open.

I just took a look at my saddle lock. Good luck. The only suggestion I could make is if all else fails drill a couple of holes where you might be able to get a coat hanger in there to trip the catches... both of them.... Then you could get a couple of rubber plugs from your local hardware store to make things watertight again.

Yea I just looked at mine also, and there just ain't a good way to get them open.. I will have a set for sale here in a couple of weeks when I start working on my 02,,,almost the right color,,, Red over wine ( Bordeaux I think)

Good luck...

Make sure to look for distortion on the sides of the bags. My wife over stuffed the bag and I had to have some one press hard on the latch while I squeezed the sides from various spots to get it open. If cutting is necessary the hinge pins would be my choice. Good luck Rod

Alls well that ends well. A little rough housing on the bag and two of us working it the bag sprung open. Seems like a little material just made it very hard to get it to unlatch. Repeated attempts may have allowed it to work loose.

So we spent the next hour installing the Stebel air horn. Pretty tight fit. Shimmed the bracket bolt with a washer to bring it off the engine, had to bend the connector on the bottom 90 degrees to clear the heat shield and placed a heat resistant rubber between the connectors and heat shield to minimize vibration which could have led to a short in the connection. Otherwise, I am a happy guy.

Sincere thanks to all who took the time to advise me..Y'all rock!

Hell's Canyon Motorcycle Rally had beautiful weather Friday, Sat and Sun. Nice size rally , about 500-600 motels rooms rented. Great roads to ride. I had a great time. Arrived with a group of 20 and met up with another 12 more riders. A bonus was a professional photographer got two great pictures of riding the Venture on the Tail of the Devil.

I jammed mine also and had to cut the roll pins in the hinge. I took a small dermal tool with a small cut-off wheel. I went between the two hinge parts and cut the roll pin into. The lid would then unlatch. I used a small pin punch to drive the old roll pins out. A local machine shop had a new roll pins.

I was three hundred miles away from home when this happen. I was sure glad I didn’t have to have what was in the bag.

Earl

00 RSV

Glad you got it open finally. I was going to suggest that you use a one foot long, 3/4 inch diameter wooden dowel, press it down on the latch button, and hit the other end with a rubber mallet a few times. This worked when mine jammed last year.

Well the jammed latch sydrom has got me now. I think part of an atlas is jammed. I have messed with it for an hour. I have to get it open as my passport is in it and Im in canada. One way or another its comming open.

patience with that, usually something is on the latch end, sometimes less is more with pressure. Two people, one pushing down on the cover and the second pushing down and tapping on the lock. . . finesse it open.

I just destroyed my saddlebag and fender 2 weeks ago with the same issue. $2414.00 in damage. I filed a claim with my insurance company and just waiting for the parts to come it.

The agent was wondering why the bags were so much. I kept explaining to her these were not leather flop over saddlebags. However, when the claims adjuster came out to the house, he completely understood why the cost was so high.

I just destroyed my saddlebag and fender 2 weeks ago with the same issue. $2414.00 in damage. I filed a claim with my insurance company and just waiting for the parts to come it.

 

The agent was wondering why the bags were so much. I kept explaining to her these were not leather flop over saddlebags. However, when the claims adjuster came out to the house, he completely understood why the cost was so high.[/

 

Wow that is a nasty bill! Sure hope I don't have my bags get stuck that bad. I have had to fiddle around with them a couple of times to get them open but not to that degree.

 

I'm sure one way or another the Ins. Companies here in Ontario would jack your rates the next year, for making a claim like that.