locked 2016 RT pannier lid pops open on highway - oops!

[Ran_Bush]

So yesterday I'm coming home from a three-day trip, riding on a busy freeway about an hour from home. I'm in the #1 "fast" lane (they're ALL "fast" lanes on California freeways these days), and a blue Toyota speeds up behind me. I pull over to let her pass, but she stays next to me, and I see that she is frantically pointing to the back of my bike.

 

I look into my left-side mirror and see that the _locked_ left-side pannier lid had popped open. I pull over in a safe spot and see that the contents of the pannier were now somewhere back on the highway.

 

The only good news - it was just my clothing and shaving kit in the left-side pannier; the right-side pannier had the expensive tools, tire plug kit, air pump, and spares. I shut the left-side lid, and I had to unlock it to get it to close, so I know that it HAD been locked when it popped open. I had been riding for a couple of hours, decent pavement conditions, I hadn't hit any huge pothole to cause the bag lid to pop open. Thinking back on it after the incident, I had felt a slight "shimmy" a mile or so back, which must have been when the lid popped open and the bag liner full of clothes fell out.

 

Back when we all we had were the Krauser bags, you always ran straps around the bags to make sure lids stayed shut. Has anybody heard of / had this happen to a locked pannier on a modern BMW? Do I have to start using straps again?

 

PS I left the freeway at the next exit, doubled back two exits, and saw my stuff next to the center dividing wall on the left of the #1 lane. Way too dangerous to try to cross four lanes of traffic to retrieve. Oh well.

[dirtrider]

On 9/25/2023 at 2:24 PM, Ran_Bush said:

So yesterday I'm coming home from a three-day trip, riding on a busy freeway about an hour from home. I'm in the #1 "fast" lane (they're ALL "fast" lanes on California freeways these days), and a blue Toyota speeds up behind me. I pull over to let her pass, but she stays next to me, and I see that she is frantically pointing to the back of my bike.

 

I look into my left-side mirror and see that the _locked_ left-side pannier lid had popped open. I pull over in a safe spot and see that the contents of the pannier were now somewhere back on the highway.

 

The only good news - it was just my clothing and shaving kit in the left-side pannier; the right-side pannier had the expensive tools, tire plug kit, air pump, and spares. I shut the left-side lid, and I had to unlock it to get it to close, so I know that it HAD been locked when it popped open. I had been riding for a couple of hours, decent pavement conditions, I hadn't hit any huge pothole to cause the bag lid to pop open. Thinking back on it after the incident, I had felt a slight "shimmy" a mile or so back, which must have been when the lid popped open and the bag liner full of clothes fell out.

 

Back when we all we had were the Krauser bags, you always ran straps around the bags to make sure lids stayed shut. Has anybody heard of / had this happen to a locked pannier on a modern BMW? Do I have to start using straps again?

 

PS I left the freeway at the next exit, doubled back two exits, and saw my stuff next to the center dividing wall on the left of the #1 lane. Way too dangerous to try to cross four lanes of traffic to retrieve. Oh well.

Afternoon Ran_Bush

 

I have seen a 1200 hexhead pop open, (well not actually seen if but was leading a ride that it happened in) 

 

Luckly the rider just lost some clothing & wet weather gear but a following riders 3 & 4  bikes behind him saw it  & picked it up. 

 

We couldn't figure what caused it but the rider got all his gear back so we motored on. 

 

That night when the rider was putting his things away he found a tear in one of his shirts that looked like it got caught in the cover latch (that's the best thought anyhow) 

[Etienne Lau]

Scarey. I recently had the 28L top case on my 2010 R1200RT fall off while going 70-80 mph.....I had to get off at the next exit, turned around to retrieve it.

 

[Ran_Bush]

Taking a look at the left-side pannier yesterday, I see that the spring-loaded reel for the lid retainer leash does not extend and retract as it is supposed to. So the lid can fall 180 degrees down. The right-side leash holds the lid open at 90 degrees.

I am also thinking that maybe the loose leash on the left side may have gotten in the way slightly and kept the lid from completely locking. But that doesn't explain why I got two hours down the road before the lid popped open, on smooth pavement. Maybe it just jiggled itself open after awhile.

I'll try to repair the non-functioning spring-loaded reel, as I don't see it listed as a separate part on the Max fiche. There are other messages here about that reel failing.

I've got ROK straps on both bag lids now, and I will start using the interior elastic straps to retain the bag liners. Lesson learned.

 

 

[dirtrider]

19 hours ago, Ran_Bush said:

Taking a look at the left-side pannier yesterday, I see that the spring-loaded reel for the lid retainer leash does not extend and retract as it is supposed to. So the lid can fall 180 degrees down. The right-side leash holds the lid open at 90 degrees.

I am also thinking that maybe the loose leash on the left side may have gotten in the way slightly and kept the lid from completely locking. But that doesn't explain why I got two hours down the road before the lid popped open, on smooth pavement. Maybe it just jiggled itself open after awhile.

I'll try to repair the non-functioning spring-loaded reel, as I don't see it listed as a separate part on the Max fiche. There are other messages here about that reel failing.

I've got ROK straps on both bag lids now, and I will start using the interior elastic straps to retain the bag liners. Lesson learned.

 

 

Afternoon Ran_Bush

 

Yours should be repairable but if not look for (cover holder left or right) still should be available. 

[Red]

11 hours ago, Ran_Bush said:

Taking a look at the left-side pannier yesterday, I see that the spring-loaded reel for the lid retainer leash does not extend and retract as it is supposed to. So the lid can fall 180 degrees down. The right-side leash holds the lid open at 90 degrees.

I am also thinking that maybe the loose leash on the left side may have gotten in the way slightly and kept the lid from completely locking. But that doesn't explain why I got two hours down the road before the lid popped open, on smooth pavement. Maybe it just jiggled itself open after awhile.

I'll try to repair the non-functioning spring-loaded reel, as I don't see it listed as a separate part on the Max fiche. There are other messages here about that reel failing.

I've got ROK straps on both bag lids now, and I will start using the interior elastic straps to retain the bag liners. Lesson learned.

 

 

 

Mine has failed twice now on my 2018.  The first time was day 1 new bike at the dealer.  Second time was this summer.  It hasn't had all that much use.  It's a PITA.  If it's going to keep breaking with minimal use I'm going to just live with it and harbor ill will with BMW and their cheap ass parts.

[92Merc]

It's hard to see in the parts fiche, but I believe these are the two parts for that holder.

 

46 54 8 529 461     COVER HOLDER, LEFT

46 54 8 529 462     COVER HOLDER, RIGHT

 

$64.36 a piece.

[Ran_Bush]

Thanks for the part numbers, that item is REALLY hard to see in the Max Fiche. And thanks also to a couple of gents on the BMW MOA Forum. Their replies gave me the term "Rewind spring" to search for on youtube university, where there are (of course) several repair videos. The BMW pannier leash mechanism is pretty much the same as the rope you pull to start a lawn mower or chainsaw.

 

https://tinyurl.com/xjyua6yb

 

Also, the BMW part name "COVER HOLDER" is not what I would have named it. Maybe it sounds better in German than English. If you can't fix the one you have, BMW will sell you a new one for $64.

 

I'm almost tempted to buy a new one to see how they keep the spring in there when they ship it.

 

Hope this helps the next person.

[92Merc]

I'm guessing in German speak, the lid the pops down is the "cover" of the saddlebag.  And since the cord holds up the "cover", it is now a cover holder.

[Ran_Bush]

5 minutes ago, 92Merc said:

And since the cord holds up the "cover", it is now a cover holder.

 

Just for grins, I went to one of the translation websites; "COVER HOLDER" in English is "ABDECKUNGS HALTER" in German.

I'll stick with Cover Holder, unless I'm in Munich.

 

8D

[dirtrider]

17 hours ago, Ran_Bush said:

I'm almost tempted to buy a new one to see how they keep the spring in there when they ship it.

 

Morning Ran_Bush

 

I don't know how they  ship it now but the older 1200 hexhead cover-holder devices came with a metal clip, you slid that out after loosely bolting the mechanism on. 

 

If the wethead case holder doesn't come with a retention clip it would be pretty easy to make one. 

 

 

 

[Ran_Bush]

> metal clip, you slid that out

Yes, that would help to install it. Thanks.

 

I may still buy a new one; after my repair the left side ABDECKUNGS HALTER lets the lid fall down about 120 degrees, not as tight as the right side that only falls down to 90 degrees.

 

Or I may just live with it as-is.

 

8D