Key removal from locked bags (1300)

[Ryan_B]

It has been stated on this forum that the police version is either delivered this way or is modified to this configuration, I'm not sure which. If police ride around all the time with the panniers unlocked I can only assume that it isn't much of an issue.

They are delivered this way. No concern on my part, you have to pull the carry handle into the up position before the latch is able to pulled up. Very easy visual check, even for the paranoid while riding (I check it about 10 times every ride).

I keep my left locked which has my recovery gear stuff, my right unlocked which normally transports my clothes and then holds my helmet. If I am in a questionable area and parking the bike I will lock my helmet in the right side.

*Edited to remove incorrect information.*

Ryan

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Apparently, yes. It has been a while so I can't recall who or when it was. But i recall somebody had stated that their pannier unlatched and opened due to vibration. The latches have no detent To hold them closed, Only the lock. While I can't confirm this happening, short of vaguely recalling somebody mentioning this issue It is worth pointing it out in case you need to look closer At this possibility.

I know of one case where the left-hand pannier was knocked off by an improperly installed rear brake caliper that smacked the bottom of the pannier every time that the suspension bottomed, or came close to bottoming. The constant hammering eventually bent the latch that holds the pannier down allowing it to be loose enough to be ejected.

The other was a case where something was awry from right from the factory and the latch was not even touching the top of the pannier let alone exerting any downward force to keep it in place. This also allowed it to be ejected. Shimming the mechanism solved that one.

Curious if either of these are what you are thinking of. I don't recall having read of a pannier coming off that was not caused by it having been improperly installed or because there was something that needed to repaired. If they can come unlatched when they are not locked, and it is not due to any state of disrepair, this is something that would be good to know.

 

[Bmacleod]

I know of one case where the left-hand pannier was knocked off by an improperly installed rear brake caliper that smacked the bottom of the pannier every time that the suspension bottomed, or came close to bottoming. The constant hammering eventually bent the latch that holds the pannier down allowing it to be loose enough to be ejected.

The other was a case where something was awry from right from the factory and the latch was not even touching the top of the pannier let alone exerting any downward force to keep it in place. This also allowed it to be ejected. Shimming the mechanism solved that one.

Curious if either of these are what you are thinking of. I don't recall having read of a pannier coming off that was not caused by it having been improperly installed or because there was something that needed to repaired. If they can come unlatched when they are not locked, and it is not due to any state of disrepair, this is something that would be good to know.

I'm not talking about the pannier falling off the bike. I was referring to a claim that someones lid popped open while riding down the road. It was quite a while ago and I looked back using the search function and I can't seem to find anything about it. The reason I remember it is because I was contemplating setting my locks up so that I could leave them unlocked and I distinctly remember somebody saying that they had their latch vibrate open. I decided to not bother doing it and that's why I remember the claim. Others have said that they have modified their locks and they haven't had an issue. So maybe it's not a big deal, but the reason I mentioned it is so that people are aware if they're going to modify the locks They want to check and make sure that the latches are going to hold and keep an eye on the latches when unlocked.

 

[Larry Fine]

No concern on my part, you have to pull the carry handle into the up position before the latch is able to pulled up.

Is that for the ones delivered that way? I'm pretty sure my latches can be pulled up with the handles.

 

[JetRanger]

I just saw this thread & ran out to check my panniers... I can remove my key with them unlocked. I suppose that's the bonus with a police model.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

I just saw this thread & ran out to check my panniers... I can remove my key with them unlocked. I suppose that's the bonus with a police model.

Is there any difference with a police version other than that brass spring being routed differently or perhaps not there at all?
I am just curious to know if the panniers between the civilian and the police version are identical except for the location or presence of that spring.

 

[Ryan_B]

Is that for the ones delivered that way? I'm pretty sure my latches can be pulled up with the handles

I am sorry, you are correct. I guess I never physically tried and just thought the handles had to be in the up position to "unlock" the latch, it is just to gain access to the lip of the latch. I just went and tried and yes, the latch can be opened without lifting the handles.

Is there any difference with a police version other than that brass spring being routed differently or perhaps not there at all?

I don't know what a civilian model looks like, but the brass spring is visible on mine:


Here is it with the lock in place:


Ryan

 

[gunsmoker]

I carry a spare key with me -- it is a habit that I developed from my prior bike which had a weak charging system due to a corroded and partially melted electrical contact from the stator to the regulator -rectifier.

If I have to jumpstart my bike --or roll start it down a hill -- I absolutely do not want to have to shut it off again to close any side cases or reattach anything.

Furthermore I don't even want to shut it off at that point if I will soon have to get fuel at a gas station. I will take my chances on adding some gas to the tank of a running motorcycle rather than shut it off-- if I think there's a good chance it won't start again for me.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

I was in the garage today and looked at the locks on my panniers and that brass retainer/spring thing. I have never looked at it before because I never had any desire to do this modification. The claim that repositioning the brass strip will allow the key to be removed while it is in the unlock position, which is what the original question was, is not correct. That brass strip only prevents the lock cylinder from rotating back to the locked position when the pannier latch is in the up, or open, position. The pannier latch must be in the closed position for the key cylinder to rotate back to the locked position.

@Joeywhat The link that I gave you was from another thread that claimed that this was the answer to your question. This will not work. You want to be able to remove the key while the pannier lock cylinder is in the unlock position so that you can remove the key and leave the panniers unlocked. This will require modifying the lock cylinder to allow that or, if it is correct that this can be done with the police version panniers, purchasing police version pannier lock cylinders and coding them to your existing key.

 

[Igofar]

You may want to look at that again
Andrew, perhaps you’re just not understanding how to position it.
Having worked on many police motors, I can assure you the bags can be closed, with the key removed, and remain unlocked, as this is how just about every motor officer keep his bags set (unless he has an HK MP5 mounted inside the bag, then He keeps it locked and secured.
There are no differences between the locks and bags, and the civilian models can be set like this as well.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

There are no differences between the locks and bags,

They are different. I am not doubting that the key can be removed when the lock cylinder is in the unlocked position on the police model. I looked up the pannier lock cylinder part numbers for my model year and they are different between the civilian and the police models. I suspect that the difference is that the police version lock cylinder allows the key to be removed when the cylinder is in the unlocked position.

That brass strip prevents the lock cylinder from being rotated back to the locked position when the pannier latch is up. Changing its position will allow the cylinder to rotate back to the locked position when the latch is up but I don't see how it has any effect on whether or not the key can be removed when the lock cylinder is in the unlocked position. If it can then you are right, I don't get what change you are stating needs to be made.