K11 Owners Group

dietric · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:51 pm Post subject: Lost Touring Case!!

Hi all,
since this is my first post, I'll prepend a little introduction: I'm a 41year old male, and a proud and happy owner of a 1996 K1100RS Limited Edition (silver & black).
A couple of weeks ago, I rode home on a 80 mile stretch of parkway - the ride was uneventful, but when I got home I realized that one of my BMW Touring Cases was missing - it must have flown off somewhere between New York City and Albany! I am confident that it was properly attached and everything...
I was wondering whether the same thing happened to someone else here? I was able to track down a replacement on ebay, but I'm somewhat anxious now that it might happen again. I don't want to lose one again and, God beware, probably cause someone to be hurt... Does someone have suggestions how to attach those in a more solid fashion?

Jim · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:55 pm Post subject: lost luggage

hi dietric - welcome to the board!

you're not the first person this has happened to. If the luggage is all the way on the bracket, and locked - it shouldn't come off. I recently double checked my side bags - one of them was locked at the bottom, but not all the way on the bracket. Close call.

Thing to do is make sure your name and phone number are attached to the case and the lid - that way you might get something back - something I haven't done yet.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

Flying Duck · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:57 pm Post subject:

MAke sure the latches that hold the bag to the rail aren't coming loose and are nice and tightly riveted to the inner case half. If the rivets are loose, drill them out and replace them.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Off the grid · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:25 pm Post subject:

I've knocked off a case with just my size 14 togs hitching under them.
They are WAY too expensive not to secure with just that flimsy latch.

My solution:
Bungee with a carabeiner on each end from Home Depot, 18" length.
One around the rack, routed through the handles and one through the hole where the lock goes.
Plus I have my name and email address inside, but I would rather prevent than have to count on the good will of humans.

_________________
Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

dietric · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:31 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:36 pm Post subject:

I've got lots of K niles under my belt with various sets of bags and have never had an issue. And I pakc up pretty darned full too.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Milton · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:33 am Post subject:

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:38 am Post subject:

As I have read about others loosing cases, I also made sure to adjust my mirrors down just enough to be able to see the top of the side cases. Hopefully if I would happen to drop one I wouldn't be too far a way to go back and retrieve it.
_________________
Ride safe.

1997 K1100LT 0302488
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1995 K1100LT 0302044(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:38 am Post subject:

I did lose a case ONCE - but it was easy to find: Very Happy

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

drmalacarne · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:43 am Post subject:

I never lost a case, until now.
But the case supports fixed in the KLT is a little worn, so, the cases are a little "loose" attached to it. I put insulate black foam on the surfaces of the cases, and that "tighned" the cases a bit.
Guilherme.
_________________
1994 K1100LT SE n° 0267
1998 HD Heritage Springer 95th anniversary
Yes, a Hog and a Beemer can live together!

Mystic Red · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:56 pm Post subject:

My cases were loose (rattled a bit) and installed some hard rubber pieces on the rail to tighten thing up. They have stayed put. In fact they are a little hard to remove now. I did have one come open on the fly which cost me a trip to the body and paint shop. Now I always lock them. Wink

_________________
Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

CheapJapCopy · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject:

I had one pop open once, not nice.. It was joining the Westway out of London on my K1100LT. I hadn't long bought it, and hadn't yet learned that the buckles worked their way open if not locked. ALWAYS lock buckles, all of them - even when relatively new they can pop open.
_________________
1992 K1100RS - Red and gold.

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 3:19 pm Post subject:

I usually don't lock mine shut or to the bike and have never had an issue. Probably because I'm such a SMOOTH rider though. Rolling Eyes

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Off the grid · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject:

Tim (Midland Section) · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:05 pm Post subject:

I was told by a seasoned rider, that losing cases is common, even if locked on. The trick to keeping them is:- after fitting, kneel at the back (not to pray)
& sight along the rails. It is possible to put them on & lock them without the hooky bit locating properly all along the rail. After I returned from my last outing with panniers, I was horrified to find I had done just that & got away with it.
BTW all my K1100s have had 1/8th thick sticky back rubber foam fitted by me inside the hooky bit.
_________________
Regards Tim,

Grey haired riders don't get that way by pure luck
1996 Guzzi Cali3 LAPD
1972 750 Commando
G6HRN
#485

dietric · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - I did buy the bungee cords and put them on, and I strongly doubt the I will ever lose a case again. In addition, I will also put on the insulation foam as suggested. The case that I lost WAS considerably more wobbly than the replacement I got, so that might have been the cause for my losing it.
Related to this: I was trying to get replacement cylinders for the case I got that could be keyed so I can use my main keys to lock it, but my local BMW dealer claims they're not available anymore. I looked at the parts diagrams linked to on this site, but can't seem to find the part number for those. Did any of you guys ever successfully order one of those and happens to remember the part number?

Thanks
so much
Dietrich

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 8:54 pm Post subject:

You can rekey existing lock cores to match your key. IF you have the key for the locks, you can remove them by using a dental tool or something to push in the tang at the end and then retract the core fomr the lock.

Here's an example - it's for a top case lock but same process:

http://sumdumguy.home.comcast.net/~sumdumguy/ebay_top_case/rekey.htm

Here's a write-up on it at IBMWR:
http://www.ibmwr.org/ktech/re-key.shtml
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE