I have the LT Pannier boxes with a latch on the top, and one on the rear side, with no key locking.
Do you guys find their safe from opening on road? I'm abit paronoid bout them springing open mid Motorway,so I'm using Occy straps,locks n latches appear really expensive to replace. The actual long hook over set up for the whole box seems pretty reliable as its a pain to try n remove the whole box from the frame mount. Ever had the whole Pannier box fly off? jeff.

Sitting quietly waiting for Rick G to post comments on suicidal panniers.
And Charlie
And almost everyone else.

Occy Strap. Tick.

BMW have two types of panniers, the ones that have fallen off and the ones that are going to fall off soon. Ocky straps are good and some have even resorted to small bolts through the back into the Z frames. If you can lock the latches that hold them to the Z frame they are unlikely to attempt suicide.
See RossKo was right

Looks like I'm gonna Bolt them to the Z frame as mine have no locks anywhere, how secure are the door latches themselves, wouldnt trust them either??.........Now don't tell me....my top box is gonna launch into space as well!

Boxertwinjeff wrote:Now don't tell me....my top box is gonna launch into space as well!

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 FIRE.

The best thing to do is go down to Kani's for coffee and not worry.

Remember the immortal words of Douglas Adams. "Don't Panic"

Boxertwinjeff wrote:Looks like I'm gonna Bolt them to the Z frame as mine have no locks anywhere, how secure are the door latches themselves, wouldnt trust them either??.........Now don't tell me....my top box is gonna launch into space as well!

Haven't heard of any top boxes going skyward....... yet!

God I love this forum. We are such a witty bunch! ROFL

RicK G wrote:
Haven't heard of any top boxes going skyward....... yet!

Now you have...
My 21L opened up TWICE on me, both times on the highway at speed. Second time I lost some important papers (like ownership and insurance!). Not a happy camper. Now I always lock the top box.

Hi Jeff, do they look like this? If so the raised middle bit lifts and a small lock is there.

cheers

robmack wrote:

RicK G wrote:
Haven't heard of any top boxes going skyward....... yet!

Now you have...
My 21L opened up TWICE on me, both times on the highway at speed. Second time I lost some important papers (like ownership and insurance!). Not a happy camper. Now I always lock the top box.

I have seen them come open, I recall Charlie riding along with one hand behind him trying to latch it down and the one that was on the wife's K75 came open but 2 ton handbags don't go far if at all but as for the whole box committing suicide in the traffic.

andyb wrote:Hi Jeff, do they look like this? If so the raised middle bit lifts and a small lock is there.

cheers

Hi Andy, your a legend mate! thanks for that, yes thats mine. Thought the key cover was just a blank design feature, the PO has coated these with some sort of black Laquer, and when I was poking around they were stuck due to the stuff, and so did'nt realise there were locks underneath ..Cool!

But if you haven't got the keys.... check this out
https://www.k100-forum.com/t4131-pannier-key-044

I really Keyed into that thread..... Now I need to go and check the Key numbers

Any trick involved here like the way you hold ya tongue??. had several attempts with no success, I can't see these bags flying off in a hurry if their that tricky to get off!

At the back of the pannier there is a little tab, you have to wiggle the pannier rearward on the top rail to get the tab past the end of the rear of the rail near the blinker, once the tab is visible
the pannier should then lift off...............should.........Once you've done it a couple of times its straightforward.

cheers mate.

yep 22L top boxes lids flip open when not latched correctly
if you work on the frame locking latches ....and get rid of the moovement between frame and pannier they do hold on ok .
i used a rubber thong as the rubber for this ...just glued in place
the ones i had on the other day (thanks blakey ) havent had the treatment ...yet !

Got the right side Pannier off !, thanks mate!

Boxertwinjeff wrote:Got the right side Pannier off !, thanks mate!

And this is how you get the left one off......... FAIL

Dude . . . that is so cruel . . . wow

Ha ha..Ouch that must've hurt! I'll try that later, gotta Marina across the road!

Can you imagine what was going through his head when he realised that his pannier hit the post!

...and then thinking "this is going to hurt!".

so I have a piece of junk busted a$$ latch holding on one pannier so I made a pretty quick and easy block to hold it on. The internals of the latch are actually broken so it opens up even when latched correctly. I made a slightly tapered block (cut from an old cutting board!) that has a small lip on the end. It pushes in from the back and the lip catches just inside the hole on the Z frame, trapping the latch hook. I'll try to get a photo at some point. 


but I got on this thread hoping to find a source for the latches?! I had some nice ones on my 88 LT that fit a standard type of key, with no little covers on them. Any good leads on replacements?  

I bought a complete set of replacement latches and locks with a common key from Motobins but you could probably get them from Max BMW also.  Make sure you are sitting down when you ask the price.

---

Hey I have a complete set of bags with keys galor, just got another steal on CL so might have a set for sale, good condition?

RicK G wrote:I bought a complete set of replacement latches and locks with a common key from Motobins but you could probably get them from Max BMW also.  Make sure you are sitting down when you ask the price.

I did just that. You need to have a beer beside you too. Locks and cylinders are sold separately. At the time about £200 delivered to me. Led to me buying brand new unused Krauser K2 42 litre panniers off eBay including all locks, keys, the arms and fitting kits £290 complete.

92KK K100LT 193214 wrote:

RicK G wrote:I bought a complete set of replacement latches and locks with a common key from Motobins but you could probably get them from Max BMW also.  Make sure you are sitting down when you ask the price.

Well . .  the good thing is this:

BMW K100 is STILL supported extremely well in the parts department,

Had a convo with the oldest bike shop in town here (trading locally for probably nearly 50 years now, at least 40 that I know of). In that time they have had various dealerships, starting out with honda, going to suzuki, branching out to KTM's, canams and Polaris as well and have just recently taken on the BMW dealership for the region.

I am glad to say I have always had an extremely good relationship with these guys and the staff there are pretty excellent, along with the prices for tyres, batteries, leathers, etc. I never dreamed they would end up the dealers for BM

Anywayz, we agreed that support, in the parts department, for BMW is actually second to NONE.

He was telling me he was unable to get much at all for anything pre 1985 - 1990 for suzukis, most stuff he is after for the older bikes simply comes up as " no longer listed / not available" and that he has a Kawasaki 1000 old one at home shelved because of a lack of ability to get the bits he needs

Seems the japs simply dont compare when it comes to sourcing gen parts any more for older stuff

thank god for BMW huh, at least I do anyway