saddlebag won't open

[opas ride]

I forgot to mention on my earlier post that slightly leaning against the saddlebag that you are about to open seems to really help and makes it easier...Don't know why one should have to do this, but it only takes a second and works just fine for me, although I have had no issues with opening the bags after I adjusted the tightness on the grab rails after installing my Mustang seat..Sometimes, rarely mostly, the bags don't close completely and a light lean against the side of the bag closes it just fine....Don't know why this helps or why it works, but only takes a second and to me is no big deal....Ride safe

[pdxstriper]

Here goes...
So the latch we pull on to open the saddle bags 'cup' over a pin.
The pin slides in a curved metal track.
When pulled its full length - about 1.5"-2.0" - the saddlebags open.
Half way down the travel of this track is a metal 'fork'. This fork is part of the lock mechanism. It blocks the pin when the saddlebags are locked, then swings open and parallel to the track when unlocked.

There is a tendency for the pin to snag where the fork rides against the track even when unlocked. However, properly adjusted latches pull the pins past this snag point.
And that's where my right saddlebag failed to open. On the right side, the pin in its rested position was a full 1/2" up the track as compared to the left side. This appeared, when the bike is together, to be excessive play in the latch on the right side. In practice, pulling the latch did not move the pin past this snag point where the lock fork swings in place. So the only way I could get the pin to free was to pound on the side of the saddlebag, which basically jarred the pin loose from the snag point.

If you have the bike apart this will all make sense. I lubed everything but don't believe this to be a viable long term solution. When I explained what I was seeing to the local service manager, he told me he had seen this many times and knows how to adjust the pins such that they align correctly. They did just this, under warranty, it everything appears to work fine.

Hope this helps.
Pete

[Brasco]

Steve . . . I was dealing with a similar problem in the spring and started a thread called 'Saddlebag handle cable adjustment.' If you search that thread go to the final post where I included a couple of photos that may be helpful to you.