The hardware was exceptionally loose on one of my bags and i discovered that the screws had come loose.3 of the 5 screws were missing and the outside 2 were loose.I took the outside ones out and they did have red locktite on them BUT not on the end.Locktite was more in the middle of the screw were it never made contact with the backing plate.
My bike is an 04 but regardless of year, why take a chance?When you open your bag you can reach your hand under latch hardware and feel the screws..Other bag had one screw gone...
Just an FYI...Sorry if this has been brought up before...I couldnt find it..:-)
Ride Safe All... Tim..
(Hope you can tell by the picture its the screws were there are 3 open holes between the 2 that were still there)

 

Yes, the whole saddlebag system is garbage. I lost a few before I noticed it. Use loctite on those screws and get a set of bagger locks so the bags don't fall off while going down the road, and call it good.

 

locktite cures with heat.

on stuff that doesn;t see heat, I paint over threads and the screw heads with nail polish.

this is an item the dealer should check pre-delivery.

i am happy to report that mine were all painted over when I got it- gives me faith that the rest of the set up was complete.

but, yes I check mine every once in a while.

was just going over the bike yesterday...looking for loose stuff, heat shields etc.



mike

 

Same thing happened on my '08 this June on a trip out west. I noticed one latch was crooked and yep, just like yours lost three screws and the two that were left were loose.

 

Thanks! Another fastener to add to my "notes" page in the manual. Not something I ever would have thought of till they were missing... in the middle of a 1000 mile trip no doubt!

 

I found one of those screws on garage floor once. Couldn't figure out where it came from. Two days later my whole lid came off in a parking garage. I was at a hospital and had to borrow a role of the tape they use to tape a cotton swab to your arm after you get blood work. The tape held until I could get to the dealer to replace. Tape left no marks, lucky me! Now I am supper **** about those screws.

 

That sounds like a personal problem...

 

Same thing happened to me, except I lost all the screws before I noticed.
Good news was I noticed in the dealership parking lot. Parts dept had everything I needed.
Screws and duct tape to make sure I didn't loose my bag top

 

Happened to me also. I never would have thought of checking for loose screws there. As I was riding I noticed the lid wasn't sealing snugly, but didn't think a lot about it. When I got home I went to open that lid and it would have fell off if not for the nylon, or whatever it is, strap thing. One screw was loose inside the lid latch and the other four were gone. The one screw left also had a small bit of red loctite halfway up the screw threads about about halfway around the screw. **** poor if you ask me.

 

I'll have to check mine, wouldn't want to damage those nice bags you sent me!