We read it here often enough - come out to the bike after being wherever and the saddle bags are gone. Would definitely suck losing $700+ in bags, as well as whatever was in 'em.

I see that Harley has locks for our RKC saddlebags:



Anybody out here using these? Verdict?

I had a very simple idea about how to secure these bags. Ya know the little twisty things inside of each saddlebag that you turn to secure the bags to the bike? I wonder if we could get those little pieces of hardware with an extra 1/2" in length? I figure you could simply drill a hole through tip of that thing, then when you insert it and twist you might be able to run a mini padlock through that hole, thus securing to the bike. May not be a heavy duty solution, but I figure it would likely stop the guy that wants to take no more than 30 seconds getting a free set of saddle bags. Perhaps if nothing else we could just replace those twist-off things with something more permanent, like a bolt & nut? Anybody out here ever try something like the ideas above?

 

Have those locks on mine. Work OK. Tough to reach in past the turn signals with the key to open and close them but other than that they are OK. Surebeats having no locks so someone can open them up and steal your stuff and your bags.

 

potision congress to pass a "saddle bag act" now thats an idea no one has thought of. ~sec. 287 sub paragraph 3. -statue on the above mentioned act shall recieve no less than being dragged by a bagger for 5 miles....

 

With the intallation of the lock kit, you loose the ability to open the saddle bags with the button. I finally received my personal keyed set, but I'm not sure if I'll install.

Sure would be nice to be able to lock the bags but keep the simple button opening function.

 

Practical 1....I thought that the HD lock only secured the bag to the bike. Didn't realize it locked the lid. How exactly does the lock work at preventing the lid from opening?

Thanks

Rick
new owner of 07 RKC

 

No disrespect, but...that lock for the Road King Custom/Classic is a POS!

Anyone lowdown enough to steal will just grab the top of the bag and give it a good yank.

I guess it's the old..."locks are to keep honest folks out"

 

Exactly. I thought these only locked the bags to the bike. Not so sure I'd like 'em if you have to figit with that lock every time you want to open the bags. I'm starting to re-entertain my secondary though of using something in place of the twisty's to physically lock the bags to the bike in some fashion - hmmm...

Is there any way to install those Harley locks without loosing the push-button function? There obviously must be something going on under the cover that the pic above doesn't show - with that bush-button that goes through that wire line to the interior latch assembly - somehow attaching to the new lock?

 

Yeah, unfortunately can't argue with that. My original intention isn't to keep the lid locked down though - rather to keep the bags attached to the bike in such a way that that they can't be readily removed within 30 seconds type of thing. Those friggin' $700 bags are just sitting there for the 30 second taking. I believe that nothing is 100% protected, but I'd at least like to increase that time to 5 minutes or longer say - seriously.

 

i took the front quick releases outa each bag, and removed the spring thingy, then put a 5/16" bolt thru each one with a nylock nut on the back. its a pain for me to remove the bags, but i'd rather have to take 5 min to take my bags off with a wrench, knowing it would take someone else the same, and most thieves aint gonna stick around that long. they want the quick hit.

 

Acid - I think you've hit on exactly what I'm swaying towards - inexpensive and unseenyet effective.

Thanks for the bolt size...