Pannier Bags Went Ballistic

[Junglejohn]

OK newbie GTR rider listen up to this one: I'm riding the mountan roads here in Borneo, some few good ones, but, travelling about 120kph, I was riding 2 up, suspension set firm front and back for our weight; we hit a serious road bump (not a pot hole but was a deep deptession) and BAM the suspesion worked wonderful, bottomed out and bike renain stable, the bad news is the frikkin Panniers both went flying got shocked off the mounts. One flew into the grass, the other bounced along the road like a fibreglass box would do, and really suffered from asphalt rash. Sheeeeeit, brand new bike, I thought maybe to try and claim for warranty, but would it work? The bottom line is folks the clever attachement system is not that strong, and the bags were EMPTY, no load. I cry over the messed up paintwork but the bags are solid construction. note that they only are supported by the protrusion on the footpeg brackets and held down by the 3 point system on the seat frame. All can flex under high impact, paint wings on the bags.

[Shifty1]

Sucks that it happened but there is no way they will cover that under warranty. You would basically be asking them to fix a bike that you wrecked. Sorry.

[philipintexas]

If that happened to me, I would be demanding coverage under warrenty. If you did nothing wrong and the supplied system failed it is a design error. They had a problem early on and apparently it is still unsafe and I'd demand a warrenty repair. I'd first be sure the bags were on correctly, some have been installed backward, the "caution" label should face forward. Did you by any chance take photos of the bike as delivered, to include the bags from the rear or side?? If you can prove they delivered it with the bags improperly mounted it would help. Even if they were on properly, and came off under normal conditions something is defective. Good luck.

[cardiffmc]

i am truly amazed that they would fly off like that? and you didnt buckle the front wheel with a big impact like that, warrenty would be a big issue here for me after all if what you say is true then they shouldent have failed at that sort of speed.

Ps, its a polycarb type box not Fiberglass.

[DinoDanny]

Kawasaki re-designed the bag latches for this very reason and issued a recall to replace them, at least here in the U.S.. Sounds like a warranty claim to me.

[BULLDOG]

I would try the warranty thing ( nothing to lose) as Kawasakis design was changed, who knows if you create enough shit about the design flaw??? you might get lucky.

[bala]

Geeze thats mad. I'm not assuming you dont know how to secure the panniers, but are you sure the handle was fully down and in the locked position.

[SPCK111]

ditto re the recall in the UK as this type of thing also happened here..Check to see if the mod was carried out your bike and if not find out why not as Kawasaki sent letters to all the registered owners about it. If you bought it from a shop they have a responsibility to make sure the bikes in a roadworthy condition etc. We have the sale of goods act here in the Uk which states the item sold has to be fit for the purpose for which it was sold which quite clearly it wasnt. Spose you may have similar there..Imagine it it fell off on the motorway and slammed into anther car..scary..

Contact Kawasaki direct and see what they say as they will know if the mod was done cause they will have had to pay for it....


DKH

[gleets]

Any easy way to check if the recall was done, bought my bike in the uk, importers here are wankers.

[demonbane]

yes.

if the catches are red its not been done

if the catches are orange, its been done!!

[gleets]

Thanks for that, mine are orange thank the lord. Heading away for a long trip next month, did`nt want the worry of that.