V100 saddlebags note and warning!

[indygodave]

Thoughts on installing Panniers:
When installing the bags, get the front and rear mounting posts lined up with the receiving slots, and you will notice the inside tab for the lower mount (that attaches to the passenger foot peg bracket with the rubber) is shorter allowing it to move inward together with the two posts into the receiving slots.
Once lined up push the bag inward until they are seated into the slots, along with the lower mount around and up against the rubber. Once this is good, hold the bag into the bike with your legs and or stomach, and while keeping the bag seated inward, grab the handle, then with your free hand strike the bag forward from the rear, near the top in line with the posts with the heel of your hand until you see the front post is forward as far as it will go as seen through the opening in the seat well where the "spike" on the seat that locks in the post goes. You will have to coax it to the front with multiple palm hits, don't be afraid of breaking it, they're pretty tough, just don't go Medieval (the spike on the bottom of the seat fits behind the post locking it in place as seen in the pic showing location with red arrow). Once the bag is persuaded to forward position you can let go of it as it is held from coming out by the two "hooks" at the end of the posts. To remove, reverse the procedure while striking with your palm from the front, while making sure the bag is supported by legs and stomach......... Easy Peasy........

View attachment 30165View attachment 30166

Thanks for the tip. I've been reading the V100 owners manual and in nearly 200 pages, I didn't notice anything about Panniers, Sidecases, Saddlebags... Hope to get mine in mid-July if it gets to Cadre Cycle by then. The bags I had on my '69 V7 were homemade with bracket-supports of angle-iron. Only on for the trip to Acapulco from Indiana.

 

[allenpeter]

View attachment 30462
This clamp I'm sure, was originally specified to be removable and reusable. That's the type that it is. They used the exact same type on the charcoal canister on the Stelvio NTX. I showed them in my online removal guide for the Charcoal Canister in the Stelvio Forum.

I have to say that to me, it really isn't an appropriate clamp for a high pressure - high temperature application.

In my opinion, based upon my experience and other vehicles and motorcycles I own, they should have specified a Oetiker clamp. That's what I would use. Positively. If you use the correct size which is stamped into the clamp itself, the Oetiker ear clamp is absolutely bulletproof in that properly installed Oetiker clamps do not leak.

The problem however becomes accessibility to properly compress the tensioning ear. It may even require a specialty tool be constructed for the specific purpose. I have several in all sorts of configurations.

I would be very interested to see what Moto Guzzi's solution is. If you find out, please post. That would be very interesting indeed.

They very well could have just gone to the original style but to a smaller diameter clamp where the increased pressure would get the job done. It remains to be seen.

While you are in there I would change every clamp you see . As you say 4 hours of work to get it open to work on ,

 

[BDS]

Thanks for the tip. I've been reading the V100 owners manual and in nearly 200 pages, I didn't notice anything about Panniers, Sidecases, Saddlebags... Hope to get mine in mid-July if it gets to Cadre Cycle by then. The bags I had on my '69 V7 were homemade with bracket-supports of angle-iron. Only on for the trip to Acapulco from Indiana.

Indy - My bags came in at Cadre yesterday. There were 8 or 10 sets in the shipment. Not sure if they are all spoken for, or if a set may yours?

 

[FranknStein]

My left pannier fell off riding today. I was actually familiar with this thread, so I am extremely careful about mounting them. They weren't even loaded with anything. I am concerned the mounting system is fundamentally flawed. Even if I get a replacement pannier, I am not sure how I am ever going to be able to trust the luggage system now. I am just glad the thing didn't hit a car or passing bicyclist.

I also had the coolant leak issue. Bike was in the shop for four weeks. My confidence in my first Moto Guzzi is waning.

 

[BDS]

Sorry to hear that…… and, I certainly understand the “trust” thing. Don’t want to be traveling, and worry about stopping for gas only to find something fell off. The new model issues are mounting it seems. I suspect as more people get them, and the miles rack up, deficiencies will reveal themselves. Sadly… because I traded a perfectly good, and dependable, Norge and Ducati for mine. The V100 is a beautiful bike, with good performance and handling, and comfort (to a point, for me). I hope we can get the kinks worked out, and enjoy them!

 

[scott_m]

I am concerned the mounting system is fundamentally flawed.

Sorry friend but…

No, it is not.

It’s operator error. Nothing more.

 

[scott_m]

I suspect as more people get them, and the miles rack up, deficiencies will reveal themselves.

Ugh…

There is not one single vehicle of any kind made by any manufacturer, that does not have issues that arise once the product gets into the hands of the general public. Not one.

What is important is a manufacturer who stands behind their product, which Moto Guzzi has and continues to do.

Just because there are a few minor (and all of these thus far have been minor), does not in the slightest, indicate that the manufacturing process is flawed or that Piaggio is nothing more than a collection of wine-infused Italian country bumpkins…

 

[FranknStein]

Sorry friend but…

No, it is not.

It’s operator error. Nothing more.

Oh sure, it's more. I realize there are some diehard Guzzi fans on this forum, but we don't need to defend bad design. I suppose the leaking coolant on my bike was user error as well?

I have never owned a motorcycle where the panniers fall off while riding. On every other bike I've owned, when you attach the panniers, they are either clearly secured or clearly NOT secured. The fact that there is no lever that sets the panniers into place is part of the problem. The design of these is categorically worse than the Varios of my BMW GS.

 

[FranknStein]

If you have not, kindly read my post in this thread 28 May. There is absolutely no way the bags will fall of if properly installed.
The coolant issue, that's another matter. The engineering is rock solid but, assembly line QC is not yet. I believe the crimp on hose clamps are out of spec and/or the installation/crimping tool are are out of calibration.

Yes I had seen your post already. The point I'm making is that the panniers were secured in the manner you described, and I still lost the left pannier. Despite taking these precautions (which 99% of owners would not have read about), there was still a problem. There may be some other issues with the tolerances of the mounting solution.

I did notice the mounting point on the pannier that attaches to the footpeg bracket was cracked and bowing in after I recovered it. Presumably this cracked on impact when the pannier flew off the road. Another possibility is that the mount was already weakened and cracked while riding. This could have put excessive strain on the remaining two mounting points. Sort of impossible to know.

 

[FranknStein]

I am trully sorry to hear this. It looks like that happened while tumbling on the pavement. What do the "hooks" at the end of the two mounting posts look like, and also the "spikes" on the bottom of the passenger seat bottom that secure the two posts/hooks from moving rearward? Any unusual wear marks/points? Did you by chance spray any silicone or any other type of lube as someone suggested? I think that is not a good Idea... Lube will attract grime and turn into a fine lapping compound. Tight fit is almost always best.

There are some minor cosmetic marks on the hooks but nothing concerning. I never put any lube on the mounting points. I did a bit more investigating, and there is simply no way the panniers weren't properly mounted when I set off this morning. Something is awry here. My best guess is that crack actually wasn't from impact. If that mounting point had already been weakened, it could have cracked while riding. The crack causes the pannier to sag. I can imagine how it could have slid out if it were sagging.

The whole mounting system is made of plastic, and the panniers require a bit of elbow grease to get on and off. Maybe a crack had already formed.

 

[scott_m]

Oh sure, it's more. I realize there are some diehard Guzzi fans on this forum, but we don't need to defend bad design. I suppose the leaking coolant on my bike was user error as well?

I have never owned a motorcycle where the panniers fall off while riding. On every other bike I've owned, when you attach the panniers, they are either clearly secured or clearly NOT secured. The fact that there is no lever that sets the panniers into place is part of the problem. The design of these is categorically worse than the Varios of my BMW GS.

As a former BMW dealer, I can assure you that I have seen dozens of BMW saddlebags from the 1970’s through the 2000’s that have jettisoned off the bike due to improper mounting. It happens.

However, in no case that I witnessed, including Norge Bags that flew off the bikes as well, was there ever a fundamental problem with the bag itself, only the understanding of the operator, and human error which happens.

It certainly isn’t bad design.

As to your coolant leak, no that isn’t user error, that is an unforeseen happenstance which appeared when the motorcycles went into general service with the public. There isn’t a manufacturer in the world of any vehicle or any kind, that doesn’t discover and have to rectify things like this. Not a one. In this case, the clamp which has a fixed tension point, did not provide quite enough tension. They have a solution and are rectifying it free of charge under warranty. Thank you Moto Guzzi! That’s why warranties exist, on every vehicle.

I get it. It sucks to lose a bag, but it’s not bad design and it’s not happy wine-infused Guidos at the factory. You made a mistake. It happens. Life goes on.

 

[FranknStein]

As a former BMW dealer, I can assure you that I have seen dozens of BMW saddlebags from the 1970’s through the 2000’s that have jettisoned off the bike due to improper mounting. It happens.

However, in no case that I witnessed, including Norge Bags that flew off the bikes as well, was there ever a fundamental problem with the bag itself, only the understanding of the operator, and human error which happens.

It certainly isn’t bad design.

As to your coolant leak, no that isn’t user error, that is an unforeseen happenstance which appeared when the motorcycles went into general service with the public. There isn’t a manufacturer in the world of any vehicle or any kind, that doesn’t discover and have to rectify things like this. Not a one. In this case, the clamp which has a fixed tension point, did not provide quite enough tension. They have a solution and are rectifying it free of charge under warranty. Thank you Moto Guzzi! That’s why warranties exist, on every vehicle.

I get it. It sucks to lose a bog, but it’s not bad design and it’s not haopy wine-infused Guidos at the factory. You made a mistake. It happens. Life goes on.

Do you have a V100? Have you used the panniers?

 

[Halen]

On Saturday AF1 called to say that my panniers arrived early, which was a welcome surprise. They will be doing the install on the panniers and I expect they will ensure that it's done right. It's a shame that the average temperature in Central Texas is well over 100 degrees! Sounds like a good excuse to head out to Colorado.

 

[Vagrant]

All true, but they still hire employees. I'd look at them carefully before ridding out.

 

[Albertasaurus]

See the OP's second post 13 May. What is said makes sense. The left side bag is at an angle favoring gravity, and takes more effort to lock in placer, and he and you both lost left side bags. I have not seen any other V100 owners with issues having a bag fall off except the OP and yourself, and I think he hit the nail on the head.

Just one more reason to install the center stand, which I will do if my bike ever arrives...

 

[Halen]

Just one more reason to install the center stand, which I will do if my bike ever arrives...

Agreed, the center stand was one of the first things I installed on the V100.

 

[FranknStein]

On Saturday AF1 called to say that my panniers arrived early, which was a welcome surprise. They will be doing the install on the panniers and I expect they will ensure that it's done right. It's a shame that the average temperature in Central Texas is well over 100 degrees! Sounds like a good excuse to head out to Colorado.

I do think it would be a good idea to bring it to AF1's attention. However, I don't think this is an installation issue. The only part of the mounting system that has to be installed is the bracket that attaches to the footpeg mount. Pretty much the only way you could mess that up is mix up the left and right bracket (it's clear which one is which from the directions) or to simply not tighten the bolts properly.

 

[indygodave]

I'm not quite a belt-and-suspenders guy, but since I am riding solo, a seatbelt strap between bags might give me some warning before total loss. Dangerous in concept but will consider worst-case (no pun intended) when implemented.

 

[BDS]

First service done, … and panniers installed (weight capy - 11lbs ea):



After purposely taking some bumpy back roads, and I-275 with nasty expansion joints, I am happy to say, I made it home without losing them. They seem to lock in pretty well, once into position. While waiting on them, I ordered some pannier liners. These will be nice for traveling - load “them” and carry to and from bike. Seem like nice liners… reflective piping, denier with nylon inner coating to keep things dry, 2 zips per bag (at front and back), exterior side zipper and interior side stash pocket, both shoulder strap and carry handles, rubber feet on bottoms to keep from sliding around inside panniers. $120 for both, delivered (to Cincinnati) from GB in less than a week via trackable DHL. Recommended

 

[FranknStein]

AF1 alluded to multiple other owners having issues with the left pannier. I would suggest taking pictures for documentation purposes after mounting them before setting off.