Can not open right saddle bag

[baker1931]

I have a 1998 Gold wing and the right saddle bag will not open. The cable has come loose and pulled out and plunger in trunk will not work. Can anybody help me.

[lamasue]

plunger pushes down on lever going across to of bag I wonder if you got some stiff wire and bent it so it hits that lever, I had to break mine open one time not fun

[WingAdmin]

Perhaps one of the latches has broken or jammed?

Try pushing in on the cover as hard as you can along the top, to unload the stress on the latches as much as possible. While doing that, press down on the plunger, hold it down, and let the cover free and see if it unlatches.

[joeincalif]

I sold my 1500 wing so I can't go out and look BUT I THINK someone posted several years back that if you look under the saddle bag you can find the hinge that attached the lid to the bag and unscrew it. Like I said, I don't have my wing to verify it so sorry if it doesn't work

[CrystalPistol]

Seems to me I once read where there's a plug in bottom of travel trunk you remove and use a rod or dowel to push down that contacts a bar on top saddle bag to release when cable breaks ... possibly it was in an owners manual?

I'd look before I started removing parts.

[baker1931]

I have a 1998 Gold wing and the right saddle bag will not open. The cable has come loose and pulled out and plunger in trunk will not work. Can anybody help me.

Thanks so much for your answer. Will try and let you know.

[MikeB]

Seems to me I once read where there's a plug in bottom of travel trunk you remove and use a rod or dowel to push down that contacts a bar on top saddle bag to release when cable breaks ... possibly it was in an owners manual?

I'd look before I started removing parts.

Thanks for jogging my memory. I've seen it too and yes, it is in the owner's manual. Pg 40 of my book.

[CrystalPistol]

Thanks for jogging my memory. I've seen it too and yes, it is in the owner's manual. Pg 40 of my book.

I thought so. My 1500 is a trike now and that owners manual is in there in the trunk .... but we were getting ready to head over the mountain to Mom's ....

[joeincalif]

He wrote " and plunger in trunk will not work. Can anybody help me."

[MikeB]

He wrote " and plunger in trunk will not work. Can anybody help me."

Ah yes, so he did. I missed that, or possibly was uncertain what he was referring to.

So, in that situation, I'd push inward on the saddlebag lid at the approximate location of the latches as I tried to use latch release or the plunger through the hole in the trunk.

I've gotten things stuck in the latches when closing the saddlebag in the past. That would sometimes cause the release to be very hard to operate. Pushing inward on the lid while operating the latch release always seemed to take care of the problem.

[FM-USA]

I have a 1998 Gold wing and the right saddle bag will not open. The cable has come loose and pulled out and plunger in trunk will not work. Can anybody help me.

Thanks so much for your answer. Will try and let you know.

We're curious.

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[baker1931]

Thanks to everybody---but I had to give up and remove trunk and bore a hole in top of saddle bag---big enough to get my hand into and trip the lever. both cables had came loose. Somebody had changed the locates of the hole for the main cable, from the side to the top---so their was no correct pull on the latch rod.
Now---I have to bono holes and re-drill holes.

[FM-USA]

OHHHhhhh maaaaan... I actually cringed hearing you had to drill a YUGE hole in the top.
Instead of bondo'n that hole... any way of making it useful?

[spiralout]

Did you figure out why the plunger wasn't working?
Why couldn't you have used the original cable hole to reach in with something to grab the bar instead of drilling new holes?

[FM-USA]

Did you figure out why the plunger wasn't working?
Why couldn't you have used the original cable hole to reach in with something to grab the bar instead of drilling new holes?

I'm guessing with 11 posts in a year it'll be a while before he gets back.

On your thought, there's not much room to maneuver between the tire and bag, tire needs removing. Then there's the cable hole with the cable in the way.
HUMMmmm thinking,... like a broken trunk release, a cable attached to the release bar then fed through small hole next to that release cable hole. ???

[spiralout]

Did you figure out why the plunger wasn't working?
Why couldn't you have used the original cable hole to reach in with something to grab the bar instead of drilling new holes?

I'm guessing with 11 posts in a year it'll be a while before he gets back.
Ya, but he did post in this thread twice in two weeks, so there's still hope

On your thought, there's not much room to maneuver between the tire and bag, tire needs removing. Then there's the cable hole with the cable in the way.
OP said he had taken the trunk off and someone had "changed the locates of the hole for the main cable, from the side to the top". Wouldn't this leave the original holes open to fish something in to grab the bar? Damn if I'm going to cut a hole in the top of my bag large enough I can put my hand if it's possible to not to.
HUMMmmm thinking,... like a broken trunk release, a cable attached to the release bar then fed through small hole next to that release cable hole. ???

[FM-USA]

WELL.. .. ..
A hole in the trunk floor matching the hole in the saddlebag COULD BE used as a laundry shoot.
Always possible a bad situation be made into a GOOD THING.

(Sundance to Butch) "Font big enough there Butch?"

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[Bastress]

I just went through same situation. While replacing shocks, I removed side compartments and closed one by mistake with latch cable disconnected. With the 93 gold wing, the push rod is on top. Just push down and the latch will release. It can be gotten to by removing trim piece between the top and bottom compartments, which unscrews from back of bike. This is if the side compartment is still attached to bike.

[Joe in SD]

Bastress, you can access those saddle bag push rods through holes in the floor of the trunk. Each of the front corners of the trunk have hole plugs that pop out and the saddle bag rods are right there. No need to remove any panels. Ride safe, Joe

[Bastress]

For the 93 gw aspencade, they are on top.

[MikeB]

Bastress, you can access those saddle bag push rods through holes in the floor of the trunk. Each of the front corners of the trunk have hole plugs that pop out and the saddle bag rods are right there. No need to remove any panels. Ride safe, Joe

[Joe in SD]

Bastress, I also have a 1993. The access holes are in the bottom of the trunk, not saddle bags. The rods at the top of the saddle bags are accessible through holes in the floor of the trunk.The diagram posted by Mike B shows the right bottom of the trunk. Ride safe, Joe

[FM-USA]

Those bag buttons are sometimes STIFF. They travel a little ways freely until it seemingly bottoms out, push down another 1/4 to 3/8 inch. You'll feel it pop.
Press in on the door doing this, it's helps take some stress off the latch in the bag.
HOPE THIS HELPS.

[Bastress]

Thank you. I see what you mean now. Bought this used last year to step up from my 83 Honda nighthawk 550. Love that bike. Anyway, wife much more comfortable and me too! Love the new progressive suspension I just put on!