In 1983, the R100RS came with BMW branded panniers, or saddle bags. Mine have a number of cracks and a broken lid hinge. While I’m waiting for some fork parts to come, I started to repair the panniers. My goal was to try and make the crack repairs invisible.  I think I got a B+ this time and learned a lot about how to create the textured surface in the plastic on the outside of the pannier.

I’ve tried a plastic repair product, Plast-aid, before to fix the bulkhead connector on a Windjammer fairing. I’m using it on the panniers. It can be colored using Acrylic paint so the Plast-aid color will match the black panniers.  I also fixed a broken latch assembly and learned about locks and keys and how to figure out what key you need for a lock. Here is the link to the write-up on what I did.

• 46 BMW R100RS Repair Panniers & Plastic

I discovered that two different keys are not enough for all the pannier locks. Some have been replaced so I have four different locks needing four different keys. I posted a note to the Micapeak  Airheads forum about this and learned that the latch locks are no longer available, but, Larry Stonestreet, owner of Stoner’s Beemer Stash [[email protected]; 951-813-1704]  has the keys I need. So all’s good. There is a nice page on Bob Fleischer’s site about the locks and keys BMW has used with part numbers of the various keys.

Here are some pictures from the write-up.

Double Latch Cracks

Crushed Corner With Multiple Cracks

Double Latch Crack Final Repair

Crushed Corner Final Repair

Plast-Aid and Black Acrylic Paint for Tinting

Round Dremel Bit for Widening Back of Crack

Dremel Engraving Tool #106 to Etch Texture Into Plastic-A Bit Too Big, #105 Is Better

JB Weld Applied to Lock Mechanism Hinge Plate

Pannier #1 Latch Locks Use Key #069

Panniers Mounted

Panniers Mounted

Panniers Mounted