Top Boxes [Archive] - Kiwi Biker forums

mdb

31st May 2006, 21:08

Eurodave

31st May 2006, 21:18

Yep totally agree, :yes: very very usefull round town & they can be removed with the flick of their key
I use an Emgo one, sub $100 & I have mounting plates for it , which are available seperately, on 4 of my various bikes carriers. Note that the Emgo mounting is similar to Givi, but is not interchangable & wont work with their panniers/topboxes

Edbear

31st May 2006, 21:21

Got a Givi on special for $99 about 12 months ago or so. ONly use it for trips away, but the bike doesn't notice it's there and it's very handy! Thoroughly recommended!

Jantar

31st May 2006, 21:22

I generally use one on my GS1200, as you say great for convenience. Just be careful not to overload it though as it does raise the centre of gravity, and moves the weight distribution rearwards.

Scorpygirl

31st May 2006, 21:22

Rhino has a Givi top box and panniers for the Kawasaki GT750. The Top box is great as we can fit both helmets in it. It also has a back rest which makes it comfy for a pillion. The panniers were great in the South Island as we used them like suitcases!!! :doobey: The tent could be bungied onto the top box. Who's says biking can't be comfy!!! You just have to be slightly minimalist that's all. :blip:

Maha

31st May 2006, 21:24

mdb

31st May 2006, 21:32

I have one, it aint on the bike at the moment, but i will use it when need to.
I have sold my Thundercat mdb, its coming down your way so look out for it, oh btw, a cop now owns it and hes a top bloke......

What colour was your Thundercat? Apart from being a GREAT bike I love the fact I almost never see any others. It isn't as common as some other bikes!

Maha

31st May 2006, 22:00

Blue with Yellow detail, i had the yellow put on, i got $8k for it, some thought i was asking way to much but didnt think so, had it on trademe, thats where i sold it from

mdb

31st May 2006, 22:11

maha man - if you were a Kawasaki man you would probably be rather proud of the number of your last post. As you're not, it is more likely to be meaningless!

Lou Girardin

1st June 2006, 08:21

Excellent idea, apart from making you look like a old fart. I've got three, one for day trips two-up, and the other two for holidays. It makes for easy wheelies when they're fully loaded.

DemonWolf

1st June 2006, 08:35

Hmmm... What are peoples opinions on there Top boxes.

Which appears to be the best Brand.. for ease of mounting, storage (i.e. how many litres will it hold), style, etc

Lou Girardin

1st June 2006, 09:02

Hmmm... What are peoples opinions on there Top boxes.

Which appears to be the best Brand.. for ease of mounting, storage (i.e. how many litres will it hold), style, etc

I like Givi, big range, lots of applications, reasonable cost.
PM for quote.

vifferman

1st June 2006, 09:27

Seems like the height on convenience and practicality
"Height" is right. I reckon they'd be better if they were lower and furthererer forwards. And less bobbly.
Otherwise they seem pretty good, I reckon.
Reckon.

Reckon reckon reckon.

zadok

1st June 2006, 10:26

I bought the RJays topbox for A$150 all up. The Givi equivalent was 4x that! It's great. I have a plate under the supplied mounting plate for strength.
Do search (K.B) for RJays Topbox for pic's if interested.

sAsLEX

1st June 2006, 10:38

Edbear

1st June 2006, 10:50

It makes for easy wheelies when they're fully loaded.

Mmmmmm! Maybe mine's not quite big enough... Maybe if put heavier stuff in it...?:yes:

The_Dover

1st June 2006, 11:08

Damn.

I thought this was going to be some sort of pubic topiary or beef curtain appreciation contest.

sunhuntin

1st June 2006, 12:38

I have heard they can cause wobbles at speed? Anyone had this?

Personally I just bungy a backpack to the pillion seat, cost 3.99 for bungy and got the bag free from the bank. Add in a tank bag and thats all you need.

ive got a givi on scuffy [check profile for pic] and never take it off. had to buy the box and wait for the brackets to be made. cant remember the total cost, but id say more than well worth it....put helmet in there, sunnies, anuything i buy etc.
bought it for the old bike, had an accident...only damage to the box was a cracked reflector, but thats nothing. considering the impact, i was impressed.
never had any wobbles at speed....but being a gn, i cant really speed. worst time i had with it was when i loaded it with magazines.....had a whole pile inside and another great stack on top. over balanced me. i had to buy a backpack to spread the load.
ive got a bungy mini cargo net and a range of bungy cords. i usually carry a backpack if travelling, and this gets bungyed [sp?] to the brackets. the net and one cargo stay in the bike at all times, and i also store the tool kit in there.

honestly, i find it invaluable....i wouldnt be able to cope without it i dont think....i wouldnt mind saddle bags, but dont want to overload her too much.

zadok

1st June 2006, 12:49

ManDownUnder

1st June 2006, 13:00

So wondering what the general thoughts on top boxes are. My Dad has one (on his Bandit) and I've borrowed it a couple of times (to go to Hurricanes games etc). Seems like the height on convenience and practicality .... Plus you can rip them off when not commuting.

Fucken awesome. Aparently it's one of those things.. y'know - once you go black you never go back... (so they say)

There should be an equivalent about top boxes...

Edbear

1st June 2006, 13:02

There should be an equivalent about top boxes...

You can't top a top box?:blip:

ManDownUnder

1st June 2006, 13:04

You can't top a top box?:blip:

LOL - good try, but it doesn't have the "PWOOOAAAARRR LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT!!!!!!" factor really..

...now does it?

Edbear

1st June 2006, 13:06

LOL - good try, but it doesn't have the "PWOOOAAAARRR LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT!!!!!!" factor really..

...now does it?

Neither does my top box, it's only a small one...:bye:

ManDownUnder

1st June 2006, 13:08

Neither does my top box, it's only a small one...:bye:

LOL - I'd watch out saying things like that - I can sense the medication offers hunting out your intray as we speak.

"You lady wants it bigger, Top Box Enlargement latches that REALLY WORK!"

It's all found in Bovine Scatology section of your cookbook

Biff

1st June 2006, 13:37

I use one to communte to work. It's even got some padding on it to be used as a back rest for pillions, and a brake light. It's part of a Givi set (panniers included). Highly recommended IMO.

Lou Girardin

1st June 2006, 13:43

I have heard they can cause wobbles at speed? Anyone had this?

Personally I just bungy a backpack to the pillion seat, cost 3.99 for bungy and got the bag free from the bank. Add in a tank bag and thats all you need.

Not up to 195 on the Bandit so far. Didn't wobble while leaning to the tyre edge with the wife and worldly possessions on the back either. She got a bit wobbly though, so did my kidneys after the punch.

HenryDorsetCase

1st June 2006, 14:59

Not up to 195 on the Bandit so far. Didn't wobble while leaning to the tyre edge with the wife and worldly possessions on the back either. She got a bit wobbly though, so did my kidneys after the punch.

heh heh. yup.

I bought a bracket and baseplate off tardme this week, and I will go looking for what size box to buy. Might be one of the times when smaller isnt better.?

but yes, the reassurance for nervous pillion factor seems to be a good thing. and cheaper than a corbin seat with backrest and more versatile.

Pixie

1st June 2006, 15:58

I have the GIVI fitting kit for a '96 to 2000 bandit 1200 for sale $80
you need to get the wing racks to fit

Beemer

1st June 2006, 15:59

I had one on the Beemer and it was fantastic for loading up with your helmet and jacket, etc when you got to where you were going. I used to forget it was on the bike and once got a few salt lick blocks for the sheep and dumped them in there before deciding to go for a ride before going home - as you do! I got home and found they had slid from one side to the other (it was one of the large silver and black top boxes) and worn a hole in the bag, so the box was filled with fine sandy stuff - I hadn't even noticed them moving - and each one weighs 2kg!

It's a bit of overkill on the Goose though, so my husband has stolen it for his CBX and he bought me a small expandable seat bag. He undid the pillion seat pad of my bike and screwed the base part of the bag onto that, so now all I have to do to attach it is to unclip the seat, pull out the connecting bits and clip the bag onto it. It takes a pair of shoes, work trousers and jacket, my lunch and all the other crap women usually carry in their handbags!

mdb

1st June 2006, 19:43

So I'll find it great but feel like on old codger when riding :ride:
I suppose life is full of compromises :doh:

scracha

1st June 2006, 20:17

I have heard they can cause wobbles at speed? Anyone had this?
Personally I just bungy a backpack to the pillion seat, cost 3.99 for bungy and got the bag free from the bank. Add in a tank bag and thats all you need.
And then when it pishes rain your stuff gets wet. You also can't leave your hemlet and bits and bobs in the backpack strapped to your seat when you go somewhere.

Speed wobbles, yeah....but only happened at >110mph on the divvy600 and 120mph on the TDM with the givi top-box (huuuuge one). The side panniers caused no adverse ill effects whatsoever (and were about 1cm wider than handlebars so could scrape sides of volvo's and things when filtering quite nicely).

To save peso's, the Kappa and Givi stuff are interchangeable.

Lou Girardin

2nd June 2006, 08:19

So I'll find it great but feel like on old codger when riding :ride:
I suppose life is full of compromises :doh:

Do some wheelies and stoppies and the feeling will pass.

mdb

4th June 2006, 09:05

Do some wheelies and stoppies and the feeling will pass.

Will do (well I'll try some time)!

diggydog

4th June 2006, 19:34

i probably would'nt mind one of those, but may not look right on my bike.

terbang

4th June 2006, 19:46

Ive got a Givi on my work bike and it works a treat and is waterproof and lockable. Bike doesnt go fast enough to have spped problems with it though I used to have it on a 1200 bandit and it regularily saw 180 Kays with no probs.

sAsLEX

4th June 2006, 19:52

And then when it pishes rain your stuff gets wet. You also can't leave your hemlet and bits and bobs in the backpack strapped to your seat when you go somewhere.

I use water proof bags, backed up with black sacks if needed.

Yes that is a pain.

mdb

4th June 2006, 19:55

i probably would'nt mind one of those, but may not look right on my bike.

That is one of my concerns. Of course the Thundercat isn't exactly a super sports look, but it isn't very boring/commuter/courier looking. I plan to take it off when I ride recreationally.

diggydog

4th June 2006, 20:47

That is one of my concerns. Of course the Thundercat isn't exactly a super sports look, but it isn't very boring/commuter/courier looking. I plan to take it off when I ride recreationally.
i like the idea they can be locked up and water proof, where as saddlebags are less likely to be locked.:bye:

sAsLEX

4th June 2006, 20:50

i like the idea they can be locked up and water proof, where as saddlebags are less likely to be locked.:bye:

Mates dad had the saddle bags stolen off his cruiser type thing whilst parked in the slums of Devonport not long ago, so yes lockable is a good thing

scracha

11th June 2006, 09:55

Mates dad had the saddle bags stolen off his cruiser type thing whilst parked in the slums of Devonport not long ago, so yes lockable is a good thing

Mind you, if you know what you're doing you can break into the Givi stuff in about 10 seconds with a screwdriver (it's just hard plastic so it bends). I know some peeps that hook their alarm up to the luggage too. I think Kappa make metal panniers (Kappa and Givi stuff is interchangable).

Can you get Baglux stuff over here? Also had one of them on the TDM. Was waterproof, stopped the tank getting scrawped, was closer to the COG, nice and squishy on the knees and not so cold to touch in the freezing weather.