So, I've had a Givi E470 for awhile. It's useful, acceptable storage, handy in that you can quickly remove it from the base and carry it like luggage. But, it doesn't really match the bike in form and finish, and I do wish it was a little larger / more "square", as the top curve limits storing larger items. It also opens front to rear, which requires the removal of the sissy bar.
I purchased a generic HD style side-opening top box / King Tourpak off eBay for $210 w/ top luggage rack & passenger backrest pad (which I will not be using). I need to figure out how to properly support it / build out the luggage rack, and then get it paint matched the Pacific Blue Metallic.
Well I put the sissy back into the mix tonight, and set the box on top of the Givi mounting base. I think I'll pick up a couple of pieces of 12x16x0.125" 6061 aluminum to sandwich the ABS plastic floor and help solidify the base against the tubular Triumph luggage rack.
I put the sissy flipped around again so it's vertical.
The recess in the tourpak is perfect for the passenger backrest.
I got ballpark pricing of about $300 to paint match. EXCEPT the guy says he uses BASF water-base vs Standox. Not sure how I feel about that one. Might look around to another shop to keep it all DuPont.
If you get a box like this, strongly consider the ones with the brake lights in them. It's tunnel-ish.
That looks cool. Can u post a few pics of different angles? Also.. maybe give a call to Hard Street and ask where they got the paint for the slim bags? Maybe u can pick up some paint and bring it to a paint shop?
Also..I've actually seen paint listed on eBay.. specifically for our bikes. I picked up a small tube of touch up paint to use on a tiny chip on my rear fender and it was a perfect match. So definitely check eBay.
Coming along. .125" x 12 x 12 6061-T6 plate between the box & luggage rack. .100" x 16 x 12 plate inside the floor of the box. .125" x 1.5" aluminum strip for under-rack clamping. I need to re-think the bolt placement a bit, but the initial bolt-down happened tonight. The clamp straps will be plasti-dipped for better grip. 2 to be drilled bolts will go just inside the rear of the luggage rack to keep it from sliding off the back. Final mounting, then disassembling for paint over the next few weeks.
If you buy this box from eBay, and drill for the lid luggage rack, DO NOT TRUST the in-lid circles for drilling. They're off. Yeah. My bad in assuming...
I'd find a good welder and custom make a support rack. Polished stainless steel will look terrific if done properly.
As an aside - I was looking for a suitable top mount box but found nothing that was worth the money. You pay outrageous amounts for flimsy plastic boxes that can barely hold 10kg. Instead I went for a strap on canvas bag that mounts/removes in 30 seconds and holds heaps. I only use it for overnight trips so that suits me fine.
I have used one of the bigger Kuryakyn bags in the past for week long trips. Weather resistant, not weatherproof - you still have to cover it, which limits the accessibility, and, the cover doesn't protect the underside.
I also have dry bags of different sizes, but they are long, overhang & rub the top of the saddlebags IF you can open them with the bag across the pillion.
The Givi helped immensely on the 3 week trip to carry shoes, gear, etc., but the thing the two HD guys had were huge hardbags and side-opening tourpaks with pull out luggage style liners. Each day they're just opening, pull out the liner bag & carry in. Done. Need to make a beer run? Charlie's then-empty tourpak hold a case & ice. If the Givi side-opened & matched the style of the bike a little better (instead of looking like a scooter box), I probably would not have gone down this road.
I took the bike out yesterday, with the top box mounted. No movement, no loosening of the nuts (yet, not loctited until the box comes back from paint).
There's a little vibration from the lid to the box interface - might need to put a thin weatherstrip or similar there - and the bike felt like it was getting blown around pretty well above 75mph. It was fairly blustery for a bit, so, could be that, or, could be the thing's a sail on this bike. Otherwise, looking fairly good so far.
I have two LED brake light strips I picked up - one 13" long x 1"+, one about 3-4" long x about 1/2". I like the idea of the long one but the back of the box is arched & it won't fit smoothly back there. The little one can sit right on the lid rim, small hole for wiring, and glue it down. Since that one incorporates directionals as well (yellow and red LEDs), I might get a second one, and go on the outside corners with multiple functions for brake & turn, not sure yet. It's pretty bright, but not volume of visible area like the bigger one.
It looks even bigger in blue! Not sure how confident I'd be in loading up the rack on top of the box. Have you tried it?
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Triumph Rat Motorcycle Forums
3.9M posts
167.7K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to Triumph Motorcycle owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, racing, cafe racers, bobbers, riding, modifications, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!