Top Case - more questions

[tonyff]

I have seen several posts regarding top cases. Yet, I 'm still kind of new at this and need additional advice from those willing to share their likes and dislikes regarding purchases they have made.

I am looking for a fairly large (But not so large as to look like a big poo sitting there) case. Most likely to use this case when riding 2 up, so backrest on the case would be a plus.

I understand that BMW doesn't make cases, but others do,

If you choose to reply, please include the type and size of your case. Has that size met your needs? Was it sturdy? Is it lockable? Is it easy to remove from the bike? If you can, send a pic with the case on, that would be a great help. And Hey..............you have yet another chance to show off your beautiful baby to a group that more likely to have genuine interest in your bike that say, cruising with 50 Harley riders.

Thanks for your help!!!

[TicTac50]

Can't go wrong with GIVI.
I got GIVI E52 Monokey Maxia. Very well made. Enough room for 2 helmets.
Get it with the back pad and you will have a nice backrest for the Pillion.
Very nice liner. Good lights. I also got a top rack and it is a nice place to pack your tent and chairs. Here is the link.
http://www.giviusa.com/caschi_borse_bau ... 87&lang=en Good luck.

[munchmeister]

The Hepco & Becker was my choice. Great box, slips on and off very easily. Holds my digital SLR camera and accessories as well as rain gear on long trips. I'm very happy with it. Got it here, with quick shipping and great service. Mounted a RAM mount on top to hold my camera, making my R one big tripod.
http://www.eurotechmotorsports.com/form ... %2000%2001

[tonyff]

Thanks for the info. The case looks nice and large enough to store a good portion of the stuff I would be thinking about. I hadn't thought about lights, but what a good idea.

I just may end up with this one.

[tonyff]

Thanks Munchmeister and Tic Tack for the help.

[MIXR]

Tonyff

Spend the money and fit the Givi rack designed for the R. It is far stronger than anything else on the market and allows you to mount any 'Monokey' box you want. Have a small one for day trips to store the helmet in, and a monster one for that big trip you might do.

The only problem with it is that it places the box a little too far forward for pilion comfort, but you can make an simple adaptor plate out of a couple of pieces of steel or heavy alloy to shift the box 2 inches back if you need to.

I tried all sorts of stuff, and was pleased as heck at how good the Givi set-up was after I fitted it and did a few trips. Cheers, Mick.

[Lost Rider]

Tonyff

Spend the money and fit the Givi rack designed for the R. It is far stronger than anything else on the market and allows you to mount any 'Monokey' box you want. Have a small one for day trips to store the helmet in, and a monster one for that big trip you might do.

The only problem with it is that it places the box a little too far forward for pilion comfort, but you can make an simple adaptor plate out of a couple of pieces of steel or heavy alloy to shift the box 2 inches back if you need to.

I tried all sorts of stuff, and was pleased as heck at how good the Givi set-up was after I fitted it and did a few trips. Cheers, Mick.

I just installed one of these to mount a Pelican case to my bike, and I have to agree completely with MIXR. It is very solid, and makes me feel confident about loading up my topcase for long trips. Great fit, quality stuff. I just bolted the Pelican right the the steel mounts, bypassing the plasitc monokey plate. This way I could place the box where it was comfy for my passengers.

[TicTac50]

I have an old GIVI mount. I think the part #641FZ
I used specially cut plate to move GIVI case 6 inches back.
It gave me a chance to install original BMW back plate to fill the gap.
Very happy with the results.

[chris]

The Hepco & Becker was my choice. Great box, slips on and off very easily. Holds my digital SLR camera and accessories as well as rain gear on long trips. I'm very happy with it. Got it here, with quick shipping and great service. Mounted a RAM mount on top to hold my camera, making my R one big tripod.
http://www.eurotechmotorsports.com/form ... %2000%2001

What's the seat cover you have there? I'm looking at a sheepskin or similar to soften my saddle, it cripples me after 80 miles or so!

[munchmeister]

What's the seat cover you have there? I'm looking at a sheepskin or similar to soften my saddle, it cripples me after 80 miles or so!

Chris:
That is a beaded seat cover on the rider seat, from http://www.beadrider.com/. It works great for monkey butt and allows airflow under your bum. Great in the summer. I also just got a nice AlaskaLeather sheepskin seat cover in black, this past winter. It is a nice addition but have not been on any long rides yet, to test it out, but most people like them.

The passenger seat has a tailpod, can't remember where I got that right now.

[tonyff]

Hey All,

Thanks again for your input on the case. I think I am going to place the order tomorrow. I have a solo trip planned for over Memorial Day Weekend. I will start in Colorado just North of Denver, head over to the Black Hills in South Dakota and then head over to Nebraska (yea, that part will be boring) to visit family.

This is my first trip since getting the bike and am very excited, and maybe just a tad concerned about the long days on the bike.

Happy riding and thanks again for the input.

Tony

[Lost Rider]

Hey All,

Thanks again for your input on the case. I think I am going to place the order tomorrow. I have a solo trip planned for over Memorial Day Weekend. I will start in Colorado just North of Denver, head over to the Black Hills in South Dakota and then head over to Nebraska (yea, that part will be boring) to visit family.

This is my first trip since getting the bike and am very excited, and maybe just a tad concerned about the long days on the bike.

Happy riding and thanks again for the input.

Tony

I have a Givi top case mount for the 1150R for sale, PM me if you want it.

[hank]

Chris

You have pm regards seat covers

[BoiseBeemer]

I am looking for a fairly large (But not so large as to look like a big ----- sitting there) case. Most likely to use this case when riding 2 up, so backrest on the case would be a plus.

I looked at both the Givi and Hepco-Becker cases. Both are European manufactured, well-respected for quality, and spec'd as original equipment by several bike manufacturers (Triumph mounts Givi on the ST, e.g., and Kawasaki once spec'd Givi sidecases for their 750 standard; Buell mounts H-B on its sport-touring Ullysses). Both are good-looking and integrate well with the stock BMW sidecases. Both mounts are solid and dependable.

Differences: The Givi's reflector strip can also be wired to act as an additional tail-light if that optional $60 feature is included. The Givi's mount kit, with its additional vertical struts, is a bit extravagant visually when the bags are all off. The H-B's mount kit simply replaces the BMW plastic tail rack with a heavy-duty tubular steel unit. The Givi's more-forward stock placement on the bike tends to crowd the pillion rider a bit; the H-P's placement is natural for the passenger. The Givi's styling is a bit more... well... Italian; the H-B's styling is a close match to the BMW stock cases.

The big difference? The 52-liter Givi with backrest and full mount kit costs around $500, depending on what kind of deal you can swing with the dealer; the 50-liter Hepco-Becker, which actually fit two full-face helmets easier than the Givi when I tried it in the dealer's showroom, costs $360.

Needless to say, after making direct comparisons between the two, I had no hesitation in ordering the H-B. The only legitimate concern might be some notion that the Givi's extra vertical mounting struts provide some necessary additional rigidity. That may (or may not) be true, but the H-B mount is well thought out and in my opinion after packing w-a-y too much gear on a motorcycle over the last 30 years, plenty sturdy for the kinds of weight you ought to be placing BEHIND the rear wheel of a motorcycle when you're underway. The Givi, in my opinion, is overkill for the application; the H-B fitment also doesn't look weird when the case is removed and took all of five minutes to install.

Alas, neither option will allow you to "mono-key" your bike with the ignition key, as dedicated BMW luggage might have allowed. One more key flopping around on your steering head and poking holes in your pocket.

Both top cases are excellent, look good on the bike (to the degree that any top case looks good on a "naked" bike), and provide that last bit of lockable storage that is so welcome on a long tour. If you're not filling it with photo gear, as Munchmeister and I and many others do, it's great for securing the helmet and jacket at stops. Although the choice between the two was easy for me, you really can't go wrong with either, and the only other hard case I would have considered would have been some kind of hack of a BMW RT case.