Side Cases: V35 (Matte Black: V35N) Bracket: PLX166 ( This is the bracket made to work with the top rack, there is a different bracket # if you dont have the top bracket, Check with GiviUSA: 877.679.4484 ) Previous Top Case: E350N Flow w/ E103 Back Rest. Previous Bracket: 166FZ
I know a couple of people are awaiting my review on these. Thumbs up in case you don't feel like reading this =) Although, apparently I'm the first person to buy the bracket for VFR or the first person to buy the V35's in US. I had an issue with the liscense plate bracket, so I called Givi and they was like, well what can we do to fix the problem? HaHa, I laughed at him, I know the guy btw, he installed my top case at the Honda Hoot in Knoxville this past spring. The bracket that attaches behind the liscense plate itself was designed for Europian plates apparently, and their plates are bigger than US plates, So there plate holes into the fender is located higher on the fender than US bikes are. So, I just had to drill the holes where the Europian holes are, then flip the provided plate upside down. You can't see that I did anything. It looks the way it is suppose to look. So they are going to make new brackets for the US VFR's thanks to me, and sending me one, but I'll probably just leave mine the way it is because everythings correctly aligned either way. BTW, Givi wants me to take pics of my bike with all the bags on it for there site. Anyways, I rode around a little bit, haven't loaded them down yet, but just for the test run, they felt great, no complaints, couldn't really tell a difference. As you can see they work with Staintunes, and obviously the stock pipes. I would assume there would be no problem with other aftermarket pipes.
The previous bracket and previous top case was $300 + 40 for optional brake light + 40 for optional back rest. This new bracket and bags together was $640ish after taxes shipped from a local shop that gives me 10% off on everything.
Actually, I would probably say that these Givis are better. I like these Givi saddlebags because the reflectors are built into the bags. With the OEM US saddlebags, they have these hideous (IMO) looking reflectors bolted to the bags. (If you buy your saddlebags from the UK, they don't have the reflectors). Plus, I really like how the Givi set up retains the grab handles. The OEM version has this monsterous looking mount that replaces the grab handles. Very ugly IMO.
And since the OEM bags are made by Givi, you can basically get the same quality bags without having to pay extra for the "Honda" name.
You can the monsterous top-box mount in this picture of my bike:
So, Tinyminds, you're the reason MY E 103 back rest pad is on back order........I ordered the E 21 side cases, E 30 top box Monday but was told the E 103 back rest pad was out of stock.....this is WAR... pissed.gif ......just joking, your boxes look great, including YOUR pad. As you see, I went the CHEAPER route(tight). Joking aside, I hope you both enjoy your new boxes...hard to beat GIVI quality... beer.gif ...your street address was what again................... goofy.gif
tinyminds, Sep 28 2006, 07:55 PM Wow I didn't notice that the OEM's removed factory grab rails.
If you look closely at his photo, though, you'll see it's more of an augmentation of the grab rails that come with the bike. But it's a large closed loopy thingy that replaces them.
sirimiri, Sep 28 2006, 09:08 PM If you look closely at his photo, though, you'll see it's more of an augmentation of the grab rails that come with the bike. But it's a large closed loopy thingy that replaces them.
Ha, augmentation! That's a nice way to say it. Yeah, even thought I think the top-box "grab bars" are ugly, they are much very sturdier than the stock grab handles.
Happened to notice your front footpegs in the photos...the Buells or something else ? More drop than stock pegs.........and your back pad......... fing02.gif
tinyminds, Sep 29 2006, 02:55 AM Wow I didn't notice that the OEM's removed factory grab rails. My chick would kill me if I took those off. Those are her oh $%&@ bars =)
Oem sidecases still implement the grab rails! So does the SWmotech topcase bracket.
skuuter, Sep 29 2006, 03:36 AM Happened to notice your front footpegs in the photos...the Buells or something else ? More drop than stock pegs.........and your back pad......... fing02.gif
Those are the Buell XB9S footpegs. They help, its a noticable difference, and inexpensive.
Hoopster, Sep 29 2006, 05:49 AM Oem sidecases still implement the grab rails! So does the SWmotech topcase bracket.
Do you have a pic of this? I just recently got the SWmotech top case bracket and couldn't figure out how to get it on with the grab rails (and OEM sideracks).
Gears, Sep 29 2006, 09:53 AM Thanks for the info on the bags, they look real good.
What kind of tank pad is that...and where did you get it?
The tank pad is the OEM ST1300 tank pad. I ordered the knee pads for each side also but they have been on backorder for like a month. No clue when I will actually get them. They were expensive though, but clean and that's always a factor for me. The Tank pad was $45 and the Knee pads were $50. But I don't really care for keeping the tank bra on my bike all the time, and you can't really wax the matte black, so I just try to protect it as good as I can for now.
Snafu, Oct 14 2006, 12:40 PM Noticed the sliders on your bike. Motovation? What did you use on the fairing to surround the slider?
Yes Motovation Frame Sliders. I drilled the whole, put the slider in, looked to see how bad i was off, took my dremel tool and grinded the gap out evenly around it, then used door edge guard for the edge of a car door and slid in around the slider. The cut / joint is at the bottom so you cant see it unless your looking. I used a really flexable plastic / rubbery edge guard, that the stiff stuff. Autozone and other parts places have it. Then for the sake of it not viberating out, took me 30 mins per slider to get the edge guard in the whole, i super glued around it on the inside of the fairing to keep it in place. Looks great. Have a few people ask me if its stock. I'm currently at Deal's Gap but when I get hope i'll post a pic of the install.
tinyminds, Sep 28 2006, 10:55 PM Wow I didn't notice that the OEM's removed factory grab rails. My chick would kill me if I took those off. Those are her oh $%&@ bars =)
The OEM's retain the factory handrails or oh! s**** handles. The OEM bracket goes under the grab rails and the new bolts are longer to retain the rails....
tinyminds, Oct 14 2006, 09:28 PM Yes Motovation Frame Sliders. I drilled the whole, put the slider in, looked to see how bad i was off, took my dremel tool and grinded the gap out evenly around it, then used door edge guard for the edge of a car door and slid in around the slider. The cut / joint is at the bottom so you cant see it unless your looking. I used a really flexable plastic / rubbery edge guard, that the stiff stuff. Autozone and other parts places have it. Then for the sake of it not viberating out, took me 30 mins per slider to get the edge guard in the whole, i super glued around it on the inside of the fairing to keep it in place. Looks great. Have a few people ask me if its stock. I'm currently at Deal's Gap but when I get hope i'll post a pic of the install.
The trim job you did around those sliders is absolutely fantastic. When I saw it in person during the Deals Gap trip, I kept wondering how you got that trim to bend so nicely into the angles of the fairing, cause it really looks like a perfect-fit factory piece. Did ya use a hair dryer or anything like that to reshape the trim into those angles?
Love2Ride, Oct 16 2006, 10:19 AM The OEM's retain the factory handrails or oh! s**** handles. The OEM bracket goes under the grab rails and the new bolts are longer to retain the rails....
Yes, but only if you have just the saddlebags.
If you get the OEM Honda top-box, the mounting hardware replaces the passenger grab handles with some superstrudy (but ugly) grab rails. The mounting hardware for the GIVI top-box doesn't replace the OEM passenger grab handles.
Look at all the pictures in the above posts. You'll see that I don't have passenger grab handles anymore, but Tinyminds does. Plus, in the picture I posted of sportrider's bike, he still has the grab handles with the OEM saddlebags. fing02.gif
I would love to go this way as well but I already removed my rear fender and plate setup and fabricated a mount for the plate. Do you think it would all work out if I were to just fab a bar between the 2 mounts in the rear without having it connect to the bike?
MacVFR, Oct 16 2006, 11:44 AM I would love to go this way as well but I already removed my rear fender and plate setup and fabricated a mount for the plate. Do you think it would all work out if I were to just fab a bar between the 2 mounts in the rear without having it connect to the bike?
Cheers,
I'm not sure about the GIVI bags, but the OEM saddle bags actually come with a new mounting plate for the license plate. The new plate is quite a bit thicker and stronger than the OEM mounting plate.
I'm pretty sure either way you go, OEM or GIVI, that you could fab up some bar to connect the saddlebag mounting bars. You may lose a little bit of rigidity, but it shouldn't be enough to worry about.
marasmus, Oct 16 2006, 01:56 PM The trim job you did around those sliders is absolutely fantastic. When I saw it in person during the Deals Gap trip, I kept wondering how you got that trim to bend so nicely into the angles of the fairing, cause it really looks like a perfect-fit factory piece. Did ya use a hair dryer or anything like that to reshape the trim into those angles?
-Laird
I just used the soft plastic/rubbery trim they sell at autozone. About 30 mins of bending on each fairing and they turned out great. Its soft enough trim to mold anyway you want it to go. The trim has a built in adhesive so when you press it over the cut, it stick to whatever it touches it in whatever shape its in. The first day or so after installing the trip, it stuck out a little around the sharper bends, but after the sun hit it for a couple days, it molded with the fairings. I suppose you could do the heat gun / hair dryer trick, but I would be worryed about melting my fairings =P. Heres the best pic I have atm of the install without going out and taking some.
And heres the scratch on the bottom of my bag after my Deals Gap trip this weekend. Cornering Info on that can be found at this post: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/Leaving...ing-t26455.html
Spyda, Oct 14 2006, 10:44 AM Jason - thanks for the write up and the pics. I just placed my order. Hopefully I get the updated license plate bracket... fing02.gif
If you have them on order now, you probably will. I got mine after Jason and they were already correct. No drilling and you use the OEM bolts with some new included spacers...GIVI generally responds to problems fairly quickly................ fing02.gif beer.gif
Side Cases: V35 (Matte Black: V35N) Bracket: PLX166 ( This is the bracket made to work with the top rack, there is a different bracket # if you dont have the top bracket, Check with GiviUSA: 877.679.4484 ) Previous Top Case: E350N Flow w/ E103 Back Rest. Previous Bracket: 166FZ
I just read that these bags won't hold a fulll face helmet!?!?! Whats the point then?
I just read that these bags won't hold a fulll face helmet!?!?! Whats the point then?
Have you tried?
No a helmet won't fit in the Side cases, but it will fit in the top case I have that you listed (E350 Flow). The saddle bags kinda tuck in at the bottom to fit closers to the bike. They make bigger bags they will fit a helmet if you check there site. For my purpose, I dont need to put a helmet in the bag anyway. Never really gave it any thought until you posted it. If i'm not mistaking, the OEM bags probably wouldn't be able to hold a helmet either then correct?
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