Five Stars Top Rack & Kappa K35NT

I am waiting to receive my new top rack and hard case which are sitting at customs as I type this. I am not a fan of twisted throttle's pricing scheme, so I started looking elsewhere for luggage options. Another user posted a link to a cheaper top rack, Five Stars, which was manufactured in Europe but no longer being produced - www.motoin.de still has some available. I also stumbled across the Kappa K35NT hard case for a very reasonable price - and stylistically I thought it would be a great match for my white 06. I am really digging the clear tail lenses on this case, but may smoke them slightly once installed.

Altogether I paid $180CAD shipped from Germany, which is less than I would have paid for just the top rack from Twisted Throttle. Just wanted to share with others, as I have learned there are definitely some bargains to be had across the pond.

I will post pics once all is installed :cool:

http://www.motoin.de...-NT::14574.html

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http://www.motoin.de...acks::1044.html

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** and yes that is just a stock photo of the top rack - VFR version is slightly different **

Finally got my top case in from Germany - after a long delay at Canada Customs (20 days... bastards) Anyways I am very happy with the quality of both the rack and top case... They are exactly what I was looking for in terms of size, and fit & finish. The Five Stars top rack is VERY solid, and coated in some insane powder coating that feels like grip tape. The top case is, well...... a top case - quality is on par with all the others. When I fist took it out of the box I was worried that the clear tail lenses would be a bit too 'blingy' like Floyd Mayweathers iPod, but once on the bike they fully the White paint extremely well.

All in I paid $195CAD with customs and shipping from Germany, and aside from the delay at customs - I would by from these guys again in a heartbeat. Here is some pics in case anyone is interested:

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ps. It was a "one beer" install - almost too easy... I wanted to have a few tonight :beer:


-P@

Smokin Deal.... I can't seem to duplicate it on the same site?

How was install, Straight forward?

never mind on the install question! You answered it while I was shopping on the motoin site!

They must be sold out of that particular case as I can't seem to locate the K35NT. Plenty of others to choose from though!

[image: View Post]Ripper, on 22 July 2010 - 06:55 PM, said:

never mind on the install question! You answered it while I was shopping on the motoin site!



Their prices include taxes (19%) but as soon as you enter your destination country I will subtract that 19% from your total!!! Also they have flat rate 13.00 Euro shipping to Canada and the US... So order as much as you want!

Ohh... and they don't list the K35NT - but they have it ( I called and asked - it's just a brand new product). Your best bet is to ask for a guy named Phan... and yes he's Asian, with a German accent - but his Engrish is pretty good :biggrin:

[image: View Post]symbiotix, on 22 July 2010 - 06:57 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Ripper, on 22 July 2010 - 06:55 PM, said:

never mind on the install question! You answered it while I was shopping on the motoin site!



Their prices include taxes (17%) but as soon as you enter your destination country I will subtract that 17% from your total!!! Also they have flat rate 13.00 Euro shipping to Canada and the US... So order as much as you want!

Ohh... and they don't list the K35NT - but they have it ( I called and asked - it's just a brand new product). Your best bet is to ask for a guy named Phan... and yes he's Asian, with a German accent - but his Engrish is pretty good :biggrin:

Thanks, I may have to give them a call... My Birthday is coming up and I need to get me something special.

[image: View Post]Ripper, on 22 July 2010 - 07:02 PM, said:

... My Birthday is coming up and I need to get me something special.

That may be the funniest thing I've hear in awhile. Very fitting for me as well.

Edited....answered my own question after following your link. Great info, I just ordered a rack. I'd bought a top case from Sears last month. Got it for $38 with shipping! Been looking for a deal on the racks, so this thread came just at the right time.

[image: View Post]ictghost, on 22 July 2010 - 08:25 PM, said:

Which top rack should I be ordering...maybe "Five Stars Delock Top Case Rack"?
Link to rack


Also, did you have to order any hardware for the rack, or is it included? Thanks!


Yup it is the Five Stars Delock Top Case Rack (just select VFR 800 from the drop down, then 02-05). If you are going to order a case as well make sure it is "Monolock" not "Monokey". And yes the rack included the hardware, my only gripe is that 4 of the bolts are silver - when they should have been black - You can see them in one of the pictures - screwed through the grab handles.

If you get a Givi Monokey case (or the large Sears/JCW case) then you don't need a mounting plate. The box will sit a bit lower and when you pop it off you have a clean looking rack. All you need is the optional Monokey bits for like 6 Euros. The Monolock cases require the mounting plate. Here's a few pictures of mine mounted on top of the Honda side racks. I just did a six day trip so it came in handy.

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Unfortunately, I bought the medium case from Sears, but it came with a mounting plate so I'll just have to go that route (or maybe order another case!). Thanks.

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I was curious if anyone has tried to order the 5 Stars rack from www.motoin.de lately? The wifey ordered one of these up for me about a week before Christmas. It showed as being in stock and they charged the card almost immediately, but here we are almost a month later and they're just giving me the run-around in very broken English. I'm so frustrated with it that I'm about to call up the credit card company and have them reverse the charges.

FYI, this will be to mount a SHAD SH-42 case that I also got for Xmas. I wanted to use this rack since it seemed more sturdy and you guys seem to think highly of it, but SHAD does make its own 'rack' that I can get for a bit cheaper here:

http://www.oldbikeba...ting-Kit-VFR800

Generic pic, though. Looks like this:

http://www.shad.es/d...gas/shad160.pdf

I'll start a new thread with pics if/when I ever get this rack situation resolved.

Mike

UPDATE: My rack FINALLY arrived today via USPS. They ship DHL, but DHL hands it over to USPS once it gets stateside. Also, be warned that they send it 'Signature Required'. Bah.

The box looks like they dropped it from a moving truck a few thousand times, dropped it in a large puddle, sat on it until it turned into something more resembling a parallelogram than a square, and then dropped it from a truck again just for good measure. Thankfully the rack is still solid. It's a VERY nice piece with a heavy powdercoat finish. Someone did their homework on the mounting dimensions, too, because it fits like a glove.

However, one huge oversight on my part is that this rack is made to install with the passenger grab handles in place. You can install it without, but you will need the Adapterplattes shown here: http://www.motoin.de...1001044_144.pdf . They're Nr 2 on the Parts List, PN 2484 2000 0802. I've e-mailed the motoin.de to see if they can provide these, although it looks as though you can buy them from the manufacturer at www.jfmotorsport.de for 22 euro.

BUT, the biggest news is that, much to my frustration, the SHAD adapter plate does NOT bolt up to the 5-Stars rack!!! None of the holes in the adapter plate line up with any of the through-holes on the rack in any way. SHAD supplies some brackets meant to install the plate to a rack with parallel bars like the 5-Stars, but the bars are too far apart for the brackets to work. I'm not terribly interested in drilling holes in either the plate or the rack, so this little experiment is over.

So, first thing tomorrow I'll be calling up these guys (http://www.oldbikeba...ting-Kit-VFR800) and seeing if they have SHAD's 'rack' in stock. I'll start a new thread at that point. Promise.

Mike

PS - Once I get this whole thing situated, I do plan on selling the rack. e-mail if interested (whiteboyslo@hotmail.com), or just watch the Classified section. Not worth trying to ship back to Germany. It is a very nice and sturdy rack. Just doesn't do what I want it to do.