Rear Seat Cowl Mod After Givi Rack

Guys - guess have a little more time on hand these days. :)

after i fitted the Givi Top case rack realized the seat cowl can't be easily taken out. earlier i had the press release pins on the cowl 

Final cowl touches


6. Rear Cowl - QR pin.jpg

Now with rack fitted ...

00. Givi Rack

 
01. Rear cowl Cant Fit

  So trimmed out the tabs..  
02. Rear Cowl front Tag trimmed

This allows me to fit the cowl without securing it to the bike.   Purchased couple of Rubber latches...  
03. Lock For Rear Seat Cowl

and mounted them on the rear tail cowl and the seat cowl..

04. Rear Lock alignment


05. Lock On Reat Seat Cowl checking Fit


06. Lock fitted On Rear Cowl


07. LEft Side Lock On Seat Cowl


08. Right Side Lock On Seat Cowl

Alignment took sometime but eventually got there. This is quite secured and can be taken off easily.

 

That's a new one, never seen that before.

Hooray for invention!

Great idea, good job! Luckily my 4th Gen the top case rack does not use the grab rails.

Most excellent.  I've placed my cowl on the seat a few times and thought it would be nice to use but didn't because of my givi rack with all of it's associated washers and shims etc.  Where did you get the rubber latches?  Part number?

Most excellent.  I've placed my cowl on the seat a few times and thought it would be nice to use but didn't because of my givi rack with all of it's associated washers and shims etc.  Where did you get the rubber latches?  Part number?

These are bonnet latches. after a lot of searching purchased them from good old ebay. 

there are two types - i purchased both but used only rubber bones.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290903532493. (USED THIS ONE)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230778341819

Anik, thanks for posting the links.

Thanks Mailman, I think I've had my mind made up for me, I'm not going to buy another seat cowl,I had to search ebay for a long time to find this one that's now ruined,so it's gona be the givi 257fz and fit the monokey top box as needed.I ordered a givi wp400 seat bag this week,figured that would do me along with a magnetic tank bag for short breaks,but having the top box will be very handy but not too pleasing to the eye, still though,function over form.

I gotta ask... Why?
Do you think the VFR is sportier with a seat cowl and luggage rack?
I don't get it, but it is your bike.
I would rather waste that time figuring out how to turn my stock seat into a useful Corbin or Sargent's.
Since you don't have the side bags, why didn't you search for the other Givi VFR rack which doesn't use the Frankenstein bolt holes? It only mounts to the grab handles.

I just hate seeing a bike get cut up and drilled.
I cry a little for the bike.
Just like when I read a sale ad and it says, Great VFR, dependable, adult owned, street fighter.
All I read is a bike which saw a lot of abuse.

Saoirse32, Keep an eye on eBay, cheap ones pop up once in awhile. I cut mine and I'm no perfectionist, measure, mark carefully and cut slowly.

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Zoom, I'd like to see the big trunks if you don't mind posting. I have an e360, 42l, and when taking the two cats to the vet I really have to cram them in, they'd appreciate a bigger bag I'm sure.   :cool:

Thanks very much,I would like to see the pics alright,I got the guy to do the cutouts for the oem passenger grab handles,he is so neat at everything I didn't like to be telling him what to do and assumed he would do it right,I'm so pissed off though now,live and learn the hard way is all I seem to do, thanks again.

As promised, here are the photos of the bike with just the Givi rack installed, and a few shots from different angles with the E55 Maxia installed.  

Here are the pictures with the case installed.  

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And the photos of the bike with just the rack installed.

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And Last but certainly not LEAST.  A photo with the family pet in the E55 Maxia.  This shot is for size comparison only you understand.  Buster loves to sit in the case on a blanket whenever I do any work on the bike.  He feels safe and comfy and I don't have to worry about him getting under foot.  LOL.  

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Thanks very much,I would like to see the pics alright,I got the guy to do the cutouts for the oem passenger grab handles,he is so neat at everything I didn't like to be telling him what to do and assumed he would do it right,I'm so pissed off though now,live and learn the hard way is all I seem to do, thanks again.

As promised, here are the photos of the bike with just the Givi rack installed, and a few shots from different angles with the E55 Maxia installed.  

Does that come with tail lights? Looks good.

Thanks very much,I would like to see the pics alright,I got the guy to do the cutouts for the oem passenger grab handles,he is so neat at everything I didn't like to be telling him what to do and assumed he would do it right,I'm so pissed off though now,live and learn the hard way is all I seem to do, thanks again.

 
As promised, here are the photos of the bike with just the Givi rack installed, and a few shots from different angles with the E55 Maxia installed.

 
Does that come with tail lights? Looks good.

You can buy the cases with the lights already installed and wired but when I bought the case they didn't have any with the lights installed in stock and the case was an extra $125 with the lights installed from the factory. I purchased the light kit separately for only $59 and installed them myself. Here in Canada the case from GIVI can be brutally expensive compared with the US pricing. After checking locally I found that the dealers wanted nearly $800 for an E55 without the light kit installed. I purchased the E55 plus the light kit for a tad under $500 including shipping. I like to support the local economy when I can but the retail cost for these in town was just simply outrageous. The brake light kit was easy to install and just as easy to wire. The only thing I didn't care much for was the wiring the kit includes to attach to the rack system. There is a two piece pressure switch that installs in the case and the second piece attaches to the base plate. The wiring for the base plate portion has no where to run down the side rails so that the wiring is invisible. I chose to run the wires down the seat side of the right rack assembly bar and then under the seat. It looks good enough but a bit more forethought on GIVI's part to provide a way of running it inside the side bars might be nice. I am nitpicking though. LOL

My sincere apologies to Anik for the thread jack.

Saoirse32, Keep an eye on eBay, cheap ones pop up once in awhile. I cut mine and I'm no perfectionist, measure, mark carefully and cut slowly.

[image: Sierra.jpg]

Zoom, I'd like to see the big trunks if you don't mind posting. I have an e360, 42l, and when taking the two cats to the vet I really have to cram them in, they'd appreciate a bigger bag I'm sure.   :cool:

Thats a givi rack? Never seen that one, nice setup.

This week I wanted my seat cowl on the bike as well. Could not find many ideas for quick release ideas.... So I as well cut the tabs so it would sit flat and used a strap to secure it to the bike. I like the idea of your rubber tabs to secure it better, so will probably use it!!! Thanks.... Great job!!! Here us s pic of mine for the moment...[image: ububyru5.jpg]

Thanks for the pics ZoomZoom,your bike looks great and such a lovely dog,my dog wouldn't sit still long enough to sit in the top box!!

Sorry to the original poster for the thread jack,great what you done to modify your seat cowl,necessity is the mother of invention as the saying goes.

I can't seem to use the quote function here and I'm not great at uploading pics either.Thanks again everyone.

I used the nose of a belt sander.

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I  see  the  scooter    !!!! 

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I  see  the  scooter    !!!!

LOL, darn it, caught red handed.

Yes, there is a scooter in front of the Dodge, but since the homestead is a duplex, THE "When I grow up I wanna be a motorcycle" belongs to the next door neighbor. It has a severe case of road rash on both sides and the rear exhaust has a flat kink in it and the exhaust pipe has been drilled with about 8 extra holes. The neighbor wanted the exhaust to sound a bit more throaty and aggressive. It is louder, but not nicer sounding.

The young guy who owns has asked a couple of times if he could try out my VFR. I mentioned he could rent my bike for the day if he likes,...................... For the paltry sum of $5000, cash up front.

I was unsure when ordering my topcase, i envisioned the 55l looking like a pop-up camper levitating behind the bike but it doesnt look that way at all in the pics here. I pulled the trigger on a 45l plus it was $100 or so cheaper. Hoping to get some riding impressions soon.

I have an original Givi VFR800Fi rack.
I have owned it since Givi installed it on the bike in 2001 at Bike Week.

150.00 shipped to you. It might go on eBay if no one claims it.
MikeE@RideWNC.com will be the fastest way to contact me.

I originally used this with a 46L but that could not hold two helmets.
I went to a 55L and then decided to make my Y2K my full time two up bike for day trips around the mountains.

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With slight modification for the exhaust high pipe and the Corbin seat, I was able to make this work.

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I'm bidding now on another seat cowl on ebay,if I don't get it I'm just going to buy the givi 257fz,another harness from admore and be done with it,forget about the seat cowl.

with the 55l top box,38L expandable tank bag and a 40L givi wp400 seat bag she'd be good to go for a weeks touring solo I think.

That original givi monokey rack would put a lot of pressure where the grab handles used to mount,the new rack while not as tidy seems a stronger fitment.

I have had that rack on and off the bike for 14 years.
With a full trunk and a wife leaning against it while aggressive riding, it did just fine.
I can only imagine how much weight needs to be on the back to break the sub-frame at the grab handles.
Some of you guys don't have enough trust in your Honda.
They built them a little better back then.

I have had that rack on and off the bike for 14 years.
With a full trunk and a wife leaning against it while aggressive riding, it did just fine.
I can only imagine how much weight needs to be on the back to break the sub-frame at the grab handles.
Some of you guys don't have enough trust in your Honda.
They built them a little better back then.

I've had the same one on mine for about 10 years now that I bought used with the 46L trunk (when needed). I've had a lot of weight in it on occasion along with someone leaning on it and no issues either. I've worried about it a little because of the stories, but no issues to date.

I have had that rack on and off the bike for 14 years.
With a full trunk and a wife leaning against it while aggressive riding, it did just fine.
I can only imagine how much weight needs to be on the back to break the sub-frame at the grab handles.
Some of you guys don't have enough trust in your Honda.
They built them a little better back then.

I've had the same one on mine for about 10 years now that I bought used with the 46L trunk (when needed). I've had a lot of weight in it on occasion along with someone leaning on it and no issues either. I've worried about it a little because of the stories, but no issues to date.

I've had no issues in 12 years either with daily use.

I've also seen two in person that cracked where the round tubing meets the mounting bracket, and they weren't that heavily loaded.

Just discovered the seat cowl I'm bidding on on ebay is for the anniversary model,silver stripes. The seller should have said it was red and silver,couldn't tell from the photo he had up,I think the red and silver would look odd on the all red vfr.

Just discovered the seat cowl I'm bidding on on ebay is for the anniversary model,silver stripes. The seller should have said it was red and silver,couldn't tell from the photo he had up,I think the red and silver would look odd on the all red vfr.

Guess you could paint it or apply vinyl carbon stickers or something similar

I cut one of my cowls for use with my side cases. Had spacers made to take up space where grab rails sat. Think I have three cowls including a blue one, Canadian, that I plasticoated.

I don't like top cases, sits to high to my liking, so when I go for a long trip I strap a dry bag to the cowl.

SW Motech racks btw.

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Neatly done...

Here I am loaded. Pikes peak.

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In the dry bag is a sleeping bag and tent, they both nestle in the v between the cowl and saddlebag. Other various things in the bag are jacket and pants liners and camping stuff.

Strapped on top is my Kermit chair my lovely wife bought me. : )