OK I just ordered the Givi toprack and E52 bright red topbag for the VFR. The way I understand it is the tubing goes under the rear fairing? Or does it attach to the where the grab bars attach?
I hope I dont need the franken bolt holes cause I drilled those out for sargent quick release pins years ago!
I got a little carried away and got the liner bags too, probably crappy but at least it would be the right size - I have a bag but I think it is too big.
Anybody have the givi 5th gen FZ257 toprack who can tell me I dont need those franken bolt threads in my subframe?
I have ordered this for my bike as well and the mount that I have needs these four bolts as mounting points but you should be able to use locking nuts and bolts
with the 257FZ monorack for use on the VFR800 '98. I'm assuming this implies it mounts to the grabrail bolt points. It makes sense, and would elminate the possiblity of using the frankenbolts. We'll be wanted pictures once it's in a mounted up, of course...
I just did this installation over the holidays (FZ257 top rack & V46 case), so it's fairly fresh in my mind. The rack uses the two grab rail bolt holes, for a total of four bolts, on the top (the rack comes with all of the bolts and spacers necessary), then extends forward to attach to the frankenbolt sockets on either side with a long bolt and a spacer (the spacer goes inboard of the rack's rail, between it and the cowl).
This may present a problem with the quick-release pin replacement. You will need to reconstitute the threads to receive the givi bolt. It didn't seem to me that this bolt is required to bear much force, as it simply retains the end of a fairly long lever, granting it a fair amount of mechanical advantage.
In any case, good luck with it. I have been loving having all of the new capacity. It feels like a new bike without the tankbag that I got so used to riding with.
Thats what I thought, damn frankenbolt holes have been drilled. Perhaps the sargent pins are long enough to cover the mounts, they have a spacer on them to reveal more pin length.
Erasmus, Jan 25 2005, 09:50 PMFYI, the Givi replacement bolt is roughly 2.5 inches in length and the spacer is about 1 inch.
Slammer - thank you for the new site - I think its great, and I like th elatest touches you have made.
I'm looking to buy the E52 Maxia Monokey for my 02' - and found one here "used" two times. WOuld you think that $300 (canadian) or ($ 270 USA) is a good price? It includes the mount as well. this one does not have the brake light kit. thanks.
I've got an older Wingrack E series (I think) with 3 case mounting and two E50 Maxia cases. They came with my used '98 VFR but were originally mounted on a Kawi in '97. The Wingrack mounts by removing the grab rails and using those holes to anchor the mounting bracket, which ties into the aluminum side frames. There is also a brace that attaches from the Wingrack to the bottom of the passenger foot pegs by replacing the footpeg pin with a bolt. The Wingrack doesn't use the seat cowl bolts at all, but it doesn't look like you can have the seat cowl on with the rack on. The tube from the grab rail mount kind of arches over, down and around the rear plastic fairings and into the Wingrack frame. Looks like you would have to notch out the cowl. I don't know how different the tubular top frame system anchors. You would think they would make it similar to the Wingrack.... Their stuff seems to be really well made, and the guy I bought the bike off of said he never had a water leak in the whole time he owned the bags, even after he totalled the Kawi and kept the bags. I'm still waiting for the weather to change so I can go for a real ride... Bruce
folks, I must report a srious issue happened to me with the Givi monorack ...
I was travelling in UK on my way from Dublin to Istanbul, you can well guess my mood riding, well just after one hour I had left Holyhead port the monorack broke, the backcase with attached platfrom and broken monorack flew away spinning on the road ohmy.gif I was lucky bcz traffic was very light but mad.gif how could that happen ? I had had that backcase for 1 year, travelling a lot, speeding rarely at 220 km/h, now I was going at moderate speed, ~ 100 km/h and light luggage, maximum 15 kg ...
I was lucky I got it repaired somehow and did not miss my connection by ferry in Dover but during my hoilday I was always worried about that accident !!!
I complained with Givi by email and they admit their monorack had a defect, in fact they sent me a new monorack enhanced with steel.
I would say there is no problem with monorack produced in 2004, if you got one earlier than you 'd better make sure you got the enhanced one.
HispanicSlammer, Jan 27 2005, 02:35 PMDoes Givi have a load guidline in terms of wieght to go by so that sort of thing does not happen?
I had the Givi backcase fitted when I got the bike from my dealer in Italy but without booklet nor instructions ... when I asked him about the maximun speed allowed he said not to worry huh.gif Givi was probably overconfident about this product
I have been looking at bags this year I was going to get the factory hardbags (not the top case) but I have been looking into the Givi set up. For a little more than what factory hardbags will cost I can get a 3 case setup from Givi (V46 top and either the E41 Keyless or the E360 side cases) and mounting hardware the optional brake light and an interior light for the V46.
I also was looking at a Wingrack to mount everything.
My question is what would be better the Wingrack or the tubular top and side racks?
Does anyone have pictures of the Wingrack or the bags on a 02-04 VFR? Any pros or cons on my choice of of bags and racks?
The wingrack is stronger. I have the tubular on mine and am satisfied but I don't put a lot of weight in any of the bags. The older mounts for the 5th gen. have been replaced so that should tell you something.
02VFR, Jan 27 2005, 09:58 AMI also was looking at a Wingrack to mount everything.
My question is what would be better the Wingrack or the tubular top and side racks?
Does anyone have pictures of the Wingrack or the bags on a 02-04 VFR? Any pros or cons on my choice of of bags and racks?
I've got an 03 with the 3-case tubular setup with the E41 keyless side cases and an E52 with brake lights. Photos Here
I think the Wingrack would draw away from the VFR too much, and it is a lot wider, it also isn't as solid due to the mounting points. I have one on my old ZX6 The VFR looks a lot cleaner than it would with the Wingrack
Although I would be tempted to get the SW-Moto racks tha remove if I was stuck up on looks.
I had the E360s on the ZX6 along with an E52. the E360s were fine, but being able to get at the E41s without everything falling out is nice.
jeffreyp, Jan 27 2005, 10:00 AMI think the Wingrack would draw away from the VFR too much, and it is a lot wider, it also isn't as solid due to the mounting points.
For what it's worth, I have the Wingrack with two E360's. Mine is a little unique, in that I ordered the "grey" wingrack to match my grey/silver 1996 VFR. Turns out, the "grey" wingrack is grey *primer*. Bastards. There's nothing in the partscanada manual that says that.
Anyway, I painted my wingrack to match the bike, and now it doesn't really look that out of place when the bags are off it. Don't have a photo yet, sorry... I put the rack on just before putting the bike into storage last fall, and didn't take a picture. I did ride it a few times with only one bag on it, and found it to be rock solid. I have a hard time believing that the tubular rack would be stronger.
I'd like to add something that most bag owners already know: it's not about looks but about functionality. I'd be the first to admit that my Givi's aren't cool looking. But, the people that ride with me are having me lock up there stuff. I almost bought Ventura soft luggage. I had soft bags on my 97 Bandit and while they worked ok, they weren't weather proof or theft proof. When you buy Givi, it's pricey but I haven't found anything that I think would fill all the compromises better.
Well I got the Givi Bag and the tubular topcase mount. Spent entirely too much for the thing, Should have gotten the wing rack instead as the tubular rack sort looks cheesy and it mounts stupidly? they bolt to the grab rail points with 4 spacers and the metal there is sort of flimsy to me?
Name Code Qty Each Options ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Givi E52 Embossed Top E52xxxx 1 300.78 Color = Bright Red-r300 Case: Givi E52 Embossed Top Case: Givi E52 Top Case Painted Finish
Givi E52 Embossed Top E97 1 44.91 Case: E97 Integral Stoplight Option For : E52 (Shipped)
GIVI General Accessories: E73 1 26.96 Nylon Removable Inner Bags
Went ahead and got the brake lights, and like a sucker I got the bag liner, after I got it found out my bag I already had fit just perfect inside.
[image: user posted image] 52 liter bright red.
[image: user posted image] spacious
[image: user posted image] turn the key to unlock and press on the handle where the triangle is that says "push" and it unlocks the latch.
[image: user posted image] removeing the plastic to make room for the brake light kit PITA, use a sharp utility knife and be careful.
[image: user posted image] They give you this rubber edging to help seal the bag watertight but this stuff is a pain to install, doenst want to stay in especially if you marred up the edge with the knife. I ended up supergluing that damn thing in.
[image: user posted image] Using a wratchet extention to pop out the hole for the brake light wires.
[image: user posted image] feeding in the brake wires
[image: user posted image] The spring loaded brake light leads contact a twin piece on the platform.
[image: user posted image] Well since I drilled out the threads for my Sargent pins I went to Home Depot and got a long 1/4' threaded rod and a couple of locking nuts and threaded the rod all the way through and bolted it down. cut off the excess and put a rubber cap over it so it doesnt snag my clothes.
[image: user posted image]
Assembly was much more of a pain in the ass than I had expected, I was pretty annoyed by the time I got to this point, plastic stuff sucks to put together. But the brake lights worked , they used an array of small bulbs and some cheesy wires that I decided I should hot glue to the electrical board after the connectors came off twice while installing the light array.
Opt for the wing rack over this thing if your on the fence, I wish I had.
I found this web site that has instructions to wire up the Brake light on the Givi to operate as an extra tail light using a resistor and some diodes. Thanks for the pictures I am still waiting for my Givi V46 top case, I received my Five Stars rack yesterday.
Even though it was a pain, it's going to work so good that I don't think you'll be unsatisfied. Mine doesn't have the brake light. That might keep you from being run over. I'm making spacers to put my sidemounts on. I bought used ones and the attaching hardware was gone. When I get finished, I think I'm goind to paint the racks and bags red. After all, if red is the faster color, the more red, the faster the bike.
There is some white tape on the inside of the lenses that I tore off, I am going to put in some reflective tape to help make the lenses more visible at night. My friend Gordon did on his and it looks a lot better than that white tape, maybe a stripe or 2 on the sides too.