Topcase load question...
 

Hi all,

I bought a GIVI e27m topcase, on the website it said 7kg but when I got it home the baseplate says no more than 3kg, which including the case itself is pratically nada. With my tent, a sleeping bag liner and my waterproofs, I reckon the whole thing comes to around 5kg, but I´m a bit confused as how to continue... I don´t see the point in selling a case that can only carry its own weight? Any ideas? :confused1:

Many thanks,
Rtw

Edit:

So the website seems to be wrong - not 7kg after all - which leaves me wondering, would the 3kg limit on the supplied baseplate be including the case itself?

The numbers were written by lawyers. Ignore them , hope they go away and enjoy a happier life in a world where no one lives in fear of hot coffee or gets user manuals bigger than the actual product.


Andy

As TWB says the weight limits will be there for legal reasons. The reason is that the more weight you put in the top box the lighter your steering will become - boxes generally are behind the rear wheel and if you think of it like a see-saw - put more weight on one end and the other end rises - you'll realise that more weight in the box means less weight on the front wheel.

In practice you can put quite a bit of stuff in there before it makes any difference and probably 20+ kg before you have to compensate with your riding style. It does depend on your bike - weight distribution and how much power do have an effect but I've carried pillions on rear racks before and still been able to steer (just).

Sometimes the limit isn't the handling problem but the rack engineering - either the mounts are not strong enough or the rack is plastic or something similar. Usually though if you can lift the rear of the bike by the rack it'll be strong enough to take as much as you'd want to put on it.

Couple of pics below of the amount of stuff I've loaded onto racks for long trips - just under 20kg in the first pic and god knows how much in the second very ancient pic (well over 20kg anyway)

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...Africa0009.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps895932f7.jpg

We always seem to be grossly overloaded, just can't seem to travel light when the Mrs is along for the trip.

Never and any problems other than some interesting steering on steep uphill hairpins. I did have to replace the OE Shock on my DL1000 at 23K though :eek3:

Hi all,

Thanks for getting back to me - Interesting about the steering getting lighter as weight is added on the rear. I bought a 20lt tankbag, and now glad I did.

Backofbeyond, that´s some serious motorcycle jenga! I feel better already! When you see those fully loaded GS1200s with thousand dollar titainium panniers, it never reassured me much about my own setup.

... the baseplate is indeed plastic, :thumbdown: - but hopefully being a couple of kilos over shouldnt matter too much. I´ll thrash it down some back roads and see if it falls off before I leave.

Personally I never carry much weight in my top box. I use it primarily to hide my helmet, gloves boots and sat nav when I stop and want to go for a walk. I have my walking shoes and waterproofs plus my security chain in it most other times.

Yep, I just want it to stash my waterproofs, tent and sleeping bag liner, so maybe 2kg in total. Most people seem to think Givis weight limits are a very understated, hopefully they´re right!

You must have a seriously lightweight tent (or Poundland waterproofs) if you've got that to around 2kg. :rofl:

Since I graduated from the "pile it high and watch it all fall off" approach to luggage I tend to use the top box for stuff I really want to keep dry (sleeping bag mainly), for small stuff that seems to vanish otherwise - there's usually loads of camping stuff - torch, knives n forks, tea n coffee, that kind of thing and if the top box is lockable, for stuff best kept away from prying eyes. Really important stuff - passport, money etc goes in a bag that I take with me.

I tend not to put the tent in the top box because if you have to pack it wet it leaks in the box and soaks everything else.

Re weight, I wouldn't worry up to about 5kg (plus the weight of the box) but I'd probably try to think of some other packing arrangement if it went much over 10kg.

Hi all, again-

So now I am fitting the top plate, before I go ahead, was just wondering, is this an advisible way to do it?

http://i.imgur.com/QccWEPYl.jpg

The instruction manual I recieved was the wrong one, and can´t find any online for this particular model, the e27...

Would fitting the bolts and screws in that diamond shape be okay? Or should I spread them out a bit more? Any ideas what would be best?

On a sidenote, am I correct in thinking I the bolts and brackets should be underneath the plate, with the nuts being tightened down from the top?

http://i.imgur.com/6EHdJ0Dl.jpg

Again, many thanks - the help is invaluable! These are just the last few touches to be made, and along with a 12v charger, should be ready to set off pretty quickly :scooter:

Spreading the bolts out more would be good but honestly they are so massive anyway if this is the best fit go fit it. Looks like you can make a nice big rectangular bolt pattern?


I would drop the bolts in from the top and put the nuts underneath. If anything vibrates off gravity holding the bolt in place does something compared to a nut flying about inside the case while the bolt is on the road.


That wavy bracket is designed to grip round tube, probably meant for a different type of rack in a universal kit. It'll work as you have it but does look a bit odd. Some nice big washers would be neater (and I'd also bin the plated bolts and use stainless to avoid rust).


Andy

I don't want to hog the conversation here and others may know specifically how the bolts are meant to go but from general principles I'd space the bolts out as close to the four corners as was practical. These things shake and rattle as you ride along and having all the bolts close together means a little bit of give in the plastic or wear or just normal material elasticity will result in the box maybe coming slightly loose.

Re the clamps, I'd probably have used large load spreading washers there but if you've got the bits Givi supplied then use them. As a general rule (one I've made up!) the nuts go on the inside of the box as it makes it harder for spannerboy to undo them at 3.00am (or 2.00pm when you're having lunch). Try to arrange things so that you don't have long lengths of exposed bolt sticking up in the box - they'll wear through anything you pack down on top of them.

Hi all,

Spent today getting all this done, so here is the finished result! (minus a 30lt backpack that I´ll wear containing my sleeping bag and pillow). Would rather have a pannier system but hindsight and all that. Well, here´s some eye candy for you. I just took it around the block and handles surprisingly well, will try it out in the dirt tomorrow morning, but so far so good - fingers crossed. Again, many thanks for all the wise words.

http://i.imgur.com/GladAwDl.jpg

P.S.

Save starting another thread, would you guys recommend either:

a) increasing the PSI of the tires, i.e. from 22 to 26 PSI (the latter recommended for a passenger),

b) doing anything to the rear-shocks at all? As you can see, going light, probably no more than 20-30kilo including water, spare fuel, etc.

:scooter:

My top box and panniers said max weight 10 kg and I loaded them with 18 kg each and put tyres, water, petrol on top of that and it was fine. I dropped the bike many times when they were over loaded and nothing happened only scratched. GIVI boxes are almost indestructible.

Good to know, many thanks!