Please bestow your luggage experience and wisdom upon me....
I am thinking of buying a set of Givi monokey racks and fitting them to my F650gs (the 800 twin).
I was talking with someone (obviously a Givi fanboy) about how expensive luggage can be, especially if you wanted BMW OE stuff.
He said (I haven't checked this, just accepted it as gospel) that the monokey system has been around for years and ANY monokey boxes will fit any monokey racks. Therefore, if I get the specific racks for my bike brand new, I can save money by buying older second hand Givi luggage.
I am on a tight budget but want removable, lockable panniers and topbox.
So what manufacturer/system would you recommend?
Anything you'd advise me to avoid?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Share your luggage knowledge pls.
- cozi70
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Re: Share your luggage knowledge pls.
Correct. All those monokey boxes have the same mounting platform,and the bigger kappa k40 stuff also will fit.
But be careful,givi produce a newer V series side box system that is very different,curved mountings faced like some factory boxes and not compatible with older stuff.
But be careful,givi produce a newer V series side box system that is very different,curved mountings faced like some factory boxes and not compatible with older stuff.
- mark vb
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Re: Share your luggage knowledge pls.
I'm a monokey fan, having had Givi boxes and frames/racks since 1995 and still use daily my ancient, much used-and-abused E45 top box. Panniers I've been using for the last 6 year are Trekkers, i.e. plastic boxes with a clever double (top/side) opening arrangement. The plastic seems to be extremely hard-wearing and has taken numerous knocks etc. without complaint or structural damage.
Whilst the metal pannier frames may look a bit less substantial than some other makes, I've had no problems with them, and that includes 10k miles of riding some appalling south American roads and tracks.
I like the way the boxes can be so easily moved from bike to bike (so long as there are Givi frames, of course). Cost-wise, I think the Givi stuff is competitive and it seems there's always cheap second-hand stuff around, particularly the older boxes such as E33&45.
I have to confess I haven't used other systems, but high-cost tin boxes have never really appealed to me.
I was always impressed that Ian Coates seemed to stick with Givi stuff over his many years of travelling the world. He had three E33/45 boxes fitted to plastic frames (rather than the metal ones):
Whilst the metal pannier frames may look a bit less substantial than some other makes, I've had no problems with them, and that includes 10k miles of riding some appalling south American roads and tracks.
I like the way the boxes can be so easily moved from bike to bike (so long as there are Givi frames, of course). Cost-wise, I think the Givi stuff is competitive and it seems there's always cheap second-hand stuff around, particularly the older boxes such as E33&45.
I have to confess I haven't used other systems, but high-cost tin boxes have never really appealed to me.
I was always impressed that Ian Coates seemed to stick with Givi stuff over his many years of travelling the world. He had three E33/45 boxes fitted to plastic frames (rather than the metal ones):
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Re: Share your luggage knowledge pls.
Big Givi fan here too. Beware the differences between monolock and monokey also. I have had E45s for years and still use them on the S10. Spare keys are Fiat blanks if I recall. DSC01314 by herman munster, on Flickr
The secret of a long life is knowing when its time to go.
Re: Share your luggage knowledge pls.
Don't forget, if you take plastic hard luggage on to off road sections and have an opps. youll be collecting the contents and trying to figure out how to carry it home.
If not they're great I had a full set of mono keys on my xjr1300 that I went to Hungary on, it even had highlevel brake lights!
If not they're great I had a full set of mono keys on my xjr1300 that I went to Hungary on, it even had highlevel brake lights!
- Mickdb1
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Re: Share your luggage knowledge pls.
Just have a look / or consider how you will get to the toolbox space /seat release if you cover it up with a Back box plate.
I like a box and bag for traveling but got some side rails to save the panels etc. As said by above the givi 45s are tuff and cheap and good
I had to drill a secret hole and attach a pull cord to do the seat release. = some secret now!!!!
HTHY
I like a box and bag for traveling but got some side rails to save the panels etc. As said by above the givi 45s are tuff and cheap and good
I had to drill a secret hole and attach a pull cord to do the seat release. = some secret now!!!!
HTHY
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You dont pack up biking when you grow old
You grow old when you pack up biking
You grow old when you pack up biking