luggage.

I'm sure I'm being a bit thick, but last night I spent an hour clicking
on stuff on the Givi site without managing to get an iota of education
about how their products work.

Imminently I need a topbox, preferably that can stow two helmets, or one
helmet and a pair of armoured trousers. That seems simple enough, I can
find a rack doobery and a 45l topbox which alleges to attach to the doobery.

The confusion comes later into the modularity of these systems with
respect to panniers. Can you add them later? If you buy the wrong top
box stuff do you scupper the pannier options for later?

Is there anything which might help me understand?!

Then I need to wade into the mire of heated products, boo.

 

Have a look at Nonfango products as well. IIRC you'll find them a bit
cheaper than Givi. They're also durable, as throwing a set attached to
a ZZR11 down the tarmac showed me.

 

AIUI, it's all modular, yes, and you can mix & match. For example,
panniers can be mounted as topboxes. Pannier frames can be added to
racks.

It's good value, too. I bought a rack for the Street Triple - can't
remember what it cost, because it was fitted from new, and a small
topbox (but still big enough for a full face helmet) that clips on and
off it was another £35-odd.

 

It looks like Givi only do the Monorack system (ie topbox only) for your
bike - so probably the nonfango kit is a better idea.

 

You've got exactly as far as I did, which doesn't take too long... it's
moving on from that to 'what bolts to what' that's as clear as 80 feet
of shit.

The nonfango stuff looks alright actually. The givi stuff seems a bit
'ugly' somehow :/

 

FWIW this thundercat FAQ recommends nonfango as well

http://jacurutu.org/bikes/thundercat/FAQ.pdf

 

I used to like the Givi 'Wingrack' system I had on the Morini K2, but
googling suggests that there is not a kit for the Thundercat. So
presumably it will have to be the Monorack system:

http://www.bykebitz.co.uk/acatalog/What_is_a_Monorack_.html

All modular as TOG said.

Don't mention that to Bonwick or I can see the Elephant in your future.
--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

All panniers are ugly if useful, if the are streamlined and made to "suit"
the bikem they are invariably shite.

 

If you want to get panniers later, make sure you don't just buy a "top
rack" fitting kit now.

Givi do a wing rack (IIRC) that can take the lot.

 

Rubbish (if I can translate into English) The Sprint's are anything but.
Waterproof, capacious, tough as old boots so far.

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS GT 3.2 V6
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

I have a Monorack & E45 box on the R-GS. Works well. I can get my helmet &
a bulky jacket in the box. My older E38 box is okay for 1 helmet but won't
take much else besides.

The Monokey boxes are all compatible with Monoracks & Wingracks.

Just be aware that that Givi make Monolock boxes which are not compatible
with the 'rack systems.

Personally, I would always go with Givi kit. It seems to last a long time.
Parts of my Monorack were fitted to a bike in 1996 and transferred to the
R-GS in 2001. A Wingrack I bought in 1993 is still going strong on someone
else's bike. Anecdotal evidence, and Lozzo might be a better source than
me, suggests Nonfango stuff is less robust.

 

I believe my Nonfango cam from Loz, via Wun.

<thinks>

You might be right.

 

Bet I can fit more into a givi

 

Heh. Surely that depends on how big a Givi it is?


--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS GT 3.2 V6
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

What an abortion of a website

 

Not any more.

For my Versys there is a choice of pannier racks and one of them can't
be used with a topbox rack. You have to be sure you're buying the right
ones for the set-up you desire.

Also, the V35 panniers can't be used as topboxes due to the shape, so
get the right ones and you'll be ok.

Somehow I managed to navigate the Givi website and choose the correct
Monorack and 45 litre topbox for my bike to go with the Kawasaki
branded Givi pannier racks it had from new.

 

I bought all that Nonfango stuff new for my 2nd ZZR1100 C2, that was
when I worked for the Nonfango importers - I sold it all to WUN when I
no longer had a need for it[1]. Its certainly robust enough, as I've
seen plenty that have been thrown up the road and survived.

[1] I still have the Givi Monorack and top plate for a ZZR1100D model I
took in px from WUN.

 

Just be careful with the distinction between (ISTR) Monolock and Monokey
systems.

One (I can't remember which) is for top-boxes only - although you can
bolt a Monolock plate (I think that's the topbox one) to a Monokey
wingrack.

 

I don't suppose you fancy seeing my face again any time soon do you?
I'm almost certain this bike is set to 'fat bastard', and it's a bit
'hard' at times. Wonderful damping over speedbumps, but lumpy on other
bits of textured road. I'm not overly confident about messing with it.

 

You can buy a rack, or you can buy pannier frames, or you can buy all
three. The pannier boxes will actually fit the rack and the rack boxes
will fit the panniers - the only difference is the size and reflectors.
You would not want a really deep top box, as a pannier and a pannier
used as a top box would show a white and a red reflector to the rear.
The boxes just hook on, but are only removable if you have the key.