Member Contributer MadFrog Posted August 20, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 20, 2013 To make my old faithful VFR perfect for me, it would need more HP (ok, ok, not really _need_ but an extra 50hp could be nice :) ) and more importantly some hard luggage. Commuting on the old girl with my lunch, gym bag, rain suit, and a laptop can be a challenge with only soft luggage. I'd love to install some hard side bags and maybe also a top case. Seems that manfacturers like Givi have given up on us. Is it possible to fabricate (relatively easily - I don't weld) such a rack to mount some darn bags on it? Anybody have come up with a decent solution? Other manufacturers than Givi maybe? Thanks for the help in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted August 20, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 20, 2013 There are other makers of luggage, like SW-Motech, Shad and possibly one or two more. The issue is the year of your bike, it's too old to keep a stock of items for it, most places that sell or make hardware do not make or stock items for bikes older than a few years. I have a similar problem with my 95 900SS/SP, some things are hard to come by unless I find them off eBay. That being said, you can possibly make your own mounts for a top case, similar to the solo rack that Ken sells from time to time, heck even he stopped making them for 5 Gens. It's all economics. Personally I think searching eBay, Craig's list , or other similar sites is the only other way you'll find something "off-the-shelf" this late in the game. Making something yourelf might be the better option, look for Dutchy's post on how he did his side cases that might give you an idea on what can be done. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer panamawing Posted August 20, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 20, 2013 +1 on check out Dutchy's post. Givi wingrack in the classifieds right now. Also checkout Hepco and Beck, Rentec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer V-FORE Posted August 20, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 20, 2013 I was able to find Givi Top Case mounts for my 4th, I also have soft sadlebags for trips. The Top case works well for me, but then again I have another bike for commuting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MadFrog Posted August 20, 2013 Author Member Contributer Share Posted August 20, 2013 thanks for the tips. I've sent a mail to the person selling the wingrack. Shad, SW-motech don't have anything for 4th gen. Rentec only has top-case Hepco and Beck look really nice and still have stuff for the 4th gen but man is it pricy! Ouch. About $500 just for the top and side racks. Then you gotta buy the cases... So, another question then: I can't visualize how much room there is in a top case. Could I fit a typical lunch box + laptop and charger + bagged rain suit + gym bag in one of those? Or would I be pulling wheelies non-stop from all that extra weight all the way in the back? :) Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted August 20, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 20, 2013 thanks for the tips. I've sent a mail to the person selling the wingrack. Shad, SW-motech don't have anything for 4th gen. Rentec only has top-case Hepco and Beck look really nice and still have stuff for the 4th gen but man is it pricy! Ouch. About $500 just for the top and side racks. Then you gotta buy the cases... So, another question then: I can't visualize how much room there is in a top case. Could I fit a typical lunch box + laptop and charger + bagged rain suit + gym bag in one of those? Or would I be pulling wheelies non-stop from all that extra weight all the way in the back? :) Thanks again. I can fit a hell of a lot in my GIVI E55 top case. It will easily fit two full face helmets side by side with room for loose clothing, but I have gotten at least two stuffed duffle bags in there when the wife and I did a trip up to Central California, add a tank bag and you'll have lots of room for what you need it for, at least IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JETS Posted August 23, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 23, 2013 Here is my solution. You may cringe at the aesthetics and low-brow branding, but they fit and function well. The rack is welded of 1/2" steel tubing from the hardware dept., bent on a Harbor Freight bender, and home welded. Primed and enamel double coated, this set has been across the US with not a problem. The bags are JCWhitney, cleaned up and painted, gasketed to seal water (they stay bone dry in frog stranglers), and latched with key-matched locks from the hardware store. They clip off and on securely, and hold a ton of gear. The top box is a large, and will hold a helmet. The sides are medium. The rack fits into the notches for the passenger grab handles and fastens under the rear fairing bolts. It mounts/demounts in about five minutes. If you score some Beetle bags, or some such, you can fab a similarly based tubing rack to hang them on, I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted August 23, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 23, 2013 Previously I would have said that Louise has a fat bumm. But since my redslut had her "operation", I better stay stumm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted August 23, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 23, 2013 Another member also posted photos up previously of how 6th gen bags were mounted on a 4th gen . . . but then again he also fab'd a dual, untertail exhaust to make room for them too. The 6th gen bags really do look good on a 4th gen - just a matter of getting the brackets figured out. http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/gallery/album/5337-94-vfr-mods/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Duc2V4 Posted August 23, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 23, 2013 Here is my solution. You may cringe at the aesthetics and low-brow branding, but they fit and function well. To be quite honest, I think she looks nice, I like the red and white paint job, it really stands out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted August 24, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 24, 2013 Another member also posted photos up previously of how 6th gen bags were mounted on a 4th gen . . . but then again he also fab'd a dual, untertail exhaust to make room for them too. The 6th gen bags really do look good on a 4th gen - just a matter of getting the brackets figured out. http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/gallery/album/5337-94-vfr-mods/ Pity he never responded to my PM's asking for some detailed pictures of how the rack was fitted to the bike... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JETS Posted August 27, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted August 27, 2013 Here is my solution. You may cringe at the aesthetics and low-brow branding, but they fit and function well. To be quite honest, I think she looks nice, I like the red and white paint job, it really stands out. Thanks. It all works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.