Member Contributer Blesk Posted January 11, 2015 Author Member Contributer Share Posted January 11, 2015 UPDATE: Still no bags from Honda. They've pushed the backorder back to some time in February. Apparently there was a dispute with the vendor. I'm stick of waiting! I'm going with the other option and getting GIVI bags. They're larger by 5 litres IIRC. They will definitely hold a full face helmet each and thus I will manage to fit a full grocery cart worth of groceries in them. ISSUE: I'll have to get the top case frame for stabilization as the specific part for that for our model is also on backorder. With that backordered piece I could get the bags, frames, and a touring windscreen for the price of the Honda bags. DOWNSIDE of aftermarket bags: The down side is of course that I'll have a separate key. For me it's worth it for the added space. I was willing to put up with the space issue in order to avoid the need for a frame and a second key, but I'm through waiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoPumps Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 FWIW, I am disappointed with how small the bags are. The cutouts in the front to accommodate the passengers calves really makes the bags useless for holding a helmet or much gear. The Givi V35s are nice bags. We have a couple of sets of them that migrate between two VStroms and a GSX650F. They do hold a FF helmet and are nice quality. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted January 11, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted January 11, 2015 According to Rob your better off with the Givi's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoPumps Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I would guess that the Givis won't be quite as well integrated as the stock bags. When you remove the stock bags, the look of the bike is very clean. The Givi bags need a rack, but there is a quick release model that is pretty clean. http://giviusa.com/my-motorcycle/honda/vfr800-14/plxr1132-rapid-release-sideframes-v35-detail Plusses and minuses for both... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Blesk Posted February 3, 2015 Author Member Contributer Share Posted February 3, 2015 Well, the Givi bags came in and they're installed! They look AMAZING on the bike!! There were no issues with installation and there are quick release points with a special "key" for removal of the side bag frames. I'll try to get more detailed pics later. For now, here's what they look like on- NOTE: I've also got the top case rack because apparently there's another piece needed to mount the side cases without it, but it's on backorder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted February 3, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 3, 2015 Oh yeah that's sweet !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted February 3, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 3, 2015 Well, the Givi bags came in and they're installed! They look AMAZING on the bike!! There were no issues with installation and there are quick release points with a special "key" for removal of the side bag frames. I'll try to get more detailed pics later. For now, here's what they look like on- NOTE: I've also got the top case rack because apparently there's another piece needed to mount the side cases without it, but it's on backorder. The mod team can change your screen name to " The Bag Lady" now eh? As for the missing GIVI part, PM me the partnumber and I can check locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Blesk Posted February 4, 2015 Author Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2015 As for the missing GIVI part, PM me the partnumber and I can check locally. Thanks, Dutchy, but I'm happy having the rack for the top case anyway. Someone else might need it though... And NO! I will not be changing my board name. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted February 4, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2015 In some ways I like those better than the OEM bags. Can't go wrong with black and white - perfect match! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatTireFreddy Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 My white bags just arrived at my dealer here in VT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Blesk Posted March 17, 2015 Author Member Contributer Share Posted March 17, 2015 My white bags just arrived at my dealer here in VT. DAMN! Glad I didn't wait. I'm also glad I got the bigger bags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayoisthedevil Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 I ordered the white bags yesterday, but no word on if they're still backordered. I really don't want aftermarket bags, so I'll have to wait for the Honda ones. I'm really missing having panniers. My last bike had soft Givis, and I'm totally dependent on them. Carrying a large backpack sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrypz Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 My red bags came right away, but took a week to get the lock tumblers for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skillet Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Bumping an older thread, didn't see the point in creating a new one when there is useful luggage info consolidated here already (it helped me make the decision to not buy the factory luggage). I'm a n00b to moto luggage, so I will be going in to a lot of detail to help inform other n00bs like myself; if you want to skip the details, you can jump to the pics and the summary after the pics.In May, I purchased a white 2014 VFR800FD with the intention of taking it on a multi-week summer road trip (I took said trip in mid-June and will try to put up a ride report later). That meant finding a way to carry lots of stuff I didn't would need.After doing some research (read: sipping scotch to deal with the sticker shock of moto luggage prices) I finally settled on getting the Givi PLXR1132 mounting hardware for the 8th gen VFR800. You must also purchase either the 1132FZ rear rack kit (allows mounting of a top case) or the 1132KIT (allows mounting of side cases only). I was unable to find the 1132KIT in stock anywhere (my research leads me to believe this may not be available yet, but I can't confirm), so I settled on the 1132FZ.Since I had top case hardware, I decided to go ahead and get a top case as well rather than going with my original idea of a large dry bag. Note that if you have a Monolock or Monokey case from Givi, their instructions for the 1132FZ state that you can't use universal mounting hardware to mount such top cases; 1132FZ is listed as requiring a mounting plate made for your case type (Monolock or Monokey). This was an extra $65 USD... for a piece of molded plastic. As you can imagine, I went through a lot of scotch.For the top case, I went with the Givi B37 Blade (Monolock). It's a good looking case and was adequate for my needs, though at times I wish I had something a bit bigger (B47 maybe); however, I liked the price and also took into consideration that I'd be using it for commuting and similar duties after my road trip, and for that I didn't want or need a huge 'flying saucer' on the back of my bike.For the side cases, I strongly considered the Givi V35 cases given their design and reputation. However, I eventually settled on the Kappa K33N cases. If you don't know, Kappa is owned by Givi and is their 'less bling' line of equipment. The K33Ns are very similar to the V35s, just slightly smaller and they don't include the reflective lenses or paintable panels found on the V35s -- I had no need or desire for such features and was happy to not pay for them. I don't have measurements at the moment (and the cases and hardware are currently not mounted) but my understanding is that these cases are narrower than the V35s. I found the Kappa cases to be of very good quality and to perform very well. They were also a lot cheaper than the V35s; I paid ~$360 USD for the K33Ns versus the best price I could find at the time of ~$520 for the V35s. (Prices are for a pair.)I also purchased the interior bags for the K33Ns; I highly recommend doing this, I almost didn't just to save money, but I found them to be extremely useful on my trip for keeping items organized; I can't imagine making that trip again with all my random items (camping gear, clothes, etc) simply crammed into the side cases.Note that the Kappa side cases came with an extra lock tumbler. I was able to easily install it into the Givi B37 top case. This allowed me to carry only one key capable of opening all three cases.I found mounting the Givi hardware to be... unpleasant. My advice is to take your time and try to do as much as you can off the bike. Also, if you have the rapid release hardware, make certain when tightening the locking bolts that they have 'clicked' into the locked position; while they sometimes seem tight and mounted, they're not always 'locked' -- it is important they are locked when riding or they can vibrate or be jarred loose (don't ask how I know). Here are some pics, I have them hosted on photobucket, so if they don't load, you might try going to this link to the photo album (has more pics as well). Rear view with side cases mounted: Side view with side cases mounted: Side cases and Top case mounted (photo taken near Valle Grande, New Mexico): Summary: Givi PLXR1132 and 1132FZ mounting hardware; Givi B37 top case; Kappa K33N side cases; Givi 4 liter 3D tank bag with Tanklock system. I rode somewhere around 3,000 miles with this setup. This included riding in the rain, I never found the Givi or Kappa cases to leak. While the K33N cases don't include a noticeable heat shield on the underside to protect against the exhaust, I found no issues with the outside of the exhaust-side case nor any items inside the case due to heat; worked great. I won't mention any specific speeds I rode at -- ahem -- but lets just say I had no issues with the cases while 'riding in a spirited fashion'. While I found the top case to be useful (particularly from a security standpoint), looking back on it I think I would have preferred to have used a large dry bag instead. I found having so much weight mounted so far back and up high to affect the bike's handling in certain situations (I did some riding with and without the top case, and the difference was noticeable); I made an effort to repack a few times to put less weight in the top case, but the unfortunate reality is that certain items I had would only fit in the top case and they were also some of the heavier items. If I were to have taken this trip with a pillion, the top case would have been a must-have and an acceptable compromise, but for any future trips by myself, I believe I'll opt for a large dry bag mounted across the pillion seat. This was my first real moto trip, so it was a learning experience in a lot of ways. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions about these cases or the mounting hardware, I'd be happy to try and answer them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted July 3, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted July 3, 2015 Looks better than the factory ones. Roll On .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4 Rosso Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 I think adding some colour makes them look smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZCam Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I think adding some colour makes them look smaller. "Do these panniers make my butt look big?" :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted July 4, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted July 4, 2015 I think adding some colour makes them look smaller. "Do these panniers make my butt look big?" :-D Looks good if that god awful pipe was gone . Roll On .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Blesk Posted July 4, 2015 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 4, 2015 I think adding some colour makes them look smaller. "Do these panniers make my butt look big?" :-D Looks good if that god awful pipe was gone .Roll On .. You're just jealous, Switchblade. The paint job looks nice! I've been very happy commuting with the side case setup. I'm looking at asking for the top case for my birthday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted July 4, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted July 4, 2015 I think adding some colour makes them look smaller. "Do these panniers make my butt look big?" :-D Looks good if that god awful pipe was gone .Roll On .. You're just jealous, Switchblade.The paint job looks nice! I've been very happy commuting with the side case setup. I'm looking at asking for the top case for my birthday. Maybe but i could buy one IF I really want one . I like to see that awesome back wheel. Roll On .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted July 9, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted July 9, 2015 PS I don't think the 8th gen going to be around for long either . Not unless Honda upgrades suspension . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer fink Posted July 10, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted July 10, 2015 N whats up with the suspension? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHvar Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Nothing as far as I can tell is wrong with the suspension on the 8th gen, it does a great job. It handles great, I have no problem with my mediocre skills in the twisties keeping up with or out cornering other riders with lighter sportbikes. It handles better than my old CBR600 did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer fink Posted July 10, 2015 Member Contributer Share Posted July 10, 2015 Was going to say . I've had no problems with mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marriedman Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I believe that Switchblade is referencing the fact that it still has standard forks with a funky adapter to give it radial mounted calipers. Aside from the calipers, the suspension is pretty much unchanged from the 6th gen. Honda should have really upgraded the suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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