luggage help

[Jimmy2Feet]

Evening all,

New to the touring world, and after a little help if poss.

The below pannier rack:

http://www.motorbikesandparts.co.uk/givi-pannier-rack-for-kawasaki-zzr1200-0205-p-16843.html

will what i order be what is shown in picture? i.e. rack for the panniers to be fitted to and the top box?

i am getting a little confused with which are just panniers, which are top box only, and which are both!!

Cheers in advance,


Oh and also if anyone is aware of good companies to go to for a good price, i would be open ears!

[davepreston]

Product Details

Bike specific high quality pannier rack for Kappa / Givi removable boxes. When the boxes are removed the tubular style of this rack means that it is not that visable on the bike, and doesn’t detract fom the style of the bike. It can fit Givi / Kappa Monokey boxes.It is desiged to fit to this specific bike and comes with all fittings and instructions needed.
Top box rack SOLD SEPARATELY

[Jimmy2Feet]

Product Details

Bike specific high quality pannier rack for Kappa / Givi removable boxes. When the boxes are removed the tubular style of this rack means that it is not that visable on the bike, and doesn’t detract fom the style of the bike. It can fit Givi / Kappa Monokey boxes.It is desiged to fit to this specific bike and comes with all fittings and instructions needed.
Top box rack SOLD SEPARATELY

yeah i did see that, but also the people who purchase this also purchased.....section had just the fitting plate for a top box, so assumed that the rack was all there, just needed the plate, and being that the picture has pannier and top box in.......

This is why i was getting a little confused.

[Ruffy]

Nope, that item is just the tubular side rails that bolt to a rack and top plate that have to be bought separately.

Givi in simple terms (other hard luggage ranges are available!!!):
Monolock range: smaller capacity designed for lighter use or smaller machines. Personally I wouldn't bother.
Monokey range: Boxes can be fitted to either a wingrack or rack/side frame combination.
Monorack: You need a rack plate + bike specific side rails to create single top box use.
Wingrack: You need a wingrack + bike specific fitting kit to create up to 3 box setup. These are substantial items and look somewhat ugly without the boxes fitted.
PL side rails: add to monorack to create 3 box setup, i.e. panniers + topbox.
PL-R side rails: newer shaped side rails for a small number of newer bikes.

We have a Givi monorack that live permanently on the bikes for both the VFR and the SV (pointy). Personally I think the pointy rack fixing is poor design (hangers over grab rail aspect), but the VFR one is top notch. Both have done lots of journeys with no issue, though. I fully intend to get a set of PL rails for the VFR at some point.

I bought my last Givi rack from Bykebitz www.bykebitz.co.uk although it was some time ago so can't comment on current prices/service. They still have some useful explanations on their website and if all else fails give 'em a call.

Especially for boxes, ebay can be a cost effective source. You might even be able to find rack bits to suit your bike.

Hope that helps!

[Jimmy2Feet]

Nope, that item is just the tubular side rails that bolt to a rack and top plate that have to be bought separately.

Givi in simple terms (other hard luggage ranges are available!!!):
Monolock range: smaller capacity designed for lighter use or smaller machines. Personally I wouldn't bother.
Monokey range: Boxes can be fitted to either a wingrack or rack/side frame combination.
Monorack: You need a rack plate + bike specific side rails to create single top box use.
Wingrack: You need a wingrack + bike specific fitting kit to create up to 3 box setup. These are substantial items and look somewhat ugly without the boxes fitted.
PL side rails: add to monorack to create 3 box setup, i.e. panniers + topbox.
PL-R side rails: newer shaped side rails for a small number of newer bikes.

We have a Givi monorack that live permanently on the bikes for both the VFR and the SV (pointy). Personally I think the pointy rack fixing is poor design (hangers over grab rail aspect), but the VFR one is top notch. Both have done lots of journeys with no issue, though. I fully intend to get a set of PL rails for the VFR at some point.

I bought my last Givi rack from Bykebitz www.bykebitz.co.uk although it was some time ago so can't comment on current prices/service. They still have some useful explanations on their website and if all else fails give 'em a call.

Especially for boxes, ebay can be a cost effective source. You might even be able to find rack bits to suit your bike.

Hope that helps!


that really is great help,

Ebay defo looks like a good idea for the box's, but as for racks not a lot of choice to be honest, unfortuantly not that many zzr1200 out there!!!

i will check out that web site as well!

Cheers mate

[dyzio]

Monolock range: smaller capacity designed for lighter use or smaller machines. Personally I wouldn't bother.

Just curious, why?
Monolock goes up to 47ltr http://www.givi.co.uk/cases/Monolock-/E470-SIMPLY-III

[philbut]

I agree that the item is just the pannier rails. If you want an all in one rack go for the wingrack II. not as pretty as the tubular stuff, but very well built. I have one on my ZZR and it is brilliant.

If you don't do that much work with panniers but will use a top box often then maybe the separate top box and pannier rack system will siut you better - assuming you care about the bikes looks enough to remove the rails when not in use. I have to say I am very impresed with the build quality of my Givi stuf, so although it may be dear, it's worth it. Do check ebay though, I managed to pick up a wingrack with fitting kit and 2 boxes for £72 a while back!

also worth popping onto a ZZR forum like ZZR International to see if anyone has one sitting in the shed. you never know...

[Jimmy2Feet]

i am also looking into not getting hard set, but keeping soft. i have a tail pack already, and as money is a premium at the moment, and i dont plan to keep the 1200 for more than a couple of years (want to upgrade to the 1400) am thinking spending all that money on the racks not all that money well spent. i will only be using it for touring.

so thinking of getting a sports rack to put the tail pack on, then something like this:

http://www.motorbikesandparts.co.uk/givi-t449-panniers-28-35-litre-p-17241.html

and my tail pack is 33ltr, so 103ltrs is loads i would say, and the wonders of bungies etc i can get more ontop of the talkpack. much cheaper option, and then will allow me to put more money into the zzr1400 fund!! :)


p.s. - i know that soft cases will be nothing in comparison to hard cases, but that is why they are that much cheaper, also it will give me a full set of hard luggage for any bike in the future!!

any ideas people?

[philbut]

Don't forget you can use the givi cases on any bike with the right rack, and the racks for your 1200 will hold their value reasonably well too second hand.

soft luggage is fine so long as you aren't going to leave the bike un-attended for too long. the obvious main advantage when touring is the security of hard luggage. Decent soft stuff, whilt not quite as easy to get on and off the bike will be great for the occasional tour (just remember to waterproof bag everything inside!)

I have Oxford Lifetime stuff and it is very high quality. I use it on the Blade and it works well.

[Jimmy2Feet]

true, but as we have not yet done any touring (to speak of) we are only doing small short trips to start with, i dont think that we will be leaving the bags unattended for to long, we are mostly going to be riding to a location to camp, or whatever, so at that point everything will be off the bike.

and when we plan to do a good long trip, i am hopeful of having the 1400, so i just am not sure (now i know the cost of it all) that the hard sets are worth it at the moment, i would obviously have the cases, but the rack i just see as wasted money!!

just my opinion of course

[Specialone]

I have a 46L monolock givi topbox, I have loaded it 3 times the weight what you supposed to and it's been fine.
It cost me brand new £90 with the mounting plate, half the price of the monkey range, so a no brainer for me.

[Ruffy]

Monokey range: Boxes can be fitted to either a wingrack or rack/side frame combination.

Just curious, why?
Monolock goes up to 47ltr http://www.givi.co.uk/cases/Monolock-/E470-SIMPLY-III
Fair do's, I'm happy to be corrected.:)
Perhaps I was bit swift with dismissive advice, merely paraphrasing marketing bumph. I have no experience of this range. It wasn't about when I got my first set of Givi boxes (which were 2nd hand anyway). I'm unlikely to change now, but for a newcomer to hard luggage it may well be worth a look in.