Tutorial: Yorkshire Topbox

[Paul the 6th]

Been looking for a decent luggage 'solution' for a while so I decided this would be the most cost effective route for my needs. Looked at the cost of 'proper' topboxes but they're a fortune! £80 quid for a givi rack and then you have to buy the box as well. So, here is the "Yorkshire Topbox" (as us northerners are meant to be stingy apparently?)

You will need:
A top box.... Cheapo non branded box from ebay will do. This one was £26 delivered and came with a basic mounting kit (some m6 bolts & nuts, and 2 brackets).


A spare pillion seat on which to mount it. I got a pillion seat with my SV1000 k5 but still had the one from my 650 k5, they're both the same fit.


And some 70mm M6 bolts and nuts (or suitably sized to suit your requirements). These were 84p from b&q (the silver ones on the left)..



Step 1:
Offer your topbox onto your pillion seat so you can position it where you'd like it to be fixed. Make sure it's not too far forward and able to touch your back whilst riding otherwise it'll be a right pain the back (literally). Once you're happy with the positioning, make a subtle mark as a reference point...


Step 2:
Now mark the bolt holes on the pillion seat..




Step 3:
With the topbox mounting holes marked on your seat, drill through the seat sponge and the plastic on the underside.


Holes drilled on the underside of the seat




You can also remove some of the seat padding from the centre (but not the sides) to allow the seat to 'bed in' slightly more if needs be. This isn't completely neccessary but I like to be special..


Step 4:
Now to mount the box to the seat. I used the washers and mounting brackets which came with the box...




The topbox fully mounted on the pillion seat.. Mine came with a bit of material to line the box, which seems like a good idea as there are other unused mounting holes where small items could fall through..


Step 5:
Now to fit the seat & topbox unit to the bike. When you're first fitting it, just double check that the bolts don't foul anything underneath your seat. In retrospect, maybe I could have used smaller bolts but I couldn't be bothered going back to B&Q.


Final Fitting:






Job done. It's very secure and I'll be using it for the annual rideout

Total cost:
£26 for topbox
4 x M6 Bolts from B&Q £3.36
Time taken - around an hour

Next job - respray to match the bike:

i want an SV1000.

oh, and er, good show old bean

Ya Cheap Git lol.
Only thing is you didn't factor in the cost of a spare pillion seat!

[Paul the 6th]

Originally Posted by vardypeeps

Ya Cheap Git lol.

Yorkshire through and through and I prefer "Industrious git" if you please

Originally Posted by vardypeeps

Only thing is you didn't factor in the cost of a spare pillion seat!

For my particular fitting I had my pillion seat leftover so it was theoretically free
they're cheap enough though aren't they? Coupla quid or beer tokens should see you get one from a fellow orger


Forgot to say though, this is no good if you carry pillons (which I don't)

richie numbers did this a few weks ago

nice1 pt6

I did it ages ago. And I am from Yorkshire.....

Mind you, I bolted the mounting plate to the seat so the box can be taken off leaving the seat in place.

Here's mine.....

does this double up as a whippet holder?

Aye 'appen.

Job done.

I have inherited two top boxes (don't ask) but no backets and I also have a spair seat (ripped)...so now I have the solution to fitting.

One question though, is the seat locking mechinism strong enough to take a fully loaded top box? I'd only use it for commuting which is lots of traffic weaving.

Wouldn't want to loose my lunch.....laptop is fine to go...but not me food .

Cheers,
Neil