Soft Bag

[bmerchant]

Hi

I'm new here - first post - although I have had a number of oilheads before and have lurked around the site for ages.

Anyway, just picked up a used 02 R with a whole load of accessories.

One is a BMW soft bag for the rear rack. Lovely made thing - fits onto a hard plate that is lockable to the rear rack.

Now I don't reckon I'd find much use for the bag as it isn't really that secure to be left with anything in, so I thought I'd get a top box. Ideally I'd have liked a BMW one so I could key it to the bike key, but they don't do one. But hang on, this soft bag base looks pretty strong. I'm thinking about fitting a hard top box to this base - provided I can find something which has a flat base.

Anyone done anything similar? Any suggestions?

[Airman]

bmerchant,

I've never seen a BMW tail bag for the RR rack. The best top box setup I've ever seen was an adaptation of the 31 liter RT top box. He bolted the RT rack into to an adapter he made to fit between the luggage mounts. It was a fairly simple fabrication, but the rack and box are expensive. It looks like a factory installation. Matches the system cases perfectly. The only problem with the 31 liter case is size. It won't take a full sized helmet. I don't personally like the way the Givi mounts perch the box way up high like they do. Personal taste I guess. The Givi does give a lot of space.

[MIXR]

Barry - Have a look at the GIVI website under their Monolock cases. They are the smaller cases that come with their own base plate in the kit. Attach the GIVI base to the existing BMW plate and you have an instantly detachable 'hard' box that will take a helmet and gloves. If you want a stronger setup with a bigger box, fit the GIVI rack system for the R and it will take a very large (45 litres plus) Monokey box. Monolock and Monokey boxes use different attachment systems, so don't confuse the two. Cheers, Mick.

[duke]

Barry - Have a look at the GIVI website under their Monolock cases. They are the smaller cases that come with their own base plate in the kit. Attach the GIVI base to the existing BMW plate and you have an instantly detachable 'hard' box that will take a helmet and gloves. If you want a stronger setup with a bigger box, fit the GIVI rack system for the R and it will take a very large (45 litres plus) Monokey box. Monolock and Monokey boxes use different attachment systems, so don't confuse the two. Cheers, Mick.

Couldn't agree more - I have fitted full Givi system to the bike 1 week ago - works like a charm!

Also look at the 52 litre Givi Maxia - 52 litres, very well built, very strong - the Hein Gericke store manager (where I have bought it from) was jumping on the demo box in the store to prove it is well built.
And then he has asked me to step on it - I am 16 stone .... and the box did not even creak!!!

[TonyT607]

Chant, I think the BMW softcase (really marketed for the K12RS) is kinda useless. I separated mine from its mount (that locking plastic plate) and bolted a Givi V46 to it. Looks great, and I can secure/unsecure to/from the bike it with my ignition key. I just didn't like the looks of the Givi plate.

I have done long tours with the Givi (includnig the MOA last year) at up to 100 MPH with no problems. Totally waterproof. I picked the case up from Happy Trails last summer for $215. I use it instead of the BMW cases for my everyday errands, supermarket, work commute, etc



Check out my Smugmug gallery for more pics:
http://r1150r.smugmug.com/gallery/179358/3/27805103

PM me if you have questions.

[bmerchant]

Tony

Thanks for that. Exactly what I was looking for. I might take a look at the BMW F650 top case (which is a bit smaller, and see if its bottom is flat That way I could even have the same key for opening the box

Thanks again.

[riceburner]

Tony

Thanks for that. Exactly what I was looking for. I might take a look at the BMW F650 top case (which is a bit smaller, and see if its bottom is flat That way I could even have the same key for opening the box

Thanks again.

they're not waterproof though.

(well - ours wasn't. )

[GJBushman]

I have the lockable BMW soft bag mount on my K12RS which will also work on my wife's 1150R. I agree that the BMW softbag is not a great bag. Most K12RS riders use the Chicane Mesa tail bag instead. It fits right on the BMW mount. It is slightly bigger and better looking. I got the BMW mount and Chicane Mesa bag for $169 on ebay. They come up all the time.