Thread: Alternate Top Box position?

I have been reading various top box set ups that members have done. Has anyone positioned a top box further forward and slightly over where a passenger would ride? I really don't do any two-up riding. If it is mounted further forward, that would put the weight over the rear tire and might help reduce the chances of some head shake that riders have experienced?

A mate of mine, Alan, made up a luggage rack that puts the luggage over the back seat. The negative with this setup is that there's no access to the underseat area, as I discovered when I left my license there and needed to produce this for an officer of the law. I won't say why he wanted to see this.....

I have since fitted a topbox to the rack. If I sit straight up, it is against my back. I haven't done any long trips with this but have taken the bike over 200km/h for short bursts with no ill effects. On the last long trip, I used my OE panniers but 2 of our group on blackbirds used Alan's prototype rack. 6000km, strapped luggage and some serious speed with no problems at all.

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a member here made some nice tail box brackets that use the passenger grab bar mounts. one conventional and one reverse like you mention. thread's a few years old but, he might just have some left.

https://www.cbrxx.com/parts-for-sale...tml#post459946

i haven't yet fitted mine but, think it would still allow seat removal.

I did mount mine - it was fine - getting the seat out was a bit fiddly but doable.
I've removed it because I was using it to hold a soft seat bag anyway and decided to remove the complication

definitely sturdy enough for a top box

G'day Pro-Pro-Tor,

I have done what you are considering. I used my Givi rack and metal plate as normal, but attached the plastic top case mount that came with my light weight Shad 33Ltr case using the screw and clamp brackets that came with the kit. If you only have a plastic plate you may need to engineer a metal replacement.

My case now mounts partly forward so that the rear of the top case lines up with the rear of the Givi rack - so there is room left to swing my leg over the seat to get on as normal, and the seat can be removed as usual.

It has minimal effect on handling as the BB is a very stable bike...... those with head shakes have other issues..... sagging suspension/steering head bearings/etc. My 05 has never shaken it's head even when I ran the oem Showa shock.... but especially since I installed the Ohilin's damper and the fork springs... no need for the steering damper kit that came with the gear (it just sits on the shelf). I have Helibars on too, so that raises the forks up through the steering brackets by about 5mm (from memory).... no instability, and great steering response (I run Michelin PR4 tyres). I think the early models needed a 6mm spacer on the rear shockie mount, but my 05 is stock (and the Ohlins is same length as oem Showa).

I used to run the full Givi wing Rack II when I had 40Ltr E41 side cases and a 50Ltr top case for two up touring, but now I just ride it solo with the light/small/slim 33Ltr top case.

You might be able to see from this pic..... I made a light support plate from 2mm aluminum to reinforce the plastic mount plate. I can remove it (4 screws) and the Givi metal plate is ready to accept a Givi case.

SH33 top case forward mounted on BB.jpg

Thanks for the replies. Especially the pics. That really helps me with seeing the different set up options. I think I will go with something similar to what Aussie Dave has done. I will be traveling with a few things that be long and wont fit in a case (tent, chair, sleeping mat, etc) Some of the other set ups take up the entire passenger area. Aussie Dave's seem like a happy medium. Not completely hanging off the end and I can still strap things down horizontally across the back passenger area.