Couldn't stand it-ordered oem topbox

Joined
Jun 14, 2012
Messages
1,430
Location
Richardson, TX
Bike
2010 Red NT700
Ordered my matching red OEM topbox today. Wait for it to come in, install and do 600 mile service, then off to the Talimena Drive on the 19th!!!
Excitement building
 
RedNigel, I too, am interested in adding a trunk to my 2 days old NT700. Where did you order yours?
 
Good for you! I'm curious as to what swung you in favor of the OEM instead of a Givi? I'm leaning toward Givi because I can get a bigger trunk for a bit less money.
 
I'll bet it was Honda's sliding topbox which eliminates dangerous handling characteristics, wasn't it. Huh? Wasn't it? You can admit it -- we won't laugh at you.

Seriously, the Honda trunk is probably a good box. I don't know if I've seen one yet except in pictures. But I'm sure it's good.
 
I got the OEM simply for the matching color, plus the horror stories I have heard about the Givi backrest bleeding color onto wive's clothing
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT SLIDING??? ***???
It's not going to rattle, is it?
I will lose my mind if it rattles...

Firefox: i just walked into the dealer and paid full price, but there is a website where you can get all the OEM parts for about $100 less plus about $40 shipping
I forgot the name of the website
 
The Honda top box is designed to move slightly from side to side... Supposedly this helps handling, or aerodynamics, or some such claim. If you do a search here you'll find a Honda document from Honda of Europe describing the "feature"...your dealer will probably not know a darn thing about it...
 
I don't know what I would do without my top box at this point. I use it every day. I ordered a Givi through the Honda dealer when I got the bike. It was a hundred bucks or so less than the OEM, but basically the same.
 
It's not going to rattle, is it?
It slides left to right ~1" total. It doesn't rattle or do anything annoying. Never even notice it sliding when riding, the wife doesn't notice it sliding using it as a backrest. The matching color is nice.
 
I got the OEM simply for the matching color, plus the horror stories I have heard about the Givi backrest bleeding color onto wive's clothing
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT SLIDING??? ***???
It's not going to rattle, is it?
I will lose my mind if it rattles...

Firefox: i just walked into the dealer and paid full price, but there is a website where you can get all the OEM parts for about $100 less plus about $40 shipping
I forgot the name of the website

You will never notice the sliding action. Honda thinks it helps if the box moves slightly in windy situations. I don't know if it does or not but it sure doesn't hurt any.
 
I have an OEM top box too. Ive had it for over a year now and the only issue I've had with it is that the nylon cord that keeps the lid from opening too far will break on you. I replaced mine with black sheathed electrical wire. Problem solved.
 
I was able to get my OEM box with the purchase of the bike. It was an important part of the deal for me. My understanding is it's made by Givi. I just think it looks better than the Givi but that is a personal opinion. I've never really noticed the sliding of the box. It rattles a bit over really bumpy roads but not really enough to notice. Most of the time I don't even know it's back there.
 
I know I will use it alot, especially when I travel, but I really want to give my wife, the novice pillion, an added level of confidence and comfort on the back of the bike.
 
I have an OEM top box too. Ive had it for over a year now and the only issue I've had with it is that the nylon cord that keeps the lid from opening too far will break on you. I replaced mine with black sheathed electrical wire. Problem solved.

Someone else mentioned the problem with the nylon cords breaking. I have had my Honda top box for a couple of years. I use it every day and the cords on mine are fine. In fact they are not really a cord but a flat plastic thing. I wonder if Honda had a problem with the cords and made a change.
 
The sliding deal makes no sense to me since the box has got to reach the end of its travel pretty quickly and then it seems like it would add its input to the dynamics at what might be a worse time. But Triumph's new sport-touring bike has the same feature and they brag about. They call it Triumph Dynamic Luggage or something like that.

I'm not an engineer and I didn't sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but it doesn't make sense to me. I guess if the movement is damped in some way, it could be good. If it just slides and then stops, it seems like it would be worse than having a rigidly-mounted trunk.
 
On the video I saw on youtube it appears that it was not so much a side wind but more from the front and the box would center itself in the wind from front to back. At this point I have quit trying to figure it out and have accepted that Honda spent a lot of time on it for some reason and I trust they knew what they were doing.
 
If Honda knew what they were doing all the time, they'd still be importing the NT!
 
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