Honda Box

[lcseds]

Okay. NT newb here. Have not purchased yet and still considering it. What are the drawbacks to the Honda top case? I read that it has a loose mounting? But did not see any details about this in the threads.
I know price is one, but beside price.

 

[bish79]

1. The strings that prevent the top from opening up too far break very easy. Just replace them with something homemade.
2. The "loose" mount is supposed to be a "feature" but it can be "fixed" by tightening the bolts down really tight.
3. No brake light on the box.


On the bright side, it matches the bike really well.

 

[Warren]

Okay. NT newb here. Have not purchased yet and still considering it. What are the drawbacks to the Honda top case? I read that it has a loose mounting? But did not see any details about this in the threads.
I know price is one, but beside price.

I have the Honda top box and it is fine for my purposes. Below is a quote from the Honda UK web site explaining the floating feature. I have not seen that it has any ill effects on the handling as others fear it might. If you go to www.accessories4bikes.com they have the best pricing I have found.

"14/07/2006 - Honda’s ‘floating’ top box!
If you’re a regular long-distance tourer, you’ll know the difficulties encountered with a fully-laden top-box.
With its fixed weight, it can be difficult to allow for it during cornering or in high winds. With this in mind, Honda has come up with a solution: the ‘floating’ top box.
This uses a mounting plate which allows the top-box to move left and right – just like a ‘model’ passenger would, ensuring that the weight is in exactly the right place during any manoeuvre. In addition, this design of top-box is much more aerodynamic than many previous models, again making sure the rider is hindered as little as possible by the weight"

 

[bish79]

I have not seen that it has any ill effects on the handling as others fear it might.

I am not so concerned about handling problems. My major concern was with the loosey goosey rattling that the box was experiencing as I was riding. Sounded (and felt) like it was going to fall off.

 

[Warren]

The Honda Top Box on the NT does sit up high on the rear of the bike. I prefer the look of the Honda Top Box on the ST as it mounts down and around the rear plate.

Hondaline Top Box on ST1300

Hondaline Top Box on NT700

The "floating" feature is a function of both these top boxes. I have suspicion it may also be designed to counter any high speed weave that could occur due to an overloaded top box. This has been a notorious failure for the ST1300 which has never been adequately explained by Honda.

I was curious why the box sits so high on the NT. I assumed that they wanted to give clearence over the tail light for visibility reasons.

 

[elizilla]

I don't know why all the accessory topcase racks set it up so high. I designed my topcase rack to set the box as low as possible.

 

[Warren]

I don't know why all the accessory topcase racks set it up so high. I designed my topcase rack to set the box as low as possible.

There is a reason. There is always a reason. It might not make much sense to us but I am sure it does to the creator of the product. You can tell I work for a manufacturer

 

[vzshadow]

I've had no problems with the top case at all and I like it very much.

 

[elizilla]

There is a reason. There is always a reason. It might not make much sense to us but I am sure it does to the creator of the product. You can tell I work for a manufacturer

There are reasons for the product design decisions where I work, too. And mostly they're good ones. But sometimes you just have to wonder if the designers ever actually use the product.

Actually, I don't think the higher topcase mount is a particularly terrible decision - I'm guessing someone weighed esthetics against production costs against weight against the standard wisdom that says we must keep the luggage as low as possible, and the higher height won out. But since I prioritize differently, I made a different choice.

 

[Silver Ranger]

After reading posts on the different top boxes I went with the Honda Line. The deciding factor was color match to the NT. I also don?t see me owning more then one motorcycle at a time so I don?t see the need to be able to move it.

I ordered mine from accessories4bikes. I also ordered the LED lighting kit for it from admorelighting.

 

[Bob]

Do you think the Honda top box movement would make it a bad choice for an XM antenna location? I suspect that once I put a top box on I won't take it off. Is that true for most of you?

 

[Phil Tarman]

I've done the carry-in-the-Givi thing. One trip was all it took to cure me of that. Even with the carrying handle, it's a load!

Since then, I've got a small duffle that goes into the Givi/CooCase and it and my computer go in (ASUS EeePC netbook). I keep most of my clean clothes (and dirty ones, too) in bags inside the bag liners.

When I bought my first Connie and a Givi, I planned on leaving either the side bags or the Givi on the bike. But they both stayed on as long as I owned Connies, and the CooCase has never come off the NT. I guess it might someday, but top boxers and side bags seem suited for different loads.

 

[JQL]

The Honda 45L TopBox is made by Givi and uses the Givi Monokey system. Its just branded Honda and has the red plastic bits in different places.

Although I haven't tried it, I'm sure you could put it on a standard Givi mount.

Givi 46L looks very similar to the Honda 45L.

 

[bish79]

I suspect that once I put a top box on I won't take it off. Is that true for most of you?

Yes! Like Phil said, just get a bag to fit in it.

Also, for short trips around town, the box is where I store my helmet(s). So it is on the bike permanently.

 

[Herb]

I got the Black Givi 46L. I think it looks nice with the Honda Red. It was cheaper and easily available. Got it through Twisted Throttle. Relatively easy to install.

On our 8 day adventure last spring, I brought it into the the places we were staying. Very easy to take off and put on and easy to carry. Very happy.

 

[freezingalaskan]

What a dilemma!
So, I am facing the possibility of buying the red NT (due to limited dealer stock) without ABS.
OK, could probably live with that. But, if I order the Honda trunk I might regret it later and want the bigger E55 which I understand would not fit on the same plate as the Honda original.
I would be happy to order the Honda one now, if I don't have too much problem switching between the Honda one, and the E55. What about the look of the E55 box, does the red accent color of that box agree with the Honda red bike color?

My reasons for wanting a bigger E55 would be for camping once or twice per year, being able to install brake lights on it, and being able to take it off in a few seconds for casual driving around home.
The Honda box as I understand it is not something to take on and off leasurely, correct?
Which box is more comfortable as a back rest, Honda's or the E55?

Thank you all for your feedback....it appears I am making a lot of decisions in the morning at the dealer.

freezingalaskan

 

[JQL]

I very rarely take the TopBox off the bike. I've done it once or twice then thought "stuff-it I'll use a rucksack (backpack)".

I use a Furygan Monaco Rucksack (you'll need to spin through the pictures and its the last rucksack) which has lots of well thought out, good sized pockets for bits and pieces as well as the ability to carry a 15.4" laptop (inc. PSU & cables), a few (flat) files and my lunch (a couple of sandwiches and a banana). It also has an integral rain cover which I haven't had to use as the rucksack is usually in my TopBox.

It just fits width and length wise into the TopBox with a bit of room to spare height-wise. If you need to use the TopBox for other things its comfortable on your back as well. I've used mine virtually everyday for the last 2 years and it still looks nearly new! I'm really, really pleased with it.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Freezin',

Givi makes the Honda box. I haven't seen one (unless Chuck in Aurora, CO has one), but I'd be surprised if the Honda box is any harder to take off than any other Givi. I wouldn't be surprised if they use the same mounting plate, but I can't/won't say that they do. And I wouldn't be surprised if I never take the top-box off my bike. I don't think I took it off my Connies more than five or six times and almost all of that was in the first few months I owned the bike. After that, I packed a small duffell in the top-box and it went in, while the box stayed on the bike.

I've got the CooCase and the silver on it almost matches the Honda silver...close enough for church work, at least.

Personally, I like the shape of the Givi or CooCase a little better than the Honda version.

 

[Chucksklrst]

I have a Givi E-360 that I bought about 8 years ago. Matt Black. I can switch to any of my four bikes. It is the top box you see on my bikes in the pictures I have posted. Turn the key, push the button and it comes right off. NOTE* The Honda Box mounts and comes off the same way. The difference is the mounting tabs on the plate and box do not line up between the Honda and the Givi. Even though Givi makes the Honda Box for Honda.

 

[CoolNT]

Ease of removal is about the same. The boxes cannot be interchanged as the mounting HW is different between Honda and Givi.

I got the largest 'cause I knew that at some point I'd regret not getting it. Take a look in my profile/album for pictures. Also, in the visibility/lights section, I posted a how-to that shows running/brakes/turn signal lights video.


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