Hi All
just thought i would let people know the problems I have been having with my reasonably new bike. I purchased her on April 1st (Yeah I know :-[) and when i went on a recent trip to Switzerland I discovered that the top box could be opened from a locked position... very easily.
On my return to the UK i reported this to the local dealer where i purchased bike and box. they said theyu hadnt seen such flimsy workmanship. the locking mechanism is made of plastic and just bends. any how i was wondering if anyone else had any trouble with the lock. BTW the panniers seem to be a better design.
i am also having a warranty replacement of the heat shield that is sited at the bottom of the exhaust shield (2011 model) as the powder coating is flaking off. Other than this love the bike and she was a pleasure to ride in Europe
tony
That's what you get when you buy the cheapest Givi top box (E470) available and re-brand it.
I reckon it's a disgrace and wish Kawasaki would offer a top box of a similar quality as the panniers instead.
After all this is their flagship bike and at least I expected to get a top quality box and not this piece of junk when I ordered it.
After all they charged over £200 for it!
I don't know who makes the panniers but by the look of it they have been designed especially for the GTR and are really good quality too.
Can you actually get it open without using a tool or do you need a screwdriver, knife or something like that?
I guess with a screwdriver and a bit of force it should be as easy as taking candy from a baby.
I don't want to break it, but I won't leave my helmet in it any longer.
I was surprised their standard box was a cheap Givi one. I'm sticking my own existing cheap Givi box on to start with (just got my bike) with a view to getting one of the more expensive Givi boxes in the future.
I bought a second hand, (but new) £35 Givi cheap and nasty box from Ebay and it works a treat. I used it on my tour of Scotland recently.More than adequate for a few maps, spare gloves, first aid kit, that sort of stuff. It doesn't look as flash as the Kawasaki ones but it was perfectly functional. I think a lot of folk on here have just been unlucky.
QuoteI think a lot of folk on here have just been unlucky.
What do you mean, unlucky?
I don't own a car, I don't use my bike for commuting or only for ride-outs on the weekend.
I do at least 2 trips to the South of France a year and also use the bike to do my shopping.
That's why I bought the best touring bike on the market and paid a handsome sum for it!
So I expected a good top box that is capable of transporting more than a 4 pint bottle of milk and a loaf of bread.
I expected a top box that you can't just open with a sharpened stick.
What I don't need is this piece of crap Kawasaki are selling as the only accessory available for the GTR while they put a good Givi Monokey on the Z1000 or the Versys for the same price.
Mecki, at the risk of sounding disrespectful, you are starting to bore me. In a nutshell some GTR owners appear to be having problems with their top boxes & some dont. Perhaps the latter are the lucky ones. I cannot offer an explanation as to why this may be the case. I do not work in the design and development of top boxes for Givi.
I consider the amount I paid for my used GTR to still be a handsome sum and it was certainly the most I have ever paid for a motor bike. If you are not happy with your top box and have no confidence in it then I suggest you either stop using it, remove it and throw it away, (preferably send it to me) or alternatively return it to Kawasaki and demonstrate to them your observations in respect of how dissatisfied you are with having paid so much for what you consider to be a sub standard box.
I personally would not describe the Kawasaki top box as a piece of junk. There may be issues but as we can see from all the very helpful threads on here there are fixes.
LW if I bore you, why do you read and even worse reply to my posts?
I find most of your posts are a total waste of bandwidth too, but I haven't complained about it so far.
And what do you know if the KAWASAKI box is a piece of crap or not if you haven't even got one?
You paid £35 for yours and are happy - I paid over £200 and I am not and by the look of it I'm not the only one!
MEOW! :o
BMW charge over £500 for the box for their R1200RT. It's a lot better than the rebranded Givi Monolock one Kawasaki sell for the GTR, but it's a lot of money too. Kawasaki are a bit daft putting this box on one of their flagship bike, but there you go. Incidentally, I think BMW's box for their new 1600 tourers is something like £1000... although it does have central locking!
I think my Simply E470 box is what Kawasaki have rebranded as their own for the GTR? What the daftest thing about it is, is that they've removed the red reflective panel that you can have converted into a brake light. The box itself was always a bit wobbly, perhaps, on my Versys, but it's had my work laptop in the back every week for 2.5 years. Not fallen out yet!
I paid a lot of my hard earnt cash for a new bike on the 1st Sep, including the fitting of the 47L top box, which i have had a moan about to the dealer regarding the wobble, in fact if you read my posts i have cured it myself with some help from a friend who works for a large Engineering company, i also reckon the mounting is not as good as it could be and will keep the pressure on the dealer to talk to Kawasaki.
I dont care who makes it, it (used to) wobble, and now it does not.
Alan
Whilst not wishing to argue the fact that maybe the Kawasaki branded Givi box is not the best quality on offer in the market today I dont think it warrants the term" a piece of crap"" :o as is Meckis opinion, and yes I have got one. Does it really matter if it wobbles on its mounting slightly? I have had a good look at mine and have come to the conclusion that it is safe, and there is no way it could ever fall of the bike!!!!!! has anyone had this happen?. Moving on to the box itself whilst agreeing that it is not the most substantial box on the market- it after all is just a box and whilst being the first to agree they are expensive this one is nearer to the lower end of the market. As Mecki states you can probably break into this box with a sharpened stick :-[ : BUT there will not be a top box ever made that someone could not break into with the use of just a screwdriver. Overall I'm happy with mine -if it wobbles I cant see it whilst riding the bike, and as yet the box has managed to keep my underpants :-[ and trainers etc etc safely cocooned inside its rather flimsy structure. :)
I have to say 100, that I agree with you .... not had a problem with mine, even loaded and flying through France a while back it was fine. I hear what everyone is saying but I am quite happy with my box ;D
OK you guys are happy with the box, fine.
So what do you think about the maximum load of 3kg then?
You put 4 pints of milk (2,3kg) and a loaf of bread (800g) in a 47l box and it's already overloaded?
The equivalent Givi Monokey boxes (which cost about the same as the Kawa box, have a decent base plate and don't wobble) all have a maximum load of 10kg.
Mine hasn't fallen off yet either and it seems to be reasonably water tight too.
Nevertheless for a 13.5K bike I expect something more substantial, even if it costs 50 quid more, and that's why I will keep calling it a piece of crap.
My Givi Simply box has always had more than the recommended 3kg in it (unless it's empty). No problems. Pity it's rated as such though.
Weirdly, Kawasaki rate the rack as having a max load capacity of 10kg, so I do still find it odd they chose to rebrand the cheaper Givi box for their purposes. I'm with you there, but don't think it's a piece of crap, just not as good as it should be!
Mecki I have owned lots of top boxes and side panniers in my time and never took any notice of what the manufacturers recommend as a maximum weight and have never has one break open ,or the bottom fall out, or any other malfunction whatsoever. In saying that I dont go to shop for my daily provisions on my bike as you do. I use mine for clothing ,ie shirts, trousers, underclothes, trainers, and lightweight jacket etc etc, and I pile those items in until it's full and I have never bothered to weigh the total items as I just know that if the lid shuts all will be fine. As I have stated before this box is not top quality BUT it does do the job for me. cheers Geoff ;D
Is the top box designed to wobble? The oem top box fittings on a triumph sprint st 1050 were on a sliding rack, this was according to the man at Hincley a designed feature that ensured stability of the motorcycle at speed :)
Funny this !!!!! A mate of mine phoned and told me that the Honda vfr1200 also has a top box that" wobbles" he says it's to stop bike weaving at high speed, anybody know more on this? :o
My FJR top box also used to wobble. It wobbled so much that it eventually cracked the base. It was such a big problem that Yamaha had to recall them and fit metal bases.
If it wobbles, then it is more likely, over time, to break due to repeated stress and strain forces.
Hello 1Ka ... where have you popped up from ? FJR owner ?? ... or did you see the light ? ;D
have the givi version of the kawa top box but i think mine is a simply 45l ,was lucky when i bought my bike that previous owner had changed the back plate to a sturdier one.Was in france this year and box was well and truly loaded alot more than 3 kgs and also been used as a back rest by my son who was behind me ,never had an issue or a wobble ,as you know i live in ireland so testing the waterproof standards of the box no leaks ,also after my off a couple of weeks ago and bike sliding down the road top box never moved,just wondering are the people with the boxs been wobbly are they using the kawa back plate which is supposed to be weak in design.
I think the base plate is actually made by Givi too since it has Monolock and not Kawasaki written on it.
On my Suzuki 1250 GT Bandit the base plate (steel) for the top box (re-branded Givi 47l Monokey) was actually made by or especially for Suzuki since it had The Suzuki logo cut out in the middle.
Quote from: Lord Rusty on September 28, 2011, 09:58:02 PM
Hello 1Ka ... where have you popped up from ? FJR owner ?? ... or did you see the light ? ;D
Picking up a new GTR next week. Currently riding a FJR, 60K miles over the last three years means it's a little tired and there's some big bills on the horizon, the least of which was the main wiring harness which is corroded and knackered.
Tried the GTR, loved it, bought it ;D
The GTR is a great bike indeed, but I hope you didn't buy the Kawa top box too. :-[
You'll love the bike, it has a few things that can be improved but don't they all ::)
I have an SW motech top box, built in LED brake lights, electronic locking and a decent size,42l T-Ray in black looks good on the bike too. Never had any problems with it wobbling even on the original rack and both my pillions find it comfy.
Quote from: Cartman on September 29, 2011, 11:01:50 PM
I have an SW motech top box, built in LED brake lights, electronic locking and a decent size,42l T-Ray in black looks good on the bike too. Never had any problems with it wobbling even on the original rack and both my pillions find it comfy.
Just bought one of those after finding the kwak box unreliable for locking; did you get the Motech Alu rack or use the original one?
I had intended to get the metal rack but never got round to it, the top box plate is so sturdy it doesn't seem to need it. Used the standard rack and changed the butterfly mounts for large washers.
You can alter the position to suit due to the solidity of the base plate.
Quote from: Cartman on September 29, 2011, 11:01:50 PM
You'll love the bike, it has a few things that can be improved but don't they all ::)
I have an SW motech top box, built in LED brake lights, electronic locking and a decent size,42l T-Ray in black looks good on the bike too. Never had any problems with it wobbling even on the original rack and both my pillions find it comfy.
You take two pillions out at the same time?! ;-)
Quote from: Cartman on September 30, 2011, 09:47:05 AM
I had intended to get the metal rack but never got round to it, the top box plate is so sturdy it doesn't seem to need it. Used the standard rack and changed the butterfly mounts for large washers.
You can alter the position to suit due to the solidity of the base plate.
Thanks - might give that a go. Any tips on how the brake light hooks up ...?
I got the dealer to hook it up for me, but it uses the rear accessory leads (see other threads on here) and the cable to the rear brake light. Im not great with electrics :P
Can you still take it off, though?
Quote from: mecki on September 30, 2011, 12:52:11 PM
Can you still take it off, though?
Yup as the dealer fitted a plug so I can disconnect and remove it :)
Quote from: mecki on September 30, 2011, 12:52:11 PM
Can you still take it off, though?
On mine the plug is integral to the adapter plate. Connects when you drop the box on. There's a small cover which you're meant to fit when the topbox is off to protect from rain I guess.
Quote from: simbad on September 30, 2011, 01:45:20 PM
On mine the plug is integral to the adapter plate. Connects when you drop the box on. There's a small cover which you're meant to fit when the topbox is off to protect from rain I guess.
Sorry yes that's the same system, I mistunderstood, I had the dealer fit a plug so I can tak the base plate off too as I only use the panniers when I tour on my own and not the top box.
sorry been away so unable to answerthe question posed earelier in this thread. I dont need any tools to open the box once locked (especilly not the key ::) ) Its simply a matter of pushing the bottom half back and 'open sesame'
i have contacted givi direct and they say the box is not one of theirs!!??
tony
ps did go to dealer who said they had fixed it.... not. they had just bent the plastic latch a little. I opened the box first go :o
GTRTony, I am very surprised by your comments. You could definately get into my OEM 47L topbox without the key, but you would destroy it in the process. I consider it very secure. I wonder if your's needs addressing under warranty.
Martin.
My GTR had it's first service on Friday and they installed my Givi Monolock plate for my Simply E470 Box. I have to say I'm happy with how it's been installed, bolted to the stock rack at the moment. It doesn't really wobble, imo, any more than I imagined it would. It moves, but it's made of plastic, so it's just the flex in the plastic parts.
I'd still like to get the more expensive Monokey system at some point, but for now my Monolock box is fine.
Quote from: MJJ_ZX6RR on October 03, 2011, 12:59:12 PM
GTRTony, I am very surprised by your comments. You could definately get into my OEM 47L topbox without the key, but you would destroy it in the process. I consider it very secure. I wonder if your's needs addressing under warranty.
Martin.
Hi martin
yes that is what i want. though i wont settle for a replacement if thats the standard of workmanship/manufacture. i must say that once you have managed to open the box, if you use the key and open the mechanism then the box can be re-locked and then re-opened without the key all with very little effort. >:(
shoddy very shoddy :'(
Hi
just a quick update. My local dealer has contacted K and they have apparently agreed to replace it. so just waiting for new one to arrive. i wont accept it though if i can get into it without the key....
Tony, have to agree with you. Pointless having the box if it's not secure. Can't they upgrade it to the higher spec one, monolock, monokey, I always forget which is which.
Got a call from a nice man at Kawasaki today who actually says that their box is manufactured by GIVVI (??!!)
Anyhow he was very understanding with the problems that i have been facing and has asked me to ring him back once i have the new replacement (warranty) which i hope to pick up Fri 28th.
i told him my views on the lock being fit for purpose, and although he could not directly comment he left me thinking that he agreed! it is a shame that the design is not as good as the panniers. Must say my FJR1300 topbox was superior in everyway to the KWAK. Just as well i love the GTR :D
Sorry everybody !!!!!! GTR Tony did you ever get your top box replaced under warranty? Just been reading an old thread and it stopped at you waiting for Kawasaki to get back to you. That was dated 19 october. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now then Mecki on reading this I dont want you getting all uptight again. Chill out 8) 8) 8) ;)