What is up with all the TOP BOXES?

I want to thank you for only putting one of your eyes as your avatar. I would not be able to turn away from both And thank you for your AK ride report

Shucks thanks

[/hijack] I'm sure someone out there can beat me for the "ugliest top box" award C'mon, give it your best shot

When did adventure riders start caring what their bikes look like? :huh Isn't that only for cruisers?

Repeat after me: "It's all about function"


I carry $8K worth of camera gear in my top case. I certainly wouldn't be sticking that in a dry bag. I really don't care what it looks like. It protects my stuff!

big ol' +1

And I say that as a Strom owner myself.

I have Givi side cases and a top box (which is actually a third side case) on Happy Trails SU racks. Sometimes I'll use the side cases, other times the top box, occasionally all three together. I carry a lot of crap, and I like having a safe place for it when I park the bike.

The top box alone has the least effect on handling. With 20 pounds of stuff in it, I barely know it's there. The side cases have a larger effect, especially when they're full, because their mass is so far outboard of the bike's centerline. This is why I use the top box by itself more often.

In windy conditions all bets are off. Any combination of bags exaggerates the effects of sidewinds.

And for the record I don't give a red rat's ass what it looks like. As the man said, if I wanted pretty, I wouldn't have bought a V-Strom.

Does not ruin handling; among other things it holds a laptop, passport, and other documents. The bungee net on the top is also good for holding water bottles and drying wet laundry.

Damn dood that thing looks like it's made for your bike. A definite Not so on the scale. Love the photo. What kind of trees are those Birch, Aspen...?

Never any problems from my 40-litre H+B box...

Form over function. They are ugly. So what?

They don't look that bad. There is room for two full face helmets in our cases. It makes any bike so much more practical. You can still haul serious ass so I don't see what the problem is.

Here's what mine look like. Mine are probably a good example of the ugly the OP mentioned. I am a function over fashion kind of person. The cases serve their purpose well. I never take them off to ride. Who knows when you are going to need to haul a bag of dog food home? As far as handling goes, I don't know they are there and don't typically operate near my limits or the bike limits. I suppose they could affect emergency handling somewhat.

The ugliness of my Givi 52l complements the ugliness of my V-Strom.

Since I wear a suit at work, it's also a handy place to put my suit on the commute, my Frogg Toggs, my Lunch, etc.

The topcase sure makes it practical as a daily driver/commuter.

..Tom

BINGO!

My old standard GoldWing had a box, a removable OEM box, no bags just the box and a windshield. I hated the looks of both, but the windshield was removable for good weather. The box was another story. It's too convienient... Groceries, clothing, rain suit, junk, a twelve pack and pizza, whatever. Too convenient to be removed for any length of time. Much like a good tank bag.

When you really USE a bike, sometimes function is more important.

i'm going for the inverse dorkiness factor. to draw attention away from my own dorkiness i have a giant dorkey givi top case. so in theory it makes me cooler right?...............right?.............you guys aren't helping!

i wear socks with my tevas in the winter. total dorkiness.

al

I want to thank ALL for posting up. And thank you for the photos. My intent was NOT to offend anyone but to have a little fun with our to our NEED to ride and our solutions to making it possible.

So far I have seen a lot of nice looking cases. Nothing has even come close to the Fugly Ugly Well the Givi's come close... but so far even them have been on the right bike so they don't look too bad.

COME ON... LET'S SEE SOME FUGLY UGLY I know you are out there.

Quit lying!

I am secure in my manhood. Therefore, I don't mind having a top box. I ride a 'strom, which is butt-ugly anyway.

At least I didn't sweat my balls off to put 120L of storage on a sportbike, like SOME people I know.

That's not what she said...

Thanks for the link. Givi on a Ninja= Fugly Ugly

Y'know, there's a unique beauty in function. Look at a well-designed hand tool, for example. It doesn't need engraving, or filligree, or fancy paint. All it has to do is work right, and work well.

That's the way I look at motorcycles. Function first, then form. The latter is worthless without the former. For example I wouldn't have a Ducati 1098 in the garage because, although it looks sexy as hell, it can't do many of the things I require a motorcycle to do. Therefore it has practically zero appeal to me.

But a bike with hard bags and some miles on it, a bike that's not only useful but used, now that's beautiful.

i'll try to get fugly posted up from my home 'puter this evening. a 650L with a doofy tail bag.

al