gregsfc
New Member
Thank you forum members for all the ideas and help you've given me. I'm still fairly new to all of this; only a sophomore rider, and I've got no one in my community that is a fellow rider to converse with, so forums like this is about all the support I've got.
I've got the CTX700 and have posted the following pics over on the CTX forum, but I'm pretty active on this forum as well, because many more riders over here, unlike over on the CTX site, are daily riders and commuters like me, whereas most of the folks over there are simply recreational riders only. So I can learn alot more over here for non-technical information from more experienced riders who ride for the same reason I ride and that is primarily for fun transportation.
I needed a very large top box, and I needed it for cheap. I commute 30 miles one-way; rain or shine; hot or cold (well, within limits). As such, I needed a really big top box. My previous Bestem 2012 was cheap but matched my bike exactly, and so to some people, it didn't look too bad mounted the way I had it on the bike. It is 42 liters but is just barely tall enough for a helmet, so everything else that goes in there when something the height of a helmet is in there, has to go around it, which is very limiting. I don't ever go two up and could use a back rest, so I simply strapped the Bestem mount to the passenger's part of the seat (wouldn't work for an NC due to the obstruction to the fuel tank) and then latched the case on.
As winter wore on, however, I discovered that I needed more luggage space. Some mornings were very cold requiring my winter riding suit, but then the afternoon forecast was warm; meaning, if I had the room, I could wear my suit and carry my lunch and summer jacket (fits in the Bestem case), and on the commute back home, a could store my suit and lunch box and wear only the summer jacket (would not fit in the case). The bestem box really limited my space, especially vertically.
I searched and searched for an alternative. Saddle bags would give me more space but would still limit me for large items, and I'd have to buy or build stays and if they were big, there would be lots of extra drag, so I preferred just to stick with a top box. But what! The largest motorcycle-specific case I could find was a Givi 55Liter. That would be good, but it was $350, which was unacceptable. I found that some other folks had done the same sort of search I had and came up with a tote called a Rubbermaid Action Packer. I almost decided to go with that but then I started looking at regular tool boxes, but they were almost all just a little too narrow; and most weren't tall enough either. A second problem with tool boxes, because they usually have slots for trays, they have handles on the outside, and they're built rugged with no impedance for having lots of interior space relative to exterior size, one loses alot of interior space compared to the external dimensions.
I finally came across something that might work...A Dewalt ToughSytem 08204. External dimensions were approx. 21.5" Wide X 14.5 Long X 16" High. I was going to turn it width ways on my bike, so I would be reversing the width and length. I figured I'd lose approximately 1" each direction from the external dimensions, and that this box would give me about 65 liters of space, much more than my 42L, plus it would give me much more of the needed height that I was after. I was disappointed after receiving the box however. I actually lost about 2" each direction, because of the indentions from the exterior ends; the oversized top; and the slots inside, which I cut out all that I could. I knew in advance that this box was going to be ugly, so I was undeterred when I saw what it did to the looks of the bike. I've come away with approximately 54-57 liters, and it holds alot more than my old case. This box works even better as a backrest, because it comes in contact with my back at a higher point. It is much much more sturdy; yet it is still very light, and the water tight latching lid is a much better and easier to use system than my cheap knock-off Bestem case, which required that the case be locked just to latch it, and it was hard to get it to latch and unlatch. With the Bestem case, I usually just left the latch loose and unlocked, so there was some rattling while riding. The tool box is much easier with the option of using a simple pad lock that I can choose to use or not use at my own convenience.
Instead of using a mount like I did with the Bestem case, I simply cut four slots in the bottom of the box and strapped it directly to my seat very tightly; caulked both the inside and outside around the straps once I ran the straps through and around the seat. I cut to fit a bath mat that I already had on hand around the house. For the back 1/3 of the box, I took off the back pad from the Bestem case and used it as a cushion/support between the underside of the case and the area just front of the tail light, and tied it down snugly to the pad with high-strenght cord. $53 for the box; $2 for the high-strength thin cord. I already had the lashing straps with the other box. They had cost me $7, so for $62, I've got all the luggage space I need for my commute year around. I know its ugly, but sometimes one can be proud of ugly if he or she has achieved a fantastic value and achieved a practical solution that had taken alot of fore thought. This box makes me proud of the ugliness.
I've got the CTX700 and have posted the following pics over on the CTX forum, but I'm pretty active on this forum as well, because many more riders over here, unlike over on the CTX site, are daily riders and commuters like me, whereas most of the folks over there are simply recreational riders only. So I can learn alot more over here for non-technical information from more experienced riders who ride for the same reason I ride and that is primarily for fun transportation.
I needed a very large top box, and I needed it for cheap. I commute 30 miles one-way; rain or shine; hot or cold (well, within limits). As such, I needed a really big top box. My previous Bestem 2012 was cheap but matched my bike exactly, and so to some people, it didn't look too bad mounted the way I had it on the bike. It is 42 liters but is just barely tall enough for a helmet, so everything else that goes in there when something the height of a helmet is in there, has to go around it, which is very limiting. I don't ever go two up and could use a back rest, so I simply strapped the Bestem mount to the passenger's part of the seat (wouldn't work for an NC due to the obstruction to the fuel tank) and then latched the case on.
As winter wore on, however, I discovered that I needed more luggage space. Some mornings were very cold requiring my winter riding suit, but then the afternoon forecast was warm; meaning, if I had the room, I could wear my suit and carry my lunch and summer jacket (fits in the Bestem case), and on the commute back home, a could store my suit and lunch box and wear only the summer jacket (would not fit in the case). The bestem box really limited my space, especially vertically.
I searched and searched for an alternative. Saddle bags would give me more space but would still limit me for large items, and I'd have to buy or build stays and if they were big, there would be lots of extra drag, so I preferred just to stick with a top box. But what! The largest motorcycle-specific case I could find was a Givi 55Liter. That would be good, but it was $350, which was unacceptable. I found that some other folks had done the same sort of search I had and came up with a tote called a Rubbermaid Action Packer. I almost decided to go with that but then I started looking at regular tool boxes, but they were almost all just a little too narrow; and most weren't tall enough either. A second problem with tool boxes, because they usually have slots for trays, they have handles on the outside, and they're built rugged with no impedance for having lots of interior space relative to exterior size, one loses alot of interior space compared to the external dimensions.
I finally came across something that might work...A Dewalt ToughSytem 08204. External dimensions were approx. 21.5" Wide X 14.5 Long X 16" High. I was going to turn it width ways on my bike, so I would be reversing the width and length. I figured I'd lose approximately 1" each direction from the external dimensions, and that this box would give me about 65 liters of space, much more than my 42L, plus it would give me much more of the needed height that I was after. I was disappointed after receiving the box however. I actually lost about 2" each direction, because of the indentions from the exterior ends; the oversized top; and the slots inside, which I cut out all that I could. I knew in advance that this box was going to be ugly, so I was undeterred when I saw what it did to the looks of the bike. I've come away with approximately 54-57 liters, and it holds alot more than my old case. This box works even better as a backrest, because it comes in contact with my back at a higher point. It is much much more sturdy; yet it is still very light, and the water tight latching lid is a much better and easier to use system than my cheap knock-off Bestem case, which required that the case be locked just to latch it, and it was hard to get it to latch and unlatch. With the Bestem case, I usually just left the latch loose and unlocked, so there was some rattling while riding. The tool box is much easier with the option of using a simple pad lock that I can choose to use or not use at my own convenience.
Instead of using a mount like I did with the Bestem case, I simply cut four slots in the bottom of the box and strapped it directly to my seat very tightly; caulked both the inside and outside around the straps once I ran the straps through and around the seat. I cut to fit a bath mat that I already had on hand around the house. For the back 1/3 of the box, I took off the back pad from the Bestem case and used it as a cushion/support between the underside of the case and the area just front of the tail light, and tied it down snugly to the pad with high-strenght cord. $53 for the box; $2 for the high-strength thin cord. I already had the lashing straps with the other box. They had cost me $7, so for $62, I've got all the luggage space I need for my commute year around. I know its ugly, but sometimes one can be proud of ugly if he or she has achieved a fantastic value and achieved a practical solution that had taken alot of fore thought. This box makes me proud of the ugliness.