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potential owner with questions


hman0217

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Hiya Folks
 
After deciding I don't want to deal any longer with my lovely, though high maintenance, 70s CB750, I've been shopping for new bikes for some time now and have test ridden a good number of bikes including ducatis, triumphs, bmws, moto guzzis, etc...
 
The two bikes I've tried that have turned me on the most are the XSR900 and the FJ-09, though the Triumph Tiger 800xc does get honorable mention as well. 
 
But anyway, sticking to the Yamaha options, I now have a dilemma; The FJ-09 is clearly the high cargo option, whereas the XSR900 is its sexy cousin. I am a classical kinda guy, which is why the XSR900 appeals to my senses so much more. But practicality seems to go out the window, at least for a guy that wants to be able to take long multi-day trips for several days at a time.
 
Okay...I'm not worried about fuel so much as I'm lucky to get a hundred miles before hitting reserve on my current bike as it is. But loading down cargo. I've searched through and through, and the best I've found is the dinky 13 L side bags.
 
So question: Has anyone here been able to mod the XSR900 so that it will accept larger amounts of cargo? I'm thinking if I can get a 37 Liter bag on each side, I could make it my bike. Otherwise, I may have to go for the FJ-09 and stop being so stuck on looks.
 
Thanks and nice to meet you all.
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By the way, I didn't mean to suggest the FJ09 was NOT a good looking bike, and the last thing I wanted to do was offend any proud FJ09 owners. I just have a fondness for old school looks - a fondness that is subject to change, but a bit stubborn nonetheless. I really really enjoyed riding it, which is a bigger deal ultimately.
 
Cheers
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I haven't seen any xsr900 luggage discussion here. You'll likely have better luck on an xsr900 forum! Google it--there are a couple. I'm not being snarky, just trying to help--
 
The XSR is a handsome bike. Consider tho the other potential advantages of the FJ:
 
- bigger gas tank
- better passenger seat
- more wind protection
 
Happy hunting!
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I haven't seen any xsr900 luggage discussion here. You'll likely have better luck on an xsr900 forum! Google it--there are a couple. I'm not being snarky, just trying to help-- 
The XSR is a handsome bike. Consider tho the other potential advantages of the FJ:
 
- bigger gas tank
- better passenger seat
- more wind protection
 
Happy hunting!
Interestingly enough, the only dedicate XSR900 forum is in German! http://xsr900.de/forum/ 
I figured these two bikes were so similar that just maybe some talk of the XSR900 would be ok. Nonetheless, the FZ09 guys have a subsection on XSR900. Does that mean those two have more DNA in common than the FJ09 and XSR900? All three bikes have the same power plant after all.  
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The FJ-09 was built around ppl adding more cargo bags and very likely riding 2up and weekend long trips at min. compared to the xsr-900 which to me is a bike to bomb around town on a Friday or Saturday night with bare basics...
2012 wr250f - C-class 30+ age group
2015 fz-07- Hordpower Edition-80whp
2015 fj-09- Graves Exhaust w/Woolich tune by 2WDW @120whp
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Givi have options for the XSR - you can have enormous 56L Monokey cases if you want
link
 
Kappa is made by the same company and use the same Monokey system so you can mix & match. I use Givi E21 and Kappa K40 side cases on my FJ/Tracer when touring. I use an E45 topbox when commuting. I have never used the E45 topbox and K40 side cases together but I have used the topbox with the E21 side cases. This gives plenty of capacity with little increase in width,allowing filtering/lane splitting.
 
The K40 can also be used as a topbox as it is a clamshell design. http://www.kappamoto.com/cases/monokey/K40
 
 
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That was a similar dilemma I had before deciding on the FJ. I was excited about the 2015 Honda CB1100, except the model was pulled from the market in Canada and there wasn't one to see/ride (or I might have fallen victim). As much as it would have been nice to have a standard (also considered the FZ-09), the versatility of the FJ just couldn't be beat at the price point. You can always strip the FJ down a bit (shorty windscreen, lose the hand guards etc.) and keep its potential for touring and hauling stuff. ::)
Exactly what I did.... http://fj-09.org/thread/4434/brp?page=1&scrollTo=50479
 
20160826_113418_zpsgzjsooc6.jpg
 

"It doesn't matter who walks in, you know the joke is still the same"  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. USA

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Givi have options for the XSR - you can have enormous 56L Monokey cases if you want link
 
Kappa is made by the same company and use the same Monokey system so you can mix & match. I use Givi E21 and Kappa K40 side cases on my FJ/Tracer when touring. I use an E45 topbox when commuting. I have never used the E45 topbox and K40 side cases together but I have used the topbox with the E21 side cases. This gives plenty of capacity with little increase in width,allowing filtering/lane splitting.
 
The K40 can also be used as a topbox as it is a clamshell design. http://www.kappamoto.com/cases/monokey/K40
 

you ever get any instability at speed with any of those setups? 
is there any reason you don't use the topbox and bigger cases together?
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Givi have options for the XSR - you can have enormous 56L Monokey cases if you want link
 
Kappa is made by the same company and use the same Monokey system so you can mix & match. I use Givi E21 and Kappa K40 side cases on my FJ/Tracer when touring. I use an E45 topbox when commuting. I have never used the E45 topbox and K40 side cases together but I have used the topbox with the E21 side cases. This gives plenty of capacity with little increase in width,allowing filtering/lane splitting.
 
The K40 can also be used as a topbox as it is a clamshell design. http://www.kappamoto.com/cases/monokey/K40
 

you ever get any instability at speed with any of those setups? 
is there any reason you don't use the topbox and bigger cases together?
 
No, bike handles fine at motorway cruising speeds - I was happily bimbling along at an indicated 100mph on a French autoroute with the K40s last year. On days in the mountains, where possible I left one of the K40 in the hotel and took the other as a topbox. I don't like riding on narrow mountain roads with massive side cases.
 
This year I used the E21 side cases and E45 topbox on a trip to Germany and then later to France. No speed limit on some of the German autobahn and did a short spell at 120mph without a problem.
 
I don't use the K40 & E45 together as I just do not need the capacity. The bike would probably be okay but I think the handling would not be too good if you filled all 3 boxes - okay on a motorway but horrible once you get into some mountains. Specualtion but based on experience with other bikes.
 
This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is.
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you ever get any instability at speed with any of those setups? 
is there any reason you don't use the topbox and bigger cases together?
No, bike handles fine at motorway cruising speeds - I was happily bimbling along at an indicated 100mph on a French autoroute with the K40s last year. On days in the mountains, where possible I left one of the K40 in the hotel and took the other as a topbox. I don't like riding on narrow mountain roads with massive side cases. 
This year I used the E21 side cases and E45 topbox on a trip to Germany and then later to France. No speed limit on some of the German autobahn and did a short spell at 120mph without a problem.
 
I don't use the K40 & E45 together as I just do not need the capacity. The bike would probably be okay but I think the handling would not be too good if you filled all 3 boxes - okay on a motorway but horrible once you get into some mountains. Specualtion but based on experience with other bikes.

Thank you very much!  
Its really nice that you have the option to mix and match like that. I may copy pasta your exact setup for my commuting needs. I start to tinkle my panties as the speedo creeps towards tipple digits and shitty 'merican bikes are locked at 114mph or whatever it is in any case (still too lazy to pull and ship ECU) but its very reassuring to know that, with your setup at least, should I opt for the caffeinated version of the bike in the future, I won't have to worry about spilling my coffee because of a tank slapper. 
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  • 1 month later...
you ever get any instability at speed with any of those setups? 
is there any reason you don't use the topbox and bigger cases together?
No, bike handles fine at motorway cruising speeds - I was happily bimbling along at an indicated 100mph on a French autoroute with the K40s last year. On days in the mountains, where possible I left one of the K40 in the hotel and took the other as a topbox. I don't like riding on narrow mountain roads with massive side cases. 
This year I used the E21 side cases and E45 topbox on a trip to Germany and then later to France. No speed limit on some of the German autobahn and did a short spell at 120mph without a problem.
 
I don't use the K40 & E45 together as I just do not need the capacity. The bike would probably be okay but I think the handling would not be too good if you filled all 3 boxes - okay on a motorway but horrible once you get into some mountains. Specualtion but based on experience with other bikes.

ofc the lone US distributor is out of those cases now that you got me all excited about this setup: http://tourandride.com/cases-and-accessories/kappa/cases/monokey-side/k40n-40-ltr-monokey-side-cases-detail 
no worries tho, the extra litre of storage on the givi 41s is totally worth the extra $200...
 
 
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No, bike handles fine at motorway cruising speeds - I was happily bimbling along at an indicated 100mph on a French autoroute with the K40s last year. On days in the mountains, where possible I left one of the K40 in the hotel and took the other as a topbox. I don't like riding on narrow mountain roads with massive side cases. 
This year I used the E21 side cases and E45 topbox on a trip to Germany and then later to France. No speed limit on some of the German autobahn and did a short spell at 120mph without a problem.
 
I don't use the K40 & E45 together as I just do not need the capacity. The bike would probably be okay but I think the handling would not be too good if you filled all 3 boxes - okay on a motorway but horrible once you get into some mountains. Specualtion but based on experience with other bikes.

ofc the lone US distributor is out of those cases now that you got me all excited about this setup: http://tourandride.com/cases-and-accessories/kappa/cases/monokey-side/k40n-40-ltr-monokey-side-cases-detail 
no worries tho, the extra litre of storage on the givi 41s is totally worth the extra $200...
 

 
Ebay is your friend - there are a number of Italian retailers happy to ship Kappa & Givi stuff worldwide - most of my Givi stuff has come from Milan and Kappa from Naples. Although that was before Brexit killed the exchange rate. You are less affected by the exchange rate as $ to euro is okay still I believe.
 
This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is.
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