Yamaha Steel rack with givi plate

[santacruz]

On yamaha uks website,the luggage rack as featured in the pictures on here,yamaha says ,""it is NOT suitable for installation and mounting of any top cases nor any additional mounting plates'',so is it safe to put a top box on the luggage rack.

[wessie]

On yamaha uks website,the luggage rack as featured in the pictures on here,yamaha says ,""it is NOT suitable for installation and mounting of any top cases nor any additional mounting plates'',so is it safe to put a top box on the luggage rack.

that's a decision you will have to take for yourself 
why not just get the full Givi SR2122 system with custom brackets rather than bodging Yamaha & Givi components together? Givi, by marketing this system, is inherently underwriting the safety of their equipment, subject to a 10kg weight limit. Effectively, they are saying you can safely put 5kg of luggage in a box that itself weighs 5kg.
 
Yesterday, I rode with 10kg of stuff in my Givi topbox as I'm sure Givi make a safety claim with a lot of redundancy built into their system.

[tfj09]

Where can the rack be ordered from? I can't find anyplace that is selling it, and when I asked the local Yamaha dealer about it they had no idea what it was or how to get one even though it's supposed to be a Yamaha part...?
 
Also, could someone who has one installed post some pics of how it mounts under the seat?

[pugwash]

Has anyone used the Monokey adapters sold by the likes of SW Motech/Altrider, to mount Givi cases on their own luggage plates, on the Yamaha rack ?
 
It seems like it would be very straight forward to drill 4 holes in the Yamaha plate and bolt the adapter parts through. I like the look of the Yamaha rack as it avoids the excess bracketry of some of the aftermarket offerings.  Am I overlooking something obvious like the plate being too small or the cutouts being in the wrong place ?
 
This is the kind of thing I am thinking of: Altrider adapter 
 
 
 

[dkoh]

What does the US rack look like without the plastic plate? It looks like it may be just two bars to support the plastic.
 
That UK one is the way to go. Nothing is more versatile than a plate full of slots.

[steveb]

On yamaha uks website,the luggage rack as featured in the pictures on here,yamaha says ,""it is NOT suitable for installation and mounting of any top cases nor any additional mounting plates'',so is it safe to put a top box on the luggage rack.

that's a decision you will have to take for yourself 
why not just get the full Givi SR2122 system with custom brackets rather than bodging Yamaha & Givi components together? Givi, by marketing this system, is inherently underwriting the safety of their equipment, subject to a 10kg weight limit. Effectively, they are saying you can safely put 5kg of luggage in a box that itself weighs 5kg.
 
Yesterday, I rode with 10kg of stuff in my Givi topbox as I'm sure Givi make a safety claim with a lot of redundancy built into their system.

I have an older Monokey Givi Plate (bought in 2005 for my ST1100) that I put onto my Yamaha Euro Rack (ordered thru Yamabits).  I bolted the plate directly on top of the Euro Rack.  It went on amazingly well with no holes drilled into the Euro Rack (with a newer Givi Top Plate YMMV).  I much prefer the Euro Rack over the US version.  Aside from appearance issues (personal preference), I wanted to avoid using the same mounting bolts for both the saddlebags and the rack (which the US version requires).  The Euro rack replaces the passenger grab bars and, therefore, has its own dedicated mounting bolts.  IMHO this gives it far greater strength.  It also avoids adding extra overall saddlebag width from spreading the saddlebag mounts farther apart when installing the US version rack.
 
Pictures below -
 
 

[nhridah]

Super good looking on the FJ, I like the way it looks like it was made for the bike.  Way to go.
 
 

[rockwoodroo]

Yes, the last two steps, installing the Yamaha plastic base and 4 screws was not done. Instead I put on the Givi plate with longer screws from my local Home Depot. After 1000+mi, half with a passenger leaning on it, it's been rock solid. BTW, It's much easier to convince people to passenger on this bike if you can tell them that they can't slide off the back, especially after seeing you accelerate past other bikes.  8-)

 Hello, you have a nice setup; I wanted to ask what type of windshield are you using?

[redfjniner]

Over the last 8 months I have indicated the bike is rock solid at any speed up to it's max. (US, 112mph) but i have to change that advise now.  While on a 14 day ride, first day, I was in a very nice twisting section of US 395, just south of Ukiah, Oregon.  This section of road is not new to me and I have done it many times.  I was fully loaded with FJR saddle bags at 35 - 40 pounds ea. and a small tail bag on the seat, tank bag only partly loaded.  Coming out of a turn, with a little straight away ahead of me, I decided to run it to the max, as I have done before, but this time the bike went into a wobble, with the rear going in one direction and the front going in the opposite direction.  First time I have ever experienced this.  With minimal grip I let the bike go without throttle to slow and the wobble stopped at around 85mph.  This wasn't just a little annoying wobble in a corner, and I think that this would have been a full on tank slapper if I hadn't had the GPR4 steering stabilizer.  It was set at 5 and after that I set it at 10.  But more importantly, I limited my speed to a max of 85 in the twisties and 80 in the straights period.  I did this for the next 9 days with 2-FZ-1s, 1- VFR800, 1-R1 and a C-14 following me.  We had so much fun, it was awesome, no one complained or wanted to go faster.  Not sure what set it off, didn't happen again, but be advised, It may happen when least expected and could be fatal.  I think for years now, Yamaha and others, have had this same experience and that is why they don't recommend going over 85 with side or top boxes, and also why they recommend not to run top boxes and side cases together.  I guess I now agree with them.  So, just be safe in your riding if you are loading up the bike with side cases and top boxes.  That woman on the back seat most likely has more common sense than you the driver.

[frogwater]

Over the last 8 months I have indicated the bike is rock solid at any speed up to it's max. (US, 112mph) but i have to change that advise now.  While on a 14 day ride, first day, I was in a very nice twisting section of US 395, just south of Ukiah, Oregon.  This section of road is not new to me and I have done it many times.  I was fully loaded with FJR saddle bags at 35 - 40 pounds ea. and a small tail bag on the seat, tank bag only partly loaded.  Coming out of a turn, with a little straight away ahead of me, I decided to run it to the max, as I have done before, but this time the bike went into a wobble, with the rear going in one direction and the front going in the opposite direction.  First time I have ever experienced this.  With minimal grip I let the bike go without throttle to slow and the wobble stopped at around 85mph.  This wasn't just a little annoying wobble in a corner, and I think that this would have been a full on tank slapper if I hadn't had the GPR4 steering stabilizer.  It was set at 5 and after that I set it at 10.  But more importantly, I limited my speed to a max of 85 in the twisties and 80 in the straights period.  I did this for the next 9 days with 2-FZ-1s, 1- VFR800, 1-R1 and a C-14 following me.  We had so much fun, it was awesome, no one complained or wanted to go faster.  Not sure what set it off, didn't happen again, but be advised, It may happen when least expected and could be fatal.  I think for years now, Yamaha and others, have had this same experience and that is why they don't recommend going over 85 with side or top boxes, and also why they recommend not to run top boxes and side cases together.  I guess I now agree with them.  So, just be safe in your riding if you are loading up the bike with side cases and top boxes.  That woman on the back seat most likely has more common sense than you the driver.

 

[steveb]

Over the last 8 months I have indicated the bike is rock solid at any speed up to it's max. (US, 112mph) but i have to change that advise now.  While on a 14 day ride, first day, I was in a very nice twisting section of US 395, just south of Ukiah, Oregon.  This section of road is not new to me and I have done it many times.  I was fully loaded with FJR saddle bags at 35 - 40 pounds ea. and a small tail bag on the seat, tank bag only partly loaded.  Coming out of a turn, with a little straight away ahead of me, I decided to run it to the max, as I have done before, but this time the bike went into a wobble, with the rear going in one direction and the front going in the opposite direction.  First time I have ever experienced this.  With minimal grip I let the bike go without throttle to slow and the wobble stopped at around 85mph.  This wasn't just a little annoying wobble in a corner, and I think that this would have been a full on tank slapper if I hadn't had the GPR4 steering stabilizer.  It was set at 5 and after that I set it at 10.  But more importantly, I limited my speed to a max of 85 in the twisties and 80 in the straights period.  I did this for the next 9 days with 2-FZ-1s, 1- VFR800, 1-R1 and a C-14 following me.  We had so much fun, it was awesome, no one complained or wanted to go faster.  Not sure what set it off, didn't happen again, but be advised, It may happen when least expected and could be fatal.  I think for years now, Yamaha and others, have had this same experience and that is why they don't recommend going over 85 with side or top boxes, and also why they recommend not to run top boxes and side cases together.  I guess I now agree with them.  So, just be safe in your riding if you are loading up the bike with side cases and top boxes.  That woman on the back seat most likely has more common sense than you the driver.

I'm curious as to what your rear shock preload setting was. 
 
 

[redfjniner]

The first 3 month I ran stock: Front at 12mm, rear at 4 and didn't like the harshness. In March I adjusted to Front to 17mm and rear to 2 and really liked the difference. For the ride to Colorado I adjusted for the added weight I would be carring so the front was set at 15mm and rear set on 4. This worked well with the added weight. I weigh 160# and was carrying approx. 75 pounds, as I was looking for a little more softness for the long trip. The damping was 7 clicks on the front and 1 1/2 turns on the rear.

[johan]

The first 3 month I ran stock: Front at 12mm, rear at 4 and didn't like the harshness. In March I adjusted to Front to 17mm and rear to 2 and really liked the difference. For the ride to Colorado I adjusted for the added weight I would be carring so the front was set at 15mm and rear set on 4. This worked well with the added weight. I weigh 160# and was carrying approx. 75 pounds, as I was looking for a little more softness for the long trip. The damping was 7 clicks on the front and 1 1/2 turns on the rear.

75 pounds? Do they not sell your favourite beer in Colorado?

[steveb]

The first 3 month I ran stock: Front at 12mm, rear at 4 and didn't like the harshness. In March I adjusted to Front to 17mm and rear to 2 and really liked the difference. For the ride to Colorado I adjusted for the added weight I would be carring so the front was set at 15mm and rear set on 4. This worked well with the added weight. I weigh 160# and was carrying approx. 75 pounds, as I was looking for a little more softness for the long trip. The damping was 7 clicks on the front and 1 1/2 turns on the rear.

Understood!  There seems to be (in looking at past posts) a strong correlation with having the shocks on softer settings and riders getting wobbles. I weigh @205 (without gear) and had oscillation wobble when accelerating with empty bags and topbox (rear also set at 4).  With stiffer shocks (upped the rear to 5) it went away (again with empty bags).  It just makes me more of a believer that stiffening that rear shock helps keep the front end from getting as light and wobble prone especially under acceleration.  Thanks for the input!  With my weight being more than yours, I'll be trying setting 6 with full bags and see how that goes. 
 

[skipperT]

Over the last 8 months I have indicated the bike is rock solid at any speed up to it's max. (US, 112mph) but i have to change that advise now.  While on a 14 day ride, first day, I was in a very nice twisting section of US 395, just south of Ukiah, Oregon.  This section of road is not new to me and I have done it many times.  I was fully loaded with FJR saddle bags at 35 - 40 pounds ea. and a small tail bag on the seat, tank bag only partly loaded.

*snip*
 
Glad you're ok, close-to-tank slappers are pretty scary, esp at speed. BTDT and broke my collarbone during a wreck because of it.
 
Quick question: IIRC you have one of the higher mileage bikes on the forum. Did you repack your steering bearings at 12k?
 
I ask because I'm about to perform my 8k and have noticed my front end feeling a bit more "floaty" then before. My rear tire is pretty hammered, which has a lot to do with it but the suspension changes I made a long time ago don't seem to be helping with the front end feel anymore.
 
I'm thinking about doing the repack earlier then recommended by the factory - with some new bearings for good measure.
 
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