Rear seat replaced with ex police radio/storage box.

[dazzler24]

As requested @BBB.

I recently purchased a 2nd hand ex Western Australian police rear seat radio and storage box (thanks to @jdavis who pointed it out) as I'm wanting to:-

1. Have a handy lockable storage solution for quick to hand items.

2. Reduce my Rego costs by 'eliminating' the pillion passenger rear seat (Australia)

Background info - This box, I believe, is also the same as that used by the French Gendarmes on their Tracers as there is a load sticker inside in French (and English).  See elsewhere in the forum for pictures on the topic if interested.

This mod/addition was done on a 2015 Tracer.

Just so you know, this wasn't a completely straight forward changeover of the rear seat.  There were some modifications required.  The main one being that as the rear seat is no longer attached, how do you now get to remove the rider seat as the finger latch is no longer accessible?  The answer is to change over the front and rear latch mechanisms so that the key now removes/unlocks the front seat.  This also requires some drilling of the cast aluminium seat part to allow the rear seat latch to be moved to the forward position.

Another 'issue' was that the rider seat guide/guard (not sure what to call it?) had to be removed to be able to fit onto the bike with the box attached.  I don't really know why it's there anyway to be honest as it doesn't seem to contribute too much?

There's not a 'lot' of room in there but enough to get the usual bits into... Gloves, scarf, water bottle, stretch net, first aid kit, cloth/hand towel, Leatherman, etc

Anyway some pics: -

As delivered -

As delivered inside -

Bottom -

Load limit -

Profiles -

Front -

Rear -

Latch mod -

Front Latch mod -

Inside -

[Stew]

That is super cool. Does it get you around the solo seat regs that you have there?

[kbob2000]

6 hours ago, Stew said:

That is super cool. Does it get you around the solo seat regs that you have there?

Quote

7 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

2. Reduce my Rego costs by 'eliminating' the pillion passenger rear seat (Australia)

 

Pretty sure that's what he meant when he said this.  Pretty cool little box.  I don't love that it doesn't have much of a side lip but I never have a pillion and this pretty practical and low profile.

[BBB]

Brilliant update @dazzler24, thanks for the detailed write up and pictures. 👍🏻👍🏻

It fits the look of the bike perfectly and I still want one. Google isn’t finding one for me though.😢

[dazzler24]

13 hours ago, Stew said:

That is super cool. Does it get you around the solo seat regs that you have there?

Yes Stew - as answered by kbob2000.

6 hours ago, kbob2000 said:

Pretty cool little box.  I don't love that it doesn't have much of a side lip but I never have a pillion and this pretty practical and low profile.

I agree with you in that the base is a flat surface with no sides which means that you have to be more careful when loading and closing the lid.  Not ideal.  It also has multiple holes in the bottom where small 'stuff' could easily disappear so I've put a soft flexible cover down to avoid that problem.

But you're right in saying that it is a nice low-profile design that integrates nicely with the lines of the bike.

5 hours ago, BBB said:

Brilliant update @dazzler24, thanks for the detailed write up and pictures. 👍🏻👍🏻

It fits the look of the bike perfectly and I still want one. Google isn’t finding one for me though.😢

No problem. 🙂 Good luck finding anything about them as I too have looked high and low for any information on them but have found zip, nil, nada, nothing!  I remember reading here (in another old thread) that there was someone who were actually going to make enquiries with the Gendarmes back when this first came up but there was no follow up from the original poster so... ??????

The only thing I can say with any confidence - and that's not absolute - is that it is a French piece of kit.

[Stew]

You'd think some enterprising fabricator or composite moulder would come up with something, based around the existing rear seat base moulding.
I'd be into getting something like that for sure.

Glad it gets you the cheaper rego costs.

[dazzler24]

Final notes are that I was able to re-key the lock so that my existing pannier key now works in the seat box as well.

Also that I'm still able to use my GIVI X-stream 20L tail bag with the seat box. It's a bit of a squeeze but is secure and workable.

I now think I've got miles of carrying capacity to suit every need.

[dazzler24]

4 minutes ago, Stew said:

You'd think some enterprising fabricator or composite moulder would come up with something, based around the existing rear seat base moulding.
I'd be into getting something like that for sure.

Glad it gets you the cheaper rego costs.

Yes @Stew.  I agree.  It's an appealing look (IMHO) and is a functional addition for those that only ride solo.  There might be an opening/opportunity for an enterprising chap out there somewhere.