Sweet! (or should that be 'suite'?)

I wrote recently about getting a new larger Givi topbox to match the small one that came with the Sprint. I now have two bikes with identical mounting plates, and two differently-sized* boxes. This is majorly convenient and adaptable: short trips and commutes on either bike, and longer trips or shopping expeditions on either bike. It's working well.

One thing remained: the keys. I usually attach the topbox keys to the ignition keys, as I would always be forgetting them otherwise. Swapping boxes over would therefore mean a lot of struggling and broken nails with swapping the keys to the other ignition set, and that just looks like a hassle too far for a system that was meant to be easy and convenient. Having the box keys on separate rings with a carabiner clip would be easier, but would mean labelling it all, and a lot of metalwork clanking about while the bike was in motion. No, that won't do either.

The other issue was the lack of a spare key for the small box. The Sprint came with one set of keys and a promise that the spare set were with the previous owner and would be found as soon as possible. I get a bit nervous if I don't have a spare set somewhere, so I pressed the dealer to get them from the previous owner (I was assured they were there and 'just forgotten'). However, after a lot of nagging and a series of variably-plausible excuses, I have come to realise that the spare set are not recoverable. A spare Triumph ignition key is on order and should be easily sorted, but a spare Givi key is not so easy. After a fair bit of research, it seems that Givi no longer sell individual keys. You have to buy a new lock.

You know that cheesy inspirational thing about when life gives you lemons, make lemonade? Well, I think I have just produced a pint ot two. For fourteen of your Earth pounds (£17 including postage), you can get a two-lock set: two barrels, two lock housings, two circlips and four keys. I ordered some from Motorcycle Planet after checking the part number of the set I needed with Givi - part number Z227, if anyone's interested - and a few days later they arrived. I was a bit nervous about fitting them. After all, it's locks, and that means deliberately difficult with some designed-in gotchas, doesn't it? But in the end it was simple, and I changed the locks in both boxes in about half an hour. The first one took 25 minutes, the second five, so that shows how easy it was after you have worked out what to do. And that included cleaning out road muck from the attachment mechanisms as well, and a quick lube of the relevant bits.

I'm not going to detail the procedure here, for obvious reasons. Suffice it to say that once you have the box off the bike and open, it's completely logical. I needed a cross-point screwdriver, a small electrical screwdriver (for the E-clip holding the thing together) and a pair of needle-nose pliers to snap it all back. You will need strong hands, too. Both for re-assembling the lock and for re-attaching it to the box, you need to hold things together against spring pressure, and on each lock I had to re-attach the lock to the box twice (lining it up better the second time) to get it to work.

Two words of warning:

1. Before you take the E-clip off to release the lock mechanism, memorise how the thing looks, or even better take a photo. It can go back in at least 8 different orientations, and only one of those will work.
2. Check the mechanism clamping the lid down, and the operation of the lock and attachment release before closing the box to check your work. If it closes and you have got it wrong, it's likely you will need to drill the lock out to open it again.

So now I have a set of keys for each bike, each with a Givi key that will open either box. Oh, and two spares. I believe that the modern term for this is 'suiting' the locks, but I just think it's sweet.



*See how I avoided giving offence there?

Boxing Clever

Glossary for the uninitiated:

Topbox: a plastic box mounted to the rear of a motorcycle, behind the seat. Varies in size from tiny to huge. Possibly the ugliest accessory one could ever fit to a bike, but the sheer utility dwarfs all other considerations. Shopping, commuting, leaving your kit with the bike when you want to walk around- a topbox makes all that easy, and is both secure and waterproof. Beats rucksacks or bungeeing stuff on by a country mile. Most are detachable, so you can leave them off if you don't need them that day.

Givi: Italian makers of high quality motorcycle luggage. Best quality is the Monokey range, which is double-skinned and very robust, but very expensive. More affordable is the Monolock range, which is sold as suitable for scooters and light bikes, and is equivalent to the Monokey range built lighter. Both share the same excellent one-key, one-handed locking and latching system, which is an icon of simplicity and good design. I have had a lot of Givi stuff over the years, and I haven't regretted buying any of it.

Oxford: British maker of middle-market motorcycle gear (luggage, clothing and accessories). Reliable stuff that won't break the bank, and that's it.

I hope you've got all that. There will be questions at the end.

When I bought the Sprint back in July, it came with a tiny little Givi topbox. Only 26 litres, it looked a bit like a large sandwich box and, frankly, a bit daft on the back of the sleek and muscly Sprint. But it was big enough for my work bag and also for my helmet, provided I didn't want to store a packet of Rizlas in there as well. So I kept it on there, at least while I was commuting on the big red thing.

When I was in the middle of negotiations over the change-over price of the Sprint against the Bonnie, I was offered a 44 litre Oxford topbox for half-price as an additional sweetener, as I had mentioned the pathetic size of the Givi box as a negative in the deal. I took the dealer up on that, as I knew the box on the XT (a horrible, cheap eBay special) was on its last legs. I fitted it to the XT and used it for commuting until this week. It's good enough, it holds two helmets and a lot of shopping, and it looks decent. But at the back of my mind was a niggle. The mounting plates for the two boxes are different, and they are not interchangeable. It's more-or-less definite that daughter No. 2 will be coming with me on a continental trip next year (the ostensible reason for changing the Bonnie for the Sprint), and that little Givi box was just not going to be enough.

Shoes, amongst other things, if you must know.

What I needed was a larger Givi Monolock box to go with the little one. Last week, I sold the wonderful Hepco and Becker panniers for a good price, so with some money sloshing around in my Paypal balance I pulled the trigger on a Monolock box of 47 litres. That's about as big as I am prepared to go. Today, I fitted the baseplate for the new box onto the XT after taking the Oxford one off. So now I have two bikes, fast and slow, and two topboxes, large and small, and each will fit on either bike. So I can have the little one on the XT for the commute and the large on the Sprint for touring:



Or the large one on the XT for shopping and the small on the Sprint for sandwiches/first aid/toolkit for a day ride:



Perfect.

The Oxford box is now on eBay and has two watchers already. As I got it for half-price, I might even make my money back. Out of the money raised by the sale of the H&Bs, I have been able to afford a pair of throw-over panniers as well. I'm hoping these will arrive tomorrow. Nothing can beat hard luggage for convenience and durability, but for something I will probably only use a couple of times a year I think it's a good compromise.

I got the XT serviced, too, and that's running like a happy little motorbike now, so it's been a good couple of days.

Must paint that garage door ...

Hard Cases ...

... make bad law, but they also make the Triumph much more versatile.

I wrote here, here and here about wanting some hard luggage for the Bonnie. I got the pannier frames effectively for nothing, and I was looking on eBay for some hard cases to go with them. Unfortunately, after missing three sets in a couple of weeks, none came up for auction for two months afterwards and I got fed up waiting. On Thursday I ordered a set from Motorbikes and Parts, and they arrived this morning by courier before the first post. If you count in the fact that my order was placed late on Thursday evening, that's effectively 24-hour service, which is as good as it gets. So I'll recommend them as a supplier, based on this purchase.



For the record, the cases are Hepco and Becker Junior, and the 40 litre variety. Of course, they mounted directly to the H&B frames in a couple of seconds and the mounting is as solid as a rock. I debated for ages about whether to go for the 30-litre or 40-litre model. The Bonnie is a fairly small bike and the 30-litre would have looked a little better, I think - from the rear, the cases dominate the bike in a way that they shouldn't. However, before I mounted them I hefted them around a bit and I don't think I'd want them any smaller. My Shoei XR1000 full-face helmet just fits into one with a bit of squeezing and, since the whole point of hard cases is to be able to leave your stuff with the bike when you are away, I would have been disappointed if it hadn't. I have a large head circumference (them branes gotta go somewhere) and take a size XL (62cm), so most people would find a full-face fitted easily. The 30-litre cases are a full 7cm narrower, however, and I doubt very much if you would get any sort of lid in one of those. So I have made a slight sacrifice in looks for a huge gain in practicality.



See what I mean? Mind you, they only appear this wide from the rear. Any other view and they look fine:



First impressions are extremely good. The fit to the frames is exact and in fact they need slight forcing towards the bike before the catches will engage, so the whole thing is in slight tension at all times, which should ensure that the latches stay latched. The cases are made of heavy plastic and have a textured finish which should shrug off a lot of wear and tear. I have clouted them with my boot already while getting aboard and haven't made a mark. In contrast, the Honda cases were painted with soft white paint and showed every scuff and scratch. I even misjudged the width when parking it for the first time and clouted the right case into the corner of the Land Rover. It would have gouged a huge slice out of the Honda's cases, but there wasn't a mark. (I did something similar with the Honda too, so it seems each set of cases needs christening in some way before the brain learns about the extra width to the backside.)

They seem very well-made. The interior is smooth plastic and should clean very easily, and there are straps with snap connectors to stop the load from falling out when you open the lid. The pleasing thing is that they are quite heavy, so they should be durable. There's nothing worse than practical kit like this that feels flimsy. In contrast to my remarks on caravans a few days ago, I feel you could easily get very drunk inside one of these, if you were small enough. There is a note in each reminding the owner that the weight limit for each case is 10Kg, and that the bike must not be ridden at more than 130 Km/h with the cases fitted. Of course, these limits are purely for product liability purposes - an arse-covering exercise - and I am sure they could be exceeded by a great deal in practice. Just as an experiment, I have gone to 130 Km/h and a little beyond, and the bike was stable and handled normally. The 10Kg weight limit sounds low until you realise that is is equivalent to over two gallons of water. I think a few clothes and a bit of camping kit won't worry it too much.

I've said before that I rate Givi luggage highly for fit and quality (if not for style) and this H&B kit is easily as good. It is plain-looking, but that suits me fine. Something that looked like a pod missing from the Space Shuttle wouldn't suit the Bonnie at all. It's supposed to be waterproof, and I will be leaving it on the bike for the time being so we will soon see if that is true.

I'll write a more detailed report when I have put a few miles on the cases.

The Time Bandits

I have a house full of visitors this week, and quality time with the interwebs is limited. Posting has been, and will be, limited for a few days.

I have, however, sneaked enough time to go online and order a set of Hepco and Becker panniers for the Trumpet. I got tired for waiting for a set to come up on eBay, and although they are eye-wateringly expensive, I'm confident that they will transform the bike from nice to indispensible.

A report will be posted in due course. Have a good weekend.

Well pleased

I've never been much of an entrepreneur, or an arbitrageur, or whatever they call people who make money out of nothing. I'm too simple and straightforward, really (I won't say I'm too honest, as that sounds a bit self-aggrandising, and you know as soon as you hear it that the opposite is true. Honest people never advertise the fact - they just are.) I'm a useless salesman, as I seem to try to get the best deal for the other guy, even at my own expense, and I am a very bad liar. So how come I now have a set of very tasty Hepco and Becker pannier frames on the Bonnie - for nothing? Here they are:



OK, they are second-hand and a bit scruffy (the previous owner did a 20,000 mile tour of the States with them on), but new these would cost £225, and they are mine for the princely sum of nada, zero, nothing, zilch.

Readers may remember I have been muttering about luggage for the bike for a while now. It seemed as though soft paniers were the way to go - cheap and cheerful, and easily taken off when you don't need them. But then I saw a similar bike to mine at a meet, with some hard side-cases, and they looked just right. Change of plan ...

I had bought some Triumph-branded fabric panniers, complete with metal frame rails to keep them out of the back wheel. These proved to be too small and flimsy for my needs, so I put the bags on eBay and kept the rails on the bike, thinking they would be fine with some Frank Thomas soft bags. The bags alone sold for £20 more than I had paid for the bags and rails together, so I was up £20 and had the rails for free. Then came the change of heart, and I started searching eBay for hard cases and frames.

A pair of Hepco and Becker Junior panniers (the same as I had seen at the meet) came up, and with matching frames from the same seller. He had them mounted to a bike like mine and had toured the States with them. He then sold the bike and was selling the kit separately. I won the frames for £50, and just missed out on the cases. While I was waiting for the frames to arrive, I put the Triumph rails on eBay, and they sold within a couple of hours - for £50. Bingo!

So I now have the frames for nothing, and £20 towards a set of cases. I'm watching eBay like a hawk.

First Time Ever ...

... I got lucky on eBay. I posted a while ago that I had bought some pannier bags and rails on eBay, just to get the rails, which retail at unobtanium prices from Triumph. I put the bags back on eBay shortly afterwards, hoping to get some of my money back. They eventually sold for £20 more that I paid for them.

So now I have a free set of frame rails and £20 towards some bigger soft luggage. Result.

One problem: this week, at the Triumph Owners' Club meeting, I saw a bike with a set of Hepco and Becker hard luggage. It looked to be just what I need: not too big, tough, waterproof, brilliant build quality, and looked superb on the bike it was fitted to. And there is a set of H&B frames on eBay right now. With a rear rack attached. Custom-fitted for a Bonneville. And, as a separate item from the same seller, two matching 40-litre hard cases - exactly the right combination. If I had just won the lottery, that's exactly the set-up I would be flashing the plastic for. It is almost as if ... no, I don't believe in fate. The whole rig new would cost around the £600 mark, and they are currently under £30 for the lot with two days to go.

Can I resist?

And what will Anna say if I can't?

Cardiff Motorcycle Show

I went up to Cardiff for this event today, with four other Triumph Owners' Club members. It was the first event of its kind, and was a great success - about 250 bikes on show, lots of trade stands, and a general feel-good atmosphere. The dry weather helped, although the morning was pretty chilly. I wrapped up in many layers this morning (and was glad I did) but by afternoon I was getting well overheated in my jeans, t-shirt and fleece, within a thermally-lined textile suit. The 'new' panniers came into their own as I was able to stuff them full of the extra layers and have the rest of the day as a normally-dressed human.

The highlight of the show for me was the hall containing a huge variety of vintage and classic bikes. I'm not a classic bike nut (I can't tell you the flange diameter of the nurdling rod on a Henderson Albatross), but I do like the look and general vibe of the old stuff. That's probably what attracted me to the Triumph, I suppose. There were some really venerable British bikes (two Brough Superiors and a Vincent), but the majority were seventies' Jap classics - not surprising, as the event was organised by the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club. There were far too many to list, but amongst the best for me were a Suzuki GT250A just like I used to have:



and a really pretty Honda CB400 Four just like I wanted to have.



Wallace and Gromit made an appearance on a BSA outfit:



There were two interpretations of the Triton theme:



Question for nerds: one of these is more Triumph plus Norton, and one is more Norton plus Triumph. Can you see why?

The one with the handbeaten alloy tank had to be the sexiest item in the show for me:



Please excuse the thumb.

For a first attempt at a show in Cardiff, it was a great success, with a healthy turnout and a good atmosphere. My only criticism was the lack of catering, which was restricted to a tea/coffee bar and a few slices of pizza at lunchtime. A burger bar on site would have cleaned up. But I will definitely come to the next one.

To make the day perfect, I also won a competition. There was a KTM Adventurer parked up, and an invitation to 'guess the mileage'. I was a bit canny here. The bike had new tyres and had been cleaned to within an inch of its life - I wouldn't be surprised if an autoclave hadn't been involved at some point. Even the bits that are normally neglected in a good clean (like the area round the swingarm bushes and the underneath of the engine) were pristine. So lots of people guessed the mileage as very low: to be fair, it looked almost brand new. But there was one giveaway: round the ignition key were a number of scratches and some polishing of the matt alloy. This happens when the key fob jangles about in the wind, and is virtually impossible to either prevent or to clean away. I guessed the mileage at 13,900 (the Triumph passed this recently, and it just seemed right) and I was within 60 miles of the true mileage, much closer than anyone else. So now I have a £40 voucher to spend at a bike shop somewhere outside Cardiff (I can't remember the name, sorry chaps).

So, all in all a good day. The Triumph averaged 50 mpg, being kept around 80 most of the way. There was quite a stiff Easterly wind, which on a naked bike was very noticeable. In fact, it made a difference to the bike, too - 48 mpg going up and 52 mpg coming home, at identical speeds. My body knows it has been through 200 miles of solid air, too. Things ache that shouldn't ache.

The panniers proved very useful to have, but are too small for anything other than odds and ends, and the wind folded the covering flaps back on themselves, despite several attempts to put them right. I think they will have to go, and something larger and more robust put in their place.

Bags and Baggage

I posted a few days ago about my search for a luggage 'solution'. Well, I think I got a bit lucky.

The guy in California who was offering me a brand-new-in-box pair of MC Resources racks came up with a price that was a bit high for me: after factoring in the shipping cost, I could almost have bought some new ones from the States. So I politely declined.

Then a pair of branded Triumph panniers and frame rails came up on eBay. I put in a bid, and was quite surprised to get them for just over £70. The frame rails are as new, and the bags are a little grubby, but perfectly serviceable, and will probably come up well with a bit of soapy water and a nail brush. Bear in mind that the frame rails are about £110 the pair, and the bags new from a Triumph outlet are priced at £166.99, and you will see why I am quite pleased with the result. I've saved about £200 over the retail price of new kit.



Note we work on the three-bin system here: normal waste, recyclables, and The Week After Christmas.

The bags look better than I thought they would, although they are quite small; more for looking stylish on the occasional day out, rather than serious touring bags, but I'm wondering whether or not to keep them. Whatever, I am keeping the rails and have put the bags back onto eBay, on a 7-day auction. I hope to make most of my money back on them, and then look around for some bigger bags later on. I am keeping them on the bike for the time being, and who knows - I may keep them after all. I have a week to decide.

I'm going up to Cardiff with the local Triumph Owners' Club tomorrow, for the Cardiff Motorcycle Show, so I will use them to carry my sandwiches and a flask of tea, and see how they go.

Classic and vintage bikes from Britain, Europe and Japan, trade stalls, autojumble, club stands - should be a great day.

Luggage

Time for a break from all this politics crap!

I plan to take the Bonneville touring at some point - possibly later this year, if I can find the tuits. At the moment, it is naked as the day it was born. No rack, no bags, no nothing. I need to find some way of carrying a bit of luggage. I don't want to fit a top-box (too ugly, and the XT already has one for shopping purposes). I think a rear rack, if discreet, might be useful, although I really don't want to spoil the lines of the bike with too much chrome, as I think it looks pretty good as it is. I've joined a Triumph forum on the web, and it's full of American owners who like nothing better than to spend the weekends fitting 'extras' from NewBonneville or British Customs, so their bikes end up looking like Christmas trees. No thanks.

The solution is going to be a pair of fabric panniers, I think: much cheaper than the rigid type, and easily removed to leave the bike unadorned when they aren't needed. I also think they look better. More of the cowboy's saddlebags and less like someone travelling with three large suitcases strapped to his bike. The only problem is that there is presently no way of keeping the panniers from swinging into the rear wheel. Triumph sell a pair of rails which would seem to fit the bill, but they are well over £50 each, and that's before you have shelled out money on the panniers themselves. There are quite a few pannier sets on eBay, complete with rails, and if I could get one of those for a reasonable price and sell the panniers on (I'm not keen on the look of the Triumph bags) I would do that. But so far, they have all gone for way more than I am happy to pay.

There is a guy in California who has a pair of US rails made by MC Resources, and he has offered them to me. They would be a lot cheaper than the Triumph rails, but of course there's the shipping to factor in, and it may not work out. I have offered to buy them if we can agree a price, and I'm waiting to hear back from him. I already have a pair of panniers, bought second-hand from someone I used to work with, and these may do in a pinch, but they are boxy and very ugly. I've got my eye on a pair of Frank Thomas Cargo Touring bags, but I need to see how much I have to spend on the rails first.



Watch this space.