Givi pannier frames query
 

Does anyone know if the Givi pannier frames like this:

Pannier frames

are compatible with the standard Yamaha rear rack? I have the OEM rack and need to know if I have to junk it and get the matching Givi item, of I can keep it on. As it is in good nick, rust-free and works well, I would prefer to keep it if I could. Has anyone combined the two?

Adthanksvance.

BD - I just received my Givi frames but have not installed them yet as I am awaiting for the rear rack to be delivered from Metal Mule to do both at once.

I had a very good look at the pdf available on the givi site before ordering to consider whether they would work together. Maybe the picture will help you too? Link is GIVI

Thanks Dale, will have a good look at that. I was hoping someone could say "yes, I have that arrangement and it's fine" or equally "no it doesn't work", but perhaps nobody has tried this combination.

Let me know how you get on installing them. From previous experience the Givi stuff installs very easily and accurately, everything lines up, great quality and so on. Thanks for the pointer.

[QUOTE=Black Dog;183496]Thanks Dale, will have a good look at that. I was hoping someone could say "yes, I have that arrangement and it's fine" or equally "no it doesn't work", but perhaps nobody has tried this combination.

Me too - I would rather have someone comment to either reject or ratify that this combo works :D

Failing a response, I can confirm that the Givi racks were very easy to install, weigh 3.5kgs and also that I wouldn't hang any hard cases from them for adventure use :)

Bearing in mind that I have an 08 model, which uses a different Givi model number, I think the Givi racks would work with the Yamaha rear rack.

I think that it would work because the Yamaha rear rack replaces the hand rails which are retained when installing the pannier rack. Upon installing, spacers are used on the outside of the hand rails for the pannier racks to fix against, which I suggest would still work with the Yamaha rear rack.

Worst case, if it the combo doesn't work, is that you could potentially modify the spacers. The spacers are 20mm (rear handle bolt) & 16mm (front handle bolt).

Now..... I hope someone chimes in for your *real* answer :)

I have a Givi topbox. You don't take the original rack off; the Givi plate fixes above it (leastways, I don't remember taking anything off and can't find any spare bits of kit in the garage that seem to have no purpose.). If the Givi side rails use the holes in the frame that Yamaha left for their own panniers, you have to take the rear light off to get access for the rear fixing nuts. If they'd only threaded the holes it would have been oh so simple (You didn't tell me that Dave!)

Dale, thanks for that. If the Givi rack goes above the handrails with spacers, it should go over the Yamaha rack too. I wasn't sure if the Givi fixings would interfere, but it looks like they won't. As I will be almost certainly using soft panniers, the light construction is exactly what I am looking for. If I do upgrade to hard panniers in the future (and I'm happy to lock into the Givi system for that), then it will be for civilised tours only - just somewhere to put the DJ and cucumber sandwiches :)

Graham, thanks for the tip about the fixing nuts. Captive nuts rock, at least until they get corroded and have to be drilled out. Advantages both ways :)

Cheers for the replies, very helpful.

Slight complication :)

I have emailed Motorcycleplanet about fitting the Givi frames with an OEM Yamaha rack and have had this in reply:

I was under the impression that the bike frame hasn't changed over that time period, but Givi appear to think so. Can anyone enlighten me? Not a problem to find out the model year from the VIN, but I'm curious.

BD - I came across the same thing as I have an 08, which is the newer Givi model code (PL362 2007+) as opposed to the earlier model code of (PL353 2004-06).

PL353 always came out cheaper in my searches.

The only differences between the years that I could see on the bikes were very slightly different passenger grab rails and slightly different footpeg hanger that is noticeable with black, rounded tubing on the 2006 hanger as opposed to square, raw alloy tubing on the later models. I state these two items as they are critical for the fitment of the pannier rails.

Clearly, for you, looking at the passenger grab rails is not helpful..... but the footpeg hanger may be a clue?

As an aside, the same Yamaha rear rack is listed as fitting all years.

Pictures of both:
http://www.asl-testsite.co.uk/motors...T660R-2004.jpg
http://www.arpem.com/motos/modelos/y...-660-r-ld1.jpg

I'm not sure if this is helpful.... or me simply increasing my post-count :p Simply passing on my observations that I have picked up in my research. Again, hopefully someone with some real world experience will come along and help us out!

Thanks for that, Dale. Yes, it was the PL353 I was asking about. The bike was first registered in March 06 but of course, as Motorcycleplanet point out, it could have been an 07MY, or indeed an 04 that had hung around a bit. But mine definitely has the older (black steel) footrest hangers, so I assume it is the older model and the 353 is the one I need.

You are correct about the pillion grab rails. They are not on the bike, as they would have been removed when the rack was fitted.

I'm pretty confused by the VIN, however. Everywhere I look on the web, the Yamaha VINs are nothing like what I have, and the 10th digit that most of them say is the model year is zero on mine, which doesn't match any of the databases. The VIN is VG5DM011000006477. One site I found listed two variants of XTR, the DM011 and the later DM016. That supports the idea that my bike is the earlier one. I'll phone the supplying dealer tomorrow just to be sure, but I think it's the 353 I want.

Thanks for the reply.

Dunno if I help but I will try, and as I live in Italy the GIVI stuff is cheaper here if you need anything (UNLESS the transport costs kill it which they did recently when a mate asked me to price some Trekker panniers). I have had several XT660Xs and my current one is 2011 registered and 2010 model year I think. I have the standard Yamaha rear carrier fitted to the bike by Alf England. I have fitted the GIVI side frames to mount the Aluminium Trekker panniers and I did not need to remove the carrier.
OK???? Good luck xxxx

Thanks Simon. I have just called the supplying dealer and the bike is definitely an 04 model year, so that makes things simple. I have seen the frames advertised online for about 110GBP and the Trekker cases for just under 200GBP, which I think is quite reasonable. I am pretty sure that getting them sent from Italy would kill the deal, but thanks for the offer.

My thoughts at the moment are to go for a set of Givi frames and use them with the soft panniers I already have, and then upgrade to a set of hard cases if necessary later on. I like the look of the Trekkers. Thanks for the information.

Hiya Black Dog, you are welcome. I mounted the frames myself and it was not difficult even I managed!! Note that the Trekkers are sold individually as they can be mounted vertically or horizontally and the openings can open just a bit (so yer stuff does not fall onto the floor when vertical) OR all the way like a top box lid, so they really work very well indeed. And when you buy a pair they give you extra locks so that you can use just one key for both. The quality seems excellent. See yas ciaoooooo

The last hard cases I had we're a pair of Hepco and Becker Juniors. Brilliant quality, but I always wished they didn't open all the way like a clamshell. On the left (downward) side, everything used to fall out. I liked the Givi E21 with the top opening, but not keen on the shape. The design of the Trekkers is really good, the best of both worlds.

I think I have talked myself into getting a pair!

Hehe sounds like it!! Have fun ciao.

Hah! Cancel that. I checked with Emma at Motorcycleplanet, and the price of just under 200GBP is per pannier. 390GBP for the pair. That's a bit more than I can manage at the moment. I had to take a big pay cut last year, and non-essential spending has had to take a back seat. I may well go for the frames and get the cases later on.

I did a trial fit of the soft panniers yesterday, and they definitely need something to keep them off the exhausts - for the sake of the heat shields if not the bags. I had a closer look at the 'soft bag supports' on eBay, and I am not convinced. They look fairly flimsy, and the seller's feedback is a bit patchy. I have asked them for more pics so I can assess the mounting methods and general build quality (there's only one pic in the listing) but they haven't replied, so I guess I can strike that one.

Well, I have ordered a set of the Givi frames from Motorcycle Planet. �110.25 delivered, which I thought was very reasonable, considering the price of some Givi stuff. Will report back on how they fit in relation to the Yamaha rear rack.

I'm still pondering the pannier situation. I think the throwovers will be fine for trips, but not very convenient day to day (shopping, commuting etc). I'm tempted by the E21, which are ridiculously cheap but quite small. I like the look of the Trekkers, but at almost �400 the pair I might wait until funds are healthier. Decisions, decisions ...

OK, quick update. The frames arrived today and have been fitted. Four working days from order to delivery, so that's not too bad. And a very good price too.

My concern was whether the frames (PL353 for the record) would fit the bike with the official Yamaha rear rack in place. The answer is they do, sort of. The spacers on the rack are different from the original ones that carry the pillion handles (which are missing, of course). Specifically, it's the lower bolts that originally held the grab handles. The spacers built in to the Yamaha rack are about 15mm longer than the original spacers, so the lower part of the rack is pushed outwards. All it means is that the piece that mates with the pillion footrest needs to be bent in a little, which in practice was quite easy and doesn't appear to force the frame too much. Also, the 50mm bolt supplied is too short. I had a couple of mild steel bolts of the right length, and I will replace them with stainless socket heads when I get some. M8 x 65 is the correct bolt, if that helps anyone.

They look great on the bike and the quality is excellent. The original idea was to have a light frame that would support the throwovers without looking too heavy and obvious, with the option of hard panniers later on if required. I have tried the throwovers and it puts them much further out and lower than I would like, so I think I will go straight for the panniers. Not sure I can justify the cost of Trekkers, so I may go for the value option (E21).

Pics to follow, but it is too dark right now.

i have Givi pannier racks, i think there pretty pants. :(

they look quite nice and quite compact. First "off" when green lanning and the one side bent (thats without panniers on) as i think the tubing is 10mm where most is 12mm upwards.

the "hoops" arent welded all the way around either. a rubber lug joined them together which i had to remove as i wasnt using Givi luggage - will put up a photo soon.

Wont to change them at some point. Would like to get some custom ones made with bigger tubing and have them joing the bike in a different way (not at the rear foot hanger like the Givi's do as i want to remove them)

Heh, thought I was talking to myself for a while there :)

I'd agree they are not as robust as some I have seen, but they fit the bill for me. I only wanted lightweight frames, as I don't intend doing anything too harsh with them for the time being. They certainly feel good and solid, and if they get demolished in a fall, I would bet they cost less to replace than the bodywork and exhaust that they are protecting.

I went ahead and got the E21s, and they look fine to me:

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/...pscbe46517.jpg

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7de86e30.jpg

The frames fit well and look good:

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0c3c0db8.jpg

The compatibility issue with the Yamaha rack boils down to this:

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9486dbf4.jpg

The top bolt and spacer in the picture are as supplied with the frames and fit perfectly. The lower bolt in this pic is an M8 x 65 as in previous post, which I had to source separately. The silver spacer was on the bike, so I assume it is the original spacer for the grab rails. This puts the lower arm about 25mm out from the footrest bolt, and it's an easy matter to bend it in slightly. The boxes fit correctly, so it doesn't appear to distort the frame significantly.

Anyways, I'm happy with the setup, and it should do everything I need for light solo touring, and with the bigger topcase I have in the garage it ought to be enough for self and daughter for this summer's Euro trip, as long as she keeps control of the shoe factor.

Sorry to keep posting on a relatively trivial matter, but it might be useful in the future for anyone looking to solve a similar problem. Frames and boxes were ordered from Motorcycle Planet, and I will be using them again. Prices were about the cheapest around, delivery was quick, queries were dealt with in a quick and helpful way. Nice professional outfit.

B*ggeration factor: when I was refitting the bolts with threadlock after I had done the initial dry fit, I broke one of the little buttons that the boxes latch to. Apparently Givi don't sell them separately, but Motorcycle Planet are trying to find me one.

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/...ps79555534.jpg