Hi all,
This is another query about top boxes. Anyway I was gifted a slightly used STLUN top box from buddy, Greg.
https://www.forza.nz/products/stlun-30l-lock-top-box
And as I had never heard the of brand/manufacturer before. And before getting all excited and going to great lengths to try and mount/use it thought I would ask anyone else has ever even seen or much less used one. The box I received had a broken base plate and one hinge is a 10p nail. But it is lockable. My current street find box isn't. And the broken plate and nail used as hinge are now repaired. That was fun even if it never gets used. And it is large enough to hold my helmet.

So any comments, thoughts, insights knowledge about the manufacturer or product? Suspect it may be a Chinese product though there were no identifying marks. And when I received it there were several holes in the side. Two of which were 1/4 inch in diameter. This was an excuse to try and improve my plastic soldering/welding skills.

That looks much the same as the older square Givi boxes and panniers and the base plate is the same as the Givi right up to the current models.
The square Givi luggage was very sturdy which is why I still use it today.

jjefferies wrote: Suspect it may be a Chinese product though there were no identifying marks.

The information at the Forza website link in your post indicates the boxes are made in Taiwan, when they're made.

Laitch wrote:

jjefferies wrote: Suspect it may be a Chinese product though there were no identifying marks.

The information at the Forza website link in your post indicates the boxes are made in Taiwan, when they're made.

Doesn't if give you pleasure to point out what the OP has overlooked in their post? And by "when they're made" I am guessing refers to they're being out of stock on that website. But I'm not reading much into that as there seem to be other non kiwi sites, Temu, which seem to have them. Kinda wondered about the other parts shown on the TEMU site though.
Rick G's comment about the uncanny resemblance to early Givi products might suggest a knockoff? Ya' think?

As top cases go, it's the hibachiest!

It's the same as an EMGO travel trunk.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GVD0VE/

I have one. They work fine. Don't overcram it though. I did mine once and it broke the locking latch. DOH!

I had to use a piece of string (paracord) for the rest of the tour until I got home and bought a replacement latch. 

Locking string can be seen here:

Ok, then. Seems that it is worth the time and trouble. And I can purchase the base plate as a separate item as well. Now comes the issue of how to mount it. I created  a mount which can take advantage of holes used by the standard mount on the tail section of a K. But I always feel a tad timorous at putting too much weight on that plastic tail. It is fairly thick on top. But I do prefer the Reynolds Rack approach which mounts directly to the frame. Love the Reynolds Rack though they aren't being manufactured any more and they seem to have become unobtainium items even on ebay.

Givi E180

http://www.ebay.com/itm/166587301726

The downside of Reynolds Racks is that they do bounce around a little bit if there's any weight on them..

Unless you load with it gold bars and mercury a little topcase like that will not break the tail cowl.

duck wrote:Givi E180
http://www.ebay.com/itm/166587301726

S0 many ideas. Oh,  you meant I should just buy one. Where's the fun in that? 
The link lists several but no pictures for some of them.
Ooh, a new itchy boots video. Gotta run.

I have one on the back of Low Flying Brick and they're pretty damn sturdy. And yes, those topboxes are a ripoff very similar to the Givi pre-E series Monokey cases. The problem with making your own rack is getting the angles on the bottom of the posts to match up with the K100 tail piece. I did it once using 10mm stainless steel tubing with a 6mm (threaded) bore for the standoffs and 20mm x 3mm flat strip for the rack. Next time I needed a converter rack I raided ebay... If you do decide to go the homemade route, file the angles first and then cut to length. DAMHIK.

Dai, been looking this is what I find for the Givi Rack:
Currently Sold out
Givi Topcase Monokey Rack BMW K100 90 /K75K1100RS- E180

So I guess home made is in the works.

J.

Here's a Reynolds Rack on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/255888415720

(I have no affiliation with seller.)

Here's a used Givi E180. The price is OK but shipping to the US is way high.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/155879286884

jjefferies wrote:So I guess home made is in the works.

Okay. I no longer have that rack as it went with Brick2 when that was sold, so no pics. Apart from the obvious about eventually getting the angles on the bottoms of the standoffs right, I then fitted a penny washer (mudguard washer?) at the base of the standoff and a 2mm thick reinforced rubber washer under that to protect the paintwork (reinforced rubber washer - one of those with what appears to be cotton molded into it. They take a lot more pressure than an 'ordinary' washer). I drilled and tapped to 6mm and about 15mm deep but hindsight says that may have been overkill and 10-12mm would do.

For the rack, I didn't fancy trying to weld the standoffs to the strip as there was too much room for error. I tapped the tops of the standoffs to 10mm deep. The two cross-strips (across the tail piece) were just plain-drilled to 6.5mm (not 6.0mm - I wanted to allow for error). The lengthwise strips were also plain-drilled to match the standoffs. I bolted up the four strips to each other, ensured they were squared off and the bolt ends lined up with the threads in the standoffs, then welded them up from what was going to be the underside of the rack (small welds - perhaps 10mm on a 20mm-wide strip. They were really only to hold the strips in place). I also added a third central cross wise strip about where the Givi rack holes would be and ground all the welds flush. Finally, I countersunk the plain drilled holes to flush-mount the bolts. I was using an older cast-ally M3 Givi mounting plate which only needed two holes to bolt it down.

It took somewhere between four-five hours where the biggest stealer of time was getting the standoff angles right and tapping the threads. As I'd used stainless steel it was a lot harder to work than if I'd used mild steel and then painted it, but I have an unhealthy love affair with stainless steel. Make it, (maybe polish it) and forget it

I had six pieces of aluminium bent to the correct angles. One set for a mate one for me and one spare. The front mounting plate has to be filed to shape to follow the contour of the tail unit.

MartinW, you certainly did a better job than I in taking this approach. Some photos. First is Silver with the "street find" box and then a shot from the rear of the "street find" box showing the various scratches and the lock which I've not been able to fix. Note I took the same approach as you and attached the box in a manner inspired by your posts. Then two photos of the "grey mount" that I created and it seen mounted on a trashed tail piece. And then the STLUN box sitting on top of the the "grey mount" in profile. I am beginning to question my rationale for changing boxes. And wonder whether just staying with the "street find" box and cleaning it up might not make more sense. Comments appreciated.
J.

I seem to have hit a limit in photos hosted and displayed.And have screwed up the order. But Here in reverse order of what I desired  is a continuation showing the a side shot with the "grey mount" and STLUN Box positioned on it and then below the a duplicated "grey mount" proper just sitting on top of the scavaged tail with bolts showing.
 

I had three different top boxes mounted on that rack, an adapted beauty case a Shad 29Lt and a Shad 33Lt. I now have an OEM 22 Lt. The 2 Shads proved to be a bit of a handful in high  wind weather. 
Regards Martin.
Piccies of the Shad 29Lt and the beauty case special.

i have the standard one fitted , its not very big but enough for a flask and sandwich , if i need to carry more i have a full dresser , i have had large top rear boxes and they all effected the handling of the bikes a higher speeds , 80 mph plus , i find tank bags perfect on the K100s at any speed

MartinW said:
I had three different top boxes mounted on that rack, an adapted beauty case a Shad 29Lt and a Shad 33Lt. I now have an OEM 22 Lt. The 2 Shads proved to be a bit of a handful in high  wind weather. 
Regards Martin.

I'm assuming the OEM 22Liter box isn't large enough to hold a helmet. But the "Shad 33Lt" is that an adapted beauty case? Looks nice.

My "street find" box came off a rental scooter that someone stole, Hey! I live close by Oakland and if it ain't nailed down then they know you wanted them to have it. Anyway it was literally lying by the side of a freeway entry ramp. I had to make two passes to retrieve it without getting run over. It looked much better when I first got it. Plastic Cable ties should not be used to hold a top box on with.

The one on the bike piccie is the Shad 29Lt, the adapted beauty case is the bottom two piccies. I bought three from Strand Bags for $20.00 ea  because they were locked and they didn't have the numbers for the locks. One went to a mate one I gave away when I got my first Shad 29 Lt and I've still got one. I've no piccies of the 33Lt and it was just a bigger version of the 29Lt the 33 Lt could hold a helmet. 
Regards Martin.