Top box or tank bag???

[Micko]

Need some urgent help cos it's doing me head in! Haven't got much money to spend and am funding some new gear by selling some old stuff from my (now sold) old Thunderbird (magnetic tank bag, soft panniers and sissy bar/rack).

Can't decide what's best to get but have some stuff in mind....either splash out on a new sw motech tank bag OR a new cheapo Renntec type top box OR used and bit scruffy Givi Monokey E45 top box.

OR....open to any wise ideas from you wise(ish) lot!

Ta loads
Micko

[nickjtc]

OR used and bit scruffy Givi Monokey E45 top box.
Micko

Nothing wrong with scruffy Givi stuff. It may not be Touratech brushed aluminium chic, but it gets the job done.

[Sin_Tiger]

Can't recommend the SW Motech tank ring system enough, very very convenient, there are a choice of bags or you could adapt a favourite like I did. Not a great fan of top boxes personally but they are convenient. Scruffy is good, squids coming up behind think they have a commuter in their sights until they get close 

[nickjtc]

Scruffy is good, squids coming up behind think they have a commuter in their sights until they get close 

+1. Been there, done that. My 40+ year old Craven top box fools them all the time.

[Nick Calne]

I really like top boxes in functional terms and I nearly always ride with one on, but they do make you look like a dork. They are also not as secure as you'd think and pretty easy to get into.

As a cheap, water proof, semi secure, robust, detachable, easily mounted piece of luggage they are unbeatable and readily available on ebay etc...

[JayDub]

Top box  bigger than a tank bag, slightly more secure, no need to cover it when it rains, take it off and you still have a useful rack... cheaper also.  Its just my opinion but by the time you've bought the tank bag, tank cover/mounting ring you've spent a lot of cash for quite a small volume of carrying space. I have a small magnetic Oxford 1 bag which was always useful on my other bikes with steel/flattish topped  tanks, but obviously its redundant now 

[Geoff W]

I use a cheap Chinese Givi copy as a top box for work as it is convenient , dry etc. However I find that it does affect handling on high speed bends/ dual carriageway/ A roads etc. It makes the front wheel rather light.
So for touring I prefer soft panniers and a tank bag, I can fit small light weight stuff to the rack. However if travelling two up then the top box has to go on as well as the panniers tank bag and anything else.
The cheap Givi copy has lasted two years with no problems, for £50.00 including a fitting plate which was not needed I cannot complain. And you can get six bottles of wine in quite easily.

[daveb]

I use one of these top boxes http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ryde-52l-Motorcycle-Helmet-Top/dp/B00C58RUXA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-3&keywords=motorcycle+top+box

mine is scruff at the mo, iys about 6 yrs old took it off my TDM850. But as I have been on a vinyl wrapping course I might recover it in wrap

enough room for 2 lids.  not a bad price too

quick google found these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Tiger-885i-955i-Panniers-Blue-/271585076995?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item3f3bbb6703

remember non-magnetic tank bag.

[trophydave]

I use a scruffy Givi E45 topbox,it's handy for taking my sandwiches,lock etc to work.

[Nick Calne]

....And you can get six bottles of wine in quite easily.

Top work Geoff!

[Micko]

Well....I've done exactly what you probably shouldn't do and bought on impulse on ebay and bagged myself an old Givi E45 top box. Just need a base plate for it now if anyone's got one knocking around!?

Also dragged my old thunderbird 900 sissy bar and rack out of the garage and have just put it on ebay so reckon may get enough back for it to hopefully get a tank bag as well if things go ok.

[HockleyBoy]

I love my Givi Top Box have an E52 which I never take off  the bike.

Bought a not too scruffy E45 for my daughters boyfriends Bandit before our Alps trip in July, paid £6 for it on ebay and it is as solid as my newer box. He crammed it full of stuff for the trip and it was fine. I thought it would be one use and be replaced at that price but he loves it and wont take it off the bike.

[Micko]

Sounds like a good enough recommendation to me ta HBoy. Looking forward to receiving it and must have a hunt around for a base plate.

[Geoff W]

I  have the base plate from my Chinese Givi copy, still in wrapping. You can have it. Pick a pub or something between Shields and Sedgfield and I'll meet you one evening.

[Micko]

That's great Geoff ta and very much appreciated. Not familiar with many pubs in that area but there must be somewhere decent in the Sherburn area is there?