Suggestions for a sports motorbike that can take a top box

Having (stupidly!) sold my zzr600, I’m after a similar-ish bike again. So recos bearing in mind:
– budget up to £3K
– has to be able to take a top box
– sports-tourer rather than pure sports
– relatively simple (own servicing is good)
– 600cc-900cc as a mix of commute + work journeys (motorway) + odd pleasure rides
– with a bit of character

In many ways, a zzr600 is spot on, maybe a tad charatcerless. An older Blade would be nice but not top box friendly. Would love a Triumph 955i but again, not top box friendly.

Any suggestions?

An older blade comes with a top box built in! The ‘boot’ on them is huge and they’re a lovely bike.

I had a Super blackbird with a Givi topbox fitted and it was fantastic. You’d easily get one for 3k (I paid £2.5k for mine about 4 years ago but it was pre FI) and considering it had done a lot of miles it was awesome. I did all the servicing on it myself (including changing the head bearings) and it was really easy to work on. Failing that anything with a ‘dual’ style seat should work shouldn’t it? I had a CBR600F which was again bullet proof and a very capable all round bike. That would have taken a TB.

I’m a Honda fan through and through but even I’ll admit they’re a bit soulless. However I find anything with ‘soul’ tends to be Italian, and any Italian breaks. A lot. I’m chopping my blade in for a Tiger 800 at the weekend. First time on a Trumpet, hopefully it holds together…

I’d have thought with the right Ventura rack, MOST..

You can get one for a Panigale even

I had a Blackbird with a Givi too. It was a carb one (which everyone knows are fastest), in great nick and I sold it 2 years ago for £2100. A true gentleman’s express!

Would love a Triumph 955i but again, not top box friendly.

Why not !?!

Triumph did a top box rack for them as an accessory. Find one with one attached. You wouldn’t have to get the triumph accessory top box as a Givi universal plate will fit on with a little bit of fettle.

I had a Blackbird with a Givi too. It was a carb one (which everyone knows are fastest), in great nick and I sold it 2 years ago for £2100. A true gentleman’s express!

Wasn’t a red one was it? Covered in ‘copter tape?

i sold a vfr 800 last year and it took all manner of top boxes…. a bit to touring for me though…gonna get something more sports this year

thanks all.

Chunkyktr – did they … that’d solve all my problems! But a quick Google looks like they’re sports racks, and not recommended for top boxes, or am I looking at the wrong thing?

Sprint ST 955i or RS 955i ?

Would love a Triumph 955i but again, not top box friendly.

I did it on my 955i Speed Triple, which is pretty much identical.

the KTM950SMR has a lovely top box setup.. but it’s not a sportsbike 😉

Suzuki SV650S

Mine has a built in topbox too 😉

Keep thinking of something else tho now, fancy a street triple or something

In fact its the same rack for both the ST and RS –

Unless your talking about the speed triple, but as peterpoddy said above, thats do-able.

Would love a Triumph 955i but again, not top box friendly.

Pretty much anything is top box friendly with a Givi rack. I had one on a 98 zx9r, and then a Fazer 1000 and laterly 2 Triumph 1050’s – all used for commuting, and a top box beats panniers hands-down in traffic.

The Daytona 955i is the one … is this doable???

Flange – you’ll love the Tiger 800. Top tip – better tyres! As for holding together – build quality isn’t far behind Honda and better than most others, BMW included. I’m on my 5th Triumph triple (Tiger 800 now)and no problems at all except one side stand switch that left me stranded on a 955 Speed Triple.

BM 1150R or Honda VFR.

For the Daytona it depends on which year you go for..

Late model rack looks like-

clicky for piccy

Early model –
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-TRIUMPH-REAR-LUGGAGE-CARRIER-RACK-SPEED-TRIPLE-955i-DAYTONA-595-955i-/181012936640?nma=true&si=uJ1ytqhF6SgzDOHfXSlCPCRy%2FNs%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Early model would be difficult to fit a plate to because of shape. But not impossible.

chunky – made my day as reckon the Daytona will be characterful, sportier than I am, handle longish trips and be relatively cheap (plus I’ve always wanted one). I too found the old ebay one … does prob present a challenge to find.

Now to sell my BMW 650GS twin … anyone?!

Practically anything will take a top box- if it’s got a removable pillion seat then it’s dead easy to get a spare, strip it to the base, and bolt a givi (or whatever) foot to it.

Big daytonas are characterful but there’s any number of better made, lighter, quicker, more economic choices and quite a few are comfier too. Though comfort’s obviously a personal thing.

northeind – been looking at putting the Givi plate on the rear seat … you reckon it’s definitely secure enough? Seen a few Google images suggesting it works

been looking at putting the Givi plate on the rear seat … you reckon it’s definitely secure enough?

Totally, although depends how well you secure it…

Sw motech do top box conversion kits for most sports bikes. They fit on instead of the pillion seat. As it goes, they don’t look too bad. There is a German company called krauser who also do the same.

Personally, I use ventura luggage if i’m taking my 749 or panigale. I also have a z1000 that i have a givi top box that gets used if the other half is coming away for a few days too, I.e TT, etc.

Both the givi & ventura kit is very good, just in different ways!

Aus – Member

northeind – been looking at putting the Givi plate on the rear seat … you reckon it’s definitely secure enough?

Yep, like b r says it’d be perfectly possible to attach it badly 😉 But the seat attachment is pretty sturdy. I stripped off all the foam and upholstry from mine and drilled a couple of holes for the bolts, then reinforced the holes with big washers to prevent the bolts pulling through the plastic.