This page deals with my '92 Yamaha FJ1200. A very nice bike!
But I prefer to have the FJ without panniers so they were removed after the trip and are stored until next one.
Last Christmas I decided to make me a gift ;-), consisting in a GIVI F297 Topcase Mounting Kit (for Yamaha FJ1100, FJ1200 (87-96)), an M2 adapter plate and a V46 topcase
Time flies and I had not need for the topcase... but now I need to do some weekend trips and found it was the right time to mount it.
So yesterday I decided to go for it. Good thing is that you keep small rear covers on the bike (not as with the Krauser K-2 luggage kit I have which, BTW, will be for sale soon)
Procedure is easy enough; you just need to get out seat, dismantle lateral covers (just by pressure; there are 4 points for each one. Be careful not to break them, as my mechanic did :-( ), rear covers (one screw each and one sliding rubber support). Then you will find the two needed fixing points: one is used to fix the rear archwheel plastic cover and the other one is the blinker support. GIVI provides you with all the needed hardware, which is very sturdy, and reuses some of the original one. You will end with four extra screws and 2
washers, which are replaced with longer and larger ones.
Adjustment was also easy, as there are markings to adjust the adapter plate angle and there is not too much support position freedom so getting it right is not hard. GIVI provides you with plastic screw covers so you end with a very nice looking rack.
I was surprised to find all the kit is aluminum, including the adapter plate. It is all painted black except for some silver parts.
The topcase I have bought is a 46 liter unit, which should be enough for a weekend trip (let's hope ;-)!). Fixing it to the rack is very easy and, as it is tightly mounted over rubber supports, fit is perfect. Kudos to GIVI for the great work!
All in all, I will do my first "real test" tomorrow, in a 180km trip. I will let you know how my V46 behaves at highway speeds (120-130km/h, there are two many radars around to go faster!)
*** NOTE: it seems that the F-297 kit has been DISCONTINUED. I think it is a good moment to buy it, if you are thinking to get one. ***
And here you have some pictures (sorry for the lousy quality; I will take better ones with more light!)
Here you have some other pictures taken next day (5 July 2008), just before a weekend trip:
March-2000
This is the bike as I bought it. It had just 38.000km on it!
18-April-2000
These are the Krauser K2 panniers that I will add to my bike to make it more 'touring friendly' (the pictures are from the bike which had them previously installed)
10-September-2004
(yes, some years later!)
Here you have some current pictures of my FJ.
25-September-2004
I got the bike ready for a trip with my wife so, finally, I put the Krauser K2 panniers on it.
17-October-2006
Today the bike has turned 54.000km... after a work change, now I go to my workplace with it, so I am doing about 40km daily. I plan to do some maintenance to the FJ soon... keep tuned!
4-July-2008
Even going work with the FJ, it is only 58.800km... Well, last thing I have done is to put a GIVI Topcase on it. Here you have my (slightly edited) comment on the FJ List:
