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Friday, March 15, 2013

Farkle season begins now.

It's been an odd few weeks for me as my business has undergone some changes, not all for the good.  My regular job has undergone some changes, again not all for the good and my riding life has been reduced to riding back and forth to work again.

In this daily grinding commute I have become more and more convinced that I needed a top box.  I have something in mind that I feel would work, but I'm unsure about it.  I tend to over think things, worrying and worrying about something till I actually do it.  Then I wonder why I didn't do this before.  

Pic from a previous post showing Burgman storage.
Kimmie simply has no storage.  In my previous ride - the 07 Suzuki Burgman - I had enough storage for my riding jacket, my helmet and my rain gear (or a sweatshirt) when needed.  Kimmie can hold my helmet, or if I use the hook on the outside of the bike, my jacket fits snugly away.  

I need to take my lunch to work and a place to store my jacket, helmet, rain gear and maybe a pull-over (during those chilly 1 AM rides home from work).  Well I can certainly continue to walk into work with my full gear on, it's just easier to store it on the bike.

Recently I've been looking at a Emgo Travel Trunk.  The one that I'm considering measures 12 in. lengthwise by 16.5 inches wide by 11 inches deep.  That should be enough to hold my gear.  What concerns me is if it fit on my bike, how will it affect my riding and how stable will it be on Kimmie?  I need to take out a tape measure and figure it out.

Assuming it works on my bike, I'll order it later today, install it sometime next week and see what happens.


 It will actually stick out over the brake lights and I'm thinking I will need some sort of reflective stickers or tape on the back of the box.  The biggest disadvantage to this is the lack of a brake light and I'm wondering if it's possible to get some sort of stick on LED brake lights?  I'm paranoid about getting hit from behind. 

I guess we will find out.  I just ordered the damn thing and should have it early next week.  

4 comments:

Keith - Circle Blue said...

That top box looks very similar and the exterior measurements are the same as the one I have on my Symba. It has been a good box and nothing as ever gotten wet in in.

I've found I don't use my top box much. I wear my gear into work and take it off there. I carry an Overboard backpack with my rain gear and odds and ends in it. When I take the People S I just put that on the hook.

My next farkle is going to be more tail lights on the People S. Not sure when I'll get to that, but they blink automatically when I apply the brake and then stay on as a normal brake light does. Mike's getting them for me so I don't have a site for them.

Changes coming up for me at work, too. It never seems the changes are all to the good.

Good luck.

Dar said...

That is a great looking top case! I am working on storage issues/solutions for my bike and am getting nowhere fast with this at all. I am limited because my bike is vintage and I don't want to fiddle around fabricating brackets & mounting systems, do the search is on. For now I am stuck lugging a backpack, which I loathe. Some hi viz tape might help with the visibility on the topcase.

The City Mouse in the Country said...

Keith - does the top box interfer with seeing your brakes? Since I work and ride home at night I'm a bit concerned about that.

Dar - I'm surprised your not able to find some saddlebags that work, or are you not wanting to add them to your bike?

Keith - Circle Blue said...

I don't think so. I, too, ride after dark and in traffic. All bikes are different. I suspect you will be fine.