Why aren't luggage racks a standard option on sportsbikes?

[Mr2Mike]

3DP said:

I've experimented with tail packs and throwovers etc, but Rentec racks seem to be the best option for a sports bike in my view.

I would never buy another Rentec product after my experiences with the SV650 and RSV racks. The SV rack was appallingly designed, mounted by only two bolts under the seat which is put under such huge strain that you could only load it with a maximum of 5kg. By the time you bolt a top box to it, you are already close to the weight limit. Try to put anything in the top box and the bolts shear off. A school kid could have done better.

To make it usable I bought the mounting rails from a Givi luggage system and welded them to the Rentec rack, and it's now strong enough to lift the rear end of the bike by the rack.

The RSV rack was mounted pretty well, but the 'hoop' of the mounting frame (that seems to be a signature of the Rentec racks) intruded so far onto the rack space itself that there wasn't even room to safely mount a tail pack on it. Just plain stupid design.

Edited by Mr2Mike on Saturday 4th April 10:36

[3DP]

Mr2Mike said:

3DP said:

I've experimented with tail packs and throwovers etc, but Rentec racks seem to be the best option for a sports bike in my view.

I would never buy another Rentec product after my experiences with the SV650 and RSV racks. The SV rack was appallingly designed, mounted by only two bolts under the seat which is put under such huge strain that you could only load it with a maximum of 5kg. By the time you bolt a top box to it, you are already close to the weight limit. Try to put anything in the top box and the bolts shear off. A school kid could have done better.

To make it usable I bought the mounting rails from a Givi luggage system and welded them to the Rentec rack, and it's now strong enough to lift the rear end of the bike by the rack.

The RSV rack was mounted pretty well, but the 'hoop' of the mounting frame (that seems to be a signature of the Rentec racks) intruded so far onto the rack space itself that there wasn't even room to safely mount a tail pack on it. Just plain stupid design.

Edited by Mr2Mike on Saturday 4th April 10:36

In fairness, I never put a top box on it due to the weight limit, although the R1 mounting system is pretty robust. The 5KG weight limit thing I feel is a disclaimer - even my Honda racks and top boxes for my scooters have a 5kg weight limit. The chains, my work bag and the top box probably weigh at least 15kg and I've never had any problems at all with mounts, welds etc.

I use the rack on the sports bike to spread the load across passenger seat and rack of the dry bag and to give tie down points for the dry bag that don't rub the tail section paint. This fits a 35-50 litre dry bag easily length wise, with it being secure, out of the breeze and keeping the weight fairly low. That and a tank bag, plus lightly packed R25 Kriega gives you enough room for stuff to tour for a couple of weeks with ease.

[jackh707]

It's a shame there isn't a modern bike 1000cc, no compromise on components and engine, with slightly enhanced wind protection and slightly relaxed seating position that has decent space for a bag or pillion.

I dislike the looks and compromise of the Kawasaki z1000sx, want more grunt than a vfr800 has to offer and don't want to go all the way to a multistrada/GS/KTM in terms of seating position, but an R1/s1000rr is just too hardcore.

The suzuki gsx1000f would have done nicely but it looks hideous. Am I'm missing something?

[Mastodon2]

jackh707 said:

It's a shame there isn't a modern bike 1000cc, no compromise on components and engine, with slightly enhanced wind protection and slightly relaxed seating position that has decent space for a bag or pillion.

I dislike the looks and compromise of the Kawasaki z1000sx, want more grunt than a vfr800 has to offer and don't want to go all the way to a multistrada/GS/KTM in terms of seating position, but an R1/s1000rr is just too hardcore.

The suzuki gsx1000f would have done nicely but it looks hideous. Am I'm missing something?

Too much a tourer for your perhaps? Certainly no shortage of grunt, 170bhp and 95lb-ft of torque.

[Pebbles167]

BMW K1300S

Awesome 175bhp 4 cylinder engine, not that heavy, definite sports bike. Available from factory with rack, top box and panniers.

[3DP]

^^ VFR and K13 do not stop, turn or handle like a sports bike. I did 3000 miles in 12 days on my ZZR1400 and they are just too heavy (60+kg up on Sports bikes) when you're properly pushing on, especially in the tighter stuff. Great bikes, but not even close to being sports bikes substitutes IMHO.

[TimmyWimmyWoo]

If you can handle soft luggage then the Ventura is the best option I've tried so far. It's easy to use and doesn't flap about or upset the bike at all – with all the gubbins in the photo below I hit 179mph indicated and my head was vibrating lots, but the luggage wasn't!

[jhoneyball]

I think there is an worry about the aerodynamics of superbikes with baggage. Which is why my K1300S has side panniers, but BMW dont offer a topbox for it.

Wonder what a topbox does to the center of pressure of a bike at high speeds?

[vonhosen]

jhoneyball said:

I think there is an worry about the aerodynamics of superbikes with baggage. Which is why my K1300S has side panniers, but BMW dont offer a topbox for it.

Wonder what a topbox does to the center of pressure of a bike at high speeds?

Any bike with luggage (inc panniers on K1300S) the advice will be not to be doing high speeds, they'll usually state about 80max.

[jackh707]

I suppose a K13s is about as close as it gets.

As stated too heavy, and I do know it's not an isse once your riding but side by side with a sports bike it is noticeable.

When's this S1000XR coming out? I like the look of that.

[3DP]

vonhosen said:

jhoneyball said:

I think there is an worry about the aerodynamics of superbikes with baggage. Which is why my K1300S has side panniers, but BMW dont offer a topbox for it.

Wonder what a topbox does to the center of pressure of a bike at high speeds?

Any bike with luggage (inc panniers on K1300S) the advice will be not to be doing high speeds, they'll usually state about 80max.

I can state that Givi hard luggage on a ZZR1400 with PR3 tyres, causes a front end weave to begin at 175mph that gets worse as you head to 186mph . As long as you stay below 170, you don't know they are there.

[bordseye]

Esceptico said:

Maybe I am in a minority but I want the option of having a topbox on my bike so that I can ride it into town and get some shopping or just leave my helmet and gloves with the bike. My current Givi is great as it only takes a second to lock or unlock it from the bike.

Because I use the bike all year around and for all purposes,
does that mean I shouldn't have a sportsbike

Yes. Sports bikes are all about going fast and trying to convince yourself you are Rossi . Having a top box and going shopping is all about real life rather than dreaming. In any case sports bikes are so last year.

[podman]

vonhosen said:

jhoneyball said:

I think there is an worry about the aerodynamics of superbikes with baggage. Which is why my K1300S has side panniers, but BMW dont offer a topbox for it.

Wonder what a topbox does to the center of pressure of a bike at high speeds?

Any bike with luggage (inc panniers on K1300S) the advice will be not to be doing high speeds, they'll usually state about 80max.

Depends on the bike and teh size of the box...my SRADs got a wiggle on around 140ish but for what ever reason, my GSXR1000 was fine with a box well into the 170s....my mates SP1 was fine at a similar speed but certainly all of them where happy and safe at three figure cruising.

Best sports tourer ive used is a GSXR1000 K7, way better than my Hayabusa in terms of comfort and ease of use, as Pete hints, a 200kilo bike is much more fun at journeys end than one nearing 300k kilos, id honestly rather do a long trip to the SoF on my old GSXR600 than something like a Hayabusa.

[podman]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

They are fun , I did 3 x trackdays on first Busa, it was good fun and spanking bods on pukka sportsbikes was a laugh but ground clearance and brake fade marred it...but for what they are, they are great , more BMW M5 than Lotus Elise if you know what I mean...they (IMHO) are not "as much" fun as a smaller,lighter bike.

I did a 3,000 mile trip to France and took in the Route Napoleon/ a good deal of the amazing N roads around it on my Busa in , I think, 2006, I then did the same trip in 2008 on my K7 GSXR1000, that sealed the deal for me, with a double bubble, solo, the GSXR aced everything the Busa did...and the brakes didnt go to mush on the twister bits.

When I went again in 2011, I left the Busa in the garage and took the GSXR600, it still was happy sitting at 120MPH on the autoroutes and I was on the right bike when I left the peage...

[vonhosen]

podman said:

vonhosen said:

jhoneyball said:

I think there is an worry about the aerodynamics of superbikes with baggage. Which is why my K1300S has side panniers, but BMW dont offer a topbox for it.

Wonder what a topbox does to the center of pressure of a bike at high speeds?

Any bike with luggage (inc panniers on K1300S) the advice will be not to be doing high speeds, they'll usually state about 80max.

Depends on the bike and teh size of the box...my SRADs got a wiggle on around 140ish but for what ever reason, my GSXR1000 was fine with a box well into the 170s....my mates SP1 was fine at a similar speed but certainly all of them where happy and safe at three figure cruising.

I wasn't saying all you can safely do is 80, I was saying that the manufacturers advice (original or after market) will be that.
The manufacturer of the box on your SRAD won't have said 'good for 140ish' etc when you look at the documentation with it. The manufacturer of the bike won't say you should always keep to 80 or below, but they will say so with luggage fitted.

[3DP]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

It depends how you ride really. They are great up to about 7/10ths. Above that the weight, wheelbase and geometry start working against you heavily. I found my ZZR incredibly hard work when cracking on in the mountains and I have experience on Busas which personally I believe have the worst of all worlds for handling/comfort. The K13S has the magic suspension and is ergonomically better, but it's quite a long way from a Sports bike, if that's what you want.

The ZZR was in its element on the motorways and fast sweepers though, but even then it's trying to push wide when you are well into 3 figures, where a sports 1000 just digs in and holds a line. Obviously there are sports bikes that are too focused to high speed tour easily on (RSV4 - tank range, Ducati - tank range, comfort) but something like a Blade, GSXR1000, RC8R or S1000RR make a lot of sense if you can find a decent luggage solution!

[podman]

vonhosen said:

podman said:

vonhosen said:

jhoneyball said:

I think there is an worry about the aerodynamics of superbikes with baggage. Which is why my K1300S has side panniers, but BMW dont offer a topbox for it.

Wonder what a topbox does to the center of pressure of a bike at high speeds?

Any bike with luggage (inc panniers on K1300S) the advice will be not to be doing high speeds, they'll usually state about 80max.

Depends on the bike and teh size of the box...my SRADs got a wiggle on around 140ish but for what ever reason, my GSXR1000 was fine with a box well into the 170s....my mates SP1 was fine at a similar speed but certainly all of them where happy and safe at three figure cruising.

I wasn't saying all you can safely do is 80, I was saying that the manufacturers advice (original or after market) will be that.
The manufacturer of the box on your SRAD won't have said 'good for 140ish' etc when you look at the documentation with it. The manufacturer of the bike won't say you should always keep to 80 or below, but they will say so with luggage fitted.

I understood your angle mate but I thought id offer some real world findings to balance the question...maybe even more importantly they will also state a max luggage weight, again in the real world, ive more than trebled Renntecs advice on that with no bother.

[DanGPR]

jackh707 said:

It's a shame there isn't a modern bike 1000cc, no compromise on components and engine, with slightly enhanced wind protection and slightly relaxed seating position that has decent space for a bag or pillion.

I dislike the looks and compromise of the Kawasaki z1000sx, want more grunt than a vfr800 has to offer and don't want to go all the way to a multistrada/GS/KTM in terms of seating position, but an R1/s1000rr is just too hardcore.

The suzuki gsx1000f would have done nicely but it looks hideous. Am I'm missing something?

The new shape Fireblades are alot roomier than I thought it would be, low slung exhaust means plenty of options for luggage. Rearsets and riser bars to replace the clip-ons are also an option but haters gonna hate.

[Rubin215]

moanthebairns said:

I wouldn't like to fall on my back with that lot in a rucsac...

[Graemsay]

KTM offer a set of semi-rigid panniers for the Superduke 1290...