A new Concours 14 luggage rack - Page 3 : Kawasaki ZX Forums: Kawasaki Ninja Forum

gsanto · 01-17-2008, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philipintexas

Please note: I have changed the ordering procedure. I hope it will provide better service and more feedback to those who have ordered.

Phil,

Can you also supply a special fitting kit for Givi (@ extra cost) or do we also need the Givi E250 universal fitting kit?
Thanks

Georges

philipintexas · 01-17-2008, 07:43 AM

gsanto: I really am not able to produce the special fittings for the E250. I made the rack so it offers numerous mounting points with the idea of using "universal" mounting plates. I am trying to answer this same question from someone else. From the looks of the mounting plate it should be easy to attach the plate to the rack. I'll keep your message and try to give you a better answer after I research it more. I realize you are not in a position to send it back if it doesn't work so maybe someone else who has tried it can report back.

gsanto · 01-17-2008, 01:17 PM

Thanks Phil. I just replied to your email

Georges

alphlulu2 · 01-20-2008, 08:40 AM

I just installed mine and its beautiful. Quality item, acute attention to detail. If your thinking about this rack, pull the trigger and go for it.

Youll be glad you did.

touchwoodsden · 01-21-2008, 05:42 AM

5 racks arrived today. Very, very nice. Really nice job. Have parcelled and will get to post office next day or so. Will email postal cost and any customs duty in next 10 days or so. Customs bill can arrive up to 2-3 weeks later!
I have addresses off forum, so wait by your mailboxes!
James

Hitman · 01-21-2008, 03:36 PM

SPOT ON!!!.....

:

touchwoodsden · 01-21-2008, 03:48 PM

Fitted tonight. Took 5 mins as you would expect. When you take the old one off it actually weighs just over 8oz, abt 230gramms!.

It so flimsy. I suggest anyone thinking of carrying anything heavier than helium filled bubble wrap on the Kwak rack, take it off first to gauge it's weight capacity!
Anyway, here are my pics.

Phil, thanks again. Great kit and fit.
I just did not realise how crap the old rack was until I took it off.

UPDATE 22 01 08 4 racks posted today. Post cost £5. I will let everyone know about customs duty if ever I get a bill.
James

stryder · 01-25-2008, 11:37 AM

Got mine the other day. Excellent piece of kit. Thanx to Phil and TWD for arranging to act as intermediary. Fitted and looking gooooooood!

Martin

Steve_k · 01-26-2008, 01:51 AM

Picked mine up from the post office yesterday and will be fitting it today thanks Philip and James.

Hitman · 01-26-2008, 02:37 AM

Likewise...Done and Dusted. Thanks to Phil and TwD for sorting this out.

bigmac · 01-31-2008, 10:40 AM

Hi,

I bought my GTR back in september 07 . . . and ordered a Kawa oe top box.
Sadly Kawa are not up to speed with supply and I have changed my order to
Givi E52 with universal plate.

I have watched this thread for a while and now it as come pertinant to me as I need to replace that oe resin rack supplied as new. I have e-mailed phil and he states that he believes his plate is suitable for a Givi universal plate BUT
cannot gaurantee it. he suggested I ask any of the Brits who have bought
his rack what they have fitted onto it - indeed if Givi is a good fit. So come on then ! Put me straight so I can get my order sorted

Cheers and speedy progressive riding !

BigMAc

Hitman · 01-31-2008, 12:15 PM

BigMac..Got your Pm..As far as I know so far none of the guys who have had the rack here in the UK have yet fitted a top box to it but The Phil rack is superb and looks great on it's own. There appears to be loads of adjustment on it for top box mounting so I don't believe that there will be a problem with the Givi mount at all, in fact it may well allow some extra adjustment fore/aft. It certainly will be loads stronger.
I am waiting to see what the Kawasaki top box comes out like as I have heard that they are also supplying a new plate with it. Whether this is a more substantial plate than the original I don't know but I was lead to understand that the plate would allow easy removal and fitting similar to the side bags.Kawasaki are aware of the shortfalls on the original rack, hence the delay in getting the top box into the dealers. It shall be interesting. But this should not detract you from getting Phil's rack anyway as it is an item of beauty and deserves to be left on the bike for all to see and not covered up by some ugly box.

kezbo22 · 01-31-2008, 01:13 PM

thanks to Philip and james, got mine and fitted bloody sweeet.
fitted an old top box with adapter plate and works well the only problem u cant see the rack, it looks better without box..

touchwoodsden · 01-31-2008, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kezbo22

thanks to Philip and james, got mine and fitted bloody sweeet.
fitted an old top box with adapter plate and works well the only problem u cant see the rack, it looks better without box..

I agree. Looks great bare. I have E250 adapter on my Tiger and I think the Givi "under rack" brackets will be a tight fit over the back light of the Kwark. It may not actually be poss to get em in the optimum position. So, I am going to tap 4No M6 holes in the rack to take the plate. I only use the top box on trips and so it is dead easy to just whip the E250 plate off by removing 4No, M6 allen screws. Mush easier than using Givi's nuts, bolts and curly brackets. IME OME top boxes are expensive and naff. I am sticking with my E52. £130 from Italy plus £15 post, last year, NEW. Ebay!!!
Can't remember seller, sorry. Try ebay.it
Bigmac. I am with you then.
Any questions
touchwoodsden at yahoo dot co dot uk
is easier than PM on here
TwD

bigmac · 01-31-2008, 04:04 PM

A big thank you to everybody whose contributed to my question regarding the
potential of a givi plate fitting on Phils new metal rack.

I `m pretty convinced that I can go ahead and order the plate and that on
arrival I can fit the givi as best as possible . . .

Whilst I draw this matter to a close . . .Its worth remembering that all this fuss is due to poor customer care from Kawa. This is my first K after a life time of Big `H`. I spent alot of time pre-purchase tying down details regarding
the spec of the GTR, and have a folder of e-mails from Kawasaki Europe detailing the spec. So far everthing they promised in writing has not been provde to be true . . .i.e. Top Box as an accessory from new ( still waiting six months later ) Sat Nav Cradle available from new ( Apparantly dealor says
latest is that it has yet to be designed, let alone manufatured. That bike has
two sets of `accessories` wiring points in the front fairing and under te seat.
(Wrong despite user manual there is only one poit in the front fairing)

I chosed to purchase this model for a variety of reasons, and the above
items played a role to greator or lessor degree in this decision . . . I feel
somewhat cheated by this list of inaccuricies-indeed have a growing belief that there is an arguement for litigation under the `description of goods` Act.

But then I pull on my shoei, straddle my gel seat and put a big cheesy grin on my face as I ride off for a couple of hours of freedom and freshair

Honda I miss your build quality and conglomeration clout but K you know just where to press my buttons !

touchwoodsden · 02-01-2008, 06:56 AM

[quote=bigmac;55828]

That bike has two sets of `accessories` wiring points in the front fairing and under the seat.
(Wrong despite user manual there is only one point in the front fairing)

QUOTE]

What a difference a comma makes:
That bike has two sets of `accessories` wiring points, in the front fairing and under the seat.

Just wait till you try to find them!

I wouldn't have found em without this site and Fred Harmon's pages.
Spring is coming.
TwD

Hitman · 02-01-2008, 07:27 AM

This has now gone way off the original thread...and there are plenty of threads on this forum discussing this very subject but anyway both sets of accessory leads are accessible. Unfortuneately the UK spec bikes seem to have security screws in the tooltray so it can't be removed???
I managed to fish out the rear acc. leads with a little persuasion and connect to my Autocom, so it can be done without removing the tray. The front leads are easy by first removing the left inner cover.

philipintexas · 02-01-2008, 07:39 AM

The following two photos show some T-nuts I made and used to attach my mounting plate. They use Ny-lock nuts pressed into aluminum cross peices. The forward two are almost inaccessible from underneath, so I made them slightly narrower than the slots, they go thru the slot from above, turn 90 degrees, then pull up into the slot and the shoulder prevents them from turning. They can then be tightened without a wrench underneath. This allows fore/aft adj. in the slots, then tighten securely.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...k/P1190024.jpg
View from underside:
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...k/P1190027.jpg

This makes a pretty clean attachment and is a lot easier than some on the universal mounting hardware. PS: i used 5/16" stainless steel bolts, MUCH stronger than the bolts holding the rack to the bike.

touchwoodsden · 02-01-2008, 10:34 AM

[quote=philipintexas;55893]The following two photos show some T-nuts I made and used to attach my mounting plate. They use Ny-lock nuts pressed into aluminum cross peices. The forward two are almost inaccessible from underneath, so I made them slightly narrower than the slots, they go thru the slot from above, turn 90 degrees, then pull up into the slot and the shoulder prevents them from turning. They can then be tightened without a wrench underneath. This allows fore/aft adj. in the slots, then tighten securely.
[quote]

...and they are available free of charge from Philip for just the cost of postage!
Great idea. So good, I could've thort of it misself

Phil, can u get some made? I would buy a set. Post would be buttons I think. We can get the bolts and nuts here to save weight, its just the machined bits.
I think good idea to offer with the rack.
Regards
James

philipintexas · 02-01-2008, 10:52 AM

Unfortunately I live in a country overrun with Lawyers. These take me a couple of hours to make and If someone falls off a bike because one failed (doesn't have to be proven) I'd be toast. If you can find a small machine shop you might have them made there? I just bought some (very expensive) stainless steel that can be machined and I'm going to try making them without the pressed-in nylock nut. I'll have to put thread locker on them to prevent them from vibrating loose. There is so little clearance between the tail light and the rack these have to be pretty low-profile and the s.s. gives strength without the bulk of aluminum.