Bestem Rear Trunk

[Fred W]

As I mentioned in a prior thread I was looking to add a trunk on the back of my 5th gen VFR (I already have a color matched Givi V46 for the FJR) and that trunk would be used very infrequently. I opted to try one of the Bestem T-box 929 trunks mentioned and shown by FJR flyer here. Same $70 price with free shipping on eBay. Just search eBAy for "Bestem".

Received the trunk and I am favorably impressed. Seems like it will certainly fit the bill for occasional use, is not completely butt ugly and at a very reasonable cost.

I was hoping that the Bestem box would snap right onto the GIVI rack and plate that I already have on the bike, (the JC Whitney large trunks do) but alas, unfortunately it will not. The spacing and function of the mount is identical in every way except that they have reversed the direction that the latch mechanism works in. The latch catches in from the front instead of from the rear like the GIVI, which makes the Givi plate unusable without major modification.

Instead, what I did was just to remove the large plastic GIVI mounting plate from the GIVI rack frame and to attach the provided metal Bestem trunk plate. Interestingly, by removing the two rubber bumpers in the two front-most locations, those holes are in the correct spacing and location fore and aft to line up with the holes in the rack. I then only needed to two new holes in the plate for the rear mounting screws. I put a couple of thick washers as spacers between the plate and GIVI frame on the front 2 screws to get the plate leveled out correctly, and added some self stick foam rubber cushions to keep the box from rattling when empty.

Picture of mounting plate as supplied:

Pictures of Bestem plate mounted on GIVI frame:

It seems that the trunk, when mounted using these holes, sits about an inch and a half further back than a GIVI trunk on a GIVI plate. That should work well as some folks have complained of crowding with the GIVI.

I mention all of this on this forum as it is also an option for mounting a Bestem on an FJR as well, using a GIVI SR346 (1st gen) or SR347 (2nd gen). Since all the GIVI racks use the same adapter plate the holes are all aligned the same.

 

[mdisher]

Does the Givi mount on that plate as well? It looks like it might from the pics.

 

[PhilMills]

Bestem also makes a very nice set of bag liners for the FJR side cases. About $50 for the pair.

I bought a set when I flew out to pick up my FJR and they worked very nicely as carry-ons (I declared one as my carry-on, one as a backpack and my helmet was a "hat", in case anybody asked).

 

[Fred W]

Does the Givi mount on that plate as well? It looks like it might from the pics.

No, it doesn't, at least not without some additional modification.

Here's why: Notice on the pictures of the Bestem plate that there is a rectangular open slot in the little rear triangular latch catch? The Bestem trunk's latch fits into that from the rear. Real Givi's have latches that catch that same triangle, but from the front, so the GIVI plate only has an opening on the leading side of that triangle.

If one was to cut another rectangular slot in the front edge of the Bestem plate then it would work OK for real GIVI bags. Likewise, you could cut a second slot in the rear edge of the OE Givi plate's triangle and make it work for the Bestem.

 

[zzzzip]

I must be looking the wrong places.... everything I see has $20 shipping???

 

[TheAxeman]

Fred, do you have a picture of the case mounted on the VFR? Just curious what it looks like because I have a feeling my VFR is going to get a little more interstate use this year.

 

[Fred W]

I must be looking the wrong places.... everything I see has $20 shipping???

Hmmm. You're right. That has changed since I ordered last week. Maybe they were running some sort of a special? I definitely did not pay shipping. In fact I also had a 15% discount coupon from eBay so I actually only paid $59.46 for mine to my door.

Fred, do you have a picture of the case mounted on the VFR? Just curious what it looks like because I have a feeling my VFR is going to get a little more interstate use this year.

I don't yet, but I will take some pictures of it for you this weekend, with and without the hard side bags. Like any trunk of this size, it looks kind'a bulbous on the back with no side bags. But I know from experience with the JC Whitney trunk (which has the same shape) that it look OK with the saddlebags on.

I assume that you've seen the pics of my VFR with the E36 side bags on in my Webshots, right? If I were doing it again I'd probably get the more rounded E360 side bags instead of the more utilitarian looking E36's. Same mounting rack though.

 

[TheAxeman]

I assume that you've seen the pics of my VFR with the E36 side bags on in my Webshots, right?

Now I did Thanks.

 

[Fred W]

I assume that you've seen the pics of my VFR with the E36 side bags on in my Webshots, right?

Now I did Thanks.

Lemme know if you have any questions about that.

 

[FJR Flyer]

Man, $20 shipping. No shipping when I got mine, either. But, the original deal that the ST guys got included a liner bag, too. They seem to be keeping the price the same, but are making up for it in other ways.

I'm using it without the bags for commuting. Working out really well. I've got a trip to Kansas City next month that will require the full load out. It does feel squirrelier with the trunk on and no bags, but I'm getting used to it.

 

[Fred W]

Man, $20 shipping. No shipping when I got mine, either. But, the original deal that the ST guys got included a liner bag, too. They seem to be keeping the price the same, but are making up for it in other ways.

Yes, I had forgotten about the bag liner the early birds got. So it does seem to be the case, that they are slowly creeping up with the price. But I do still like this case a bit better than the JC Whitney Trunks (which I have owned previously), which is still a bit more $$, and really both these and the JCW's are still a bargain compared to the real deal Givi or Shad.

I'm using it without the bags for commuting. Working out really well. I've got a trip to Kansas City next month that will require the full load out. It does feel squirrelier with the trunk on and no bags, but I'm getting used to it.

If by "no bags" you meant to say "no wives", you'd be correct.

This seems to be true no matter which brand of trunk you put on back there.

 

[Fred W]

As promised, here are some pics of the VFR in various states of "dress"

First, with Givi Rack and Bestem Top plate only:

Next, just mounting the Bestem T-box trunk

Just the Give saddle bags (older picture) also has the Givi tall windshield on in this one.

Finally, loaded for bear! 2 Givi E36's and the Bestem T-box.

More views from other angles of the "fully loaded" configuration can be seen starting here in my webshots