Yamaha Rear Trunk or Corbin Seat & Back Rest Combo

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motoman47

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Location
Dallas Fort Worth, Texas
After an hour of city and hwy riding with my wife, she commented about being uncomfortable (back soreness). To solve this I ordered a rear Yamaha trunk. After making the order I found the note from Yamaha about not using trunk with side bags and the forums mentioning wobble, I began to second-guess my order. I got a great price on the trunk, mounting kit and backrest (under $800). I have until Tuesday to change my mind.

The bike will be driven every day to work and back (60 miles daily). My wife and I have also made plans to make many weekend trips this summer to the Texas Hill country and such. That's when the back support will be most needed.

Question: Is the Yamaha rear trunk easy to detach?

Currently plan B is to purchase a Corbin backrest and seat combo. I like how the backrest simply plugs right into the rear seat.

Hmm...Corbin seat & backrest combo or trunk?

Any and all help/advise would be greatly appreciated.

Help me Mr. Wizzard! :yahoo:

Ps.

Happy Fathers Day!

 
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I am not sure about the yamaha trunk but the givi takes 30 seconds to take off at the most without tools.

Its cheaper and I am told its better but I have never had the Yamaha one.

Top bag and sides work together unless your really flying.. (120+) below that its only a fuel milage concern.

Maybe a 1/2 mpg difference or something... shouldnt be too much

Good luck

 
Last edited by a moderator:
After an hour of city and hwy riding with my wife, she commented about being uncomfortable (back soreness). To solve this I ordered a rear Yamaha trunk. After making the order I found the note from Yamaha about not using trunk with side bags and the forums mentioning wobble, I began to second-guess my order. I got a great price on the trunk, mounting kit and backrest (under $800). I have until Tuesday to change my mind.
The bike will be driven every day to work and back (60 miles daily). My wife and I have also made plans to make many weekend trips this summer to the Texas Hill country and such. That's when the back support will be most needed.

Question: Is the Yamaha rear trunk easy to detach?

Currently plan B is to purchase a Corbin backrest and seat combo. I like how the backrest simply plugs right into the rear seat.

Hmm...Corbin seat & backrest combo or trunk?

Any and all help/advise would be greatly appreciated.

Help me Mr. Wizzard! :yahoo:

Ps.

The trunk is very easy to detach, just like the side bags. I just got mine last week, I almost canceled after reading some of the reviews on here. My wife says it is comfortable. The mounting plate comes off with 3 bolts so I am thinking of also getting a backrest from topmoto

Happy Fathers Day!
 
After an hour of city and hwy riding with my wife, she commented about being uncomfortable (back soreness). To solve this I ordered a rear Yamaha trunk. After making the order I found the note from Yamaha about not using trunk with side bags and the forums mentioning wobble, I began to second-guess my order. I got a great price on the trunk, mounting kit and backrest (under $800). I have until Tuesday to change my mind.
The bike will be driven every day to work and back (60 miles daily). My wife and I have also made plans to make many weekend trips this summer to the Texas Hill country and such. That's when the back support will be most needed.

Question: Is the Yamaha rear trunk easy to detach?

Currently plan B is to purchase a Corbin backrest and seat combo. I like how the backrest simply plugs right into the rear seat.

Hmm...Corbin seat & backrest combo or trunk?

Any and all help/advise would be greatly appreciated.

Help me Mr. Wizzard! :yahoo:

Ps.

The trunk is very easy to detach, just like the side bags. I just got mine last week, I almost canceled after reading some of the reviews on here. My wife says it is comfortable. The mounting plate comes off with 3 bolts so I am thinking of also getting a backrest from topmoto

Happy Fathers Day!
So you say you also just picked up the Yamaha rear trunk with mounting plate and backrest? It boggles my mind as to how much they want to that thing. Before leaving the dealer with the bike, I asked about accessories for the FRJ. Without going into specifics, he calmly said anything related to that bike meant more money!

Well if the rear trunk is that easy to remove, I feel a little better about buying it. If I can simply pop it on and off when needed that's all I need. I'd rather pay once for multi purposes. Man, I'm really glad you chimed in!

Since you’re in the Austin area, maybe my wife and I can meet up with you all on a weekend ride or something?

My recent bike purchase is by far the best Fathers Day present yet!

Cheers,

Matt

 
Motoman,

I have both the Yamaha trunk and Corbin with backrest. You can't use both at the same time, obviously. My wife also MUCH PREFERS having some backrest, any backrest. Sooooo..... I usually keep the Corbin BR on for most trips. This includes me commuting daily, the two of us riding on day trips, and me on extended trips. I have a backpack that sits over the backrest like it's a sissybar and can carry that and a duffel on the luggage rack.

Having said that, when she and I go on longer runs (extended weekenders) I load up the trunk. It takes less than 30 seconds to rig, can hold a decent amount of gear and gives her a good backrest. I've also travelled with it by myself and had the whole thing loaded to the bejesus (with the side bags, too) and have had no noticable wobble or any other adverse effects. I used this configuration on a long trip up the east coast then over to MD and WV, some pretty gnarley roads, and the bike was rock-solid.

So, don't worry about your purchase, it will serve you well. But you might want the Corbin (or one of any number of aftermarket seats) for your butt. FWIW, my wife said she likes the Corbin better than the stock seat. I haven't had as much luck with seats as she has, but I also like the Corbin more than stock.

Good luck.

Swingman Sends

 
After an hour of city and hwy riding with my wife, she commented about being uncomfortable (back soreness). To solve this I ordered a rear Yamaha trunk. After making the order I found the note from Yamaha about not using trunk with side bags and the forums mentioning wobble, I began to second-guess my order. I got a great price on the trunk, mounting kit and backrest (under $800). I have until Tuesday to change my mind.
The bike will be driven every day to work and back (60 miles daily). My wife and I have also made plans to make many weekend trips this summer to the Texas Hill country and such. That's when the back support will be most needed.

Question: Is the Yamaha rear trunk easy to detach?

Currently plan B is to purchase a Corbin backrest and seat combo. I like how the backrest simply plugs right into the rear seat.

Hmm...Corbin seat & backrest combo or trunk?

Any and all help/advise would be greatly appreciated.

Help me Mr. Wizzard! :yahoo:

Ps.

Happy Fathers Day!
Don't know anything about the Yamaha Trunk but this is what I did for mine. I have a Givi 52 trunk that pops off and on with a push of a button. It is mounted on the FJR Sport Touring rack that is sold by Premiercycleaccessories. I then purchased the FJR Rack mounted backrest. It takes 2 screws to lock down to the Touring rack. When the wife wants to come along for a ride I pop off the trunk and put on the backrest for her. Takes about 2 minutes. The trunk then slides back in place and we have a solid backrest for her and space for her accessories. She says the feel of the backrest is great.

 
After an hour of city and hwy riding with my wife, she commented about being uncomfortable (back soreness). To solve this I ordered a rear Yamaha trunk. After making the order I found the note from Yamaha about not using trunk with side bags and the forums mentioning wobble, I began to second-guess my order. I got a great price on the trunk, mounting kit and backrest (under $800). I have until Tuesday to change my mind.
The bike will be driven every day to work and back (60 miles daily). My wife and I have also made plans to make many weekend trips this summer to the Texas Hill country and such. That's when the back support will be most needed.

Question: Is the Yamaha rear trunk easy to detach?

Currently plan B is to purchase a Corbin backrest and seat combo. I like how the backrest simply plugs right into the rear seat.

Hmm...Corbin seat & backrest combo or trunk?

Any and all help/advise would be greatly appreciated.

Help me Mr. Wizzard! :yahoo:

Ps.

Happy Fathers Day!

MotoMan,

If you ONLY need a backrest (no trunk space), two much cheaper alternatives are available:

1. PCA Bolt-on Backrest (my wife loved this one)

2. Garauld's Bolt-on Backrest (forum member who makes high quality goodies)

If you need additional Luggage space, I'd recommend Givi, as others have.

I have this rack and this mounting kit, which work great with the Givi trunk. The PCA rack also accepts this backrest, just in case she doesn't like leaning on the trunk.

All in, this solution (rack, trunk, and backrest) is less than $500

 
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motoman47,

I installed the Givi E52 box, rack and Admore light kit for the box (I like the added lights in the back at night) for a couple of hundred less then the Yamaha kit. The gloss black lid matched my '08 perfect. I leave it on all the time without any problems and my wife said it's great as a back rest. The only thing wrong is an additional key

 
I have to agree 100% with swingman's comments.

I also have the trunk and the corbin oval-backrest.

The trunk backrest is in the middle of your back. It provides some support, but nothhing to your lower back, and isn't adjustable.

The corbin oval-backrests provides her with support on her lower back, and we angled it so it fits her just right.

If you don't need the trunk space, get the corbin. Both of your asses will be happier, and the backrest will be more comfortable for her.

If you need trunk space, then stick with that. Better than nothing, but not as good as the corbin backrest.

The trunk is very easy to take on and off, and you won't get much buffetting if there is a passanger on it. You really only get that when you have the trunk and no passanger.

 
I bought an '07 new this spring and sprung for the Yamaha trunk and back rest as part of the deal. I'm totally satisfied with the trunk - perfect color match to my black cherry bike, same key as everything else, on and off just like the side cases (insert key, turn, lift handle, remove bag - 5 seconds).

I've put about 2,000 miles on her so far, about 500 of which has been with the trunk. So far I've not even noticed it being there. Sometimes it's been empty and other times up to about 20 lbs. in it and it just hasn't been a factor. I didn't realize until just the other day that Yamaha says it should not be used with the side cases, but I can't see why not. I suppose they're just covering their butts in case they're sued. If you can stick a 200 lb. passenger on the back seat then I don't see how a 20 lb. top case matters to the handling, side winds, etc. I've never had any sense of wobble with the case on or off. One thing about the FJR is that it tracks like it's on rails.

One thing I can't comment on is the back rest. It looks like it should give the passenger good back support, but I haven't had a passenger on the back yet.

I've decided not to put the case on the bike unless I need to carry something in it. That way it looks sleeker and it stays out of my way when I'm getting on and off the bike. It's so easy to take on and off that I just leave it in the garage until I need it. It's less prone to getting scratched that way as well. The mounting unit that stays on the bike looks just fine without the case.

Good luck!

 
I have the Yamaha trunk and my lady says it's wonderful for her back.

Don't worry about using it with the side bags unless you are going to put sixty pounds of crap in it. (Helmet & Purse Only)

Unless you are flying solo. Then you can put sixty pounds of crap in it. But when solo, it will get gittery on you at 100mph plus.

Stay below 100mph and you"ll be fine. ENJOY! :ph34r:

 
Don't get the Mrs. near a Gold Wing. :eek: Once she sees the back seat on the Wing she will make you trade in the FJR. :(

 
I have the backrest from Premier, the GF says its great. Probably cause it lessons her fear of falling off while railing through the canyons.

As for the truck, can always use the extra room. Advise that was given to us was not to get the pad for the trunk. This is cause the GF rides with a jacket with padding in it for her back. And this would push her forward with the extra padding.

Just words from the group I was with but most likely lessons learned the hardway.

 
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