Ducati Monster Forum

I do like the nakedness of the Monster. I faced with some away-from-home overnighter's this summer,
nice long commutes to work (50mi one way). Also liking a place to lock the helmet at at least my riding britches when I go downtown (park and walk kinda deal).
Acquired a rashed seat cowl from a member hear, looking to try this topcase setup, stole this pic from an inmate over on ADV:


(http://i1047.photobucket.com/albums/b480/duckrider1/s2rluggage1.jpg)
Saddle bags would be all welll and good but I like the lockable illusion with the topcase.
I got a Kriega to lug my laptop but prefer to leave that at work whenever possible. Tank bag for rainsuit and such.
There's cheaper options out there but these aren't big money:
Thinking the 34L Givi
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200564703160&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200564703160&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)
over the 26L
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380311283353&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380311283353&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)
I mocked up size-wise and while big, the 34L won't be too bad, 19"W and 16.5"L iirc.

How secure you reckon I can make that case attached to a seat cowl?

If you use big washers under the cowl, I bet you can lift the bike with it [thumbsup]
The bolt heads or nuts might kill the upholstery, so arrange something to prevent that.
Maybe get a second seat for easier switches....

Here's the top box set-up I picked up off ebay for under $200 new. It's ducati performance, but I think made by Givi as it seems to be almost identical to some of the Givi set-ups I've seen.




(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h156/magnus157/lakePlacid08001.jpg)

What mounting kit did you use?  I think it is the Givi F674.  Looking at the installation instructions, it looks like it could be adaptable to my S2r with some fabbing and/or welding.

Good news - I will have to deal the the nuts / bolt heads, however I manage that.
I do have a spare seat - I had one re-upholstered - - maybe that's my touring seat !
Thanks for the encouragement.

The cromo above looks nice - for cheaper I'll prefer having the case a little closer to me - but that would've been a good option.

i have that same setup, it is a givi mounting system on it and its either the monokey or the monlock that fits it, not sure off hand, and they made it back in the day for monsters it was a bolt on kit that was made specifically for dss monsters, they are impossible now to find and even when you call up givi they have no record of the ducati monster system.

its awesome.

pics of how it works?

ive been wanting to make my own rack becaue Ventura racks are stupid expensive and i dont think it can take a good load + a passenger leaning on it.

Does the Givi setup work with a chopped fender?

Yeah.........my frame is chopped almost to the key latch for the seat and it works just fine. There is a gap in between however, that allows spray-up in wet weather.

I did a search and found one on the eBay Italy site:
http://cgi.ebay.it/PORTAVALIGIA-GIVI-DUCATI-600-900-MONSTER-97-98-F674-/270515096024 (http://cgi.ebay.it/PORTAVALIGIA-GIVI-DUCATI-600-900-MONSTER-97-98-F674-/270515096024)

Here is an image from the mounting instructions:
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/5359780187_f458dfb7e6_b.jpg)

Obviously a screen shot from my iPhone, though.

If the seat cowl attach didn't work out (stopintime gives me hope) - with a tail chop, as mot have, I figure a rack could be fab'd by inserting / locking a couple of tubes into the the chopped frame, bent up as the Givi getup or looped back towards front to mount over pillion perch, where I want the box.

that is a different way that my givi is attached to the bike ,it attaches at the lower rear footpeg bolt and into the end of the tail frame tube, and you can't have  tail chop on mine.

that one above is a much better mounting system i liek that one.

Sbrguy, you must have the later one.  F676, I think.

Ok here's the finished product. I can lock my helmet in it, or I can fit my rain suit and laptop bag & lunch stuff.  Seems a might blasphemous on a Monster but I quite like it, I can't see it when I'm riding. I think I prefer this to the tank bag. Both would be dandy for a trip.
I couldn't find suitable carridge bolts, so I ground off the rough edges on the bolt heads that are in contact with the pillion seat,  to prevent the material from getting cut (thanks for the tip stopintime)

pieces parts
(http://photos.plaxo.com/photos/get/46/23/23/195/124101/3507679-m-0.jpg)

rashed cowl, rattle can, drilled
(http://photos.plaxo.com/photos/get/46/23/23/195/124101/3507680-m-0.jpg)

http://photos.plaxo.com/photos/get/46/23/23/195/124101/3507681-m-0.jpg (http://photos.plaxo.com/photos/get/46/23/23/195/124101/3507681-m-0.jpg)

mounting plate attached
(http://photos.plaxo.com/photos/get/46/23/23/195/124101/3507687-m-0.jpg)

finished product:
(http://photos.plaxo.com/photos/get/46/23/23/195/124101/3507689-m-0.jpg)

(http://photos.plaxo.com/photos/get/46/23/23/195/124101/3507688-m-0.jpg)

That's not too bad - I mean, if you have to have some storage, it's a very nice result [thumbsup]

.... and with the rider seated, it'll look even less blasphemous  ;)

I also have the Givi setup for the Monster on my 620, and like it a lot for overnights and long weekend trips. I would worry about losing the cowl with the OPs setup.

My first thought.  Quite a lever on a piece of plastic held on by two screws.

Ya I know what what you're saying, but so far it's proven sturdy.
I've carried my laptop 3 times (nervous about that) on my 25mi commute and there are some rough roads. The cowl fits very tight on the seat (it's been re-upholstered), as a bonus I think that deadens the vibrations to the case a bit.
Nice as my Kreiga backpack is to carry, I am loving riding without it, as i gotsta carry shit.

I might get paranoid enough to add a strap over the cowl.

how does your tank bag stay? ou have a plastic tank but i see no straps

Straps - I keep em tucked under the frame, the rear strap us under the seat.
They stay out of sight when not in use.

When I was playing around with the idea for lockable storage on the monster before I sold it, I thought that using some of those metal lockable panniers that adv riders use would work well.  I was thinking up different ways to make it easily removeable if you have the right keys, but solid and secure to store your stuff in.  you'd probably have to run an exbox to make it work though.  The only hitch is that I can't seem to find where they sell the exbox anymore lol  [laugh]

oh and the system would secure to the frame underneath the seat with a removeable subframe that held the boxes together solidly.  the subframe would bolt/lock on top of the frame when the seat was off and then the seat would lock ontop of it.  I was just playing with the idea though so idk how well this would actually work  [cheeky]

Well, I finally got around to welding on the Givi brackets to my frame.  I bought the last known Givi F674 kit.   Then, I cut down the brackets that are supposed to be bolted/clamped to the frame and had them welded on.   Awesome, perfect for commuting and running errands.   I can lock stuff up and not worry about it.   I can even use the rack without the case since it's just a flat rack to mount anything else I want.   Whenever I don't need it, I just unbolt it with 4 hex bolts and the brackets are well hidden.   I will take apart this winter and powercoat it all.  I still have places where I grinded off unwanted brackets.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6144716128_1c4befa302_z.jpg)

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6144138429_394a31e34a_z.jpg)

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6090/6144685640_f2b781cae1_z.jpg)

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6061/6144135081_05d126bb4f_z.jpg)

The only small issue I have with it is the loss of some passenger seating area.  I 'll have to remove the case whenever I take a passenger, which is pretty infrequent anyway.

you could weld another bar or bolt another bar and remount it further back.

I was thinking that too but the rearmost mounting hole in the Givi arm limits how far back I can go.  Since I did the fender chop, I lost all that frame length.   If I didnt chop the tail, it could have mounted correctly with the right spacing.   But I'm happy with it now.  Visually, I probably would not like it hanging further back.  I like it tucked tight forward.  It looks nice and tidy.

i ghetto rigged a luggage rack, then bolted on a 75 liter case.  held up for a 10,000 mile trip with my wife leaning on the case the entire time.  

luggage rack was just tied to the grab handles.

wasn't very clean looking but it got the job done.

My time to ride the bike is mostly while doing local work related erranding (home depot/lowes, small tools) or with gf.  Either way luggage was a necessity.   First got the givi arms.  Then last week found a deal on a accessorized v46  on eBay.

Givi arms don't work with evotech tail chop, had to cut turn signal flanges, and will have to relocate seat key.
(http://gallery.mac.com/utekineir/100128/IMG_1446/web.jpg?ver=13155977690001)
(http://gallery.mac.com/utekineir/100128/IMG_1468/web.jpg?ver=13155977700001)

I kinda miss the milk crate.

Have been thinking about saddlebags but the useful lines look like they'd obstruct the passenger pegs.

Nice to see the Givi's on the Monsters. i planned to remove my topcase when I wasn't using it.
i think I've ridden twice without it - as I use my bike almost exclusively for commuting I have found
the case indispensable. The mount has held up perfect. My only regret  - that I didn't get a bigger case!

With a Givi system, you have the option of different cases.  I went with the monolock rather than the Monokey.   This way, I can get the smaller cheaper cases.   I have a 26 liter for commuting but I plan to get a 42 or so liter for touring.  I thought the 52 liter looked way too big on a monster.   I also have a 23 liter on my scoot.