Project topbox, too much like a pizza delivery boy?

[NightRyder]

There it is. Now the question is, Does that look too stupid?


I modeled out the rear end to figure out dimentions and so forth. Then I tossed in some wheels and added in the rest in 30 seconds.. yea, it's not the greatest.

What do you think? Super pratical, but ugly as well. Anyone have any ideas how to make it better? I want a top box and not side boxes because a) it's all in one place b) it keeps the width of the bike c) Easier to make/ mount/ remove. Negatives a) makes things top heavy [may weigh 20+ lbs] b) big, when backing up, hard to see around c) looks funky. I think if i can get over the funky looks (or fix the looks) I can deal with the other problems.

Lend me your thoughts.

[ukchickenlover]

What do you want to carry? You could use a smaller topbox and use a tank bag as well to balance out the weight.

[Codger]

I had a Home Depot orange toolbox bolted to the rack of my DRZ.
Ugly as can be, but worked quite well.

[hmmmnz]

if you are making the box your self you could angle it back a bit put on some padding, and it would be like riding a lounge chair. 

[runsilent]

When I looked at your box and then noticed you are in Seattle, I couldn't help but laugh a bit.  Might work in Southern California, but you better put a lid on it or drill some big drain holes in the bottom for rainy Seattle.

Here's what I would call practical:



It's been to the top of the Smoky Mtns when the rain was so heavy you couldn't see a freshly painted centerline and it never leaked a drop.   

[Blueknyt]

made my own 6pack rack (harley term) for the rear and bungied a Cumberland farms Milk crate to it, worked fine, and was able to carry 50lbs in it no sweat just take off slow. and when its empty, the wind travels threw it so you dont feel alot of drag.

[RVertigo]

You could build something...  But, unless you're a top-notch fabricator, it's gonna look ghetto...  And like runsilent said...  No lid?  And, like his top case, the only time mine has water inside is when I throw a bottle back there.

[galahs]

Sorry, as an Industrial Designer,  to the quick and nasty CAD drawing! Gets your point across in a way words alone can't. Love it! Especially the pipe work.


Sorry peoples for hijacking the thread. 

[NightRyder]

Sorry, as an Industrial Designer,  to the quick and nasty CAD drawing! Gets your point across in a way words alone can't. Love it! Especially the pipe work.

Thanks galahs.

As for leaking, yea, I didn't do a lid, but was planning on it. With a rubber gasket and lock too.

if you are making the box your self you could angle it back a bit put on some padding, and it would be like riding a lounge chair.  Thumbsup

Well, I have an 89 with clipons, I think to use a back rest, It would have to lean forward..

What do you want to carry? You could use a smaller topbox and use a tank bag as well to balance out the weight.

I wanted to store my riding gear in it when I went places; like school. And carry my backpack on the way. I calculated my gear (minus boots) takes up 45 liters and the helmet needs 28. I got that by measuring a duffel bag that I stuffed my gear into. This box was going to be within the dimensions of 18" wide, 12" high and 24" long. That makes about 81 litters. I was thinking of angling the corners and maybe the back underside upwards. I was going to use rivets to stick it together, along with JB weld to make it water tight.

Another problem I thought of was; people behind me not being able to see my brake light. I think the box would hang 8" over the back. I might make up a cardboard version in a few and see how that works. I'll try to take some shots too.

[NightRyder]

Ok, I did it. Cardboard version here.

I'm thinking that if anything, making it so the tail light shows is #1.

My box was only 9 inches tall, so i painted it in at about the 12" spot.

[Kasumi]

Looks pizza delivery to me but hell, if they can pull the delivery boy look off - you can pull the school kid look  . Alternativly do what GIVI do on their large cases and mount a rear brake light on the end of the box which will hook up to the current brake light system via a simple click together connector. Should work fine an be cheap enough.

[galahs]

Now your doing Basic Prototypes! You want a job? 

[CirclesCenter]

Alrighty boss, as I do not have a modeling program I can't show you what I'm thinking, but assuming we're not stuck on the box shape let work with this. (If any knows of some free cad tools for the love of god email me.)

Alrighty, have it start at the rear plastic. Have it flow up into an arch. Kinda like the passenger (pillion) seat cover on a Busa. http://www.dhost.info/hayabusa/hayabusa.jpg Except bigger. Alternatively don't have it narrow towards the top, have it expand.

http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=boxoverlay3fv.jpg

Those green lines represent a few ideas I came up with at first glance. I highly reccomend more visibility on you rear lamp. SUV drivers would NEVER see it how it is.

[NightRyder]

Kasumi: Yay, someone thinks it might work... school kid look o_O? My idea of a school boy does not include a motorcycle.. but then new ideas are created all the time. The idea with a plugin-extra tail light is a good idea. I might look into two 4" round led sets.. Ha. I bet that would get their attention. (jk.. or am I?)

Galahs: !!? Yes, sign me up!

CirclesCenter: Sweet, now I'm boss. Oh, check out http://www.freebyte.com/cad/cad.htm (thank google) [I don't know which is the best, but I would say try Rhino, because I'm familiar with it]. So, no i'm not stuck on the box shape. It just happens to be easy to make. That idea you have is really sweet, but I don't know how I would go about making something like that. Maybe instead of curves, it could be a few angles. Like a hexagon or something, maybe more. The whole idea was metal/protection from thieves/rain, fit all my stuff in it, and build it myself. I can't tell very well how big you'r version is; thus, I wonder if it's big enough. Oh, I can't weld. Though, I can bend sheet metal. I can buy huge sheets of aluminum. I can also design so that it uses almost all bends, and few glue/riveted seams.

I finally got the mounting figured out. I'll post a pic in several hours when I get home. Basicly it's an arch behind the seat, and two 1"x1" square pipes createing a platform off the rear. The 'box' will span the two and be self-strengthened; so it doesn't need a rack, but just some points to sit on. I don't know if that makes sense, but I think the picture will help. Anticipate it! 

[NightRyder]

Edit: here is what it looks like without all the junk in the way..


Ta-da!

At the point [A] in the second picture, I was planning on using some scrap metal to bridge the gap.

Edit2: I wanted it to be able to come off and still use the 2nd seat. Now I even have a cool grab bar there.. I don't know about the box, but I think this has the potential to be a finalist in the mounting category.

[sledge]

Isnt the headlamp on back-to-front?? 

[NightRyder]

Ha! It's a custom sphere headlight. Focuses light everywhere so you can see better... ... yea

[CirclesCenter]

Whoa, settle down there photoshop/cad boy! Dang, you could probably LIFT THE BIKE by that mount

What are you planning on carrying in there? that could give me a better idea of reccomendations to give.

[gsmetal]

I don't want to rain on your parade because it looks like you put a lot of work into this...BUT...

...that really looks stupid on the bike.

It's up to some people to tell other people that their fly is open, they have a snot stuckk on their nose, or shaving cream behind their ear.

Sorry to tell you it looks dumb but it really does.

[NightRyder]

CirclesCenter: Oh, so that is a bit overkill? I didn't want it falling off or anything.. Plus it seemed to be easy to make. Er, I was planning on; carrying my backpack, or storing my gear & helmet or, maybe if it's the right dimensions my computer.

gsmetal: No problems. If I didn't want input, I wouldn't have put it online. It does look dumb, doesn't it. Do you have any suggestions then? (other then forgettaboutit)