This product is a great addition to my '94 VFR750F, especially for commuting to work. It is a fairly standard design with two main compartments (expands from 17 to 30 liters) and four smaller utility pouches. Where it really shines is in high quality construction and excellent attention to detail. For example, it comes complete with rain cover and detachable map case and the map case mounts either directly on top of the bag or to the rain cover (when installed). Mounting/dismounting is extremely quick. The nine magnets seem very secure; however, they do include a safety strap if you care to use it. The Nitrile fabric bottom panel was selected especially to protect the tank's finish and seems like it will be as good as anything. Color is black with red, blue, gray, or purple accents. The black with red is a great match for the '94/95 US model VFR750. Cost is, IMHO, a reasonable $149.95. The same bag (with a different name) is available with the strap/buckle type mounting system and neoprene pad for $10 less. Availability of the Elite bag (8/95) was extremely poor, so I bought directly from Eclipse since I live where they live, in Ann Arbor, MI, phone 800-666-1500. jim.wagner@ncms.org (Jim Wagner)
I have a 1994 Honda VFR750 now with 6000 miles on it. On a trip this summer from Corvallis Oregon to Hell's Cannon and back (1300 miles) I experienced a MAJOR malfunction with my VFR's ability to deliver the advertised 96+hp to the rear wheel. This happened as I was leaving Prineville Oregon headed to a friends house for the night. I had met my friend in town unloaded ALL my gear into her car and followed her to her house (clue #1). Back to what happened. When giving my bike Lots Of Throttle (LOT), specifically when the tach hit 7Krpm the bike did a nose dive and in fact almost stopped, kicked in again and repeated this behavior every time I gave it LOT (real confidence builder, so much for 0 to 60 in 3 seconds, I felt like Fred Flintstone, feet don't fail me now!). I was able to repeat this behavior at my destination that evening. With the bike on it's center stand reving the engine above now 9Krpm, yeah I know, not a great thing to do under no load, but anyway I noticed the exhaust gas was very dark/black, fuel rich. (clue #2). Called my local Honda guys in Corvallis and the only thing they could think of was maybe some water in the gas and when I hit the main jets that is when the water became an issue. Drained carbs and NO water to be found. Also my partner has never experienced any of the same symptoms. Kathy has a '91 VRF750 and most of the time we ride together and get gas at the same places at the same times.
The rest of our trip went fine. My bike performed flawlessly. Got home from the trip and unloaded all my gear, washed my bike (red herring) and took it for a spin. LOT = Zooooommmmmmblaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Again almost total loss of power to the rear wheel. This is not fun. Local Honda guys were still thinking water in the gas and were willing to check out my fuel system. I held off on their offer knowing all to well that the problem would not be there when I took in to their shop. A month later my partner Kathy took my bike for a ride by herself and after being gone for only a few minutes returned, muttering something about what a piece of junk MY bike was. Same story, no power to rear at LOT.
Many day trips in the 100 to 200 mile range. BTW... I don't carry any thing on my body, like a wallet, keys, checkbook, neck warmer, front disk lock, cell phone, maps, kitchen sink.... but they always go with me, well most of the time (any trip over a few miles). (clue #3)
Last week I headed over to the local Honda shop to talk about new tires for my bike, short trip less then a mile. Finished up there and headed home, LOT Zooooooooooooommmmmblaaaaaaaaaaah big time. Went around the block and headed back to the Honda shop. Stopped at a stop light, right hand turn onto a 4 lane 35mph street, didn't think it would take much to merge BUT some guy doing 70+ was comming up fast and I needed some speed. No panic just forgot why I was going to the Honda shop. LOT... Zoooommmblaaaah (again), lots of foot work trying to get out of this guys way, finally make it to the Honda shop a block away, jump off the bike, keys in hand and now I am upset. Toss the Honda guy the keys to my bike and tell him to grab his helmet. Off he goes... LOT ZooooommmmmBlaaaah.
Lots of head scratching... Honda guys still thinking water in the gas... Finally two days later I get a call from the Honda guys asking me to come to the Honda shop, the Honda guys have something to show me, they are telling me they have never seen anything like this before and Honda won't cover the problem under warranty.
I arrive at the Honda shop and they have my bike up on their lift (not very high) with the gas tank off. Honda guy hands me a flashlight and points and says "look straight down just in front of the air cleaner housing". Well now I know there is nothing wrong with my bike and there is nothing on/around or even close to my bike that doesn't belong there.
(What was trying to kill me?)
ANSWER:
It was the front mounting strap for my ECLIPSE tank bag. I had routed the strap under the spar arms right in back of the head set. The air cleaner nozzle bends down in this area and the strap for the tank bag (when the tank bag was off the bike) would flop around and sometimes (under heavy loads, lots of sucking) got sucked into the air intake. You never know what will get you. And I was worried about bambie.
FIX....
Route the tank bag strap OVER the mounting tangs on the fuel tank. Just make sure that if anyone else removes the fuel tank that they put the strap back in the correct position. krugp@osshe.edu (Philip A. Krug)
'94 VFR750 with RKA luggage
This bag is modeled after their 23 liter expandable tank bag. The bottom section is 12 liters and holds it's shape when empty. The top section expands another 10 liters and forms a separate section. The bottom section zipper goes 3/4ths of the way around the bag, but the top zipper is just shy of 1/2 way around. Build quality is excellent with lots of thoughtful details. This bag mounts via flat metal hooks that snug to the edge of your seat pan, so you can remove the seat while the bag stays attached. The removable shoulder strap is the perfect length to snugly circle the long way around the bag. The red is almost discreet on my red VFR. If you call RKA and specify that you are using the bag on a VFR, they move the rear mounts forward to avoid being in the gap for the passenger grab handles. The mounting system is sturdy, but I'd prefer that the straps run all the way across the bottom of the bag (they are attached to the seams, but the lifetime guarantee would cover repairs if they pulled out. I'd also prefer it if the expandable section could be used in some form of partially expanded fashion. I just received the matching tank bag and will report on it once real life allows me some time with the Very Foxy Ride. Expect to pay more than for something like the Eclipse Rumble Pack, but not having bungees or other mounting systems scratch the bodywork is very much worth it. RKA has virtually no inventory, but will begin any phone call with an estimated shipping date. They will bill your credit card about a month before the bag ships. My tailpack arrived 1-2 weeks early, and the tankbag shipped exactly on the day quoted. Lead time during the summer was 6-7 weeks. chris.schlieter@smc.com (Chris Schlieter)
Howdy! Richard Battles here, Owner of RKA. Thanks very much for including us in your website and the nice review. Just a couple of notations. 1: RKA not RKS as in start of article below. (Ed. typo fixed, article being referred to is Chris Schlieter's above) 2: We do not change anything on our luggage, we don't have to. I'm not sure where or why this comment was made. 3: We try real hard to beat all ship dates if at all possible!!! I will not lie to my customers to make a sale, and then have them pissed when the product does not arrive on time. Which is reflected in the review, thanks. 4: We consider every order a special order and charge the card as a full deposit on the order. (We also refund just as fast if a customer does not like our product) 5: Our lead in time has never gone over 30 days! And we hope to get that down real soon!! 6: Please link us up if you will, "RKA-Luggage.com" 7: If you have any questions please give me a call. (707) 579-5045 Motorcyclists making luggage for motorcyclists! 900SS/906 Paso/Transalp/DR650/83 Katana750(73,000) Thanks again for the nice review from Chris Schlieter. rka@rka-luggage.com (Richard Battles- Owner of RKA )
I have a red RKA SuperSport 16 liter tank bag on my 1995 VFR, and it works excellently. The three point mounting system is truly superior to the system used on most other bags with a strap around the steering head. The bag does not move around at all (my previous Eclipse bag, rated second to the RKA in the last review I saw, did move around on the bike), looks great, has nice protection for the bodywork, and seems very sturdy and well constructed. The feel of quality is excellent, far superior to most other cycling accessories I've seen. To mount the bag correctly you will need to remove fairing panels, as the two front straps go around the frame. Getting them around required removal of the middle fairing panels on my 95. (A simple three minute operation - don't be intimidated by this. I was, and found it was a lot simpler than I'd thought it would be.) However, the payoff it well worth it, in a bag which is truly securely mounted. If you are the sort who would worry about the nylon straps of a tank bag abrading your paint, I would recommend getting the Sherpa strap covers sold by RKA. Sherpa is a soft fleece like material, the same as used on the bottom of the bags, and the strap covers will prevent any possible abrasion of your paint by the straps. (Actually I'd recommend these strap covers for any non-magnetic bag.) Lastly, the customer service at RKA is outstanding - when I emailed that I was worried about the straps and my paint, Richard (the R in RKA) sent me the strap covers UPS the same day, with a note saying that I could send the $7.50 for the covers in the mail. I was also worried about getting the bag mounted correctly, and Richard told me to just ride up there and he would mount my bag on the bike for me! Such trust and support for customers is very rare these days, and to be valued when you find it. On the whole, an A+ for the product, and an A+ for the company. jwright@commsoft.com (Jim Wright)
The first bag I tried on my 95 VFR was a magnetic Lockhart. It fit pretty good, but I wasnt happy with the capacity, nor did it inspire great confidence that it could hang on when I foolishly ride at over 100mph. Then I bought a TourMaster bag. It is a typical 3 point mount, and is well planned and made. I cant remember the displacement (30 liters?), but it was the largest TM makes. Of all the bike goody catalogues I have, the cheapest was (?), but Dennis Kirk beat it by $1, which came to $86 after S&H. vfrman@ix.netcom.com (Bryan Landers)
I have a 99 vfr800 and purchased a Ocelot 24 liter tank bag made and sold by chapparal 800-841-2960 the purchase price was $ 39.00 new and looks just like the tour master has the 3 point strap on system and stays put at 150 plus. I have no complaints with this bag and would recomend it to anyone. they have many to choose from. Stkshooter@aol.com
I purchased the Motoport tankbag from their factory outlet center in Carlsbad, Ca. (southern ca if you're in the area) for $109.00. The people there were very friendly and informative. The bag has 8 magnets that keep the bag what seems as being very secure with no movement, but that is not the case. Because the bottom of the bag is made of rubber it scratched the tank a little. To fix this problem I had felt sewn on the bottom, but now if there is a fast cross wind the bag will shift on the tank(Motoport suggested to do this). The other annoyance with the bag is that the lower bag comes with a removeable plastic insert. This keeps the bag looking nice on the tank but gets in the way if you want to duck behind the windshield. Other than this the bag is well made and comes apart into three seperate pieces, magnetic base, smaller bag and a larger bag. This nice feature is that you can zip either the smaller or larger bag onto the base or all three together. Each bag also has a map compartment (quite handy) as well. You can order direct from them at 1-800-777-6499. mdl@nwintl.com (Mike Law)
I've finally added Givi luggage to my 97 VFR. I opted for the E21 Cruiser pannier cases (black) and E360 as a topcase. I personally felt this selection maintained a rather sporty look to the VFR. And the smaller E21 cases are easier to hand carry due to their smaller size yet hold everything I'd need for a day trip/commute. I often leave the toprack off (removeable via 4 bolts) and run with the panniers only. The E360 case is molded nicely and not as boxy looking as the large Maxia. I've found this case will hold 1 small helmet if not 2 and is great for multi-day trips. I mounted the luggage to the original Wingrack (as opposed to Wingrack-2) as this model, again, seems to fit the VFR lines better. rrapp@pop700.gsfc.nasa.gov (Robert Rapp)
I bought a 93 VFR new in Nov of 93. Since then, I have added a few accessories to enhance the touring qualities of this Honda. The most important addition, IMHO was a set of 45 Litre Givi hard saddlebags. These set me back about 600 bones, but are worth every penny. My significant other can take just about anything she wants when we go for an over-nighter or weekend trip. I took the advice of some of the Motorbike periodicals and added the center rack to stabilize the side racks. This is important, because without the center rack the bags tend to wobble at interstate speeds slightly. My fear was that the wobble would eventually fatigue the mounts and I would lose a bag on the road. Also, the center rack doubles as a place to put a bag when I need to get something from it. That way, I don't lose everything on the pavement when I open it. I can still fit my Marsee tailpack to the center rack and make the VFR a real "packhorse". Packing for a trip is a trip unto itself, and I recommend that when one packs a saddlebag or any motorbike luggage, put your stuff into a garbage bag first ( or into a shoulder bag which fits into your bike luggage). This keeps the rain out of my mind when I travel. I know that my clothes will be dry when I wish to change. I have traveled enough to know that all bags will leak to a certain extent. The Givis are said not to leak, and will each carry two full-face helmets. The helmet part is true, but they will leak a little, nothing significant. My girlfriend was the one with the idea of putting her clothes into a shoulder bag, and then into the saddlebag. Good idea! Keeps things tidy. The bags seem sturdy enough (I've had them 6 months), and I like the look when they're on the bike. Other size hard bags are available from Givi. There is a backrest that fits the center rack (I don't have that...yet). I don't have any pictures of my bike with the bags attached, but I can get some. The bike is in pretty bad shape after it lost an argument with an industrial-size riding lawnmower. Waiting for the insurance company to come through... rkaraff@emoryu1.cc.emory.edu (Robert Karaffa)
I just bought a second hand '93 VFR with 22.000 km (13.750 miles) on the clock. I traded in my '91 CBR 600F2 with 78.000 km on it because my girlfriend and I plan to do some touring. As a consequence I decided that it was time for some hard luggage. I've always liked the Givi system and went for the Givi Wingrack, two Monokey 40 litre bags and a 35 litre topbox, which set me back about $1.000 (motorcycle stuff is sooo expensive in Denmark!). Installation was done by the dealer, which says it takes about 3 hours and is a "minor pain". The bags are a click-on system and the Wingrack itself can be removed by undoing 4 bolts. I also bought a set of soft Givi nylon bags which fit inside the hard bags and a backrest for the topbox (my girlfriend loves that). I found that the bags leaves too little room for the pillions feet and made a set of stainless steel removable "peg extenders" which move the pillions pegs about 100mm down and forward (not shown on pictures). The bags feel very secure on the bike and I like the quality and look of the Givi bags. So far I have been very pleased with my choice, but the real test will be our summer tour of Italy. (Ken Friis Hansen - kfh@post6.tele.dk)
'93 green VFR with Givi bags (2 Monokey 40L saddle bags and a 35L topbox) installed.
'93 green VFR with Givi wingrack installed.
I have a Honda 2001 VFR Motorcycle and I put in a full touring GIVI windshield. I found it pushed the pressure to the neck area verses the chest. It is less tiring. I found it to be very stable at all speeds. You can travel at SPEED and not realize how fast you are going for the Honda 2001 VFR Motorcycle is so stable and slightly rough roads do not faze it my buddy in the BUSA was very uncomfortable on the same road.
I have a Honda 2001 VFR Motorcycle and I put on GIVI hard case bag(s) 3 bag setup. I was told to keep it at low speed by the grape vine but I found that with a 38litre on the side and a 52 on the back it is very stable at SPEED. I do not notice much in handling changes other than it feels more stable when you are touring for the added iron frame in the back. I have not had to change the suspension settings, and I push 230 lbs. It is nice to put extra clothes, and drinks and food and a cover for the motorcycle in the bags. I love being able to lock things up. As for gas mileage I have over 22,000 on my Honda 2001 VFR Motorcycle and I am getting around 40-50 mpg on regular gas.
One added benefit is the front end slid out when I hit a flood of water when the city did not fix a broken main. The bags keep the motorcycle off of you, so you just slide out from under it and lift it up. It is easier to lift since it is not all the way over. The bags are quite sturdy and were not hurt by the fall at all. (Nick Zarras - nsd98@earthlink.net)
When looking into hard luggage I decided on a system offered by Hepco&Becker. My main requirement was something less obtrusive than the Givi Wingrack system. The bags/rack are very similar to older BMW hardbags. Black bags mounted to a black rectangular rack . They are the standard bags offered on an MZ tourer. The system is very well made. The bags are located lower and closer to the bike than the Givi sys. They have a rear shelf that is easily removed with 4 bolts, but the side frames are semi-permanent. The rear/side plastic needs to be removed. Installation was easy because there are already threaded holes on the VFR's subframe that are used as mounting points. The only issues I had was first getting them. I had to order them from M&P Acc in England because the US importer for H&B told me he didn't get the rights to Japanese bikes, then said goodby. So the bags you can get here, because MZ uses them, just not the rack sys. M&P were great initial contact was by e-mail then I called and used a credit card. Total cost was right at $600 including shipping/exchange rate. The bags are DEFINATELY waterproof as long as you don't overstuff them too much. I got the 40L ones, they also offer 30L. Also the instructions were in German but had good pictures. I highly recommend them. Sorry but I can't locate the part #'s Any questions just e-mail me @ jon_sutton@millipore.com
'95 VFR with Hepco-Becker bag frame installed
'95 VFR with Hepco-Becker bags installed (front)
'95 VFR with Hepco-Becker bags installed (rear)
I ordered a set of Hepco-Bekker bags from Moto-International in January, 2000. During the 6 months I have had them, they have proven to be nothing short of excellent. In order to obtain them, I was reduced to contacting Dave Richardson of Moto International in Seattle(206-297-3822)[MOTOINTL@aol.com]. He was extremely helpful; the kind of guy you want spending your cash if you allow anyone to spend your cash. I settled on a set of 30 litre bags as I figured they fit in best with the image of the VFR as a sports tourer(get the 40 litres if you only plan on spending your money once! Don't think about it. Dave tried to warn me. That said, there is nothing wrong with the thirty litres, you'll simply want more space every time you pack.). He ordered them from his sources in Europe, and I had them within a month(there is no direct importer unless you really want to waste your cash). Even though the instructions were printed in German, a bit of study while drinking a Guiness made all clear. In truth, a small bit of pushing was required, however the parts fit to my '97 VFR as if they had been made by Honda. All hardware neccessary was included. The Hepco bags utilize a unikey system not unlike that of a quality(THULE) mountain bike rack. That has been my biggest complaint. One of the cylinder locks must be closely watched, lest it fall out of its place when unlocked. When locked, everything is completely secure. One key undoes the bags from the bike; the same key undoes the individual bag locks as well. The bags themselves are secure at ALL speeds; the only complaint being that if your wife/passenger decides to use the bag handles as passenger hand rests, you cannot see what is behind you in your mirrors. This system has made my VFR totally practical! My wife has even found knicknacks we could secure while she shopped. It is definitely a relief not having to stress your renter's insurance every time you stop somewhere. In addition, it encouraged my wife and my brother to wear their gear every place we traveled to since I could secure their jackets. The bottom line is that the Hepco-Bekker Bags are a damn sight better looking than any GIVI system I've seen, they don't block your signals like the GIVI's and they are very well made. Would I buy them again?: Yes! Would I buy the 40's over the 30's: Yes! Hey; when you are 900 miles from home on a VFR, I don't care what your suspension mods do...the gear you can carry through the turns is what counts... (Sudmeyer - sudmeyer@gosiggy.com)
Baglux tank cover and tank bag sets (from M&P in the UK, + 1792 775566) are excellent. The cover looks as though it should stand-out a lot on the bike (red VFR, black cover) but it blends so well with the seat that when I saw my bike pictured in a P&O Ferry offer advert in the UK BIKE magazine recently, I didn't even notice that the cover was on. I use a 2 part Omega bag, which is made up of zip together 25 and 12 litre bags. Both have map windows in the top, the 12 is great for day use, the 25 is ample for a couple of days away, and the two of them can be fastened together for total overkill. Be warned, I am 6'2" tall and I can see the speedo only between about 90 and 120 mph with both bags on the bike (honest officer). They are totally stable under any conditions that I have ever thrown at them. Andi_Picker@reading.sterling.com (Andi Picker)
Another excellent piece of luggage is the Moto Fizz Variable Seat Bag $90 from MPS in the UK (+ 1626 835835)). This is an expanding pillion pack, 23 to 33 to 41 litres. Only problem here is that it doesn' sit too well on the seat hump on a VFR because of the curve. Best answer was to pursuade my wife to buy a CBR600 with a flat rear seat cover, then buy her the bag as an xmas pressie. Andi_Picker@reading.sterling.com (Andi Picker)
Wanting to use my bike for work and play, I opted for Oxford sports panniers. These are very well made, reasonably showerproof and can be installed and removed in seconds. It is really useful that two of the plastic tie lugs on the panniers line up with the two luggage clips on the bike, meaning that I don't have to use any bungees or clips (and I carry a portable pc and a soft briefcase, so need to be sure!). Also, after over 1000 miles the luggage has not marked the paintwork. nhoward@interclear.co.uk (Nick Howard)
I just got a tailocker for my 96 vfr and it has to be the best add on so far. I was tired of not being able to fit anything under the seat and carrying a tank bag is not always an option. If you need more storage this is for you. The Tailocker also makes the back end look good by eliminating the large rear fender enhancing the already good appearance of the bike. Chris Kelly (ckelly01@fast.net)
On my last bike ('86 Yamaha FJ1200) I had a set of Givi bags which looked OK on the FJ and worked extremely well. I couldn't bring myself to hang those big ugly bags off the side of the '96 VFR, though, and began looking for an alternative. The Ventura Bike Rack looks like a sissy bar, i.e. stupid, without the luggage installed, but it comes off easily, leaving just a couple of tubes just below and to the side of the seat. If you don't like the tubes sitting there nekkid, you can get a smaller rack or a passenger handrail to make it look finished; I chose the latter. Installation is dead simple: Just four bolts which replace the stock handholds at the back and the cowling fastener/bungee cord hooks at the front. Two bags are available: A 45-liter, which I got, and a smaller one, 32 liters I think. So far I've used it on six weekend trips and, along with a standard Eclipse tank, had room to spare. Good stuff, about $300 total from Sport Touring Accessories in North Carolina. Ventura has a web site, www.ventura-bike.com, which describes the system and includes pictures of a VFR800 with the rack and luggage installed. (Steve Wassenich - Stephen.Wassenich@wpafb.af.mil)
I looked at lots of luggage for my VFR (2000 model) and eventually fitted the Ventura Europack.
I have just been on a 2500 mile round trip to Spain and back through the Pyrenees (from England that is) and am absolutely delighted with it. It can't scratch the bike and is really quick to put on and off the bike (no more than 10 seconds!). It also turns into a rucksack when you take it off the bike.
It does not seem to affect the handling of the bike at higher motorway speeds. I had an indicated 160 mph on the Autoroute and there was no unusual turbulence. In fact I'd go further and say that during the whole trip I didn't really notice that it was there. The luggage can fit either on the passenger seat when you are on your own or can be turned round to sit on a small rear rack if you have a pillion, which was very handy because three of us made the trip and my mate with the ZX12 (seen in the enclosed picture also with Ventura) stacked his bike so we needed to get him to our hotel and then to the airport. I managed to safely get all three bike's luggage on my VFR, One Ventura bag on the pillion, one on the rear rack and my other mates bag bungeed to the top of both. The ZX12 rider then got a lift on the back of the Blade. I don't think that we could have done it with any other system.
The Ventura web site has got good pictures of the luggage fitted to a VFR (and other bikes) and is www.vertura-bike.com.
The down side is that it is quite expensive considering how simple it is but I wouldn't use anything else now. (Keith Phillips - mail@keithphillips.com)
They took about 8 weeks for delivery but were worth the wait. Perfectly painted and matched to the VFR. Installation was easy taking about 2 hours. If I had to do it a second time it would take 30 minutes. There is a little less room than my RKA soft bags which they replaced but they look a hundred times better and they lock. I had them out in the rain for over an hour at highway speed and noted no significant leakage.
I hit a patch of oil on a highway on ramp and went down. My speed was about 15 to 20 MPH. The Corbin bag took it all. There was only some wear at the end of the hand grip but no other damage. If the foot peg had not jabbed into my foot I would have emerged unscathed. The bag did not crack. There is a 1x 10 inch gash on its side. My local auto body shop will repair it for $90. If the hard bag was not on I would be looking at a huge repair bill and possible injury. I highly recommend locking hard bags as I think they are worth the expense and perhaps for their added protection. (Lou Bell - Loubell@ pol.net)
Finally Honda makes hard bags an option on the sporty Interceptor. The instructions could use a few digital photos vs. stick figure drawings. This is an intelligence test and find a 12mm drill bit before attempting install. Purchase pipes along with bags and save a couple hours of your time. The bags are easier than a ST 4 Duc to remove and openings are a snap. ( James Hicks - flatsslam2@aol.com)