New Honda tail bag weight limit.

I just installed the Honda touring trunk yesterday. I bought it so when I ride two up there is storage for two helmets and jackets while off the bike. We tested it today and she liked being able to lean back and felt more secure. It was nice being able to walk around without carrying our jackets.

I bought the bike with the side cases installed so I just had to remove the grab handles and install the new bracket. I did not reuse the rubber spacers that were under the grab handles, was this right?

On the not so funny at the time side I spent two hours (or was it three) looking for a small collar that had fallen from the right side bolt location. I thought it had rolled towards the front of the bike. After cleaning out the garage, taking off the right side fairing and looking in every nook and cranny in the bike I could see, my girlfriend came out for a second look (I did not want her in the garage while I was cussing and asking God why he hated me so much) and found it on the passenger peg. Stop laughing, it won't be funny for a least another week.

Now we are back in business and installing it took less than an hour. Since the side bag rack had been previously installed I considered loosening all the bolts and installing the top bracket as recommended by several of you. After taking of the grab handles the holes did not line up but I tried installing the new bracket without loosening the side bracket anyway. It worked out okay. I put in one bolt at a time and looking through the other hole to line it up by pulling in the side brackets. It helped to have two sets of hands and a flashlight.

So other than the time lost looking for the missing spacer the install was not that bad. Here is the rub and where I need your experience with the bag. The paperwork with the mounting bracket indicates that the maximum weight capacity on the rear bracket is 9 kg or 19.8 pounds including the tail bag and cargo. The tail bag is 5 kg or 11 pounds leaving 4kg/8.8lbs for cargo. Does this sound ridiculous to anyone else?

I suspect the factor of safety is at least 100% but just to be safe I have to ask if anyone has had any issues with filling it full of stuff for long trips? Can I put a small duffel in it for a week at the beach? Is it safe for a passenger to lean back against while riding? Thank you for your help past and present and yes my girlfriend deserves someone smarter or at least with better eyes than I.

 

ound: LMAO!!!! WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!?!?!?!?!?!



These are the HARD PLASTIC CASES right and not "BAGS?"

As far as the weight capacity goes... I think that is more to do with the how the case mounts to the bracket. Pictures? If it's similar to my Givi E460 there are two pegs and a locking clip. I don't think you'd have a problem with a duffle full of clothes and what not. I think mine are rated at 22lbs? IIRC I'll tell you that my top case is rated to a 24pk case of beer and two six packs of bottles lol...

 

Yes, this is the Honda hard case. It is actually the mounting bracket or rear carrier as it is called on the directions that lists the capacity. The case did not have a limit. The bolts connecting the bracket to the bike must not have much to thread into. Though I can't imagine having handles on the back of a bike that can't take much weight. Maybe the fulcrum affect of the loaded bracket makes the difference.

BTW how much does a 24pk case of beer and two six packs of bottles weigh?

 

lets see...

36 twelve-ounce beers = 432 ounces

128 ounces to a gallon

432 ounces/128 ounces = 3.375 Gallons

For approximations water is about 8.35 lbs per US Gallon so...

3.375 Gallons * 8.35lbs =28.18 lbs plus the weight of the cans/bottles



Reminds me of when we used to smuggle booze into the dorms that were dry before we were 21 lol...used an acoustic guitar gig bag to smuggle a 24 pk, 12pk, 6pk, and five 1/5ths of liquor in. It weighed a ton a to say the least...and yes it looked funny leaning to one side carrying that damn thing lol.

 

I dont have the OEM Honda Topcase, I have the SW Motech topcase rack with a Givi box, and the rack had a weight limit of about 18lbs, which I know I have had way more than that in there. You should be ok with about anything you can load into your case, except of course cement or cinderblocks.

 

That pretty much confirms my guess that there is a 100% factor of safety built in. It is water tight as well so you should not lose a drop even if a bottle breaks. For that matter get rid of the bottles and cans and add a few more ounces of bear.

Anyone ever experience an overload failure on the factory bags? I'm guessing not. I can't imagine A Honda that poorly designed.

 

Stupid Question: Are the short collars needed when the top mounting bracket is installed over the Hondaline side case stays?

 

No...

The side case stays contact the rear subframe, and the top box mount contacts the side case frames. The rubber moulding on the top box mount covers the sidecase mounts.

 

Thanks! The top mounting bracket looked and felt like it was a good fit but was worried because wcsjr1 mentioned hunting a small collar and the instructions I got noted short collars "for pannier stays"...

 

I think you are right - the OEM carrier frame should easily be capable of carrying the normal hard luggage touring kit stuffed full of clothes and camping gear etc. However I doubt it would be OK if you filled the luggage with gold bars. Obviously if you are not using the OEM carrier frame then you really need to heed any warnings by the manufacturer.

However its easy to overlook the (195kg) maximum weight capacity of the bike - eg the all up weight of the rider, pillion, luggage and anything else you've stuck on the bike..

My full OEM hard luggage kit weighs 32.5kg empty (2x35ltr panniers and 1 x 45lts topbox). Which leaves just 160kg for the rider, pillion and any gear carried in the panniers - which is very limiting if you intend to carry a pillion.

According to the US National Center for Health Statistics, the average weight for an adult male in the United States is around 189.8 pounds/86kg. So if my maths are right you would actually have to dump most of the hard luggage from the bike just to carry two average weight men on a VFR.

 

anyone have the coocase they look sweet???