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Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: Kocho on June 12, 2016, 09:01:25 AM
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Does anyone know if the M5 plate can mount on the Zero top case rack for the S/DS/R models? I know the universal adaptor plate works. I wonder if the M5 would work too. Some drilling or minor mods should not be an issue. Anyone tried it? I'm getting a used Givi box that comes with the M5 plate and was wondering if I can make it work on the Zero. I could try to sell the M5 plate and get a universal one, if it does not work...
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It may. Try it. If not the standard monokey plate can be found for around 20 USD and come with the majority of monokey GIVI
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Where have you seen it for $20? Best I see has been $50-ish...
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I just got the universal one from www.compacc.com (http://www.compacc.com) for over $50. Wondering where someone saw anything compatiable under $40.
Its for the trekker case (monokey)
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I guess no one has tried an M5 plate on the Zero? I will try it pretty soon - my rack is at the dealer waiting for me, and I got the box and plate at home. The M5 plate only has 4 holes for securing to a rack, so unless they happen to fit the dimensions of the Zero rack, it will need some additional metal plates and some drilling (which is possible and not difficult to do). Will see soon enough, I suppose...
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The Givi M5 does not fit the Zero factory rack. The rear can be fit by drilling a pair of new holes on the rack. But the front is too wide. However, I think I'll make it fit the front too, using and added metal plate. Will mount the plate to the rack and mount the M5 to it. Instead of a big sheet of metal that covers all 4 holes, I will try to use a narrower strip in the front. In the rear, I'll use a pair of washers to level it with the front where I will have the metal strip. I will do a quick prototype in the next few days with a 3mm aluminum plate, which I happen to have lying around in my garage. I already have some short metric screws that I think will be perfect to hold that plate in place when paired with some nylon lock washers. I'll use a countersink drill bit and a drill press to make them flush with the plate. It will be a little project that, for about $4 in hardware and some scrap metal should let me reuse the M5 rather than spend $60+ on a universal plate. The M5 I think looks better and feels sturdier than the universal.
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I made some simple adapter plates to install the Givi M5 plate on the Zero factory rack. Just need to buy some stainless steel nuts and washers this afternoon and the install will be complete. Pretty simple to make.
I'll post some photos and a quick write-up after I am done. I used aluminum plates of somewhat smaller dimensions than ideal, so not 100% sure if it will be strong enough to support the monstrous 55L Givi case with some load in it. Will see soon enough. Ideally, one would use a full plate instead of two strips like I did, but it seems sturdy enough that I hope it will work fine. And if it isn't strong enough, at worst it will bend, but should not fail catastrophically.
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I made some simple adapter plates to install the Givi M5 plate on the Zero factory rack. Just need to buy some stainless steel nuts and washers this afternoon and the install will be complete. Pretty simple to make.
I'll post some photos and a quick write-up after I am done. I used aluminum plates of somewhat smaller dimensions than ideal, so not 100% sure if it will be strong enough to support the monstrous 55L Givi case with some load in it. Will see soon enough. Ideally, one would use a full plate instead of two strips like I did, but it seems sturdy enough that I hope it will work fine. And if it isn't strong enough, at worst it will bend, but should not fail catastrophically.
I look forward to seeing your setup when you finish
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
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All set. Here are some photos. I think it is self-explanatory what I did. I have a drill press and a 90 degree countersink drill bit, so I made the bolts that hold the plates to the Zero factory rack flush. I think there is space under the M5 (it is a honey-comb plastic, not solid) to position it so that you don't have to countersink the heads, but this is a cleaner install.
Materials:
- 1/8" thick aluminum bar, 36" x2" from Home Depot. Approx. $11
- 4x stainless steel washers, and M6 metric screws and nylon lock nuts. Approx. $8
The aluminum is easy to cut with a jigsaw. Can be cut pretty easy by had with a hacksaw too. All holes are done with 6mm metric drill bit.
This case is 55L, and easily holds my two flip-up size L helmets side by side. Comes with a wireless remote too :) and wiring for the lights (but I would need to do the wiring some other time - right now I've installed just the case.
Have not ridden it yet, so not sure how the bike will feel. Getting my leg over the seat with that case might be interesting and a second person might have to climb over the seat instead of swing a leg over the tail.
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Last photo.
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Nice work and photos! That suits the Zero rack much better than the generic square plate, and leaves room to take the seat off. (I've sanded the lower edge of my Givi adapter to avoid marring the seat as I remove it.)
The way the plates are arranged might make it more susceptible to strain under high load. I suppose if this could be done with a single plate, it'd be stronger, but also less overhang somehow would be a good idea. I can't criticize, though! The result looks sound overall.
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It feels strong enough. I could have used steel bars instead of aluminum, but I aluminum is much lighter and easier to work with. The overhang is not that much, actually. I could have placed it more forward, but it would have taken seat space and I sometimes have a passenger. 3" wide bars would be stronger, but could not find that size locally.
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Quick update. I am quite happy with the result. The case is big, but I probably would not want it any smaller - fits my helmet and my jacket easily when I get off the bike. Also fits 50lb of cat litter (two large bags), of course, not at the same time as the helmet and jacket ;). I would not ride log distances with 50lb in it, but seemed fine for the local shopping trip. There is more flex is in the bottom of the Maxia 55 case itself - the M5 mount and my plates conversion feel solid.
As for impact on riding with the case, it is very minimal. If it is not heavily loaded. I can feel it is behind me due to side winds and because it does make some rattling noises as most cases do. When loaded with something more than 10-15lb I can feel the weight more. When lightly loaded the weight is not a huge factor, but I can still tell it is there. With 50lb, yes it is quite noticeable ;)
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Very nice mod. I wish I had your brackets and the M5 plate instead of the over-kill universal plate. Your M5 plate install seems to interfere less with the pillion grab bars than the universal plate (as installed in the position most people seem to think it should go). I'm happy with the 47L case but you (and others) keep going on about the 55L Maxia ;D
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The Maxia case is awesome. Also, it's very rare to wish for a smaller top case once you have one. Capacity makes more errands easier which means more value from riding the bike.
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We should measure the top rack hole pattern exactly (~0.5mm accuracy) for a fabrication how to. I'll try this soon. I'm at DefCon right now where vehicle hacking happens to be a track but mostly for cars. I'll have time later this week if no one else beats me to it.
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I have the Givi box from Zero but I had been thinking about upgrading to the larger Maxia box. I was worried the Maxia would look absurdly large and awkward installed on the Zero but it looks pretty good to me seeing it installed on your bike. Without the bike sitting next to another bike with the box from Zero I have a hard time even being able to tell it's bigger... until I see two helmets inside! I'm gonna have to give this another look. Thanks for posting @Kocho!
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
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A quick follow-up. The adapter plates I installed seem to be working very well and are strong. My bike was dropped on concrete (when parked) three times already, with the huge GIVI Maxia top case mounted, which completely protected the rear of the bike from sustaining any damage (can't say the same for the brake levers and the bar end and mirrors). I do have some scratches on the case, but the adapter plates are solid. Why dropping so much you ask? My daughter backed into my bike with the car coming our of the garage, then I did it a few weeks later, and I dropped the bike once when I thought the kickstand was down but it was not and I was in a hurry to get off it being late for work (in this last instance, the fact that I had loaded the top case with maybe 15lb of stuff helped me lose balance and made the bike top-heavier than usual).
As for "feel" with the large case mounted - I do feel cross winds and turbulence from traffic on the highway more with the case on vs. with the case off. Not a huge deal, but noticeable nevertheless...
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...Why dropping so much you ask?
It happens. I'm up to 6 tip-overs now, most recently parked on a sidewalk and trying to roll down a curb right-handed I grabbed the brake with the handle bar by mistake. Not a scratch on it; the Givi case, footpeg, and handlebar guards were all the contact points at the ground.
Good to hear the brackets are stable and strong.
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My daughter backed into my bike with the car coming our of the garage, then I did it a few weeks later,
That's a humbling experience :-\
My givi top box and mount also reduced damage to the bike when I lowsided it in a round-a-bout.