Modern Vespa

I'm noticing right now the negative of my 3/4 in the am commute. Temps are below 60 degrees and it FOGS up like crazy. Gotta have it one click up from fully locked down and the wind flow makes my face cold. Over on Modern Buddy someone just posted up Turtle Fur as an option I'll be looking into until I can also get my full face for winter:

http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?item=PAR_101-101

I might get this one or the ski mask off to the right for $5 more.

Not to hijack this thread, but I have that shellaclava and wear it under my FF every day. Keeps the helmet liner clean and my neck protected from the draft (for some reason, I'm very sensitive there). I've got over 10K miles on it now and it is still like after washing it the first time. Was it $14 or $19? I don't remember. Got it at my local Cycle Gear.

PS: On days when I wear the HH, I still use the shellaclava, just fold the head part down and wear it around my neck only.

Here area few questions for you, Bob. I know that generally the Givi cases have a plate that mounts semi-permanently to the rear rack of a bike. Do you generally leave this on all the time? Is it a complicated attachment system? If you were to take it off, do you think the mounting hardware would have scratched up the chrome beneath?

Sorry about all the questions, but I love the idea of having a large, detachable case on the back of the scoot, making weekend trips on the bike that much easier. But, for the rest of the time, I don't want to ride the scoot every day with the big mounting plate on the back..

Thanks in advance for any insight!

~Drew

Drew,

Yes I leave the mounting plate on all of the time. It's not a complicated attachment system, 4 Screws, nuts, washers, and angle brackets. It would be a huge pain the butt to constantly take them on and off. I don't think the chrome is getting scratched up too bad but probably a little bit. The mounting plate comes with a flat piece of plastic that covers all of the mounting hardware so all you see is a nice flat black plate. Still very functional for carrying something else rather than the top case. Let me know if you need any more info.

- Bob

if you do not want to scratch the chrome with the angle brackets just put some plastic adhesive tape (electrical tape will do) onto the contact spots.

Just got back from the Vespa shop and have the Givi Top case. Heading to a movie with the wife, but will post pics and installation later today.

The riding gear is Nerve, I rode in it today and liked the feel of the jacket and pants on the road.

Givi seems to be the consensus third party choice.

They're spacious and have plenty of room. I've been thinking about getting a top-case for my GTS.

I like the lines better without a top-case, to be honest, but I'm not really confident that my bungee net is adequate security for my brief-case.

As noted above, the soft duffle shape bag (from S/X, IIRC) seems a better match to the style, but it isn't all that secure.

Two ideas come to mind.

One: Maybe a hard plastic ABS case from one of the cruiser catalogues could be disguised in leather or canvass to have the right scooter look, but with an actual key and lock, so it just looks like a soft case. There may be something in the metric cruiser catalogues suitable for this sort of tailoring... but would it be big enough?

Two: Go for a complete contrast and not try to mimic the lines of the bike or fit some sort of retro motif. Instead, a hard aluminium case, something rectangular, but with nicely radiused corners. It would look like a big deep designer alumium briefcase. It might involve modifying actual luggage or equipment case for rear mounting, as I haven't seen anything out there that matches this idea. The closest thing are those BMW industrial looking adventure boxes, but they're a tad too rough and tumble looking.

Maybe something like this?
http://www.touratech-usa.com/shop/show.lasso?SKU=050-0040&-session=touratech:84067E11DF90A613347BE874729AC9BD


with the universal bracket:
http://www.touratech-usa.com/shop/media2/01-053-0050-0_kit1.jpg?-session=touratech:84067E11DF90A613347BE874729AC9BD[/img]

Kind of like a milk crate on steroids look. Cool. Maybe something of a zero-haliburton attache look is in order, just bigger?

I got the top case and was going to do some install pics, but it's four bolts! Even I could install it! You do need the Vespa adapter kit for the GT.

I thought the case might be a little large for the scooter, but I'm OK with the lines. I like the lower profile compared to the Vespa case and width is not over the top.

The black on grey looks better than I was expecting.

I saw one of those Maxia cases in the flesh on Friday. Man, those things are gigantic! I can't see myself getting something that big, because I think that if I ran out of room with that, I would seriously need to rethink what I "need" to have with me. I'm going to be picking up the E350 for my BV250, it looks to be just the right size to compliment the bike without looking too gaudy. Nice work on the install of the Maxia though man, looks good, now you have a place to put those house pets.