Pelican Box in passenger seat position of the 12GS

SQD8R

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I recieved the top box mounts for the passenger seat when I bought my factory side panniers. Since I bought a Givi top box and I rarely take a passenger I used the mounts to mount a pelican box. The box is a 1400 model and fits directly between the passenger rails which are required for a top box. The 1200 is too small and not worth the effort or expense. If no passenger rail I'd go for the bigger 1500 box and mount it across the rear of the bike.

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As you can see it sits a bit above the passenger plate. This isn't an issue though once locked into position. I just used this cable lock to illustrate the locking points on the box. I actually use a water-proof regular lock so the fit is tight with no need to lock anywhere else onto the bike.

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It's a 1/2 hour job, requiring three drill points, some washers, silicon, and a few longer nuts and bolts. You'll also need a long female nut that extends the screw of the locking bolt. It's the kind that you see on bicycle brakes, the adjusting nut on the brakes, to screw onto the pin bolt for the locking mechanism to give it enough clearance to lock properly. Add in some locktite and a few drill bits and it done. Measuring is simple, just do the first rear bolt and then line it up for the second and go from there. A bit of dremel is required for the front bolt just to shave offa bit of the ridge that supports the case. The rear bolts fit almost dead centre inbetween the rear two ridges.

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The virtue of this case is that it is waterproof, lockable, cheap, and puts the weight of the heaviest items over the frame and @ the second lowest point without compromising handling. It's essentially neutral in its effects on the rider as opposed to wasting space in the side bags and resulting in poor packing. Here's what I can fit in.

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That's my multi-metre, air compressor, phone charger and attachment for the accessory plug, oil filter wrench, the full BMW tool kit, my kit which includes two tire repair kits, wrenches, pliers, screw drivers, a full metric socket set and some imperial ones just in case someone need assistance, two of every light bulb, a set of allen keys, front stand for tire removal, tire wrenches and three other sets of collapsible wrenches, a torque wrench and more.

here are pictures before final bolts are installed.

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It's a snug fit but it all fits nicely and ease of removal is nice. Basically I've got every tool required to work on this bike barring a diagnostic. Also set it up so that the box opens towards the left side ofthe bike. You can still bungee a dry bag on top of it and cinch it down tight. No problems in 10,000 kms and two good rain storms.
 
Great!

:thumb
What a great idea! I didn't know you could get the top case seat mounting kit separately but I've just ordered it after seeing your post. I'll also go with the Pelican case, a good fit for dual sport. So thanks for the great post!
 
Flying GS said:
:thumb
What a great idea! I didn't know you could get the top case seat mounting kit separately but I've just ordered it after seeing your post.

Beware if you do any rougher off roading.

Twice now my top box, mounted at the pillion seat position, has come loose of the rear two prongs and been left in a very precarious position - ie almost off the bike. I was fortunate to notice it at a stop in the ride.


i am going to speak to mbw about it and poss get it replaced.
 
Excellent write up, excellent idea :)

I, like Dahoum, have got my BMW top box mounted on the passenger seat. I've done some pretty rough roads and never had it come loose. But I do seem to be luckier than some when it comes to the top box :)

I use the bike two up as well, so when I'm going laning I have to take the rear rack off to fit the top box. I like this idea because there's no need to remove the rack, saving me half an hour in preparation time :D

Any recommendations for where to buy Pelican boxes? Their web page seems to be here, but if there's a better place to buy, please post.
 
Dahoum said:
Twice now my top box, mounted at the pillion seat position, has come loose of the rear two prongs and been left in a very precarious position.

I've used a bungee since my top case fell off - not had any problems since.
 
Mouse said:
Excellent write up, excellent idea :)

I, like Dahoum, have got my BMW top box mounted on the passenger seat. I've done some pretty rough roads and never had it come loose. But I do seem to be luckier than some when it comes to the top box :)

I use the bike two up as well, so when I'm going laning I have to take the rear rack off to fit the top box. I like this idea because there's no need to remove the rack, saving me half an hour in preparation time :D

Any recommendations for where to buy Pelican boxes? Their web page seems to be here, but if there's a better place to buy, please post.

Mouse.. try this link.. http://www.peliproducts.co.uk/

Got mine here (1450) .. Rang the number ordered over the phone, they took the dosh off card.. got delivered by UPS a couple of days later... top service...
 

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hmmm

pelicases are outstanding and I use them all the time. I just cannot get my head round any reason for drilling a hole in one....

Nice neat installation though, looks good
 
SQ, excellent post. Wish the pics would be a bit brighter and bigger, but hey, beggars can't be choosers, right. :)

I've got a few questions:
1) You say you lock it with a "regular waterproof lock". Is that a padlock?
2) Is there any "neater" way of locking it? I don't like the idea of a padlock rattling about on the case.
3) Does anyone know the cost of the pillion seat top box mounting plate?

Other than that - I'm quite sold on the idea! I just wish the case could be locked with the lock on the side of the bike (that unlocks both seats)... any ideas?!

Thanks for the post! :bow :bow
 
TheJoker said:
3) Does anyone know the cost of the pillion seat top box mounting plate?

Less than 20 quid, as far as I remember, for the parts needed for this job. It's not really a plate, it's a kit with several bits, including the pointy bit that pokes into the lock, and the L shaped brackets that go into the rectangular holes under the seat.

If you want to mount a top box in the seat position, you also need to buy an adaptor plate (the same part as is mounted on the grab rail to hold the top box), which you attach the parts from the other kit to. But that's not relevant here, you can buy the mounting kit seperately.
 
Mouse said:
Less than 20 quid, as far as I remember, for the parts needed for this job. It's not really a plate, it's a kit with several bits, including the pointy bit that pokes into the lock, and the L shaped brackets that go into the rectangular holes under the seat.

If you want to mount a top box in the seat position, you also need to buy an adaptor plate (the same part as is mounted on the grab rail to hold the top box), which you attach the parts from the other kit to. But that's not relevant here, you can buy the mounting kit seperately.

Where can you get the mounting kit from?

Cheers,
Gavin.
 
Mouse said:
Less than 20 quid, as far as I remember, for the parts needed for this job.

Yup, ordered mine today as soon as I found out that the kit existed :thumb
 
TheJoker said:
SQ, excellent post. Wish the pics would be a bit brighter and bigger, but hey, beggars can't be choosers, right. :)

I've got a few questions:
1) You say you lock it with a "regular waterproof lock". Is that a padlock?
2) Is there any "neater" way of locking it? I don't like the idea of a padlock rattling about on the case.
3) Does anyone know the cost of the pillion seat top box mounting plate?

Other than that - I'm quite sold on the idea! I just wish the case could be locked with the lock on the side of the bike (that unlocks both seats)... any ideas?!

Thanks for the post! :bow :bow

1. & 2. I used a Masterlock one just because it fits flush in the lock holes and therefore doesn't move about. I initially ran the set up with the tool roll etc. in as tight as possibly so that there was no movement but I've since added the soft foam from the Pelican box into the sides and top of the box to aid in cushioning bumps. As a result I lost a very little storage space but I was still able to put everything in that I required, plus more. Also adding silicon returns it to it's former waterproof status and in any event the holes are on the bottom, next to the passenger plate, hardly an area where moisture/rain will ever get. I'll take some better pics in the light of the day, with the new lock installed.

As an aside, Mouse, that is an excellent FAQ. Thx for the time and effort.
 
great work on the pelican, SQD8R. i'd like to do this, too. problem is i'm not sure exactly which bmw part is needed to adapt the pelican to the bike. it doesn't seem to be the adapter plate to mount the top box on the pillion. what to ask for at the dealer? part number? description? what is the kit usually used for?

anyone?

thanks!
 
If you ask for the "kit to mount the adaptor plate on the pillion seat" I would have thought they'd know what you're on about. I probably have the packaging at home so I'll post the part number if I can find it.
 
Whatever happened to the idea of travelling light? You need............................................ a car! :D
 
Mouse said:
If you ask for the "kit to mount the adaptor plate on the pillion seat" I would have thought they'd know what you're on about. I probably have the packaging at home so I'll post the part number if I can find it.
thanks for the reply, mouse. i checked the forward mount adapter plate and lo and behold it's there. i already own the part! i always thought that adapter plate was one piece in and of itself.
 
Bryn said:
Mouse.. try this link.. http://www.peliproducts.co.uk/

Got mine here (1450) .. Rang the number ordered over the phone, they took the dosh off card.. got delivered by UPS a couple of days later... top service...
I orderd the 1400 peli case from an eBay shop $68.95 + $40.25 postage from the US to UK. Thats £20.00 less than from the UK Peli case web site with postage and VAT. Find it on eBay it's called 'The Sharpest Store On The Web' he's an expat called Bob.
I also orderd the fitting kit for the back seat from BMW and was told it is just under £20.00. It should all be here in about a week. I'm going to rig it up to the power socket so I can charge my two way radio and GPS batteries etc. What a good idea! shake that man by the hand. I almost started to think about drilling a hole in the top case.
 


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