'88 GS top box options

Jon T · Sep 14, 2017

My 1988 GS has the optional BMW panniers fitted, and I'd like a topbox to match. I don't want a metal box or something big enough to live in, or anything particularly 'aftermarket ' looking. Has anyone had any success fitting a BMW top case off a different model to a Paralever GS? I'm wondering if something off a K100, F650 or similar might be easy enough to adapt?
Any tips, pictures etc gratefully received...

Ta, Jon

Beemerboff · Sep 14, 2017

If the carrier is the same as my 93 GS the lip at the back is the problem.
Easiest solution is a lump of 2" thick timber, painted black and fixed to the carrier.
You can then use whatever you have by simply screwing down through the base into the timber.
FWIW every top box I have had with a quick release mechanism has ended up with screws through the base anyway, so going straight to the fix avoids the real possibility of loosing the case when the catch vibrates itself to bits.

B Murr · Sep 15, 2017

There was a givi specific rack available for a while, tubular design so looked same as subframe bars. Pics here show it, I've never had one come loose but I'm sure its happened to someone somewhere. There was also a version for the 1150Gs which could be modified. Ebay is your best bet if you want that setup, might take a while to find one though. Some have flattened down the lip at back of rail so you can bolt on a topbox fitting plate/rack.

Jon T · Oct 14, 2017

I ended up buying a 22 litre top box of a similar-age R or K100 I think. It's going to look in keeping I think, but I need to fangle a means of fitting it as I think the bike it came off had a curved rack attached to a sloping cowl. A bit of cad jiggery-pokery needed I think...

Ogmios · Oct 14, 2017

Beemerboff said:
If the carrier is the same as my 93 GS the lip at the back is the problem.
Easiest solution is a lump of 2" thick timber, painted black and fixed to the carrier.
You can then use whatever you have by simply screwing down through the base into the timber.
FWIW every top box I have had with a quick release mechanism has ended up with screws through the base anyway, so going straight to the fix avoids the real possibility of loosing the case when the catch vibrates itself to bits.

Same here, but i used a length of box section ali.
Had this and a Givi plate on an R100GS 'late '90 model for 3 years. Worked fine.

'88 GS top box options

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