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Trunk with spare passenger seat and JC Whitney top box

3K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  KermieCorleone 
#1 ·
I know a few others on here have done this, but I'll post mine as well. I wished there were more pictures or writeups of this type of setup when I was thinking about doing it, so hopefully this will help out the next guy.

I wanted some way to keep my helmet and jacket (and possibly overpants as well) secure on the bike when I ride somewhere and will be walking around for a while. I also wanted a way to carry my laptop bag to work, pick up groceries, etc without having to wear a backpack or use a bungie net. My simple solution - a top box mounted to a spare passenger seat.

I bolted a large JC Whitney top box directly to the rear seat, positioning it as far back as I could without removing the grab bar and while making sure that I could still open the box and remove the seat without the grab bar interfering. Didn't bother to use the mounting plate that came with the box, since it should be more secure this way and swapping seats is just as fast as getting the box on and off the plate. The only downfall of this setup is that if I go somewhere and want to carry the box with me, the area under the rear seat will be left open. I don't do any real 'touring' though, so I can't really think of a situation where I'd want to do that.

In my normal riding position I don't even know the box is there, but sitting straight up (like waiting at a traffic light) my back does touch it. I don't do any two up riding, so not having a passenger seat isn't a concern for me.

The box holds my size large full face helmet, gauntlet gloves, and armored jacket (with foam back pad - not sure it would work with a CE back pad because it has to fold) easily, and will probably also hold a pair of armored overpants if I can stuff most of their bulk inside the helmet.

It can wobble a bit because the seat doesn't attach tightly to the bike, but it's secure enough to hold light weight stuff while riding. I'm thinking about mounting some cam straps to the sides to cinch it down to the luggage rack under the tail and eliminate its ability to wobble. I tested the concept by wrapping a strap over the box and under the tail, and I could shake the whole bike by grabbing the box. I may end up adding those side straps if I decide I want to carry slightly heavier loads or cover longer distances with the box.

It should be secure enough to keep the casual thief from getting in when parked, but of course, if someone really wants to get in the box it won't be that hard. That's no different than the trunk of a car, though.

On to the pictures!













 
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#5 ·
I don't think I'd want anything bigger on there. The gear does fill it up.


I'm surprised you didn't use the mounting plate. I really like being able to hit the button and haul the case inside when I'm traveling, instead of hauling the contents inside individually.
I thought of that after I finished mounting it this way, but I could always switch it up and use the plate. I do think it would be able to move around more with the mounting plate, though.

The only time I can think of that I'd want to take the box off and leave the seat is if I go somewhere overnight and use the trunk as a suitcase. In that case, I could just pack the actual seat and swap seats once I arrive.
 
#3 ·
That's actually larger than the one I installed. I tend to haul STUFF then stow my gear as I take the STUFF out, so capacity it's not about how much it holds. As long as I can get my helmet and pants out of harm's way once I get to my destination, that'll do. (I can't get my jacket in there with the helmet.) It's also really nice that it's (mostly) waterproof without worry. Most days I pack my lunch in there for the ride and throw the tank-bag in when I get to work.
I'm surprised you didn't use the mounting plate. I really like being able to hit the button and haul the case inside when I'm traveling, instead of hauling the contents inside individually.
 
#4 ·
It's been raining for two weeks, but today I finally got a chance to test this out. It did exceptionally well at bringing dinner home from Buffalo Wild Wings. :eek:ccasion14:

I'll have to have my girlfriend ride behind me and watch the trunk to be sure, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't move around at all while riding. I think it would if you had a ten pound bowling ball rolling around in there, but for light stuff or even heavier stuff that's decently secured I think it will do fine.

It does make getting on and off the bike a bit less graceful, but while riding I don't even know it's there.

Overall, I'm happy with it!
 
#6 ·
Very nicely done!

If the wobbling becomes an issue, it will be more stable if you mount the box directly to the pan w/o the upholstery on it - after I took mine off it was a lot more secure (I had to make some alterations so it would continue to sit level though). I load mine with a decent amount of things for commuting (bag w/laptop, books, etc.) and it's surprisingly stable considering the weight it holds. Mine is a bit smaller though, so that does make a small difference as well. I mounted the base to mine so removing the box is easy.



 
#7 ·
Very nicely done!

If the wobbling becomes an issue, it will be more stable if you mount the box directly to the pan w/o the upholstery on it - after I took mine off it was a lot more secure (I had to make some alterations so it would continue to sit level though). I load mine with a decent amount of things for commuting (bag w/laptop, books, etc.) and it's surprisingly stable considering the weight it holds. Mine is a bit smaller though, so that does make a small difference as well. I mounted the base to mine so removing the box is easy.
Another thing that helps reduce the wobble:
Make circle cutouts of cardboard and stick them on the bottom of the seat pan's front "towers".
 
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