Internet order from Germany - 49l top case

[Natche]

Has any here ever done this? I am the proud owner of a new to me 2007 R1200RT and I would like to get the 49l top case but the $925 the dealer wants is just outrageous. I haven't had much luck with finding a used one ether. I found a German BMW dealer who has the case new for 416 EUR which is currently about 525 bucks. I can get it shipped here for another 50 bucks. So for $575 I can get the bag new. I'm just a little wary of ordering from overseas. Any experience here?

[BFish]

have you considered or Givi topcase???

[Natche]

Yes, but by the time I add the adapter plate and the backrest I am close to $500, have to carry a separate key and I'm just not sure I will be satisfied. I've always liked to keep my bikes looking stock rather than adding lots of aftermarket. I know the Givi is a good case. I had a E36 on my KLR.

[dirtrider]

Hi Jim

 

First off not exactly an answer to your question but in line with what you are looking for. Make sure the case you are trying to get from Germany has all the lock parts and is keyed to your ignition key. My guess is your local dealer included all the lock parts and the re keying process.

That case from Germany is “way” cheaper than anything I have seen over here so that puts up a caution warning at least for me.

You might call Chicago BMW to get their price on the case and related parts. When you call or E-Mail ask for the 20% discount price as they don’t advertise it anymore due to BMWNA hounding them but if you ask they will honor the 20% discount on most things.

 

[Natche]

The price on the case concerned me too but I went to Google.de and then typed in BMW 49l top case and then hit the shopping tab at the top and there are multiple sources for the case at ~$495 EUR. One as low as $475 EUR.

 

I don't know, maybe I should just be patient and wait for a nice used one to show up. It is interesting that these are so much more $$ here in the US.

 

Thanks for the input.

[randy]

if you can get it from Moto bins go for it. they are a very reputable source and I have ordered from them a number of times. If you have reasonable oversea's rates,you can even call them, they speak english. Or you can e-mail them, very good company.

http://www.motobins.co.uk/

 

[terryofperry]

Have you considered the SHAD cases?

 

Terry

[XTrooper]

I've ordered plenty of stuff from Europe including many high-end watches. I wouldn't be the least bit concerned.

 

However, you forgot one, not insignificant cost, and that's customs duties. Unless the German dealer ships it through the mail, you're going to pay duty because shipping firms (UPS, Fedex, DHL, etc) are required to and ALWAYS collect the customs duties. In my experience, most of the time, items will slip through the postal service. I'm not really sure why this happens, but it does.

[Natche]

So now the question is. How much will the duty be?

[AdirondackJack]

Natche- not sure where you're getting your Givi prices, but even with the adapter plate and paint match to my bike I was well under your $500 target price. The extra key thing has been no inconvenience whatsoever, either. Suggest you dig further on the givi pricing online. I paid less than $200 shipped for mine, and I'll try to dig out the source for you. $70 for the adapter plate, $60 for the paint job, and about $20 for shipping. All told, about $350 for an excellent piece of equipment that looks as good or better than the BMW version. Keep looking. Dave R.

[mbelectric]

Bite the bullet and go support your local dealer.

 

MB>

[Sailorlite]

Jim - If you get a used one, and they're nearly always available for less than $600, you will be able to resell it for about that when you someday sell your bike. So the case is "free". If you do decide to buy a used one, make sure you can re-key its lock to fit your current key. This means it must come to you with its lock cylinder already removed or with its own present key (which is needed to remove that cylinder).

Another alternative is to consider BMW's 28L topcase, which for me is big enough, looks good, and it's cheaper than the 49L.

[Natche]

Looks like the "but it from Germany" idea is out but this was an interesting thread IMHO. First, I do believe in supporting the local dealer but `$900 just seems to be outrageous for the case - maybe it's because I'm just a cheap old KLR guy who just upgraded. Second, I looked into the duty/tariff thing and I'm not ready to start a new career. There is a document called, "Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States" and it is clearly a document designed to keep our government in control of what $$ they collect.

Thanks for the feedback on the Givi option. I will reconsider it. For those who have the Givi box what do you have or which case would be the best option. I want to be able to fit two helmets. My RT is silver so the paint match thing would probably be easy.

[Natche]

Meant to say, "buy it from Germany"

 

Someone suggested the Shad case and that looks like it might be a good option.

[dirtrider]

Hi Jim

 

Check out E-Bay from time to time I saw a brand new 49L sell for $699.00 including a lock and key a while back. If I remember correctly shipping in the US here was about $28.00. No tax if you don’t care to claim it. Not sure it included that expansive back rest though.

 

[pbbeck]

Hi Jim

 

Check out E-Bay from time to time I saw a brand new 49L sell for $699.00 including a lock and key a while back. If I remember correctly shipping in the US here was about $28.00. No tax if you don’t care to claim it. Not sure it included that expansive back rest though.

 

$28!? I sold my 49l topcase about 5 years ago. Shipping it to the buyer cost me $98!

[dirtrider]

I sold my 49l topcase about 5 years ago. Shipping it to the buyer cost me $98!

 

Hi Pbbeck

 

Don’t know what to tell you but there is a 49L BMW brand new top box on E-Bay right now for $799.00 with $13.95 shipping. Maybe that thing fits under that new USPS flat rate shipping by container size or some other UPS shipping flat rate.

 

E-Bay top case

 

[markgoodrich]

Patience is your friend. Monitor classifieds here and BMWMOA, and perhaps other sites, daily. You'll have your case in a couple of weeks. Persistence is your other friend in this endeavor.

 

If you're willing to go with the smaller BMW topcase, SWMcKinley on this site has one he'll sell. Either that, or I will; it's in my garage and he doesn't seem to be in any hurry to get it....

[AZRTRDR]

I use the V46 Give. The factory case is to heavy and too much dough.

The new Shad cases are what I would look into if I were buy right now.

[jrhSeattle]

If you are buying a used topcase from someone and it does not come with a key and has the lock intact, getting it on your bike will be a problem. You can solve this problem by getting the VIN number of the bike it was keyed to. With the VIN, your dealer can then order a key for the existing lock, which becomes a one time tool to take out the old lock cylinder and replace it with one set up for the key to your bike. Kind of irritating to pay $50+ for a one time tool and I would check with a dealer first to make sure they would do this for you. My dealer was reluctant to order a key for a bike I did not own until I pointed out to him that I would never have possession of the key, so how could that matter. The the other option I had was to have the old cylinder drilled out, and neither the dealer or a locksmith would guarentee that the lock mechanism would not be destroyed, thus leaving me with an expensive 49L piece of plastic junk.

 

I bought the case for $500 and the charge for the key (tool) and installation kept me under $600 total.

[R1150RT_MLC_Response]

Funny that Motobins speak English. Is it because they are in England?

[TonyT607]

If any of you guys are considering a Givi Monokey case (like the V46) for the GT, there is a nicer more elegant mounting option than that ugly Givi universal plate:

 

SW-MOTECH Alu-Rack Toprack

 

SW-MOTECH Alu-Rack Topcase Adapter Plate (GIVI / Kappa Monokey)

 

I have this installed on my GT and it works well. The black plate can be removed in a couple of minutes by taking out five screws. The adapter plate comes off the Toprack by undoing three quick release screws.

 

Having said that, I'm still kind of interested in the BMW 49L unit since I also have the 28l and it would be nice to swap cases without having to remove the SW Motech gear. The only thing keeping me from doing it is the crazy ripoff $900 price tag. We'll see....

 

 

 

 

[moshe_levy]

We put a Givi Maxia 52L on my wife's former '04 R1150R

 

 

$450 all told, in matte black. A little more for painted, if you want it. That price includes the integrated brake lights, which aren't even available on the BMW 49L. The Givi holds more, was of superior quality to the BMW (which has only one flimsy retracting strap between the top and bottom halves), and is half the price. If my RT did not come with the 49L from the factory (as part of the sales promotion earlier this year when I bought it) I would not even consider it vs. the Givi, even if it was the same price (not to mention twice as expensive for no apparent reason).

 

-MKL

[Natche]

Nice! Does anyone know will the light kit work with the 2007 RT? As I understand it there might be a workaround the Canbus system?!

 

Great picture by the way. I am starting to become more inclined to go with the Givi or the Shad case. I like (I think) the sleek appearance better than the 49l case. I was at my local dealer on Saturday to get a spare key and saw a 2010 with the case and it looked a bit off balance. More pictures of the Givi and the Shad on bikes might help me decide. Also, any feedback on how the back rests perform on these cases is appreciated as that is a primary concern for me.

 

Thanks so much for all the comments by everyone. I really appreciate all the help.

[moshe_levy]

Jim-

 

Any Givi dealer will let you know for sure, but there's no reason the light kit on the Givi case wouldn't work with an RT. If we RT riders can (and do) routinely install aux lights front and rear, installation here is no different.

 

The Givi case at the time we bought it had a few options, including an internal zippered bag (well worth it), a backest pad (not necessary for my wife but looked really comfortable for 2-up riders) and even a sturdy metal luggage rack that mounted to the top lid for exterior storage.

 

I really like that twisted throttle rack a previous poster showed. We had the Givi SR683 Rack for that 1150R

 

 

I think that twisted rack looks much sleeker, though in reality once she got the Givi she never took it off anyway. Notice on the rack that lower right hand corner of it - there is a little pop up circular button there with two metal contacts. That's how power gets to the brake lights in the topcase. The case installs on and makes contact with that button the complete the circuit. When not in use, Givi supplies a little plastic cover to protect the contacts on the rack and hide them from the elements. The wiring in the case of the 2004 R1150R went straight into the tail light bulb. It took a few minutes, at most, to install the wiring.

 

As for looks, it's subjective for sure, but my money's on the Givi there too. Very sleek, especially when painted to match.

 

 

The BMW 49L is a big bulky box shaped thing, perhaps inspired by the Volvo 240DL school of design.

 

-MKL