KymcoForum.com
Scooters - 125 to 300 => Downtown 300 => Topic started by: kayakbuilder on April 20, 2013, 05:09:40 PM
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I've got a 3013 Downtown 300 and would like more storage, and a backrest for the pillion. I want to take one of my kids (9 and 10 year-olds) occasionally and would feel better with a backrest. I use the bike for commuting, grocery getting, and occasional highway trips to visit aging parents.
Budget is a big concern, so I am looking at Be stem cases instead of Givi or even Shad. Which be stem case is sized best for the Downtown? Also, does the mounting bracket work well enough, or is more reinforcement needed?.
BTW, I am thoroughly enjoying the bike after commuting on a hopped-up Yamaha Zuma for the past 5 years.
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Hmm that's even nicer looking than the JC Whitney;
http://www.bestemusa.com/Bestem-Quick-Release-T-Box-2012-Top-Box-Black_p_1032.html (http://www.bestemusa.com/Bestem-Quick-Release-T-Box-2012-Top-Box-Black_p_1032.html)
It comes with a universal mount so you'll need to bolt it to your exsisting rack somehow. They usually
come with a plate and 2 bars that you put under your rack and bolt it together. A little fussing around
and you should be all set.
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I just mounted the 929 yesterday. I looked at trying to mount it with their plates they send out and a few parts picked up from a hardware store but didn't. I found a Givi SR92 mount on Ebay and glad I did. All I had to do was widen a couple of holes and make two new holes on the Bestem plate. It's very rock solid and going no where. Now I just need to hook up the brake light and LED running lights. I'm going to do it like scootinChris and use a RCA plug between the box and the scooter for a clean look.
I have a Shad on my other scooter and I think the quality is real similar. Plus with the Bestem you get the extra lights at no additional cost like the other cases.
I did splurge and got the liner for it.
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mnpugdog,
How does the 929 look on the Downtown? Got a pic of it on your bike?
How much work do you think it would take to mount the plate without the Givi kit? I am quite handy, I build kayaks as a hobby, re-built a wrecked '99 Zuma, modded my '08 Zuma, designed and built my my own aluminum-framed snowshoes, and many other things.
Kayakbuilder
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I will take some pics tomorrow. If you made your own aluminum frames you shouldn't have an issue.
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Thanks, I am trying to decide on the 929 (46 ltr), 2012 (42 ltr), or 2008 (38 ltr)
Here is one of the snowshoes.
(http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/180678_193549354008292_5744056_n.jpg)
The '99 Zuma when I got it.
(http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/40035_148272888535939_7650250_n.jpg)
And what it looks like now.
(http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/558273_475305445832680_1563131537_n.jpg)
I reshaped the panels with a heat gun, then welded the plastic back together, reinforcing it on the back, then used a little filler to fair it out before painting it with hammered silver and rubberized black. I also rebuilt the motor with a new Athena BBK, stripped & repainted the exhaust, and installed a bigger carb. It is my little wheelie machine.
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I think I will be getting the T-Box 2012 42L. The size seems just right for the Downtown.
I am wondering if the white would match my white Downtown.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31EYwyE8RbL.jpg)
Probably not, I am guessing the gloss black would look best.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71BwXxgl-gL._SL1500_.jpg)
Here is my 10-year-old daughter about to go on her first ride with me tonight.
(http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/942740_10201051325069197_313274748_n.jpg)
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I thought very seriously about that Bestem case, but took the plunge on a Givi monokey. The box was more expensive, and so was the Downtown specific mount (I think I paid $300 for the package, $100 mount, $200 case). I do like it and it is very solid and good quality. I too have a white Downtown.
I was going to start a thread for people to just post pics of different top cases and accessories mounted on the Downtown so people could see what they like when selecting products, but have not gotten around to it.
I think the main reason I went with Givi, even though I thought it was a little steep, was just reputation for quality, and the Bestem was larger than I wanted to start with. If I want a much bigger or different style case in the future, any monokey will lock right onto the mount. I know Shad has a similar system, did not know if Bestem made many case that fit on the same mount. I went with the 33 liter just to add a little grocery room. I am kind of sensitive to some of the cases that look huge.
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here is the 929 on my DT
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45717620@N02/8676698224/in/photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/45717620@N02/8676698224/in/photostream)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45717620@N02/8676696280/#in/photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/45717620@N02/8676696280/#in/photostream)
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I don't want the case to overwhelm the bike. I also don't want the case to look too small or be lacking space when I want to carry a lot of stuff. I commute on it and use it to get groceries. I will probably also be using it to take the kids places. The 2012 is 2" narrower than the 929, so it should look smaller.
Jwalz1, do you have a pic of your case? What are the dimensions on it. Be stem also has the 2008, but I have seen conflicting info on the size of it.
Thanks for the pics mnpugdog.
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Jwalz1, do you have a pic of your case? What are the dimensions on it. Be stem also has the 2008, but I have seen conflicting info on the size of it.
Thanks for the pics mnpugdog.
Just saw this today, I don't have one here at work but will try to snap one tonight and post it so you can see. It might snow here today so it will be a not super great shot in the garage but it will give you some idea.
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Let's see if this works........
(http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/uploads/gallery/album_37966/med_gallery_30225_37966_412805.jpg)
(http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/uploads/gallery/album_37966/med_gallery_30225_37966_825202.jpg)
Did not have much room in the garage to get a good angle so the proportion looks a little funny, but it snowed last night. Yes, snow. It looks a little larger in the side view picture than it looks in person, remember this is a 33l case, but the back view gives a better idea of the size. When it pops off, the mount looks pretty unobtrusive. If you go the Givi route, the Downtown mount I found cheapest at Tour and Ride, and the box was cheapest at Motorcycle Superstore I think (although it could have been Revzilla)
Either case would probably look good on your bike, but I think the Bestem I found on Amazon for about $90, and the Givi setup was $300 mount and box. I merely picked the Givi for a few reasons, was not sure the white would match on the Bestem, custom mounting bracket rather than universal, future interchangability with other Givi's if I want bigger, and a smaller case to begin with. But you probably can't go wrong for $90 and the Bestem.
Keep in mind on the Givi you would need to spend an additional $40 for the back rest pad, and if you want you can really pimp it out with the tail light kit and for $90 more dollars (hey why not spend almost $500 on a TOP CASE!) you can add the remote keyless entry for the case with a keyfob to pop the box lid from 50 feet. I might do that last one in the future just for giggles. Quality is excellent though, high quality double wall plastic with a pretty solid easy to latch and remove mounting system. It probably holds 3 to 4 decently stuffed plastic grocery bags, and I generally lightly smoosh a twelve pack under the seat with a little room to spare so it is big enough for errand running but the 42l Bestem is going to be about another 1/3 larger so you have to decide are you more concerned about capacity or it looking too huge.
Cortez has some pics somewhere of his Shad setup if you poke around a bit. I think his Shad is a 55l for touring if I remember correctly.
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nice car...
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Thanks for the photo. I may have to wait a little while to get the top case. I need to do other work on the scooter. A college student on a bicycle was in front of me on my right side, and made a left turn directly in front of me. While trying to avoid her, I laid my scoot down. I still hit her, but not as hard as it would have been. I broke the windshield, and scraped the left side up bad. I am pretty banged up too, I had x-rays taken and nothing is broken. I have some bruises, road rash, a sore shoulder, swollen knee, and strained leg muscles, my I tore a hole in the sleeve of my leather jacket and ruined my jeans. My helmet did not hit the ground. My armored gloves are scraped, but are fine.
I need a new windshield, and the left side cover below the footrest is worn all of the way through in places. I think that I will try to just clean up and spot paint the damaged black and white panels for now.
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Sorry to hear about the mishap. Heal quickly. Plastic can always be replaced.
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Thanks for the photo. I may have to wait a little while to get the top case. I need to do other work on the scooter. A college student on a bicycle was in front of me on my right side, and made a left turn directly in front of me. While trying to avoid her, I laid my scoot down. I still hit her, but not as hard as it would have been. I broke the windshield, and scraped the left side up bad. I am pretty banged up too, I had x-rays taken and nothing is broken. I have some bruises, road rash, a sore shoulder, swollen knee, and strained leg muscles, my I tore a hole in the sleeve of my leather jacket and ruined my jeans. My helmet did not hit the ground. My armored gloves are scraped, but are fine.
I need a new windshield, and the left side cover below the footrest is worn all of the way through in places. I think that I will try to just clean up and spot paint the damaged black and white panels for now.
Sorry to hear that. I had almost the same thing happen to me. Bicycle decided to cut right in front of me and I went down. Didn't hit the bicycle but me and the scoot skidded down the street. My biggest worry was getting run over by the car behind me so I jumped up and got out of the road as soon as I could. I banged my helmet on the street so was put on a backboard and taken to the ER. No concussion or broken bones.
Did anyone call 911 and did you file a police report? The parent's homeowners insurance wound up paying for repairs to my scoot, new helmet, jacket, jeans and shoes, covered my medical expenses and gave me some money for missed work and pain and suffering. it was a decent settlement and I didn't have any out of pocket expenses.
You shouldn't have to pay for someone else's bad judgement.
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Someone called 911. Fire dept came and checked me out. Offered to call an ambulance. I didn't think that was needed. Head did not hit the road. Fire dept called police. Police said there was nothing to report. Girl said it was her fault. She offered to buy a new windshield. She is a college student on work study, so don't want to hurt her financially. I can afford this, even if I don't want to. The cost isn't that much. I've already ordered a Biondi windshield and the panels that had the most obvious damage. X-rays showed nothing was broken, but that I do have arthritis, and water on the knee.
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Hey kayakbuilder! I'm sorry sot hear that... go rest and heal quickly... I had the same experience when a girl on a bike with a side car at my right side decided to swerve left... she hit my scoot alright but did not fall... she was saying "sorry" many times and all I did was look at her and signalled her to move on... dang! It's a good thing your daughter was not with you... still lucky...