Smuggler Fit & Finish

I managed to find a reasonably priced smuggler for my new 18.

I was just fitting it and see that it is rubbing on the grab rails. I have to paint it to match the bike and will have my painter grind away a small amount so it does not touch but very disappointing that one has to do this with such a pricey item. Shame on Corbin, kind of disappointing.

Canadian FJR

I liked having one on my '04 and was almost ready to spring for another on my '15 but knew about the fitment issues with the Givi SR357 rack. I went onto their website, looked under the FJR link, and was pleased to read this:

Corbin's Smuggler trunk was designed with the Sport Touring enthusiast in mind. Since storage always seems to be an issue for touring, we made sure that our Smuggler would work properly with the Givi topcase installed. There are two models of the Givi topcase available and we show our Smuggler here working with the larger one. Naturally the smaller Givi topcase works fine too. Notice, the Smuggler door will open & close with the Givi topcase installed and there is no need to remove the trunk to access the Smuggler.

Being fairly certain this wasn't written with the Gen IIIs in mind, I both called (msg. left) and emailed asking if they anticipated revising the Smuggler for the newer bikes. Never got a response.

I don't have experience with the smuggler but I have owned a number of Corbin seats that didn't quite fit and had to be forced into place.

Canadian FJR said:

I managed to find a reasonably priced smuggler for my new 18.I was just fitting it and see that it is rubbing on the grab rails. I have to paint it to match the bike and will have my painter grind away a small amount so it does not touch but very disappointing that one has to do this with such a pricey item. Shame on Corbin, kind of disappointing.

Canadian FJR

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Is this with the stock grab rails or have you installed the Givi 357 rack? I have heard of fitment issues with the Givi...

Stock

Canadian FJR

Mine only rubbed when I hand something (a wire) under one of the feet. Make sure something isn't causing a little tip.

Joe

I have had one on both my 2013 and now a different smuggler on the 2016 and both rubbed by the grab bar. Now try to add the new Yamaha luggage rack. Ya really have to do some grinding on the underside of the Smuggler and also the Yamaha reinforcement strips as well. Took me a couple of hours to get it right....... but I LOVE the combo, along with my Russell dished out driver seat.

VMaxChuck said:

I have had one on both my 2013 and now a different smuggler on the 2016 and both rubbed by the grab bar. Now try to add the new Yamaha luggage rack. Ya really have to do some grinding on the underside of the Smuggler and also the Yamaha reinforcement strips as well. Took me a couple of hours to get it right....... but I LOVE the combo, along with my Russell dished out driver seat.

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Got any pictures? I have the new luggage rack and would like some ideas.

Yes, now you have perked my interest.

Canadian FJR

My corbin seat took about an hour of pushing, pulling, sweating, cussing and banging to get on. Luckily it breaks in quick and now comes right on and off.

The smuggler went right on, but rubs the hand rail. It also does not match color wise. Plus the door was way out of adjustment.

Other than that I really like it.

Thanks for the comments. You saved me a fist full of $$'s. I was about to spring for a Smuggler but after hearing it rubs the hand rail the idea is dead. I will not spend that kind of money on something that is not made to properly fit the bike. Screw Corbin. The price is ridiculous.

The smuggler is a nice convenience. I especially like it for day rides. But if you are a top box guy that would serve the same purpose. I just hate top boxes and will not have one. So a smuggler it is.

I actually take the smuggler off for long trip. I find a dry bag with rok straps works much better for long trips.

Color on my Cobalt blue did not match. In all fairness you can't expect them to perfectly match a 3 stage paint job without seeing the original.. Wish the lid fit better....for the $$ it should.. I finally painted the smuggler, bag lids and vents to match the side covers...

the smuggler is one of the handiest farkels I put on...fits perfectly.

Mine fits perfectly also. Mine is on it's third color however and as such is probably older. It started life in Cerulean Silver, then was painted Cobalt Blue and is now Raven. Maybe the earlier ones were built with tighter tolerances. The lid also fits great. Thankfully the black is easy to match

do the smuggler lids fit any better ??

the ones i looked at they were verry wobbly, looked like they would leak, and overall didn't look impressive at all.

it is possible its just the sample of smugglers that i have seen and the rest are perfect or very good ??

I wish some manufacturer would make a Smuggler-like injected-molded and painted covering for the back seat area, but without regard to worries about storage and sealing, etc....all the issues that presumably accounts for some of the trunk's cost (setting aside Corbin's usual gouging)...just some sort of . I love the look of the FJR as a solo rider (and I ride that way 98% of the time), but don't particularly need the add'l storage of the Smuggler nor its high cost (nor, as I see now, its fitment issues). Something that replicates the look of the Smuggler without its problems would be an automatic buy for me.

RC65 said:

I wish some manufacturer would make a Smuggler-like injected-molded and painted covering for the back seat area, but without regard to worries about storage and sealing, etc....all the issues that presumably accounts for some of the trunk's cost (setting aside Corbin's usual gouging)...just some sort of . I love the look of the FJR as a solo rider (and I ride that way 98% of the time), but don't particularly need the add'l storage of the Smuggler nor its high cost (nor, as I see now, its fitment issues). Something that replicates the look of the Smuggler without its problems would be an automatic buy for me.

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For everyday around town riding I use a small canvass rack bag sold by Cycle Gear for $24.99. I sprayed it with ScotchGuard to make it water repellant. It is big enough to hold tire inflator, microfiber cloth, baseball cap, light weight riding gloves, and condoms with some room to spare..Other shit like tire gauge, tools, and spare bulbs fit nicely under the seats. Unless venturing out on over night rides I do not have the side cases on.

^Yup, same here. I keep a tailbag strapped to my passenger seat all the time now too. I do miss the security and looks of the Smuggler though.

art miller said:

. . . and condoms with some room to spare..

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Sorry.

Has anyone swapped Smuggler and OEM grab rails back-and-forth with the regular passenger seat, Givi SR357 and top box? When I camp, I like having the top box and I have a large dry bag that sits across the pillion seat (Rok-strapped to the Givi rack). Obviously not do-able with the Smuggler. If it is a 10 minute swap, it's worth doing before a trip. Maybe not so much if it takes an hour or more and a lot of fussing to get it right.

I would still swap out the Smuggler for the passenger seat so I could carry the dry bag but would have to get the regular Givi mounting plate and figure out where the Rok straps will have to go if I want the top box as well. I agree with others who have indicated that the Smuggler is a fantastic accessory for day rides but not optimum if the FJR needs to be a pack horse for a major (especially camping) trip.