Fjr1300 Corbin Smuggler Trunk

[FJRandy]

Good luck Mr. Corbin. Glad I made my own.

Huh?

Give it up, boy. Whacha got? Piccies, piccies, piccies!

skooter, I'd love to but I still can't figure out this attachment thing!

I used a product called Speedpac, a sportbike ABS plastic backpack. I molded it into my rear seat so it would flow with the lines of the seat. Then removed the innards and finished off with the Factory luggage lock. I sent pics to Jim Shook, owner of Shook Designs who made the Speedpac, assuring him I'm not stealing his patent. Legally, I'm not allowed to make any more for others....or at least advertise that I'm making them. besides, it's TOO labor intensive for a little guy like me to make ANY profit on it. Just not worth it for me to make more for others.

Realistically, it cost me somewhere around $250 just for materials to make mine. The Speedpac alone was $90-something from eBay. Plus I had to pay the bodyshop around 50 bucks to spray it because I suck at spraying paint.

So I'd have to say Corbin's piece should fall in the $300-$350 area for the simple reason that it's MUCH easier (and profitable) for them to bang one of these out on their production line. Hell, it took me 2 months of sanding and finishing to get mine done! I'm sure they have a mold and a jig made to do these easily.

From someone who busted their ass making his own, I STILL think $600 is way over the top.

AND....mine looks like it has twice the storage space.

 

[twowheelnut]

Here's Randy's set-up.

 

[04 FJR Pilot]

If Randy made it himself then good job! But that thing looks funky! Should have painted some eyes on it or something. Alien! My opinions usually stink.

 

[SkooterG]

Well, that's fugly! But oh so functional. So I like it!

 

[FJRandy]

I agree it doesn't "look" the best, but it's the only way to get more storage than what Corbin did. The rear rack screws up the whole thing.

This winter (hopefully) I'm going to experiment with forming it around a Givi rack instead. The givi gives more room to play, and it'll still work properly with the pillion seat back on. It will flow much better with the lines of the bike too.

I also formed a Speedpac to the tank, replacing the nylon tankbag. I don't have a recent pic, but the two pieces look much better together on the bike.

Also, it looks a little more weird from the angle taken in the pic.

Most important....it works very well. If you look closely you can see the Fact. key lock in the front.

 

[SkooterG]

Why not just take off the rear rack altogether?

 

[FJRandy]

Why not just take off the rear rack altogether?

Because whenever the wife wants to get away, it always seems to happen. I end up needing the rack. So with the Givi, it looks like I'll still be able to have both.

I want to try my trunk on a bike with the Givi rack before I buy one though.

I have a welder friend who can modify the Givi to lower the bar across the back of the pillion seat. This would give even more room for the trunk to hug the rear.

From pics I've seen, it looks like the Givi sits closer overall to the rear section than the stocker.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[vinnie]

Corbin makes Smugglers for many other bikes. The FJR was just another bike for them and a "come-lately" in fact.

I think Corbin may design a mold for these things and then make the item as they are ordered. I know that sounds crazy, but the two people I know that have ordered one of these things have had to wait a total of three weeks to get them shipped. In fact, I know someone who recently bought one for his ST1300.

They thought that it was going to be a quick turnaround after they had placed the order and after calling Corbin, found out it was going to take two weeks to get the trunk.

They sell these things for their asking price, so I don't know how much of a discount they would give on a group buy. I don't think they're known for doing this. I don't want to step on any bunions, but if no one else has inquired about a group buy, I'd gladly try to deal with them...

:erm:

 

[Toolman]

FJRandy I'd love to know how you made that? Is it easy? Thanks Ron.

 

[FJRandy]

Again, I'm having a hard time posting pics here, (my own stupidity) but I can email some pics that would explain how it was done.

Randy

 

[Tom of VA]

If the smuggler fits as nice as it looks in the pictures I would pay 399 for it. If someone here has seen this part in person and thinks it's sturdy I'm ready to punch 399 for and do a group purchase. Compared it to the factory luggage. What does that cost from the dealer? Do you think the corbin part is of the same quality? I never had a corbin part so I have nothing to compare it to. Nice stuff, or what? :thumbup: :thumbdown:

 

[Tom of VA]

Randy,

It looks like you really worked hard on your piece, but isn't hard to get your leg over that? I occasionally nick my side cases with my foot when get on and off. You must be flexible to clear that and the side cases. :atv:

 

[FJRandy]

Randy,It looks like you really worked hard on your piece, but isn't hard to get your leg over that? I occasionally nick my side cases with my foot when get on and off. You must be flexible to clear that and the side cases. :atv:

You better believe it!

Took some getting used to, but it's not a problem anymore.

If I get to re-do it this winter, I'll lower it slightly and even it out as long as I get the rack out of the way. It's not as high as you think, but it's deceiving from the pic.

BTW Tom, $399 for the smuggler? Keep dreaming. Corbin must think his stuff is made of gold. Their quality IS good, I'll give them that. The hinge and lock mech. on it is excellent. I've seen one on a Suzuki Bandit.

 

[Tom of VA]

Randy,

Thanks for the info on the smuggler. I don't want to mess around with something that has inferior hardware. I do all local ridining, and I'm going into my side cases all the time. I thought it would be nice pop the lid and grab that small stuff from somewhere easier to access. I feel like I'm going through a woman's purse routing through that side case sometimes.

Tom

 

[vinnie]

Tom

I've seen the one for the ST1300 and -if truth be told- it is a quality piece.

It is very sturdy material, feels very solid, hinges are strong, black anodized, and the locking button/key mechanism is good quality. It is completely lined inside with felt-like material. It is cavernous.

Whether or not one judges it worth $600 depends on what's in your wallet, I guess. <_<

 

[Carnifex]

I think I remember seeing something like this on one of the sites in the UK that does Police Customizing of the FJR, but I don't know if it was a trunk or just a space filler....

 

[Bikewhore]

So it's 600 and does not include the seat? That's a lotta beans. I'll just use my Oxford tailbag for the mind blowing cost of $100

 

[FJRandy]

So it's 600 and does not include the seat?  That's a lotta beans.  I'll just use my Oxford tailbag for the mind blowing cost of $100

Exactly!

That's the whole point of this. I'm sure Corbin's smuggler will be absolute top quality like their other stuff. Just not $600 worth.

Seat included, yes. No seat, no thank you.

This is exactly the reason I didn't wait around for someone else to make it. I just made my own.

 

[jestal]

del

 

[ibsunburnt]

Before my FJR1300 Harley Davidson rode me for many, many years. In those many years I had 3 or 4 Corbin seats, they were great for comfort, style and can't be beat but also very expensive over 300 bucks for each.

I bought a Yamaha because I always thought the HD riders always paid more and got so much less then the rest of the bikers with the inflated prices HD diehards pay for comfort and items that should be included when the bike is purchased.

What I would like to say is Mr. Corbin thinks all bike riders are as deep pocketed as the HD guys. Ride on!