My best friend and touring buddy has had his 996 for almost 15 years now. We've been doing an annual tour since 2010, since our kids were old enough and partners tolerant of our absence. We did miss one year during the lock-downs. This may possibly court controversy from the purists... Not the most practical of touring bikes he's made the best of his 996s to get him to the twisties/mountains where he can really enjoy the bike's potential. Since the early days he made some adaptations to enable luggage carrying. Removing the pillion cover and seat to create a platform to mount an old Oxford Liftime Luggage tail-pack with the matching panniers on neat home made rails to keep them close and securely mounted but stop then sagging into the rear wheel. His minimal packing style, no idea how he does this for a 8-10 day trip, usually favours just the tail-pack. He's an ingenious and resourceful guy, an engineer and a farmer, this year he's gone a step further. Wanting to achieve the added benefit of anti theft security as well as stability, he's changed his solution. Yesterday on our way to the Harz Mountains. He even added tool storage into the Givi platform. Usually covered by the pop in cover. Yesterday his bike reached 50,000 miles. No internal engine work, runs like it should. His homemade phone cradle can just be seen at the bottom of this picture. It has a built in USB lead that connects when you slot the phone into it.
The 916 series is a fine touring bike. the perfect all-rounder in my opinion. I have travelled overnight with it a few times and also taken it to the track. I wouldn't ride it more than 600-700 km in a day though.
I had the ventura tail pack system on a 996 bip. Then went tank bag and rucksack on the 998r. 800 miles in a day is the most I've managed, mainly autoroute to get from Ashford to Nice. That top box system looks very good, is it easily removable when you get to your destination and fancy a hoon about? I've seen roof boxes on lambos so why not a top box on a 916/996/998
I just strap US20 kreiga on my 916 tail and a US10 on my tank. Ive toured the french alps and south france on mine no probs. I always travel light.
Yes, locks onto the Givi base plate. Just a key turn and button press. So can ride luggage free very easily. To fit the seat cover the plate need to be removed though.
I've made a couple of "touring" changes to my 996 as well: 1. Helibars - make a huge difference and riding in town becomes (almost) pain free 2. Corbin seat - not just more comfortable it's a better shape to stop you sliding about 3. Oxford touring grips - softer and fatter = better! 4. After market clutch slave Hopefully these changes will allow me to ride my bike well into my old age.
Worked great. I used a52litre. Same again on a K8 gsxr1000 in 2012…. Doesnt look fantastic. But if you want secure, good handling, without all the crap hanging off the sides or the back..
K8 with the base plate on a ‘spare’ rear seat. Just bolted through to the Givi rack with some appropriate spacers.
My 916sps is a pig below 4000rpm, rode across cental London recently and the bike & I hated it! But original owner did 30k in a couple of years so bit trips can be done. Think my 900 superlight would make the better tourer, actually have a ventura system for it ... Or a 900 cagiva elefant would be even better option
Put a 43 tooth rear sprocket on it, and get a decent eprom/tune for it. Makes low speed stuff much more tolerable.
I prefer a backpack. Back when I used to fly for a week here, a week there, I ended up - primarily for not having to wait at the carousel - having just the one item of luggage. Assuming access to laundry facilities, I'd put two days worth of clothes in a backpack, pair of trainers, washing gear etc, book or two. In fact, pretty much what you could fit in a top box. Three day's worth including what you're wearing. So I'd wonder why spoil the lines of a bike not styled for a box? The backpack also perhaps, being mostly full of clothes, offers some protection if you come off; plus whenever you get off the bike, your personal stuff goes with you. It's bad enough letting the bike out of your sight!
The only problem I've had with backpack (on gsxr750L) was my neck muscles kind of spasming on long fast days, think wind pressure on top of rucksack did it. The Kriega I have now is much thinner at top, so hopefully would be less. But rearly doing more than 150mile rides these days.
