Hepco and becker luggage

[Pigglet]

Anyone got H&B luggage on their bike?
I want a gobi topbox for my AT but can't find a supplier showing the relevant fitting plate.
Any opinions on the H&B stuff?

[icenian]

It's very good quality, better than Givi/Nonfango stuff, but the UK supplier Motobins (http://www.motobins.co.uk/) is expensive and rather BMW oriented.

It's worth a look on ebay, but you'll have to widen the search to include the whole of the EU to find much H&B stuff. Only real snag is that German sellers don't all seem to take Paypal, but there are a fair number who do. Within the EU you won't have to worry about import duties, VAT etc.

Also check out SW-Motech racks/mounting plates. They make these to fit various makes of luggage, including H&B I think.

[Pigglet]

Cheers for the info I'll have a look around. The SW motech stuff came up when i searched for H&B luggage but there was no information telling me that there were a H&B fit. It makes sense now.
Is it just me or does anyone else feel that the cost of the fitting brackets, especially for top boxes is a rip off?
The gobi box is £130 which i think is quite reasonable given the quality however a mounting plate is 70 odd quid!!! For a bit of tin and thin tube that can't cost more that 2 grote to make in some third world country
It's not just H&B, all luggage manufacturers charge the same.
Is it to recover some of the luggage manufacturing costs and make the luggage itself seem cheaper???

[icenian]

does anyone else feel that the cost of the fitting brackets, especially for top boxes is a rip off?

Yes - especially the model-specific fitting kits. After all, you're likely to keep a good top box (or panniers) and fit them to maybe 2 or 3 bikes you have, which means you have to buy one top box but 2 or 3 fitting kits

This makes boxes which have a mounting plate that fits to bikes' original luggage racks a good option. The cheaper H&B boxes are good quality, and come with a mounting plate included in the price. I bought one of the Journey TC 40 (38 litre) top boxes...


(picture from motobins, http://www.motobins.co.uk/)

...which came with a mounting plate (bolts easily to AT rack) included in the price, from a German ebay seller www.fahrrad-computer.de (that's their seller name, it doesn't seem to work as a URL) for about 80 pounds.
Motobins charge 90 pounds for that, which is good value assuming they supply the mouting plate included in that price (I think Motobins must have noticed they were being undercut on ebay as they were more expensive when I was buying).

The TC40 doesn't have the look of a Gobi, but personally I couldn't justify the extra 100 quid for the rufty tufty expedition look.

Certainly I wouldn't touch a Givi top box for the 10-15 pound saving; I've had broken keys, water leaks, locks that seize up etc. with Givi. YMMV, other folk think Givi is fine. I use the top box virtually every day, though, so it gets a hard life; luggage used for 2 or 3 holidays a year may fare a lot better.

The Honda-badged top box (official AT accessory) is rated as being big and tough by people. From your Honda dealer it's probably extortionate, but David Silver often have them at decent prices - under 100 notes for the box, the mounting plate and delivery. The appearance is, erm, a matter of personal opinion?

[icenian]

...or you could buy a Gobi box for 130 quid, drill holes in the bottom, and just bolt it direct to your AT rack. Use wingnuts and it'll come off nearly as quick as if you had a proper mounting plate

[Pigglet]

...or you could buy a Gobi box for 130 quid, drill holes in the bottom, and just bolt it direct to your AT rack. Use wingnuts and it'll come off nearly as quick as if you had a proper mounting plate

That crossed my mind

The box you got looks really good value, It will be used every day so needs to be durable. I am a bit of a tart however and the Gobi's look so Gucci

[Robster]

I have the H&B Gobi Luggage and am very pleased with it. The quality is great, especially the locks which are really solid.

I had the H&B Juniors on my AT before, and they were excellent too.

I totally agree with you re the price of the topbox carrier though...scandalous! They do come up quite rarely on German Ebay, so it's worth keeping an eye out if you're not in a rush!

Motobins tend not to show anything other than the BMW fitments on their website, but as official UK H&B Importers, they can get anything in for you - usually takes about 7 days. Phone them up and speak to Peter. If you'd ordered stuff last week, you would've got 10% off! Doh!

[Pigglet]

If you'd ordered stuff last week, you would've got 10% off! Doh!

Doh indeed!!!

The look really good Rob

Going to hang on a bit now though as I have my beady on a GS