New to touring..... shad?s

[pruitt1222]

Hello everyone, new to the site and touring. I am in the market for some bags for my bike and was wondering if any here has knowledge of shad hard boxes? I will be putting them on a 07 zzr600, How much different would the bike handle with hard bags and a trunk? It already sports cortech bags but ready for a upgrade. I figure it will be about the same just more weight back there. Also are the mounts really solid? Should get the backrest just incase the wife come out on a trip also? Just afraid I will be let down after droping that much on bags.

[Flashmo]

Never heard of them.

[Marcster]

Though it was written on a scooter site, here's a Shad topcase review: http://www.justgottascoot.com/shadsh40.htm

[pruitt1222]

So I am guessing no one has ever used this brand of bags. What are other manufacturers of aftermarket hard bags? I really like the shads because they look very factory, Plus you can swap them bike to bike aslong as you have the mount.

[MK96xj]

I have heard good things abou the Shad cases.

How are you attaching them to the ZZR?

[Roaddog]

If SW-Motech makes quick-detach mounts, they are good bags.

[some_finn]

Shad makes for example the cases sold by KTM and Benelli as their "factory" luggage (well yes not the KTM alu boxes obviously, they are SW Motech, but the plastic boxes).
Don't know if they are any better or worse than Givi/Kappa, no personal experience.

[Zerosum]

By far the best bang for your buck, in terms of raw liters per dollar, is this:



http://www.bestemtopbox.com/product_info.php?products_id=1&osCsid=tlodl3almiafq4pgcvpjbb4bp2

Also known as the "JC Whitney topcase."  It's the same thing: a shameless Chinese knockoff of a Givi trunk, for about 1/4 the price.  It's solid, it locks, it comes with a mounting plate (unlike Givi!) and it has a brakelight.  It's neither ugly nor pretty, but it sure is cheap!    To give you an idea of HOW cheap this thing is, that red peice on the back isn't a reflector, it's just a piece of red plastic.    Again, for $70, I didn't really care.  I've been using it daily for the last 18 months with no problems.  It'll hold a good bit of stuff... a 20lb bag of dog food, or two 12-packs of beer, etc.  It will NOT hold two XL helmets.

Here it is on my VFR and V-Strom.  I just use one set of luggage for the two bikes.  





The V-Strom has a stock luggage rack that can support anything, but my VFR has a Givi "Wingrack" mounting system. (I wanted to mount side cases, and this was the only way to go.)  With some simple modifications, the Givi base plate can be made to mount this case.  You just use a drill and jigsaw to turn this "divet" on the catch peice into a hole.  Now the plate will support both cases.  

[Scratch33]

I looked at Shads a few years back before settling on Givi.  The Givi cases impressed me as built more durable, and the company seems to have better after-purchase support.

[Roaddog]

By far the best bang for your buck, in terms of raw liters per dollar, is this:
Also known as the "JC Whitney topcase."  It's the same thing: a shameless Chinese knockoff of a Givi trunk, for about 1/4 the price.

I saw a post on another forum about this. The guy said it came loose from the supplied mounting plate and went bouncing down the road. Don't know if it was attached correctly or not, but he wasn't too happy. Just a heads-up: You usually get what you pay for.

[ACDNate]

The Shads have gotten a lot nicer in recent years. They had a booth at the speedway during bikeweek this past year. They were offering some good discounts at the show. Guy kept yapping and had knocked off 20% plus threw in a free brake light, even though I kept telling him i wasn't buying...

[pruitt1222]

Thanks for the posts everyone, I went and looked at them today. Look pretty solid and waterproof in comparison to my softies. mk96xj, I am going to buy the shad master mount. I am waiting for the company to email me back, there site said they fit 9?-05. The 05 and 07 look identical. If not I am going to custom build a mount. Are the givi cases really that much better? Like I stated I am fairly new to the long distance stuff, I wouldn't mind spending more. I just thought price comparison between my softies these would be on the top end, Guess I was wrong. I would prefer to spend the money right once instead of twice. A should a would thing.

[DosEquis00]

I have a shad for the concours and could not be happier. Solid mounting system and good bang for the buck!

[stk0308]

I'm using a Shad SH37 topbox on my Sprint.  First topbox I've ever used.  It's been solid, watertight, and simple to use.  I found that the reflective plastic surround has cracked one of it's screw mounts.  The local dealer I bought the box from got me a replacement in short order, no charge.  The topbox came with a generic mounting plate that I mounted easily to a SW-Motech platform built for the Sprint ST.  I didn't have to buy any extra hardware, or create any mounts to make them work together.

Any extra weight back over the rear axle will change the handling the bike a bit.  Just give yourself some time to get used to it.  I didn't get any adverse affect from the topbox.  Just what you'd expect when you add extra weight to a bike.  You need to add some braking distance, and slow down a bit more for corner transfers.  Compared to a bare bike.

[tigertom1965]

Many Concours owners use the Shad bags because Murphskits.com sells them. Send Murph an email and he can probably tell you all about them. Or go over to the COG website and ask around.

I am not sure about quality though since I haven't gotten far enough to purchase a topcase except to say that I don't have the $400-$500 to purchase one yet.

I was thinking more about the Coocase topcase from Twisted Throttle though. It uses the GIVI mount on my R1200RT. I don't think they sell side cases though.

I like the GIVI line but have also heard on this website that someone lost their topcase when the top case popped out of the mounting bracket on a ride.

[shesmyjewel]

I saw a post on another forum about this. The guy said it came loose from the supplied mounting plate and went bouncing down the road. Don't know if it was attached correctly or not, but he wasn't too happy. Just a heads-up: You usually get what you pay for.

+1 Damn straight. That might of been me. I wouldn't give you a nickel for the fucking thing. It was always difficult to get on and off the mount and get it to latch down properly too.
You havn't lived unless you've dodged cars in a 4 lane highway at night scurrying about trying to locate and pick up your broken and run-over shit.
It didn't go bouncing, it smashed into plastic slivers on a cold November night.
It mounted to that backrest extension luggage rack that I never trusted anyway.
My Connie is my main mode of transportation, therefore I live out of a Givi trunk. The thing is on and off the bike 4 times a day. Goes on smooth as silk, and latches down positively and easy.
Givi makes the mounting plate dedicated to my bike, and bolts right to the sub-frame under the little tail cover. No accessory racks or weak points.
I'll never scrimp on a trunk again. I know the Shads' are popular, but looked at one and I can tell you it isn't made as well as the Givi.

PS note. The one that took a flop is the JCW, not the Shad.

[DosEquis00]

+1 Damn straight. That might of been me. I wouldn't give you a nickel for the fucking thing. It was always difficult to get on and off the mount and get it to latch down properly too.
You havn't lived unless you've dodged cars in a 4 lane highway at night scurrying about trying to locate and pick up your broken and run-over shit.
It didn't go bouncing, it smashed into plastic slivers on a cold November night.
It mounted to that backrest extension luggage rack that I never trusted anyway.
My Connie is my main mode of transportation, therefore I live out of a Givi trunk. The thing is on and off the bike 4 times a day. Goes on smooth as silk, and latches down positively and easy.
Givi makes the mounting plate dedicated to my bike, and bolts right to the sub-frame under the little tail cover. No accessory racks or weak points.
I'll never scrimp on a trunk again. I know the Shads' are popular, but looked at one and I can tell you it isn't made as well as the Givi.

PS note. The one that took a flop is the JCW, not the Shad.

The Shad I have comes with solid steel mounting plates and for my ride out to Wyoming it was tested.  Heavy rains high winds and to my fault over packed weight wise and there was never an issue. Thats all just my 2 cents

[Roaddog]

By far the best bang for your buck, in terms of raw liters per dollar, is this:



http://www.bestemtopbox.com/product_info.php?products_id=1&osCsid=tlodl3almiafq4pgcvpjbb4bp2

Also known as the "JC Whitney topcase."  It's the same thing: a shameless Chinese knockoff of a Givi trunk, for about 1/4 the price.  It's solid, it locks, it comes with a mounting plate (unlike Givi!) and it has a brakelight.  It's neither ugly nor pretty, but it sure is cheap!    To give you an idea of HOW cheap this thing is, that red peice on the back isn't a reflector, it's just a piece of red plastic.    Again, for $70, I didn't really care.  I've been using it daily for the last 18 months with no problems.  It'll hold a good bit of stuff... a 20lb bag of dog food, or two 12-packs of beer, etc.  It will NOT hold two XL helmets.

Here it is on my VFR and V-Strom.  I just use one set of luggage for the two bikes.  





The V-Strom has a stock luggage rack that can support anything, but my VFR has a Givi "Wingrack" mounting system. (I wanted to mount side cases, and this was the only way to go.)  With some simple modifications, the Givi base plate can be made to mount this case.  You just use a drill and jigsaw to turn this "divet" on the catch peice into a hole.  Now the plate will support both cases.  

That's what I was referring to.