Top Box ( ST1300 )

[KoTAOW]

Contributed by Scott Fairchild, STOC #4728.
Original article can be found here: http://www.thefairchilds.org/bikes/

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Top Box ( ST1300 )

What touring bike would be complete without a trunk? If Honda had their way, it would be every ST sold in the US. For some reason, they decided not to sell the box here. Many owners have tried to understand this decision, and Honda has not given any reason whatsoever. I'm guessing it's some kind of liability thing, but whatever. Even good companies make stupid decisions sometimes. Thankfully, you can at least pick it up from Europe, although you have to contend with fluctuating exchange rates and expensive shipping. Overall, the box is about $550 shipped from this company, David Silver Spares, in England.

The box is not cheap, but then again, it's not cheap. It's made of good quality materials and matches the paint and styling of the bike perfectly. It claims to hold about 45 liters, is about 12" x 12" x 20" and can store two full-face helmets. You'll notice the arm rests that are installed on the box. These were extra and are pretty close to useless. I wouldn't get them again if I had the chance. At least they look pretty good.

The top box even has a built-in backrest for the passenger, something Tara wouldn't ride the bike without. It's even got the same "gill" pattern that is on the saddlebags. It's very well made and it's worth the investment in my opinion.



Below is a shot of the open box with the fitted liner bag. Similar to the saddlebag liners, this can be removed and carried like a duffle bag, which makes it great for going on trips and staying in hotels, etc.

It's got some retaining straps as you can see and even has a carpeted bottom. When it was new, it also had the new car smell, which is pretty intoxicating. The top box actually arrived a few days before the bike did and I couldn't wait to install it, much less get the bike itself!



Here's a shot of the box removed, with the baseplate exposed. It takes all of five seconds to unlock and remove or replace the box. When removed, you can use the mounting plate as a luggage rack and secure things down with some bungee cords.



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Thank You again for your contribution Scott Fairchild, STOC #4728