Page 1 of 1
Givi e30 Topcase and Brake Light Installation
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:59 am
by hangukhurley
Woo Hoo!!!! I have my Givi e30 trunk and brakelight installed! 
I'll try to post pictures tomorrow (my camera needs to recharge tonight).
My husband was surprised by how much he had to dismantle to install the brake light kit. He needed to remove (in this order):
1. side plastic panel underneath the left floor board (to remove this panel remove the three screws in the floorboard underneath the rubber mat)
2. tiny, little panel underneath the original brake light
3. the seat (with the compartment)
4. the red brake light cover
5. back left panel (that says Buddy)
After removing the back left panel, my husband had to drill a small hole into the panel for the brake light wiring and do a bit of soldering.
It only took him about an hour to install everything, but probably because he had already installed it on my Vino previously so he was familiar with it. The back rack and trunk installation itself was easy, though.
The black matte Givi trunk looks pretty decent on the back of my pink Buddy. The back rack (Genuine Buddy accessory) is very solid and very substantial. With the trunk installed, when I'm standing right behind the scooter I can't see the original scooter brakelight at all (and I'm only 5'1"!). I'm so glad I had the brakelight kit for the trunk! 
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:12 pm
by BuddyRaton
Can't wait to see the pics! Enjoy!
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:29 am
by hangukhurley
Okay, here are some pictures of my Givi topcase. I hope they're not too big. I really worked at making these small.
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:47 am
by brat
That looks great. Does your helmet fit in that case?
Susan
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:54 am
by hangukhurley
Susan,
No, unfortunately it doesn't fit in the topcase or in the compartment underneath the seat. It's a modular/flip-up and it's too big to fit in either compartments. I hang it from the hook in the seat. I think a 3/4 helmet or smaller would fit in there, though. My jacket, boots and gloves fit in the topcase, though. 
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:02 am
by Shellee
Hangukhurley, your topbox looks great with the added light kit! I'm definitely going to have to get that on my Givi, since I think the topbox kind of "hides" the brakelight. After reading your installation instructions, I'm going to let my dealer handle that!
I have a Nolan flip-up helmet and it fits in my E30 Givi case. I think different brands of helmets vary a little in size.
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:18 pm
by ScooterMonkey
Congrats on the case, it looks great!
Could you post some details/instructions on installing the brake-light kit please? I've ordered a Givi case w/ light kit, & I'd like to do the install myself if possible.
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:40 pm
by JeremyZ
For those of you who are thinking of getting this top case, it's OK without the light too.
I had the same issue with the top case on my FJR. Then, I realized that by the time a car/truck following you couldn't see the brakelight because of the top case, he'd have already hit you.
I had the light kit for my top case, and decided not to install it because I didn't want to tinker with the wiring system and void the warranty.
Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:43 pm
by Scootin_in_MS
Crystal posted a tutorial on replacing the red lense with more reflective material, in case you don't want the light. It cost about $5.00 if I recall. If anyone is interested, I'll search around Urbanscootin for the thread. Or is Crystal reads this, maybe she can link it. She should be back from her extended vacation by now...
Jody
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 1:04 am
by BuddyRaton
I wired in a E350 light kit alittle differently but I think it came out pretty clean! I removed that small panel below the brake light and the brake light lens. There are three screws holding in the light assembly one on the bottom and one on each side that needed to be removed. I CAREFULLY flexed the licence plate light assembly and each side panel to pull out the light assembly. To run the wire I opened the seat and was able to pull up the back lip of the storage compartment. I cut a very small notch there, just big enough to not pinch the wire. I fished the wire down through there and out next to the brake light. There are three wires going to the light assembly, light blue, black, and dark blue. I used a VOM to check and found that the light blue is the brake light, black is ground, and the dark blue is the running light. I wire tapped The blue GIVI wire to the light blue and black to black. Yours should be the same but it never hurts to check before tapping! Reassembly was all that was left. The only evidence is about two inches of wire running from the rack center post to under the seat. Im very pleased with it and will post some pics soon!
BR Not-David
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:20 am
by Lagerhead
Scootin_in_MS wrote:Crystal posted a tutorial on replacing the red lense with more reflective material, in case you don't want the light. It cost about $5.00 if I recall. If anyone is interested, I'll search around Urbanscootin for the thread. Or is Crystal reads this, maybe she can link it. She should be back from her extended vacation by now...
Jody
http://girlbike.com/2006/06/22/givi-trunk-reflector/
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:14 pm
by BuddyRaton
Here are some pics of how I wired the brake lights for the E350!
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:16 pm
by BuddyRaton
One more!
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:17 pm
by BuddyRaton
Scootin_in_MS wrote:Crystal posted a tutorial on replacing the red lense with more reflective material, in case you don't want the light. It cost about $5.00 if I recall. If anyone is interested, I'll search around Urbanscootin for the thread. Or is Crystal reads this, maybe she can link it. She should be back from her extended vacation by now...
Jody
Thanks for the great link!
Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 12:03 am
by ScooterMonkey
Great desciption & pics...thanks much. It sounds simple enough that I'm gonna' try installing my e350 w/ brake light kit instead of paying for the shop to do it.
Can you post a couple pics of the wire, & cut-notch under the seat?
Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 1:13 am
by hangukhurley
Hi,
I just needed to make a correction on my previous post. My helmet DOES fit in my Givi E30 topcase. I think when my husband tried it, he used HIS helmet and it was really close but the top of the case rubbed on the top of his helmet. Of course, I assumed that he had tested it with MY helmet since that was the whole purpose of the test. 
Oh well!
Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 1:16 am
by hangukhurley
BuddyRaton,
Nice job with your Givi topcase and brake lights! Sounds like you did it a much easier way. Oh, and great pics, too!
Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:52 pm
by ScooterMonkey
BuddyRaton,
thx. for the description & pics, I followed them & installed my Givi case brake lights a few days ago w/ no trouble at all
Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:45 pm
by BuddyRaton
Well......let's see it!