Modern Buddy

yes, my new genuine topcase which was installed saturday afternoon, actually flew off my scooter yesterday. i will be going to the dealer this morning to get this all sorted out as soon as they open this morning. it appears as though a washer and nut were not installed on one side of the bracket piece.

however, i can now attest to the ruggedness of the genuine topcase. i was going *maybe* 25mph on my neighborhood street. didn't hit a hole or big bump, just the normal street conditions, and blewy! my topcase flew off.

using my side mirror, i saw it tumbling in the street. fortunately, there was no traffic, i pulled over, did a u-ey and parked. when i retrieved the topcase it was deeply gouged and scratched up in a number of places, but it didn't dent, fly open (it was locked), or disintegrate before my eyes. none of my belongings in it were damaged (including cell phone).

after i retrieved the case, i looked in the street for the bracket but couldn't find it. upon further investigation, it was still attached to the case. huh? weird science there, eh?

anyway, that little testimonial should tell us something about the sturdiness of the new genuine topcase.

I don't know how the Genuine case is mounted, but did the case fly off the mounting bracket OR the entire mounting bracket and the case flew off together?

Sounds to me like the mounting bracket flew off.

I have the GIVI case but I used the plastic ties to secure the mounting bracket down to the backrack. The plastic ties that lock when you pull them tight.

the rear rack is still attached to the scooter.

http://www.scooterworks.com/Rear_Rack_B ... _P4868.cfm

the bracket and case flew off together. prior to this incident, i'd noticed some rattling from the case area, but assumed it was just the stuff inside making noise. guess i was wrong.

when i got to work, i looked at the underside of the case because i saw that it was moving on the mounting rack. it was at that time i saw only one bracket and it was being held in place with only one complete bolt assembly (washer and nut). i thought it'd hold until i got to the dealer after work (only a few miles), but i got stuck in mariners' postgame traffic and by the time it broke loose, it was too late to go to the dealer. then on the way home, it flew off.

it appears as though the second bolt assembly and one complete bracket assembly was never put on. i'm assuming that because i don't think it likely that those items would all have 'rattled' off in the little time i actually rode the scooter before the mishap. there's no reason to think washers and nuts would somehow come off the bolt. not cool.

btw, the topcase instructions say the case is not intended to hold more than 10 pounds.

okay, i went to my dealers and they had another SI topcase available, so they installed it for me while i waited. evidently, the nuts and washers supplied by genuine are not the locking kind and will vibrate off, which is what happened to mine.

but all's well that ends well. just make sure you or your dealer uses locking nuts when you install your topcase and all should be fine. my dealer is going to do that from now on.

Thanks for posting the weight allowance--that surprised me.

I should be OK w/the GIVI carrying my 13lb bag & contents.

Wasn't sure how much weight the Genuine backrack could hold.

Thanks for the info. After reading your last, I went out and checked my Genuine topcase and sure enough, one nut had loosened after I'd just reinstalled the whole thing last week. Locknuts for sure this Saturday.

I think there was a post on this about six-eight weeks ago about using the locking kind because I remember asking my husband about it then he gave me a sample to take with the to the hardware store.

After he read the post he said that was wise to use that type.

Probably more info on that thread...I don't remember all the details.

(I had just sent for my GIVI case)

hmmmm ... 12oz per can x 24 /16 + 7lb bag of ice = 25lbs

scullyfu wrote:btw, the topcase instructions say the case is not intended to hold more than 10 pounds.

*** NOT ACCEPTABLE ***

gotta check out the GIVI topcases ...

Might have to either:

1. Make your own ice

2. Make two trips

3. Buy less cans

The Buddy backrack could be strained at 25lbs.

these are not considerations for me: i live right across the street from a qfc.

BlueMark wrote:hmmmm ... 12oz per can x 24 /16 + 7lb bag of ice = 25lbs

scullyfu wrote:btw, the topcase instructions say the case is not intended to hold more than 10 pounds.

*** NOT ACCEPTABLE ***

gotta check out the GIVI topcases ...

Agreed!!

AgentKestrel wrote:

BlueMark wrote:hmmmm ... 12oz per can x 24 /16 + 7lb bag of ice = 25lbs

scullyfu wrote:btw, the topcase instructions say the case is not intended to hold more than 10 pounds.

*** NOT ACCEPTABLE ***

gotta check out the GIVI topcases ...

How much weight are the Givi topcases rated to hold?

Givi E370 has capacity of 39 liters.

So today my Buddy got it's 200 mile service. I was planning a later trip to a big box hardware place to get some locking nuts for the topcase. When I went to pick the scoot up, the service tech at Ducati Seattle told me they had replaced the nuts on the topcase brackets with locknuts and locktight. My first service but I'm impressed that they went the extra step to fix a problem they just became aware of, and no cost.

BTW, I am seeing Buddies all over Seattle, but I don't see many on this board's map and I know Seattle Ducati is selling a lot of Buddies. Post up you Buddyestas.

That kind of service lets you know you chose the right place to buy your Buddy.

Would you share what your cost was for your first service?

There has been quite a difference in pricing and what was actually done on the first service.

Cost was $113.77 before tax, which was the price quoted when I set up the service. They did the oil and filter changes and checked all the items noted in the owner's manual. Took a few minutes to show me a few items I couldn't decipher from the manual. A great start to a good dealer relationship.

Capt. Spaulding wrote:So today my Buddy got it's 200 mile service. I was planning a later trip to a big box hardware place to get some locking nuts for the topcase. When I went to pick the scoot up, the service tech at Ducati Seattle told me they had replaced the nuts on the topcase brackets with locknuts and locktight. My first service but I'm impressed that they went the extra step to fix a problem they just became aware of, and no cost.

BTW, I am seeing Buddies all over Seattle, but I don't see many on this board's map and I know Seattle Ducati is selling a lot of Buddies. Post up you Buddyestas.

I don't have a buddy but I did go test drive one (and a blur) last weekend from Ducati Seattle. Does that count?

I'm going to keep the Buddy on my possible upgrade list though the Vespa and Piaggio I test drove today felt a little better to me. I did like the people at Ducati Seattle a lot.

Thank you for the tip about the lock nuts. I installed my Genuine topcase and sure enough when I checked it the nuts that attached the topcase bracket to the Buddy rack were not the locking type. My bracket is firmly attached but as a precaution I will install the locking type of nuts/washers.

ryder1 wrote:Givi E370 has capacity of 39 liters.

Official max load is just 6.6 lbs, even less than the Genuine top case.

The largest GIVI cases have an official max load of 22 lbs.

So just how 'official' are these load limits? I know that I've loaded my S/X canvas top bag with two 12 packs and two plastic bags of groceries (22 lbs?), and it doesn't even have a solid base (and I should note that it IS sagging, I'm looking at putting a custom sized dense polyethylene cutting board inside as a stiffener). I'm guessing that load limits have more to do with the quality and robustness of the rack and the attachment unit than with the case itself, and that can vary with every installation.

Is that the capacity (6.6lbs) of the Buddy backrack too?

after riding with my 'new' locknutted topcase for a while now, i think the 10 lb. warning is more for stability and weight distribution. i've noticed when on the center stand, my scooter moves a bit more easily (forward and back) than it did pre-topcase. hope that makes sense.

and shoutout to capt. spaulding. ducati seattle rocks!!! sorry to say i was the one with the flying topcase that prompted them to initiate the new locknuts rather than the free-twisting ones supplied with the case. service manager dave said they were going to make the transition, glad to hear they did.