Speed, let me add to this and tell you Whooshka is 100% correct. Take it from somebody that has experienced this. My Shad 50l I used basically empty 95% of the time and then just stored my helmet at stops and my lunch bag going to work when I took one.
I had a “Stiffy” kit installed from nearly new because of advice and encouragement from a lot of good folks here. Because I had so many problems with my bike from new and a lot of encouragement from my dealer they waved the $675 cost for the new frame but said they wouldn’t pay for the installation which the dealer estimated would be around $1000.
I’m pretty handy and after 7-10days had the new frame in, I modified the heck out of the Stiffy to add a lot more support in addition to installing the new heavy aluminum Yamaha rack, the Yamaha reps said a max of 10lbs with the new rack and a max of 7lbs for the oe plastic shite (wanna buy one ?)
Anyway if you think saving that $160 is a big deal, go for it, oh by the way if you don’t have a Stiffy installed there’s a really good chance that you’ll learn of your broken subframe when your new lightly loaded topbox goes tumbling down the road behind you. My .02
I had a “Stiffy” kit installed from nearly new because of advice and encouragement from a lot of good folks here. Because I had so many problems with my bike from new and a lot of encouragement from my dealer they waved the $675 cost for the new frame but said they wouldn’t pay for the installation which the dealer estimated would be around $1000.
I’m pretty handy and after 7-10days had the new frame in, I modified the heck out of the Stiffy to add a lot more support in addition to installing the new heavy aluminum Yamaha rack, the Yamaha reps said a max of 10lbs with the new rack and a max of 7lbs for the oe plastic shite (wanna buy one ?)
Anyway if you think saving that $160 is a big deal, go for it, oh by the way if you don’t have a Stiffy installed there’s a really good chance that you’ll learn of your broken subframe when your new lightly loaded topbox goes tumbling down the road behind you. My .02
