Oct 28, 2009 Stylin! Top Case & Windshield

OK, so Red Dog may not qualify for style points but he/she/it still stands out in a crowd. The box of stuff I’d ordered from RL Motorcycles in Georgia arrived yesterday afternoon and I was anxious to get going with it. Included was the mounting plate for attaching the GIVI Monokey top case to the rear of Red Dog plus a big fat windshield. Last summer I’d bought the top case for El Nino, my Kawasaki Ninja but it had proven to be top heavy and I wasn’t able to use it. It was an easy install and I was able to accomplish it last night before it got too nippy in the garage to work. The fit for Red Dog is perfect; I think it’s going to work out just fine.

Installing the windshield was a different matter and I arose early this morning to tackle it. There were lots of panels to remove, brackets to install & adjust, all while trying to comprehend the strange instruction sheet that GIVI deems adequate for the task. Fortunately I’ve had some experience with their stuff and was able to muddle through the process in a reasonable amount of time.

After I finished it was time for the acid test and I headed into Coos Bay to meet a couple of other riders for coffee. Both guys knew about the new scoot but neither had seen it yet. We had our caffeine fix, told stories, and after an hour or so headed out to our respective homes. The dark cloudy sky had been threatening to rain all afternoon but luck was with us and it never materialized. As I rode home I reflected on how well the windshield worked, I was as comfortable as could be even though the temperature was crisp.

The saddle remains as the main comfort item that will need to be addressed but it’s an expensive bit and I may have to wait awhile.