Showing posts with label diy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diy. Show all posts

Jul 23, 2012

Fixing A Hole in My GIVI Cases

At the end of that long weekend of motorcycle classes, as I was packing up to call it a day and loading up my gear, I snapped off the key to my GIVI bags in one of my side cases. I always have a pair of small bungee cords on the cases, so I used them to hold the thing shut till I got home. I figured I'd be able to get the busted key out of the lock, if I got it all disassembled, but I couldn't budge the thing. My next great idea was to take the lock mechanism to a locksmith. Before doing that, I did a Google search on "givi lock repair" and discovered the locks are available and cheap; 3 locks, six keys, for $30. I checked with my local GIVI dealer, Midwest Cycle Supply, and they had the parts I needed. Road trip for the WR!

A bit later, I had the stuff I needed. I disassembled the busted case lock, first. That left the good one to use as a model for reassembly. It doesn't take much to get the lock out of the case, something to consider when you imagine a plastic case offers some kind of security. They don't. I accidentally "locked" the broken case, thinking I was going to set the mechanism free. All it took was a flat screwdriver and some wrist torque and the lock popped open; just like it would if a thief decided to empty my luggage on the road.

Once I had the case off of the bike, the first step is to remove the lock screw. This one screw holds the entire latch and lock mechanism in place.: one #8 by 1/2" Phillips screw between the world and all of my stuff. GIVI, security is not thy name. The screw out, the lock comes loose and you're ready to disassemble.

Dis-assembly is easy, too. One e-clip holds the lock and latch in place. Pop that with a flat screwdriver and the latch comes apart easily.

Once you have the latch apart, you're ready to reassemble with the new pieces.

 The new key lock goes into a plastic surround.

The surround pushes into the latch assembly.


The latch assembly is held together with the e-clip. That is most easily re-installed with a pair of needle nose pliers. 


Once the clip is in place, slide the latch mechanism back on the case.




Tighten the Phillips screw to hold it all together. 


You're done.


In my case, do it two more times so that all three of my GIVI cases use the same key and I'm set to go another 50,000 miles with this luggage. The fact is, it's probably a good thing I didn't think about how fragile my "security" has been with these cases and it's a good thing that I know that now. I'll probably buy some bicycle cables to lock around the cases, when I'm away from them from here out. 

Oct 5, 2011

Protesting China

My WR250's rear wheel requires a 27mm wrench to break the wheel loose for tire repairs or chain adjustments. The Yamaha tool is a POS that couldn't possible crack the specified torque for that nut. Motion Pro makes a very nice combination 27mm wrench and tire tool , but after looking at it I suspected the quality and torque capacity of the wrench end of the tool, plus the $30+shipping price tag put me off. I found a perfectly good 27mm wrench at Fleet Farm for $9, cut off the open-end end, and ground out a tire tool in about 20 minutes.

I know, my time was worth thousands of $ and I could have saved the world while I was making an over-capacity, less-than-hip looking tool, but I had fun, got exactly what I wanted, and it works really well at both ends. Motion Pro's tool is slicker looking, but Bob's didn't carry it and I wanted it in the tool kit this weekend. Now I'm ready for a road test.