Freshman Rider
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New scoot!
Posts: 71 
Likes: 11
Joined: Feb 28, 2013 14:48:25 GMT -5
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Post by Skunk Shampoo on Jul 15, 2015 15:19:10 GMT -5
I just got a great deal for a top box. Found it at a yard sale for $8. Appears to be a TMS XL www.amazon.com/Large-Motorcycle-Scooter-Luggage-Helmets/dp/B006THWK06It is pretty huge. Holds two full face helmets. A customer image shows it mounted to a Yamaha Majesty, and it looks oversized on that. I can imagine how it is going to look on my tiny moped (I call it my badonka-trunk)  Will be great for grocery store runs, or camping! Only issue is that they didn't have the key for it. The lock mechanism can be removed though. An ebay search is showing some pretty cheap replacements. I figured I'd post here before buying anything though. Is there anything I should look for when finding a replacement? Rust proof materials, search terms to include to find a better match?   |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 15, 2015 15:57:43 GMT -5
Skunk Shampoo,
Looks like you scored a good one! It's a different style than mine, but the same size. They DO look a tad "ample"... LOL! But they are SO handy. I use mine so much that I would be lost without it. Here's how it looks on my old Kymco (which is nearly identical in size to my old Chinese 150)... It's NOT a large scooter at all.  Amazingly, adding saddlebags actually made the huge trunk look more "natural" by adding some width to the scoot!I'd think any replacement lock should work OK. Unless the scooter sits out in a lot of rain, rust shouldn't be a problem. You'll get used to the look in just one day... And, you'll get used to the hauling capacity on your FIRST trip to Wally World! And, if that huge rear light is fake, it's EASY to illuminate it with strip LED's. I did that to mine, and it puts some SERIOUS red lights at windshield-level to tailgating vehicles. These large trunks make your factory rear lights more difficult for close-following traffic to see, ESPECIALLY tall SUV's, trucks, etc.  I shot these pix before adding the saddlebags...Enjoy your new "hauling capacity"... Ride safe, Leo in Texas
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Post by cyborg on Jul 15, 2015 22:56:16 GMT -5
Take the original to a locksmith,,,, end of story
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Post by rockynv on Jul 16, 2015 0:26:47 GMT -5
Don't know if it really made by TMS the company behind Pelican Cases but it appears to be a well made case. You want a lock rated for exterior applications such as this mail box lock: Exterior Box LockAt your local Home Depot you may find them as Mail Box Locks: Mail Box Locks |
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Freshman Rider
Currently Offline
New scoot!
Posts: 71
Likes: 11
Joined: Feb 28, 2013 14:48:25 GMT -5
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Post by Skunk Shampoo on Jul 17, 2015 12:22:42 GMT -5
Thanks, rockynv. I might just bring the lock down to Lowe's and see if they have anything that matches up. Seeing as they are less thann $10, it might be cheaper than trying to salvage the orginal lock. oldchopperguy - The FA50 has its tail lights placed at the tip of the luggage rack, so the lock box doesn't overshadow my lights too much, but I was definitely thinking about your light strip mod when I got this. The trunk doesn't have any lighting of its own, so I would have to find some way to get it wired up. Unless I can just use a wireless kit like this one for a helmet www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Helmet-Signal-Harley-Suzuki/dp/B00KAR14QW/The mouse looks sharp with the top case and saddle bags btw :-). |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 17, 2015 14:28:21 GMT -5
Skunk Shampoo,
Thanks! The saddlebags actually do come in handy at grocery-getting time... They also totally hide the badging "Grandvista 250" so everybody assumes it's a tired, old Chinese 150... That's OK... Less temptation for thieves!
If you decide to illuminate the trunk, those big red lenses usually are attached only by some screws inside the trunk. Sometimes they also "snap" into grooves, but most of the time they come right off. They also are usually intended to be illuminated (but seldom are...) by simply installing a strip of LED's.
I also added yellow strip LED's on the outside of the red lens as turn-signals. Hooking up is pretty straight-forward. I used a male/female trailer-lighting plug and wiring, so I could unplug the lights to remove the trunk.
Sounds like your scoot has the factory lights up in a good place (mine sorta "disappear" beneath the trunk) but getting a stop-light and/or signals up at windshield-level is always a good safety measure.
I did my old Xingyue 150 trunk the same way. I used inexpensive LED strips from eBay (Chinese manufacturer) and they lasted 7 years on the 150 and were still working fine when I traded it on the Kymco a year ago last Christmas... So, at least in my experience, the cheap Chinese lights seem to be of good quality.
Best wishes, you'll LIKE that trunk!
Leo |
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Post by rockynv on Jul 17, 2015 23:41:31 GMT -5
On my old Lance I mounted a piece of PVC trim board painted black high on the back of the sissy bar and used LED Running Board Lights with a 4 inch red in the center for the brake and 2 inch yellow on either side for the signals and another 4 inch red below for a running light. All lights were almost 5 feet from the road and very visible. I got the oblong lights from Walmart for cheap and used a trailer wiring harness so I could simply unplug them when the light bar had to be removed for servicing the bike.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jul 18, 2015 16:15:15 GMT -5
On my old Lance I mounted a piece of PVC trim board painted black high on the back of the sissy bar and used LED Running Board Lights with a 4 inch red in the center for the brake and 2 inch yellow on either side for the signals and another 4 inch red below for a running light. All lights were almost 5 feet from the road and very visible. I got the oblong lights from Walmart for cheap and used a trailer wiring harness so I could simply unplug them when the light bar had to be removed for servicing the bike. Rockynv,
That's a great and simple way to REALLY increase your visibility! Once a vehicle gets too close in a "tailgate" your factory rear lights nearly disappear below their hood. Getting all rear lights up at eye-level is a major improvement in safety. A good mod for scoots with no trunk!
I also used the trailer pig-tail and plug setup for easy removal. The color-coded wires in the trailer wiring harness make it easier too. Have a bone on the old chopper guy!
Ride safe,
Leo
PS: For any rider with a vintage-styled scooter, your idea could easily be modified from the PVC trim, to a large, W-I-D-E hood or trunk chrome doodad off a 40's-50's car from the boneyard. Lots of old cars, even into the sixties had attractive chrome birdies, wings, art-deco designs, etc. which could work out as a blank canvas for a rear light! They'd look good on any scoot styled like a Vespa.... or, on a REAL Vespa, Lambretta, Cushman, etc. Or a Harley, Indian and such! LOL!
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