Steve Swan

@audiomick the short answer is no! the longer answer is yes. i was able to move the mounting plate back 4 inches by drilling holes in the plate and the Wingracks. So, the top case is now 4 inches to the rear and the seat is removable. The case is a bit further back than i would like, but it's not nearly as far back as it was before.

"Who's the best rider" is like the dreaded "best oil" topic... (:

here's the smaller bags that also came ith the bike. Along with the top case, i think the 3 will give sufficient room for 4 day in-state junkets. I think i'm going to look for a smaller top case, the one on is huge, as are the larger 36 liter bags. idk what liter size these smaller bags are...

@audiomick I'm not sure what you mean by "can you still get the set off with it like that?" i don't have to disassemble each side of the rack assembly to remove it from the bike. i can remove it as an entire unit, remove the 2 Allen's on each side attaching the passenger foot rest hangers and remove the lower bolt attaching the muffler to th hanger and the whole assembly removes as a unit. This is the Give Monokey Wingrack system; idk if nla. i can take pics with bags off so you can see, if you think it would give you some ideas. The one part that was well-fabricated by the p.o. was the two brackets made of 1/4" alum plate; they attach to the subframe and are what the Wingracks attach to.

Happily, i was able to turn the rack around, made some spacers, way better.

The old gal is outfitted. I did some modifying of the 1/4" alum.plate the po made brackets to fit the Give Wing Racks. The mounting hardware can now be removed as an assembly by removing 3 bolts on each side and now retains the factory rear blinkers. Not sure about that top case, wish it could be moved further ahead instead of being perched in the back 40. Now that i wrote this, i'll take a closer look for that possibility. Will be interesting to see what this kit feels like on the road loaded.

@GuzziMoto, indeed, we all have our opinions. Stoner was EXTREMELY talented, albeit his 7 year career was short lived, so we have no way of knowing had he might have accomplished had he raced 13 seasons as has MM. Altho Rossi introduced a riding style prior unseen, he did not win his rookie year like MM. Nor did he win as many back to back championships as has MM, altho Marquez has another 13 seasons to catch Vali's 21. (13 & 21 being in the premier class). At age 40, MM will match Vali's 21. Other than Vali's 2015, loss, he didn't win another championship after 2009, when he was 30 years old. MM is on track to win the championship this year at age 32. And still has, at minimum, another 3 years before he enters his decline. Time will tell.

imho, MM is a once in a lifetime driver. He adapts to the machine and makes the best out of any circumstance he is confronted with. He overcame his 2021 Jerez crash which matured him. MM is on track to win at least 10 MotoGP championships. After this season, he has a minimum of at least 3 more years to win 10. Barring the unforseen, he has everything he needs within himself and around him to win more than 10. And, he is still human.

Thank you all for your help. I want to hold out for factory paper, condition not important as long as it's all there and all redable. Even some tattered pages, kind of like the old gal. If she was perfect, i'd probably be all over the one in Japan. I have the service and parts books, so really don't need the Owner's Manual. As i said, i like factory paper. I'd also like to get an original tool kit... i try to give each of my bikes what they left the factory with. Finding all the factory tools for my '27 Harley took awhile.

It doesn't need to be perfect. As long as it's all there, not tattered, and pages aren't stuck together, i'm good. Thanks!

If you have one, let me know. Thanks!

Agreed, @gstallons. nothing like OEM. I'll keep an eye open for an OEM and may eventually breakdown and buy one from that German seller if they still have any. I may have asked this already, is the factory external pum still available or is it nla? And i take it substutute pumps, are not the same diameter?

I had to get moved into my new office to be ready for Monday and the high today was a cloudy, moist 61' so i snapped a pic of the old gal in the shop. Next tiome i go out for ride, will take more pics. I'm planning a 4 day trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison, early July. Considering what she was like when i got her, she cleaned up well, but still carries the numerous small scars of neglect.

My next project is coming up with some alternative of mounting the well designed brackets the p.o. had fabricated that attach to the Givi Monokey bracket and the whole mess attaches to the part of the frame the passenger/muffler brackes are held on by 2 Allen screws. I'll post pics when i am ready to experiment with the 130mm Allens that should be here any day soon. He had the brackets as close to the frame as he could get them and had installed some HORRIBLE round mufflers that were lower than factory and an extra bracket that looked like s--t, and the mufflers had one of the worst sounds i've ever heard a muffler make and certainly sounds no V11 deserves to have to make. Sort of a clattering, the first time i rode the bike i thought there was an engine problem or something flapping loose. Threw them in the metal recycling bin at work. I'm thinking the longer Allens will get the bags a bit further out so they clear the new satin Mistrals.

Thanks, @gstallons, THAT is a Great Point. I am certain you nailed it. i used the factory mounting rings and cut 3mm rubber strips from an MX innertube, but she's really tight in those clamps and i'll bet the 3mm strips simply are not enough cushion so now the pump, when in operation, resonates very nicely... Wish i could use the rubber cocoon the factory pump fitds so nicely in. There are used factory pumps on ebay, listed by a German salvager, only $175 or $250, as George Patton said, "Nuts." Hmm... Gonna have to come up with something different. And keep my eyes open for a reasonably priced factory pump.