HELP! - Ventura luggage system
 

Greetings.

Ordered and received my Ventura luggage system for my '02 748 BIP a while back and got round to fitting it (trying to at any rate) this evening.

The parts i received were
- PF16/B Ventura pack rack
- D008/B L-bar pieces and the U-piece (for 748, 916 Biposto)

My problem is this. I have all the parts fitted, U-piece and the two L-bars and the seat even closes with all this in place BUT when i put the Pack-rack on with it over the seat, there is no way in hell it will drop in to the L-brackets without touching the seat. In fact it touches the seat well before the bits going in to the l-bracket are any where near far enough in.

I am open to the suggestion that i have done something wrong here...... but the prize goes to whoever can tell me what it is!!!

Ta muchly.

The pack rack *always* goes so that the rack points out from the seat, not over it.

The "over the seat" option simply refers to the way the bags can be placed either over the seat or behind, depending on if you're carrying passengers or not.

If you haven't got a Ventura bag, then you really should buy one to go with it because it's so much easier than trying to bungee a rucksack or similar to the back of the bike! They really are worth the money once you've used it a couple of times.

Hope this helps,

Ahhh......

That might explain it.... (where's the embarrassed as hell smiley??)

I just assumed the orientation referred to the pack-rack as well as the pack.

Cheers matey.

Yes i have the ventura bag as well. The 45l spada if i remember correctly.

Truth be told, i had binned the hopeless instructions near the start of the operation. Perhaps should have read a little further on.

[Edited on 11-5-2004 by MarkyMark76]

[Edited on 11-5-2004 by MarkyMark76]

Excellent choice sir!

Yes, it does seem a bit odd that when putting the bag over the pillion seat that you still have to have the rack bit pointing outwards, but that's just the way it is.

By the way, if you've got a single seat unit, get a cloth of some description and tape it to the top surface of the seat to stop the bag rubbing and messing up your paint like mine did. You also want to put some tape (I use red Duck tape!) along the top of the lights because it sometimes rubs there too.

Hang on though.

I've been browsing through the DSC products/discounts/regalia section and there is a picture of a 996R with the rack 'in over'. Is it different for the mono?





[Edited on 11-5-2004 by MarkyMark76]

Well I never...

Let's just say that I had exactly the same problems as you then - I have a small ("sports") rack and it does fit over the way shown, but my large rack which takes the bag doesn't.

Yeah, mine fits as per the pictures, so the rack can either be over the seat if riding solo, or out behind it to allow pillion. cant say what might be up with yours Mark... can you take any piccies and post so we can see?

Just spoken to Motohaus (who are the uk distributors for Ventura) and they reckon the rack pack should be mountable in either orientation on the BIP.

If that's the case i've done something very wrong. Going to have another check over it tonight. Will try and get some pics as well.

Anyone else with a BIP have this problem?

To be honest, when I first read the instructions from Ventura it did occur to me that the rack AND bag should be forward facing when there's no pillion - as per the supplied pictures above.

However, on my SS there's no way it will go forward facing due to the grab rail. The only way I could make it forward facing is to cut out some of the thin metal cross bars from the rack, which I am reluctant to do.

See a couple of pics here -

http://www.kapital-sales.co.uk/desmo/images/ventura/

One thing I will say as a word of caution is to be careful when slotting the rack into and out of place with the brackets. Within the first week I put three chips in my paint work as the rack slipped when putting it on or removing it. I learned pretty quickly how to do it, but if the fit is at all tight on yours make sure your hand is around the base of each rack stem. Better to pinch your skin against bike and rack than take chunks out of paint work.

Overall I'm quite happy with the Ventura rack. I ride to work every day and my back is surely thanking me for not having to carry a backpack every day!

Phill



[Edited on 12-5-2004 by phillc]

Mark I have a Ventura System fitted to my 996bip I can take a few pictures of it so you can see the way it goes if you like 4D

So long as you have the silver thick spacer washers for the rear(Tail )brackets it should fit as seen. The pack can then be forward facing if no one is on the back or rear facing if they are . Make sure you tighten up the pinch nuts on the retaining finger boltsthat lock the pack to the frame, if that makes sense as they can loosen on a hard journey 4D

[Edited on 12-5-2004 by Fordie]

[Edited on 12-5-2004 by Fordie]

If you don't fit the rack facing forwards you may well find the bag (especially the 45l) rubbing on the pillion seat and surrounding paintwork......not pleasant !

I had the pack facing towards me ( on the pillion) on the Congleton trip 500 miles and didn't rub or give any trouble . I did find some spacer washers when I first took of the horizontal parts of the frame maybe these helped? All in all though a good way of carrying kit (45L) 4D

Fordie - can you fit the rack so that it faces forward though?

There's no problem fitting the rack itself facing outwards, but if you try to fit it facing forward then it doesn't seat into the brackets properly.

Like this, but with the proper bag rack...

4D, thanks for the mail last night. You are right, your L-bars are a very different shape than the ones that i have (at the rear peg mounting pt). I mailed Ventura yesterday and here is there response -

""Thanks for your enquiry. The part numbers recommended for your model should be D008/B and PF16/B. This rack may not be reversible and unable to be used facing forwards, however if this is your requirement you could exchange the PF16/B for a PF14/B which has longer legs at the base and would give clearance.

The design has always been to keep the carrier low and in line with the rear seat for all high speed sports bikes, which means the rack can often only be used facing to the rear.

I hope the above helps.""

No, not really..... I have replied again today including pictures so, i'll see what the response is tomorrow.

This is the pic from the ventura web site of how it should be mounted on a 996BIP (no pic for the 748bip). Is this how you use it, or do you mount the rack over the back seat? (same as Antonyes' question!!)

Here's the pics of my side brackets ... which don't look like anyone elses!!!

http://217.199.188.40/xmb/viewthread...78&pid=6177 2

http://217.199.188.40/xmb/viewthread...78&pid=6176 9

[edit: damn IMG code doesn't work for forum uploads!]


[Edited on 13-5-2004 by antonye]

I think they look kinda the same as mine. Is your bike the mono? I know that the rack pack part of the assembly is different between the mono and the bip, due to the height of the 'hump' v 'seat'. Going to take some measurements of the L-bar tonight to compare.

Marky

your brackets will look different to 4D's as it is a completely different kit for the 996 bip to the 748/916 bip (but 4D's pics are a very good guide for me as i need to fit mine, thanks)

If its of any help i've fitted a Ventura to 2 previous bikes and the rack wouldn't fit forward facing on either bike but the bags sat forward where the pillion would sit.

Good luck.

Here is the latest and last reply from Ventura -

""Hello Mark

Thanks for your reply and my apologies for not being specific in replying to your questions.

The PF16/B rack as specified for your model is not reversible and can only be used facing to the rear, however, the pack can be used in either direction, facing forwards and resting on the pillion seat or to the rear over the carrier. We recommend that when riding solo with one pack that it should be carried facing forward over the pillion seat.

By your photos you have the correct system for your bike and the 748BIP is supposed to be mounted in the same position as the 996BIP on our website.""




So that's the end of that. For the 996BIP and 748BIP the pack can be over the seat or the back of the bike, but the rack can only be out over the back of the bike.

Thanks for your help guys.
Mark