A Clever Expandable Top Case
The new SHAD SH58X has a very clever trick.
It’s the first hard case top box that can be expanded to a total of 3 different capacities.
I don’t think there are any other hard top cases that can do this?
At any rate, SHAD has a patent on the technology.
It’s very simple: flip two nearly-flush latches on the inside and lift the front of the SH58X, then snap the latches closed.
(See our quick video below for an illustration.)
The SH58X expands from an enormous 46 liter capacity to a giant 52 liter capacity to a gargantuan 58 liter cavern.
At 58 liters, the SH58X will easily hold a full-face size XL helmet and more.
It will swallow a pair of insulated winter pants with protectors; a heavyweight 3/4-length winter jacket with insulation and its included back protector and a pair of motorcycle boots for good measure.
With room to spare…
In fact, the SH58X will hold so much stuff, you have to be careful about what and how you pack. You don’t want too much weight up and behind.
We’ve reviewed scads of SHAD luggage over the years and each product is an improvement.
The quality level of the SH58X is excellent and it’s very easy to mount the system on your bike.
The SH58X shown here has the carbon fiber look cover option and covers are available in metal color, titanium color and white as well.
A back rest kit, rear brake light options and an expandable inner liner are also available.
At first, we though the SH58X would be too big for the mid-sized 2015 Kawasaki Versys 650 LT (Blog), but it works very well.
The SH58X has a “flatter” clamshell-like shape in its lowest position, which actually suits the smaller Versys and feels no different on the bike when riding than the SHAD SH39 we reviewedpreviously.
SHAD will also release a variant called the SH59X.
It has an aluminum (rather than painted) cover plate and it’s aimed at adventure-touring bikes but it’s otherwise nearly identical to the SH58X.
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Introduction
You may not know that SHAD manufacturers original equipment luggage and motorcycle seats for several of the largest motorcycle manufacturers, including BMW, Honda, KTM, Kymco, Piaggio, Triumph, Yamaha and others.
SHAD also sells its own branded line of motorcycle luggage, which now includes a huge variety of side bags, top cases, soft and semi-hard luggage, waterproof bags, electronic device cases and other motorcycle, scooter and ATV luggage accessories.
A range of SHAD motorcycle luggage has been reviewed on webBikeWorld over the years and the SH58X is
The SHAD top case lineup currently includes 13 different designs, from the SH26 all the way up to the massive SH558X and SH59X.
How It Works
This is yet another one of these “Why didn’t I think of that?” ideas.
It’s pretty simple actually (although I’m sure it took lots of engineering to get it working) but difficult to describe.
The lid of the SH58X doesn’t move, but the case itself is made in two parts.
The entire upper half is a sort of sleeve that floats over the main body of the case (the main chamber that’s attached to the mounting plate, which is then attached to the mounting bracket on the bike).
Inside the case are two flat plastic latches, one on either side towards the front (photos above). Release those and you can slide the front half/top of the case up to the second position, where it catches on a square molded boss.
Or, pull the front/top of the case up to the third and highest setting and now the boss sits on top of the latch.
The case remains waterproof because the top half slides over the bottom half.
The only potential issue is some scratching we noticed on the sides of the lower part of the case, where the top half slides past. We worked the expansion up and down dozens of times before we noticed it.
SHAD SH59X By The Numbers
The SHAD luggage names indicate the capacity of the case in liters.
For example, the SH39 in our previous SHAD luggage review (and also fitted to the Versys 650) has a rated 39 liter capacity.
The SHAD SH50, which is still in the lineup, was the previous capacity champ but at their maximum expansion, the new SH58X and SH59X beat that by 16% and 18% respectively.
In fact, even at expansion position two — the middle of the three expansion ranges — the SH58X clocks in at 52 liters, 4% more than the SH50.
As we mentioned in the SH39 review, case capacities are sometimes difficult to translate to actual “real world” storage.
The SH39 has a more-or-less square internal shape, while the SH58X has a sort of “clam shell” shape that’s wide but seems lower that you might expect, at least in its
It is nearly square in shape on the inside, yet the exterior doesn’t overwhelm a rather svelte bike like the new Versys 650.
The SH39 measures roughly 51 cm wide with a 32 cm height and it’s 43 cm front-to-back.
That’s 20″ wide by 12.5″ tall and 17″ front-to-back in VMS (Vintage Measurement System).
In comparison, the SH58X (which has a slightly more angular shape that makes it harder to measure) in its lowest 46 liter setting measures about 61 cm wide, 24 cm in height and about 48.5 cm front-to-back.
That’s roughly 24″ wide by about 9.5″ tall and around 19″ front-to-back by in that old-fashioned measurement system.
With the expansion raised to the second notch, the SH58X rises to about 27 cm (10.5″) tall and about 29 cm (11.5″) at the third expansion setting. But that’s at the front (towards the rider).
But in a big surprise to us, the SH58X just doesn’t seem that big.
When it first arrived, Burn and I both thought for sure that it would overwhelm the mid-sized Versys 650 LT.
But after we installed the new SH58X mounting plate that comes with it (you get one with each SHAD top case) and popped the SH58X on top, the consensus is that it actually appears smaller than the SH39.
That’s probably because the height of the SH58X at 24 cm (9.5″) is 8 cm (3″) less than the SH39. Combine that with the extra 10 cm (4″) width of the SH58X and the eye will definitely see it as lower and wider, i.e., a clam shell.
Note on Carrying Capacity
You always have to be very careful about not over-packing any motorcycle luggage beyond its rated carrying capacity.
This is especially the case with a top case and double that warning for a top case with as much capacity as the SH58X, which is rated at 10 kg (22 lbs.).
Carrying a lot of weight up high and to the rear on a motorcycle can affect the center of gravity and handling characteristics.
However, I can say that even with the SH58X packed with about 7.3 kg (16 lbs.) of gear in the 58 liter tallest expansion setting, it doesn’t feel much different on the Versys than the SH39.
Note that the “feel” of the motorcycle with mounted luggage can and probably will vary quite a bit, so it’s difficult to know how your bike will react to having the SH58X (or any top case for that matter) mounted.
Also, see the top case empty weight comparison in the next section.
You sort of notice some extra mass back there in the corners and when there’s a strong cross-wind and/or buffeting behind a big rig on the highway, you’ll also feel some additional turbulence or movement.
But as long as you take it careful, you should be fine.
SHAD SH58X Details
Like the SH39 and most of the other SHAD top and side hard cases, the SH58X is made from a type of polymer.
We weighed it at 5.3 kg (11.6 lbs.) empty, a significant difference from the SH39, which weighs 3.1 kg (7 lbs.) but actually just a hair more than the Givi 55 liter Maxia III case, which weighs about 5.1 kg (11.3 lbs.).
So the SH58X starts off at about 60% heavier than the SH39, something to remember also when mounting this top case and when riding.
SHAD build quality has also been excellent and seems to be getting better with each iteration. The SH58X is very impressive and the case is nicely designed and styled.
We were also skeptical about the carbon fiber look top (you’re either a born skeptic in this business or you will rapidly become one!) but the combination of the more angular styling and the carbon fiber is actually pretty stunning.
Also like the SH39, the SH58X has a few different color top panels available as an option, including a metal look (not sure what that means actually), titanium color and white.
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Base and Case Locking
The SH58X has the standard SHAD “Smart Lock” locking system. It comes with two keys and the case lock and base locks are installed at the factory.
Also included is the mounting base and hardware.
The only part you’ll need is the mounting bracket for your specific motorcycle. We described this in previous SHAD luggage reviews, including the Installing the SHAD Top Master Mounting Kit.
You’ll have to choose the mounting rack for your particular bike and you can get either a top case only mounting system or the SHAD “3P” mounting system, like the one on the SHAD SH36 (review)side case system.
Mounting the SH58X
We won’t describe this again here, because the procedure for mounting the bracket for the SH58X is identical to the method described in the SHAD SH39 Top Case Review.
Since we already had the mounting bracket installed on the Versys, it was a 5-minute job to remove the four screws holding the SH39 mounting plate, replace it with the SH58X mounting plate and tighten the screws again.
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Securing the SH58X to the Base
This is the same procedure as we described in all of the SHAD top cases we have reviewed. The SH58X has two horizontal tabs in front at the bottom that slides into a receiver on the base.
There’s a latch on the back of the mounting plate that connects with the receiver in the bottom of the top case.
Slide the case so the front is secured in the horizontal slot, then press down on the rear to snap the SH58X on to the base.
The lock must be in the open position (key is vertical) to do this. When the lock is secured with the key, both the top and bottom are locked.
The SH58X has the same split release system in the rear, illustrated in our video. The upper half releases the lid and the lower half releases the SH58X from the base.
Pricing
The SH58X has a list price of $399.00, which is a significant difference from the SH39 list price of $176.00 and about $50.00 more than the Givi Maxia III 55L case, for example.
The bike-specific mounting racks are sold individually and the system for the 2015-2016 Versys 650 lists for $55.00.
A back rest is optional, as is the LED light kit that fits along the rear of the base.
Conclusion
The SHAD SH58X is a very interesting idea that is nicely executed.
The list price may seem a bit steep but perhaps not, considering that you get three top cases in one, with a 46, 52 and 58 liter capacity, all very easy to use.
SHAD also has side case mounting kits and side cases or panniers that match the colors and aesthetics of the SH58X and SH59X.
If you need more capacity than this, buy an SUV!
| wBW Review: SHAD SH58X | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: SHAD (Spain) U.S. Distributor: SHAD USA |
List Price: $399.00 |
| Colors: Black with color trim panels. | Made In: Unknown |
| Review Date: March 2017 | |
Note: Item provided by a retailer, distributor or manufacturer with these Terms and Conditions.
Where to Buy SHAD SH58X Top Case
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Owner Comments and Feedback
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From “N.L.” (March 2017): “SHAD claim that their standard baseplate will fit directly to the OEM rack. This proved problematical and I could not find a secure attachment using the supplied butterfly brackets.
(The OE rack is) rather narrow on the LC Adventure and has no accessible transverse tubular section. As hard as I tried I could not get any alignment with the SHAD base plate mounting points.
I guess that I may have been able to drill the BMW rack but as the bike is leased I did not want to commit irreversible damage!
The clamps could have worked at only 2 positions towards the rear but I did not consider this safe. The rear brake light further complicated the picture!
I therefore retained my old GIVI adapter plate (removing the GIVI fixtures — 2 mushrooms and the the rear locking fixture) and adapted the remaining flat alloy plate to fit the SHAD base.
Here is a link (Flickr) to some pictures if any of your readers are interested. These are hopefully self explanatory.
As I have spent 2 days fitting the base plate, I have not used the case yet but it looks well made, the locking mechanism is far superior to the GIVI system in my opinion.
With the SHAD, it can be closed and unlocked (on the GIVI the key can only be removed when fully locked and sometimes I want to keep the keys in the bike ignition but access the case. It’s a nuisance thing with the BMW alarm setting itself after 30 seconds.
As I commute to an airport on the bike, the Vario capability is just what I need to stow all my gear, and I can ride with the more compact dimensions.
The SH58X expansion and locking system using tabs looks very similar to the system used on the BMW F650GS (single cylinder model) Vario panniers.
The single lever-driven Vario system on the R1200GS panniers is good enough but takes up to much interior space and can jam. I guess SHAD are instrumental in all these systems!”
From “M.W.” (March 2017): “In your review of the SHAD expanding top case you commented that it is the first such case offered by a manufacturer.
But surely the BMW Vario luggage is similar in that the Vario Top Case and Side Panniers can be expanded by using a lever inside the boxes?”
Editor’s Reply: Actually, we were referring to the ability to expand to 3 different sizes, the Vario cases expand to one. But, thanks, that’s a good example of another expanding system. Anyone know of any others?
I purchased the Shad 58X for my BMW R1200R. mounting was straight forward, and the case fit well.
However, on my first trip , both of the plastic straps that hold the case lid when open broke. I contacted Shad , and have been waiting over a month for some resolution.