Continuing on the lines of modifications I’m making to my cheap Chinese Hawk 250 enduro sport motorcycle, I decided I need a trunk! Sure you can wear a backpack, but in Texas if you go riding in 90 or 100+ degree weather you don’t want to be carrying things on your back. So I wanted a BIG one that I could fit a lot of stuff in.
Well, I accomplished my mission, and here’s pretty much everything you need to know in case you want to do it too!
Where I Got It
I purchased my trunk from The Scooter Parts Depot on eBay. They actually have multiple sizes, so if you think this one is too big, you can get one half the size or in between…
The specific unit I bought was labeled as “PREMIUM Motorcycle Top Box Luggage Tail Trunk fits Two Full Face Helmets – 46 Lt“. HOWEVER, I have since found the same cases on Amazon (some even Prime) under the PEDA brand.
Features
The main points that appealed to me were:
- Sport Rider, over on the ChinaRiders.net forums told me he already bought the smaller version of this trunk and it worked for him. It turns out that the smaller unit has a different mounting plate that requires no modifications, so if you aren’t handy that might be a better option for you.
- I like the fact that the trunk is removable. And when removed the mounting plate remains so you can strap stuff to it if you want.
- It’s big enough to store two full face helmets in it. So that would fit a backpack, or a couple bags from the grocery store, etc.
And the fact that it was $89 with shipping included was reasonable. Although I now know you could get the 51L with free gloves and Amazon Prime for $59! But I digress…
Hawk 250 Trunk Installation
Behind the seat on the Hawk 250 you’ll find the trunk mounting area, and there are two plastic covers that hide four bolts. Simply pull those covers off by hand and stick them somewhere in case you ever want them again.
The trunk comes with a mounting rack which allows you to attach and detach it by simply pushing a button, and the rack has a bunch of recessed holes that fit some square washers.
The rack will mount right up against the back of the seat using two of the mounting holes on the very end, plus two of the holes near the middle. There is just one problem. The two holes on the end won’t fit the square washers without modification.
This is very easy to fix however, and all you need is a little Dremel with a cut-off wheel, or a metal cutting saw blade, or even a sander! All you need to do is remove some of the metal from the corner so you can get it to fit down in the hole. It’ll look like this.
Now, one thing to notice which is VERY IMPORTANT, the washers that go at the top need to be oriented vertically, and the ones that go in the middle will need to be oriented horizontally. So when you cut it, make sure you cut it just like my picture there so the bolt holes line up.
After you cut the two washers, you can use the factory bolts to mount the rack. Just use a ratchet with a 10mm socket to remove them, put the rack in place, hand tighten the bolts, and then ratchet it tight!
Having said that, there is a particular order that I found you need to do it in.
- First install the two bolts at the end near the seat. Tighten them snug, but leave them loose enough that you can still slide the rack down so the other two bolts will line up.
- Next, slide the unit down and get the two center bolts in place and tighten them up nice and tight!
- Finally, use a wrench and try and tighten up the bolts on the edge as best you can given their limited space.
The Seat’s A Tight Fit
One item of note. After this mounting rack is installed, the seat can still be removed, but it takes a little finesse. When you want to remove it you’ll unbolt it from the frame underneath, and then you’ll have to kind of pull it back towards the rack to compress and remove it.
You’ll get the hang of it, and it is possible, but it’s no longer as simple as before you install the trunk. Good news is that you shouldn’t have to get in there very often.
Hawk 250 Trunk Install Photos
This is a big trunk. You can put two full face helmets in it, which is what I wanted, and I think it looks nice on the bike. But some people may think it’s too big, or too small, or just right. Here are a few photos so you can judge for yourself.
Questions, comments? Drop them below and I’ll get right on it!
Thanks for the threads, I was looking for solutions for being able to transport stuff on the hawk.
I have been looking at the Pelican watertight cases to do the same with.
Looks great, and very useful thinking about putting one on mine when I fine a reputable dealer to order a hawk from thanks for the info. Have a great day.
l
Sorry man but that bike looks horrid
Looks good makes the bike more useful. Which is better than what it looks like and it does not look horrid.