Thanks for the kind words gents - I am really pleased with the installation and overall appearance of the bike. It doesn't look like a shade-tree modification: I think it has a "factory" look to it. I will say that getting the seat on the bike is a very difficult task. The seat mounting system is simple, but access to it is very poor and having a 4-5 lb box wagging the whole assembly around makes it even more challenging. Nonetheless, if I remove the right-hand Krauser case, the seat will still swing open to the right which allows access to the tool box and small compartment in the tailcone.
One other thing will be important going forward: most motorcycle top boxes are mounted on racks that are fixed to the frame of the bike, but this one is attached to a rack that is bolted to the seat pan - which isn't nearly as sturdy. Frankly, the BMW rear rack seems more ornamental than useful as it is so small and not all of the cross bars are even flat so attaching anything very large would require A LOT of bungees.
Anyhow, I will be limiting the amount of weight that I put in the Honda top box so that I don't damage anything (it will hold only clothing, rain gear etc.). I will store my tools and extensive holdings of gold bars and Kruegerands in the Krauser hard cases when I travel.
Despite the demonstrated durability of the BMW Airheads, they are actually very lightly constructed with obvious and careful attention paid to each individual part to make it strong enough, but as light as possible. In that way they are somewhat like an aircraft - juuuussst strong enough, but not too strong. I guess that is how BMW was able to build a comfortable aircooled 1000cc sport touring bike that weighs 503 lbs and can do 125 MPH all day on about 70 HP, while providing remarkably good wind and rain protection. Working on them is definitely not for folks who are ham-fisted with a wrench.
Quite the opposite of the design philosophy of say....Hogly Ferguson which favours road-hugging weight.
As the saying goes, if you look after the ounces and grams, the pounds and kilograms will look after themselves.
Pete