Hi Due to none of the available luggage systems was 100% at my satisfaction and due the shipping cost, the customs and tax rates are quite expensive here in Spain I took the decision to make my own side rack. At first I wanted to go “rackless” but when I tried to hold a pair of bags on the bike I noticed that the side panels went grated… so I changed my mind and decide to go “rackwith” My goal was to spend 0€ (if I’m right, that also means 0 $ ). I've got the profiles to make the structure from a friend that makes aluminum windows. They are 35mm wide… but regrettably they are not flat. I guess the ideal profile to make this rack would be 30mm width X 5 mm thick but I’ve used what I had “at hand”. If in the future this rack breiks I’ll look for the ideal profiles….I’ve also used another minor aluminum profiles to make two small pieces. First of all I used a small aluminum profile which I could bend easily to test the ideal shape. Later I used it as a template to make the definitive. These are the measurements. Also I made two small pieces like the ones in the next pics. The first is this one. Its purpose is to keep the profiles in the proper position and to guide them in the small movements that it has up and down due to the weight of the bags. It’s not a lot, but if you don’t guide and fix the profiles this way, every time I put on and remove the bags (or open the seat) the profiles get moved. The second one is this one. Its purpose is that bags weight don’t bend the profile. May be if the profile was made of steel this piece would be not necessary.
Here we can see the way this pìece works: Here we can see a view of the complete structure. Between the main profiles I screw another one that makes the structure stronger. Besides this is the one where the bags mainly rest on.
The blue bags are ones that I used 20 years ago when I’m driving my Cagiva T4350E. I want to use them again 20 years later as a fact of “nostalgia”… I hope you know what I mean. Later I’ll buy a new and more proper ones… who knows. In this picture you can see the bags keeping away from the side panels
In these pics you can see the way I hold the bags to the structure. I've tried to move the bags and once you grab them with the belts, apparently they are well attached. Better to fix here (pic is with the new bags) The fact that this rack is "handmade" and that I didn't want invest time looking for the "ideal" material makes it no so beautiful. If I made a second one probably the profiles would be black colour and the center plate would be wider and carefully screwed. This is a just a "prototype" that, in case that works fine, will lead me to make a better and nicer one. The screws of the muffler don't work hard. They only guide the front profile and regarding to the slot for the belt I didn't pull it strongly. The fact that the bags rest on the profile creates a force in the inner direction that helps to keep the position. Anyway I'll also try to hold the bags on the passenger foot pegs when I get the U pieces that I used to make the subframe-reinforcement. This way I'll be more relaxed as I'm not sure how much pressure the screw of the muffler can stand (may be only a little bit) Anyway I have to put it to the test. I Hope in a couple of weeks… I hope this is helpful for you. Any comments, thoughts or ideas are welcome
Definitely out of the box thinking! Nothing wrong nostalgia and no money spent according to the KLR guys anyway! Never had any problems with movement on my Kriega system off-road either but you ride the way you want and that's the way it should be. I love the graphics package on that bike and wish it was still available.
Thanks, mekaning. BTW, what means "no money spent according to the KLR guys anyway". Sorry to say but for non native speakers like me all the slang or set phrases... are quite difficult to understand.
The Kawasaki KLR 650 riders are well known for their thrifty ways. The bikes are cheap and so are the mods, you see lots with milk crate luggage. That being said, I have a lot of respect for the bikes and the riders. Just fun to poke fun at them!
OK, now is clear. Yeah, I like to go sort of the thrifty way By the way, I sent an email to the company that made the TE630 graphics some years ago, asking them if they still make graphics for the TE630. Currently their catalogue don't include graphics for Husqvarna bikes, so I'm a bit pessimistic. This is their web: http://www.roturacing.es/prestashop/es/ So far I have not had answer.
Unfortunately there are practically no KLR's in europe so milk crate solution not so much. Love the '80 side bags
To put /remove the "thrifty handmade side rack" takes me only 12 minutes cause I have it into two pieces: This is version 1.0 I've just got the pieces to make an "improved 1.1 thrifty rack version ". But I'm not in a hurry. In my first 400 km trail trip, the version 1.0 - loaded with 9.0kg - has performed quite good
