is there after market subframe re-enforcement solution for TE 630 ? looking to have enough strength to cary 40-50 pounds on a jumpy off-road. My understanding that 630 stack subframe 'slightly' better than in 610 -- but I do not know what the this means and the 610 was weak. thank you
I am not sure if there is an aftermarket subframe....don't know if anybody knows if there is a new subframe that comes with the touratech hard paniers? However, I am making an uneducated assumption (my 2 cents), but if the weight was reasonably forward in something like a giant loop (which is primarily in front of the subframe) then you might not need the extra strength for that kind of weight.
hi I wanted to have rotopax gas tanks on the sides, so probably could not put everything forward. I was hoping there is something that can use passenger foot pegs as a support of some sort
They do make a passenger footpeg fuel carrier but it aint cheap! Look up PegPacker... and no I am not pullin' your leg!
Just finished the western states section of the TAT. Giant Loop Coyote a one gallon Rotopax mounted on the Touratech rear fender rack. Broke the subframe in 3 spots. I guess that was too much weight I am thinking of building a steel subframe if I can't find anyone here in Oregon who can weld and anneal the aluminum stock one up with new braces.
It's hella pricey but the Safari tank would solve that problem and protect the radiators as well. Just to note, the Dirtbagz standoff brackets seem to add strength at least to the 610 subframe, they carry some of the weight forward or at least brace the subframe against some of the worst vibrations.
I think without jumps it may have been ok. I may have also tweaked the frame on the highway section out to Colorado to catch the TAT in Trinidad. I was hauling a new front and rear D606 on a homemade rack that I attached to the rear luggage rack. There were no jumps them, but those tires might have been too much for the lightweight subframe. I would rather they built the subframe out of steel and lost the 2nd muffler. Oh well. chance to rebuild it stronger.
I never looked at how the subframe was put together. The entire rear section is cantilevered off of the square beams that broke on VonDirter's bike. I find that more than a little disturbing. I'm going to play with it this weekend, but I would think simply running a piece of 1/4 aluminum bar stock from the front bolt on the rear rack/grab handle through a hole in the plastic on the edge of the wheel well liner to the inboard end of the bolt for the exhaust would triangulate things nicely. To go further you could weld a brace from the exhaust mount arm down to the square beam of the subframe down near the passenger foot peg for an additional triangle.
someone should make a gussetting/ reinforcement kit tested to xxlb for heavy use. I truly feel the TE630 would make a perfect RTW bike. Not sure how it does on low octane gas but my carbed 610 did fine on low grade Mx fuel. soft bags are great but I would want alu boxes for RTW. I had Happy Trails on my KLR and had to leave it parked outside one night in Guatemala. Came out next AM and there was a screwdriver shaft broken off in the hasp for the lock, they were unable to get inside with the crappy tool at hand. I was lucky. Nice to be able to leave the bike in the parking lot visiting museums, ruins, etc. Not failsafe but better than soft bags in that scenario. I saw the TouraTech pix of hard bags for the TE630, I wonder if they have tested the weight capability of the subframe?
This may be a stupid question, but I have someone who is dying to take a ride on my bike as a passenger (daughter of a very close friend- she's never been in a bike and is dying to try it.) I don't do that (just hate two-up), but for this person I may. Can the subframe handle a person who is about 120 lbs.? After seeing this it sure doesn't seem like a good idea at all.
His subframe didn't break where a passenger sits. It broke back on the tail, where it was overloaded with a Rotopax and camping gear, and then run off jumps. I'm of the opinion that this does not demonstrate any design flaw in the bike, but rather user error. Funny how people squawk about why the bike isn't lighter, and also complain that the subframe isn't steel. The bike is engineered to carry a heavy fuel load over the motor, a rider and passenger on the seat, and lightweight stuff on the tail. If you put a fuel load and your camping gear on the tail and hit some rough terrain...you're asking for trouble. The subframe is only strong out to the back edge of the saddle. Riders that need it strong all the way out to the taillight need to figure out how to strengthen it. On the pic above, I think the GL bag is in the right spot, and didn't contribute to the subframe failure. The GL is on the passenger seat, and the failures are aft of it. Locking topbox on a RTW trip...? I would strengthen the tail accordingly.
My GL bag sits half on my seat and half on the fender, kind of straddling the grab bars. I use the grab bars as the anchor point for the rear anchor straps. see pics:
That should stay solid and strong through almost anything. I got one of those tank bags...very nice. You know...you can thread the straps under the rear of the tank...I passed them under the tank, and up the other side to the tank bag fasteners, criss-crossing them under the tank.
I saw the post where you had done that, and changed mine this past weekend. Much cleaner set up, and just as steady. I rolled up the excess strap, zip-tied it, and stashed it under the bag.
I did see that thread and liked what you did. I like mine anchored where it's easy to remove, though. Plus I get to use those fancy brackets I made.
Tough crowd - "user error" How about, just used my bike? I don't mind that anything broke, that is part of "adventure" riding. The ride was challenging and tough on the bikes and gear. I don't pretend to think that the jumping was the cause of the failure. It was caused by the user, using an off-road motorcycle in an off-road manner. If you don't break something then you aren't pushing the design forward. However, I want to be clear that I was disappointed with Husky trying to make a lighter bike by cheesing on the subframe materials. Steel or Chrome-moly would have been a better option given the cross section of the square tubing they selected. A single muffler would more than make up for the weight had a heavier subframe been constructed. Another note, the steel rivets that attach the mud flap tend to rattle on the cross pipe all day long when the mud builds up That sound is way more annoying than a single loud pipe. As I had the bike loaded, the GL was over the seat and anchored low - no weight behind the failure points. The GL was so far forward that the heat shields were never effective. In fact, the GL trapped heat and loaded the plastics to the point they melted the rubber bumpers and then melted themselves on the mufflers - now they are custom fit The weight behind the failure was 6lbs of gas, 2.5lbs of tent, 0.5lbs of luggage rack, and the drybag and rotopax tank. 10 lbs (conservative) was the load that ultimately failed the subframe. Admittedly, 10 lbs flexing the subframe on multiple jumps, following a 2000 mile haul of 2 new tires are clearly too much for 3/4-inch square aluminum tubing. I would like to point out that the left side failure points transferred forward of the rear seat mount - so there are weak points in the design in the area where a rider or load would be expected to sit. I don't think the riding, gear loading, or jumping was too much to ask of a big enduro. My R1150GS made similar jumps loaded with Jesse bags and a top case, and that subframe is known to be weak. The TE630 wasn't built for the track or buzzing around town, it was built for cross terrain treks and needs to handle whatever you throw at it. I think Husky knew this too and went a little cheap. I noted that the 2012 models have upgraded frames. I haven't seen one yet, but I expect that the TE511 and TE650 (when released) will be more prepared to handle the enduro crowd. If not, riders will get to rebuild it like I do. Either way, eventually my TE 630 will carry my gear and this rider over everything I point the front wheel toward, whether it be airborne or not. My recommendation for anyone with a 2011 TE630 that plans to be off-road with any kind of load over 5lbs in the luggage area, gusset the subframe - there is plenty of room under the plastics, and gussets won't add any substantial weight. Also, loc-tite the crap out of the left subframe/foot peg mounting bolt mounting bolt. That one kept coming loose, even with blue loc-tite.
