I didn't like the pellican case on the back of my bike becasue its too hard to get my leg over it. So I bought some 1/8" X 3/4 aluminum angle. After putzing around with the vice and a saw, I came up with this. I liked my tool kit, so I put it back on. In the kit is also a tire pressure gauge, flashlight, letherman tool, and a small bottle of plastic cleaner/antifog. I have some nice wide flat bungee cords for it once I pick up the right bolts. I left work at 2:00 for the bolts on the bike. By 4:30 I was back and still did not have the bolts. I saw a thermometer at 58*f.





What a day for a ride!

 

Looks good, but i would be conscious of where the weight is placed, dont get too much weight too far to either side. Yesterday it was 65 here and i took the KLR650 to bike night. Feels great to ride finally.

 

Nice job on the rack, as far as the pelican case, there are 2 ways to get....well 3 actually to get on the bike without hitting the case. The first one and its what I use most of the time, is to throw your right knee over the seat and then kick your foot up behind you as if you're trying to kick yourself in the **** and then swing your foot and leg the rest of the war around. The second one really should only be used if the bike's kickstand is on a hard surface. Left foot on the peg and stand right up and swing over your right leg, as if you were getting on a horse. Disclaimer: I've never actually been on a horse. The 3rd way and probably the most unsuccessful way of trying to get on a bike, is what I like to call the lift-hop. It ain't pretty, and in fact I'm not even going to try and describe it.

 

David - did you do any beefing up on the sub-frame? Some others have had troubles with the poor structural support, but they complain about breakage going over whoops and jumps, not down the sidewalk.

 

Nice rack!!

 

Yeah....I was expecting something else...LOL

 

Thank you all for the compliments. The rack bolts on where the tool kit was. Plenty of frame there. The rear bolt is also in steel under the fender, so its a 3 point mount. All I plan to carry are small light things like cloths, maybe a few auto parts....

I don't bend as well as I used to, so Off with the pellican case. I loved that box, water proof, just throw stuff in there and go.

The rack had one more cross bar and was 3" longer. I figured it was over kill for such a small bike, so I shrunk it and made room for the tool kit.

Today went out and found some countersunk 6mm bolts and a box of flat washers. The center cross bar will be pretty solid to the tail frame of the bike. The rack will not bend unless.... I crash... If you look, its just about as wide as the signal lights. It makes for a handle to grab the bike by too.

I HAVE climbed on using the footpeg with the side stand down. I have parked next to curbs... I sure as hell can not get my right foot over the seat in front of me first. I just don't bend that far or I am too short.

The bike is for running errands on like today getting bolts for the rack. On and Off with ease. Zoom in and Zoom out. No time for trying to get on and off. It has to be easy for me.

KISS.... Keep It Simple Stupid. It makes my life easier.

Today at the hardware store I got "why don't you get a real bike". I just smile.

David