Toolbox for R100GS
 

Has anyone fitted a box/tube for tools in front of the engine for a R100GSPD? Homemade or bought? Are there any picture or details around?

I don't care if I have to unbolt bits to get at the contents it's for long term storage on a trip.

Ian J

Hey mate,Not sure about the PD but on my R100GS I have a tool box on one side and a jerry can mounted above the engine on the bike. They are very stable and both attached to the crash bars. It does make the front of the bike a bit heavy but it does help with balance when the bike is fully laddened with all my gear on the back.I havent go any close ups of the setup but you can see it in some of my photos at: Flickr: Photos from ilya_mayo (you may have to search through the photos a bit)

Thanks for the suggestion, I did look at doing something like that but in the PD the tank is much bigger (wider) so there is not much space available. I was planning on using the space in front of the engine at the top but I have a oil cooler mounted there that blows that idea out of the water

Ta Muchly

Ian J

You could probably manage to fit a tube on the front of the bash plate.

Presumably there's room to bolt an ex-Army ammo box from the crash bar mounting bolts?

tool boxes
 

I was recently in the IOM for the TT and saw a NZ registered bike with a small toolbox mounted on each side on the crash bars and another just bolted to the plastic engine protector. The side ones were attached with metal saddle clamps. Looked homemade but very neat. If anyone wants some pictures, send me a pm.
Tim

Thanks for the ideas gentlemen, I haven't looked at fitting anything on the bash plate as I have taken it off while I was rebuilding the bike.

I might be able to fit something on the crash bar bolts I just have the problem of the oil cooler being in the way, I'm being to think that moving the oil cooler was not worth the effort.

Tim I will send you a message for those pics

Thanks to all

Ian J

Ian

Oil cooler in the way? Surely if you moved the oil cooler from the crash bar to just beneath the head stock, there should still be lots of room behind the front tyre and around the crash bar bolts?

Tool box
 

If you get one of the smaller Hawker gel batteries, you can fit a small tool box next to it. The gel battery is half the size but more powerful.

No tools on the front!
 

You would be better off not putting any tools toward the front end of the bike. Weight in the wrong place! If you hit an unseen pothole or rough road you will find it very hard to get the front wheel over it and ride straight into it. And you know where the front wheel goes the rear follows, get my drift.

I have a R100PD and a 1200GS which I have built tool boxes for both. On the R100PD I ride on the solo seat and have the carrier still fitted. Fabricate and aluminium box that fits the length of the carrier and just a little wider (you need to be still able to open your panniers with it in place)! The box should be around 100mm high. Secure the top with pull down clips (you need 4) and build two rails on top of the tool box. The box will fit all of your tools and spare parts and you can tie your luggage on top of the box. Wiith the pull down clips on the box you can leave your luggage tied on top of the box and just undo the clips if you require tools. Sorry I don't have any photos but will get some and post here.

Hope this helps, it also keeps the weight back.

Cheers
Ivan

Greetings Gents

Thanks for the suggestions but I'll have to rain on a couple of your parades.

Paul - Yep having the oil cooler moved behind the wheel causes two problems

1) It swallows up the space that a tube can placed in, I think from memory the spec for the front suspension spring travel is almost 9 inches so between hitting the fork legs when the wheel turns and the mudguard on a hard compression there is a limited space to put a tool tube

2) It occupies available mounting points for a tube, It's not impossible just very difficult and now we are on the trip I don't have time resources to do too much fabrication.

Roboyobo - I hadn't thought about a smaller battery but I was looking to store some longer tire irons etc that may not fit in that space but I will look into that next time.

Dingo - I understand what you mean about the weight but my case is a bit different in that I have a pillion passenger so I don't have a place to put a box back there. I put the bike on a set of weigh scales, the front axle weight was 150kg and the rear axle weight was 350kg, so a few extra kilos in the front is not a bad thing. Also I've heard reports that the rear subframe on the GS is not the strongest, If I had planned things better I would have looked at adding some reinforcement to the subframe and added a mount for some sort of box that would be located under the exhaust on the left side. I've since seen something like that on an 1150GS

I would be very interested in seeing some pics of what you have done as an option for later when we get back.

I have managed to add a small tube (2" ID) and that holds some of the tools but it's not a perfect solution. I'll post a pic soon.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

Ian J

alternative/addition to extra toolbox
 

You might have noticed that your plastic toolbox under the seat has lots of space around it, if you are or know a fabricator make a cardboard model of your existing tool box only big enough to fill the space under the seat entirely and get it made in 1mm thick steel. I have done this and it gives you about 25% extra space, I was charged about 15 quid to make this 10 years ago, 20 to 25 should cover it now. You could also get a custom made box to fit under the rack at the back if you don't want to put too much weight in it.
Mark

You could use hose calmps to fasten those tire irons to the crash bar/frame.

The hawker/odessy battery (550?) is much small than the original, lacks ampre hours compared to the original so if you are using teh battery in camp then you may run out of energy when starting. If you are not using it on camp/overnight then it will certainly free up some secure space.