Hi Steve,

she looks superb.

Hi Chizz,

I'm sure she'll be ready in plenty of time.

Regards

Reggie

Great Pics Steve - this is a good example of what i am striving for - seen fabricator again today and come up with plan for supporting brace at back - as suggested in previous posts (thanks for the advice) this cant be achieved as a straight bar due to the movement of the rear wheel. Hopefully just a few days from completion now- anyone got any suggestions for a company that will do powder coating at a reasonable price- Scotland prefered but would send by courier if anyone can make a good recommendation - any ideas of approximate costs to do a rack and pannier frames

Chizz (Bruce)

Last week I paid £25 cash (with a receipt, they don't take cards) for our panniers frames & rear rack to be blasted & powdercoated in black. They also do white, silver & possibly red.

Happy with the finish, give Colin a call on 01865-882883, Oxford Industrial Finishers, based in Eynsham, just west of Oxford.

If they won't ship back to you, I'll collect on your behalf & ship back to you. They do take cheques.

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Thanks Steve - that seems well reasonable and I appreciate the offer of sorting out the carriage - I am waiting to see if I can find somewhere within driving distance but if not I will get back to you -

Thanks again

Bruce

Hi Steve,

well after getting every excuse under the sun re delays, I received an email on Monday advising my tanks had arrived, so this morning I rode over to find the branch has been closed down!

Bloody great eh!

I don't suppose there's any brand markers on the tanks that show who makes them is there?

Regards

Reggie

has mailspeed marine closed or just one branch as I thought I may order a couple of those.

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

I've been trying to call Mailspeed Marine's West Sussex branch for a couple of days with no luck, phones engaged, sometimes get a voicemail stating that they're busy & to call again? Might email them?

I can confirm that the 5 litre cans do hold 5 litres but they need to be brimmed to do so & that filling the last litre or so needs to be done slowly or you'll get splashback. They're also a little tricky to de-cant in to the bike fuel tank. I used a funnel & still lost fuel. I was trying to contact Mailspeed to see if they offer a screw on funnel as none off my other fuel cans fit.

The only "branding" on our cans is oceanfenders "dot" com - typing it like this because when I submit my post, it translate to a long winded Italian equivalent?

I've checked the website, it's in Italian but with an English option. I came across other forums that referred UK buyers back to Mailspeed Marine.....

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Managed to get through to Mailspeed Marine, they've just been exceptionally busy & they're still trading.

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Hi Steve,

this is Reggie, on Doc's PC.

I spoke to the girls at the suppliers and they were as surprised at the branch closure as we were. They managed on Friday to get their suppliers to send a pair of tanks directly to me, at Doc's.

Regards

Reggie

Since I didnt have machine for bending tube pipes, I just bought used old, cheapest I could get rack from no matter which bike, spent 20€.


Off course didnt fit, so i cut it... so I could use the frame:


Did some measurements to make a design...


Than some more chopping and cutting of extra pipe I bought for 5€.


A little taping and positioning. Easy on one side, harder to make it mirror identical on the other side...


Some more chopping and fitting...


A few layers of hard paint...


Gave a little attention on details also...



Finished product:




I predicted and made a spot for two tool tubes also, since I use homemade one sided exhaust, and made some room on the other side for tool tubes
Already dirty, but i think its ok:




Hope you like it.

Hi, here is my effort on my sons XT600E. I have taken a slightly different aproach by using mainly 8mm (5/16) solid mild steel rod rather than tube. I do not beleive this makes the racks any heavier than tube racks and is far easier to form. These racks covered a bike tour of 10K miles including about 1K off road without any problems. Cost about £4 in metal + 1/3 can of hamerite smooth. Andy

Attached Images

 

Ni3ous:
Nice racks and nice welding. The only thing I'd have added is a cross brace at the rear, it can help prevent the racks from folding in towards the rear tyre in the event of an accident.

Edit: not sure if you have a cross brace on the right hand side or not? Perhaps it's a mount for the Tooltubes?

Andysr6:
Tube is actually stronger than solid bar in many applications. Using tubing allows you to increase the outer diameter (OD) and thus the rigidity without a weight penalty. The only thing to watch out for when using tubing is to ensure that you have sufficient wall thickness if making tight radius bends as the outer section stretches and can become quite thin, weakening it in the process. If using 15 to 18mm OD tube, a wall thickness of about 2mm is okay.

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Hello Steve.
Thanks for observation and constructive post.
I have predicted cross brace, and did make it. Its just not on the pic.
I believe that cross brace is ugly, and not nesessary when not using panniers.
So I will mount it on - only when using panniers.
I hope i thought it right about this.

Guys, interesting reading through the thread and I though it was worth while sharing with you our own experience.

Having trawled through the Hubb for a recommended set of lightweight soft Panniers for my wife's F650gs, we agreed on the Andystrapz Expedition Panniers for our up and coming trip from Buenos Aires to Vancouver.

The next question was where to get a pannier rack which was capable of lasting the 20,000 miles and was sized both for the panniers and the bike, not a simple task!

Fortunately, i met Gabriel Bolton who owns Zen Overland who offered to make up, weld together and powder coat a bespoke rack.

Gabriel is a seasoned Enduro racer and has completed his own rtw trip during 2009. Having a self confessed obsession with making everything Gabriel had previously made his own rack & panniers which are illustrated in full technical colour on his website.

By clicking here you can see a range of photos which illustrate the quality of the finish and the minor details which are fundamental to a robust, soft luggage pannier rack, powder-coated black, canted out at the bottom and provided complete with all spacers, bolts and (common sense) instructions for fitting.

If, like us you find yourself looking for a rack for your soft panniers, Gabriel may be able to help!


All the best,
Chris & Chloe
BUENOS AIRES to VANCOUVER | Chris, Chloe & two motorbikes across South, Central & North America

In my experience with racks, what you have done here is very good. Mounting the rack to the bike via solid bushes, with the tube welded directly onto the bushes.

Try and avoid squashed tube wherever possible. (I note you have one bit of squashed tube, but two solid bush connections on each side)

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