Looking to buy an aluminium rack & strengthen existing sub-frame. Would anyone know where in the UK I could purchase a rack that's compatible for the 650. Seen Jenny's pics recently in TBM (thanks by the way J' - great read & brilliant adventure) & am wondering if the configuration of the rack gives either added support to the exisiting subframe, if it takes the weight off the subframe, or whether additonal strengthening rods are still required. Looking to carry requisite amount of soft luggage/spares etc for 4-5 month Trans-Africa trip Grateful for any advice.

I think you can buy the same rack I have from XR STuff in the UK - but brace yourself for the price...

Alternatively you could always order on-line... XRs Only ship to the UK, but you are likely to be hit a touch for duty when it arrives...

The rack itself bolts to the seat bolts plus had two brackets that connect under the rear mudguard to the back of the aluminium subframe via two M6 bolts. I ended up snapping one of those after about 5000 miles of boinging around in the desert, so tapped them out to M8 and they've been fine since.

As long as you don't load it up silly, you should be ok - I use a Touratech Top box now (did have an expanding tailpack initally), plus a drybag bungeed on the seat behind me. As long as you stick to around 15-20Kg, it ought to be ok for general (off-road) travel riding - just don't try any jumps!

As a thought, you may find you have to remove the rear mudguard support frame if yours is a Euro spec bike - the US bikes don't have the subframe extension piece under the rear light, it's just a plain (motocross style) mudguard.

Works for me anyway...

xxx

ps. thank you for the kind words re. TBM - if anyone hasn't seen it, the story is in the April, May & June issues xx

The main problem (if it is one) with the seat subframe is that it is lightweight alloy, and mounts with just 3 M8 bolts to the main frame - unless you replaced the whole subframe wiht a steel version and larger bolts, you really aren't going to gain much - better to minimise the kit you are carrying perhaps?

African Queens make a pannier kit for the XR650R, which has an elaborate frame that extends down towards the footpegs and mounts to the main frame there... probably essential if you are going to load a couple of panniers, but unnecessary if you can stick to just a top box/tail bag and a couple of Ortliebs?

As another thought - have you seen the Wolfman duffle bag that is designed to sit over the rear fender/rack of a dirtbike - it has extended sides like mini panniers and looks like it would really work well?

Martin at Winding Roads sell them in the UK...

xxx

check out Turbo City - Rock It Parts website here in the States. They have an excellent rack and VERY beefy sub frame extension for the XR650R for about $250 US. I just bought a 2007n xr650r myself that I'm setting up for some adventure travel in the Western US so I have been looking into the same kind of accessories as you. Get in touch with CoolKarim - he's a rider on this website who is based out of the UK who has done several overland trips across the Sahara on the same bike. He should be a great resource. Let me know if you find any neat upgrades for the bike.

Cheers,
Kyle

Ah ha - thanks Kyle - I hoped someone would have mentioned this, I saw a picture of it the other day - here's the link btw.

Turbo City - Rock-It Parts

It looks pretty good (I like the way there is an extra brace back to the two bolts under the mudguard) - however, the problem still remains that the whole shebang is supported by the three bolts to the main frame, and it is these (I imagine) are the weak link when loading with luggage?

xxx

it'd wreck a big tyre such as a michelin desert if you ride off road at high speed - it steals precious tyre clearance
go light and leave the rack at home if you can

Hotspur, have a look at what i use. It may give you some ideas.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...826#post200525

A quick update from me: just got back from another 6000 miles, including some hard riding in Morocco, and the luggage system I was using (Touratech top on the XRs Only rack) ultimately failed and caused the the lower rack mounting bolts to snap (twice). This seemed to work perfectly well in the USA last year, but ultimately time and attrition seems to have taken it's toll...

I admit this was probably primarily due to overloading, but I'm not overly impressed with the way the touratech box mounts to the quick release plate - if used hard off road, the weight of the box/luggage eventually bends the mounting plate... rattling around and exacerbating the problem of the load putting strain on other parts - and also, although I upgraded the lower rack mounting bolts to M8's, the way the sandwich through the mudguard (plastic) means that in time, the vibration can work them loose, and presumably this added to them eventually snapping?

So, the solution was a) to dump half my gear with some chums when I got to Spain (I wasn't camping that much in Europe anyway) and b) cut away the plastic of the rear mudguard where the rack bolts through to the subframe, allowing me to space out those brackets with some nice fat washers and bolt everything up really tight.

However, having used hard luggage, I would tend to agree with what BDG suggests, and try and go for soft luggage if you are planning some serious off-road riding. I'm going to go for the Wolfman Expedition series Alpha/Beta bag next time...

JennyMo xxx

ps. The actual 650R subframe seems to be much stronger than many people fear/suggest? - I've not had any problems with that so far, and feel it would be fine supporting a modest soft-luggage system.

Has anyone tried throwing some Pelican cases on these? I'm thinking about ditching my current ride for a XL650R but I'd like to go somewhere with more than just a clean t-shirt and some underware packed away.

Please advise.

rk

Note: the luggage issue seems to be the only thing keeping this bike from being one of, if not the best adventure bikes in the world. Which brings up the next question. Why isn't some one getting rich beyond their wildest dreams by actually making a decent rack for this bike? There are threads everywhere asking about hard luggage for the XL650R You'd think some enterprising welder would have made enough to retire by now.

African Queens (AfricanQueens - Spezialteile für Enduros und Reiseenduros.) do make a luggage/pannier rack for the XR650R - it braces back to the main frame to take the weight off the subframe too... They can supply it with or without panniers - the rack on it's own is quite expensive, but with the panniers looks pretty good value? Of course outside of Europe you will have to pay import duty etc. but at least someone makes something off the shelf eh?

As for the XRR being the 'best adventure bike in the world' - having done 18,000 miles on one this last year - over the US desert states, then Europe and Morocco (twice) including a full-on rally... I'd have to say yes, and no...

For serious terrain and flat out yee-haa riding, it really is awesome, but for big miles, especially at 60+ mph on the road, it really isn't that great...

If you can spend the majority of your time off-highway, then it is fine, but on the gearing that really lets it shine off-road, then the road miles murder it, and it tends to use oil...

I hate to agree with the Adv rider bunch (typically), but if it had 6 gears it would be excellent, as you could have the lower gears for gnarly conditions, and a cruising gear to keep the revs down at highway speeds.

An electric start is essential on an 'adventure bike' really (oh yes it is), but that can be fitted aftermarket at least. Decent lights would be nice too (although the Europe version is at least reasonable in that respect). And as you've said, it was never designed to carry luggage...

Don't get me wrong, I love my XR650R and it has never let me down - but as a race bike that you can do a bit of touring with... As an everyday, every way machine, it is a bit lacking, and having lived with it for over 18,000 miles now, no amount of wheelies and general yee-haa can make up for that... which is why I've bought a new Tenere...

xxx

So should I remortgage the house and hold out for a KTM 690 Enduro?

At the time (autumn 2007) I bought my XR, the only other choice for me was the BMW G650X-challenge - but that seemed a bit querky, had a limited tank range, and at the time the big Touratech tank wasn't available for it (it is now though). I also wanted to build it up as a rallye bike, and there were lots of aftermarket bits available for the XR (Acerbis tank, AQ fairing, e-start, steering damper, brakes etc etc). Of course now there is a full rallye kit for the G650X too (as Si Pavey ably demonstrated on the Transoriental this year...)

The KTM 690 Enduro was imminent, but again not available, had a limited tank range (and no aftermarket tank kit, yet...) and still questionable long-term reliability issues perhaps? Also, I just don't like the look of it, and for me that is important - for me it has to be more than a tool-to-move, I've got to want to take the bike along for the ride with me...

The XR650R is a fantastic bike - surprisingy agile in the technical stuff, and has a hardcore edge that can't fail to make you smile every time you open the throttle. It is bearable over long distance (as 18,000 miles this past year has proved - although on off-road gearing you do feel you are killing it cruising at 70mph). It is reliable, easy to work on and has plenty of aftermarket parts available for you to modifiy it to your own requirements... and as a desert race bike it is peerless of course.

The 690 on the other hand has more power, efi, factory e-start, a factory luggage/pannier rack already available, and a front tank is soon to be available (so we keep being told). If you want a bike that's ready out of the door, the 690 is perhaps a worthy successor to the XR... but it is ugly, and I just couldn't ride an orange bike!

xxx

Just come back from a test run in Iceland (3 weeks mostly on the tracks) on my 650r. I used Ortlieb panniers and a rack pack which is about 95 litres in all of luggage capacity. The pannier front strap fitted neatly under the back of the seat and I made some tie down loops from nylon webbing to allow the bag to be attatched. The luggage never moved and was secure off road. I reckon I used about 75l of the 95 available and weighed the luggage at 25 kilos. The luggage included all I needed to camp and cook. I did not modify the subframe in any way and it has performed without probs. The tracks were rough and rocky and the bike got a good work out. I was thinking of getting a steel subframe made but at about 300 quid I am now thinking that the alloy one may be up to the job if I keep the luggage light and the heavy items low. The tools will be moved to the bashplate so I reckon 20-22kgs should see me right. The plastic panels are now looking a little rough due to the abrasion of the dirt in between the bags and the plastic but to be honest as long as the system works I couldnt care less about the cosmetics. In my opinion having a rack on the back would only place the weight further back on the subframe and increase the chance of breaking something. My bag sat on the back seat and on the plastic mudgaurd just in front of the rear light. Am off to Mongolia via Iran and the stans next year and think that I will carry a couple extra long bolts that secore the top of the subframe and hope it all works out. If you need to carry more than lightweight luggage on the XR I think you negate any off road advantage the bike will offer and you would be better off on a heavier bike that has a sturdier subframe.
Cheers
Oz
nearly forgot to mention that I fitted a 15 tooth front sprocket that made cruising at 70mph about bearable and also worked for slow speed technical riding that is needed in the lava fields.

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