KLR650C racks
 

Hi,

Does anyone know of a set of commercial side-pannier racks that fit the KLR650C (European model)? The racks I've seen all seem to be aimed at the KLR650A (US model), which has a different rear luggage rack and mounts, so I suspect that these racks would not fit the KLR650C.

Touratech do a base steel hoop, which is a good basis for making up a custom rack, but they do not sell complete racks for the KLR650.

Can anyone enlighten me? There must be some other European KLR650 riders that have sourced racks for their KLR650Cs.

Thanks,

Colm

Side panniers
 

Hello there.

I do not know how DIY orientated you are, and what you want to pack in the side boxes, but have a look at www.flamesonmytank.co.za and look at the different options on generic systems. If I had a choice, I would use the touratech loop, and make use of backpacks as soft panniers. Easy for use as day packs, and will not be destroyed if you take a tumble.

I am not too worried about how things look, as long as they work, so I use a standard plastick "ammo" box as a top box on my KLE. Removed four carrier bolts, and put longer bolts through the box into the carrier threads. My laptop fits in there nicely, and I can keep it dry. If I had to use hard side boxes, I would use two ammo boxes on the side with luggage bags in them. They only cost about 15 USD down here, so not too much of a pain if I do destroy them.

Just a few suggestions anyway.

hepco & becker do side and top racks for the KLR650C, but they don't like to advertise this. Their UK distributor is Motobins http://www.motobins.co.uk. They don't list this on their web site either for some reason. But if you phone motobins, they will get the racks for you.

I have just ordered these racks myself, still waiting for them to arrive. I'll post again when I get them to let you know if they're a good fit or not.

Side-cases
 

Hi there "Phoenix"!

Maybe you want to check (consider) this link, too.
http://www.mml-motorradzubehoer.de/M...shop-2006-022/
It is all in German (sorry!!), so if you have any questions just mail me. I got the rack and junior cases from them (sent to Japan, very reliable and still much cheaper than what I would have had to pay over here)! You can also check for different makers on their page. Surplus tax is excluded automatically (at least it was in my case). I am not connected to this company, don't get any benefits, just letting people know where I went ... and it took me some research and comparing to find those places. Hope it well help, safe riding

Klaus
http://virtulanguage.com

Thanks guys!

I just got the panniers a couple of days ago, so it's perfect timing for me.

Keith_mca, I'm particularly interested in hearing how you get on with your Hepco & Becker racks.

I sourced an Acerbis 23.5L tank for the KLR650C in the UK as well (www.bertharkinsracing.co.uk) .. but at £200 ($400), it's a tad expensive!!!

Colm

I've got the hepco & becker racks now and fitted them to my KLR650C. It seems good quality, and fitted together well without any bending or forcing required
:thumbup1:

I didn't get the top rack, I just used the original plastic rack. The picture isn't all that clear (I only had my camera phone on me) but the rack fits to the mounting holes for the top rack, the footpegs and license plate bracket. One side-effect is that you can no longer fold the passenger foot peg up.

Keith,

Many thanks for that.. I ordered the racks from Motobins too, and my package is in the post. I ordered the top box rack as well as the engine guard, while I was at it. Hopefully it will start to transform the bike into something usable as a travelling machine. I'll give a review, as you did, once I get the goods, and get a chance to install it all on the bike..

Hi,
Keith mca
do you have more picture of racks.

Hi,

I have some pictures of the Hepco & Becker KLR650C rack in it's uninstalled form, but I haven't installed it yet on the bike, if thats any help.

I also have pictures of the Hepco & Becker engine guard for the KLR650C installed. It's a nice item. I'd recommend it (although it hasn't been road-tested yet!).

Note that the pictures are too big to upload onto the hubb, but I can send them privately, if you want.

Colm

Hi guys,

I found your posts very useful, after looking through many websites regarding KLR equipment for a longer trip..

It looks like I'm going through the same trouble with sidecase racks for a KLR650C... It looks extremely difficult to get them for the European model, opposite to the easiness with which you may get them for the US model (e.g. from the Happy Trail).

I'd be grateful if you could send some more pics of the Hepco & Becker KLR650C side and top racks, both in the installed an uninstalled form. Do they have any particular model number that you used when ordering through Motobins? I really hope that Motobins will help me when I call them, because I'd like to get my hands on these racks ASAP...

Cheers,

Pawel

Pawel..

I think I deleted the "uninstalled" pics of the side racks and top rack.. Whoops.. :( I have some pics that sort of show them on the bike, but not very well.. Will email u what I have if I can't load them here.

On the part numbers, if you get in contact with them y email, they'll know exactly what you want.. just make sure you tell them it's for the KLR650C model as opposed to KLR650A or KLR650B. Thats what I did, and they found it.

On the top rack.. I installed mine, and then uninstalled it, as I preferred to have a Givi top box mount instead... If u're interested, it's yours for the price of delivery (it's kind of useless though)

I had no probs with the panneir racks once they were installed.

Pics are attached..

Thanks Colm!
 

Thank you Colm!

I had a really busy week and didn't manage to check this tread until just now. The pictures you put on the forum are fantastic and exactly show how the racks are installed - now I am 100% sure they will fit my KLR650C ( I have the same colour of mine!). I managed to contact the Hepco-Becker sales dept and they assured me that the racks are available - they display them even on their web-page:

Produkte

The only thing is that their Polish dealer is on holidays until August 1, but he promised me that he'll get the racks just after he's back from holidays and I hope to get them by August 24, when I've planned to start the trip to former Yugolavia.

My buddy is in US a the moment and we'll try to order a windshield from CLearviev that he could bring with him from Cincinnati - that would make a perfect touring set along with the panniers ;).

Colm, if you could arrange the shipment of the top rack, I'd be more than happy, because I have a lot of expenses ahead and if I could avoid this one, I could invest e.g. in new tires which may save my life on the road ;). Please write me at my e-mail to coordinate the details.

Great to get support from you, mate!

Cheers,

Pawel

No problem. Glad I could help. Check your email.. If I were you, I would probably edit your post to remove the email address too, so that spammers can't harvest it!

Colm

KLR650C Racks
 

Small tip to all potential riders buying or outfitting their KLR650C's with racks. Most versions I have seen bought or made have two attachment areas - one at the passenger footpegs and the other to the top of the fender where the old rack used to sit.

As most people know, the rear rack is rated at only three kgs...and they mean it. The sub frame has a small extension off the back of the bike that accomodates the rear fender and the bolt plate for the rack. If you pull it apart you can easily see how it is U shaped with two simple horizontal bars attaching at the back, there are no down tubes to take and transfer the weight down along the more substantial sub frame.

In the current configuration, the commercial racks do not transfer much, if any of the weight forward on the subframe at the foot peg mounts. The connecting bars going forward are almost horizontal, which means that the majority of the weight will still be on the rear sub frame rack extension, and again this is rated for 3 kg. Depending on the size of your load, state of roads, etc., at some point cracks will appear in your rack extension and will begin to sag requiring strengthening. If you don't watch it and let it go, the worst case scenario will be that it will completely snap off and your bags will be dragging in the dirt. I'm sure I have some pictures of cracks and worse somewhere around here...

There is a simple solution though, weld a bar connecting your pannier attachment loop to the attachment point where your pillion (passenger) handles are located beneath their seat. These attachment points are mounted on the sub frame proper and will do a much better job of bearing the weight and make the bike much more rideable as well. For models that have the handles attached, you can weld or attach your vertical bar from the pannier loop directly to the handle by welding, or by being more creative if you want to leave the handles on when the rack is off.

Hope that's understandable, if not drop me a line and I'll try to explain better. The long and the short of it is, I would not simply buy a rack, attach and ride off on a trip of any duration without customizing it first.