Hi there fellow Tenere owners. I need to sort some pannier rails for my 1986 1VJ Tenere so I can carry gear on long trips. Stuff like this is impossible to come by unless you have lots of tubular metal and are good with a welding torch, which I am not. Have noticed that Ricky Cross in Italy www.rickycross.it supply a set of frame stiffeners/rally bag supports for my bike and state they can be used for either soft or rigid bags?; code 107B for 86-88 Tenere.
Does anybody out there have any experience of dealing with Ricky Cross and know whether these products retailing at 105 Euros are any good???? I would like to fit aluminium panniers but it doesn't seem these supports would be suitable, but at least they would seem to be OK for soft luggage. Any info or experience of this product from Ricky Cross would be appreciated before I part with any cash.
Alternatively, if anybody out there has a set of pannier rails and engine bars to fit a 1VJ Tenere please get in touch.
Cheers Guys.

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Brad XT

I'm in the process of making my own and I am not handy with a welding torch, in fact the last one I used was underwater 10 years ago.

Metal tube, 8m = £32, Welding rods, 5kg, £10, friend has welder...


How hard can it be?

xxxxxxxxxxxx

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Brad XT

Hi Cliff,

I don't know if it helps, but I have these Riky Cross Fuel Tank bars and Rear Pannier Bars ready to fit to my 3AJ, one day. I got the engine/tank bars from somebody who dealt directly with Riky Cross, and was pleased with the service (and then never fitted them). The pannier bars came from David Lambeth, via Ebay.

At one time Riky Cross did not supply to customers abroad (fyi, I 'phoned them once along time ago), but this did change subsequently (as with the previous owner of my engine bars).

Anyway, it may be worth giving them a ring and asking what weight the rails will take, and taking it from there? Unfortunately I have no experience of them fitted, but if you would like more information, thickness, etc..., I can dig mine out and photo, comment, etc...
- Just send me a PM with your Email address.

Iechyd da
Geoff

** I have just checked and my pannier bars are COD 107C (not 107B, as in my heading). ***

I went through the same process about 18 months ago making up pannier frames and a rack for a CCM. I've got a load of workshop equipment - mig welder, spray equipment etc and can weld fairly well. I'd made up a couple of sets for my XR600 before so I had a reasonable idea of what I was doing and what was likely to work.

Material costs were much the same - about £40 for various bits of tubing, strip steel for brackets, nuts / bolts etc - not too bad. However, the steel supplier was a fair distance away so I spent about £20 in fuel driving there.

Making the framework involved a few false starts (no commercial products to copy with CCM) and took around 20 hours work. That got me a bare steel construction which needed painting. Buying the 2K paint and other necessary items - £30. Sundries added about another £10 and actually painting it took another 5 hrs. Total - around £100 and about 25hrs work.
How hard can it be? Well, hard enough to think that if I could have bought something for under about £250 and if I put any value on my time that would have been a better bet. I didn't have any option - nobody makes anything for CCMs but it's not something that you can knock up in an afternoon and expect to set off across Africa with.

Picture of (almost) finished system : http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r.../_DSC7844a.jpg

Cheers Geoff and Back of Beyond for your constructive and very useful replies. Geoff if you have never used the fuel tank bars and pannier rails and they are sitting in your garage, how about selling them to me for a more than reasonable price?? I can come and pick them up anytime to suit you, as I am currently on the old Nat King Cole, unless you are thousands of miles away? If you would be kind enough to e-mail me back with your thoughts and some more details and if not too much trouble for you some photos, I would be very grateful.
Thanks for your help guys. Much appreciated!!!!!
Cheers
Cliff
P.S. Geoff is yours actually the IVJ Tenere as the Ricky Cross code for their panneir rails is I understand 107B for the 1VJ rather than 107C which is for the 3AJ?

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Brad XT

Hi Cliff.

There are extensive posts on making racks, there are numerous threads detailing the manufacture including pictures for both metal and pelican case type racks.
I presumed you had researched these prior to posting right?

Most people dont take the long route of building their own rack, they just fork out the cash and buy one. Many of these posts conclude with someone buying a rack, or modifying the touratech racks.

My simplistic response was an illumination as to the material costs. which as you have expressed a concern, I thought may interest you.
As for; how hard it is, well, I'm on my second 8m set as I buggered up the first 8m.

By way of a peaceful response heres a pictoral link to someone elses handy work whose solution may inspire you. Suzuki DR 650 SE pannier rack

Regrads G

Hi G,
Thanks for the subsequent peaceful response, which is much appreciated! I think I am going to buy the Riky Cross bag stiffeners which will enable me to carry soft luggage protected by a pack safe, which will be OK. I wish I was able to fork out the cash for a ready made rack system but as my XT600 Tenere is the 1987 1VJ version nobody makes any stuff for this machine any more other than Riky Cross. I have thought about buying a system for an XT600E and modifying it but the advice tends to be this would not be a good idea and quite honestly, I can't find any local engineering firm/fabricators/welders who are interested in helping me or who are not too busy to help. Still I have made my decision so cheers for your latest response. Good luck with building your second rack.
Cheers now.

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Brad XT

Motorradkoffer

here you will find the rack system from hepco and becker specific for 1VJ, this is a copy of the description:

650445 00 01 Yamaha XT 600 Tenere / 86-87 Yamaha XT 600 Tenere / 86-87 Kofferträger schwarz 195,00 €

probably if you write to hepco they can find a dealer in uk (maybe) Alu boxes from H&B are available everywhere, get a 45 left and 38 right to have a symmetrical result. Some pics here BikePics - Giorgio's Member Page on BikePics.Com

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http://www.bikepics.com/members/b4nz4i/

Hi Cyberzar
Many thanks for the reply which is very interesting. I had already tried Hepco & Becker, checking their on line catalogue and also contacting their UK agents Motobins. I can't find anything for the 1VJ in their current catalogue and Motobins have told me that H&B don't supply anything for the 1VJ Tenere.
If this is incorrect and you can confirm H&B currently still supply a rack system for the 1VJ
I will try again! I am also looking for a set of engine bars for the same bike and again I have been told H&B cannot help me?
Many thanks for responding; much appreciated!!
Kind Regards

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Brad XT

Hi Cyberzar,
Many thnaks for the info you have provided. Have checked this out and Motobins have confirmed Hepco & Becker still supply pannier rails and a rack for the 1VJ Tenere. Sorted. Thanks very much for helping me out with my quest.
Cheers

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Brad XT

SORRY did not read your previous post , happy to hear that everything is sorted out!!!

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http://www.bikepics.com/members/b4nz4i/

Hi again Cyberzar,
Yes, thanks again for helping out on this one. Have now got prices and details of availability from Motobins, agents for Hepco and Becker in UK.
Cheers mate.

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Brad XT

I ordered my pannier frames from Motorbins 17th Sept, still waiting for them.

When I rang last week I was told to ring back mid Nov for an up date. Note very happy but I made the mistake of paying up front for them, I am sure they will turn up one day, but when is the answer.

Yes many thanks Cyberzar!!

I've just emailed motobins to check that the frame will be suitable for my '86 XT600 Tenere 1VJ. I've been looking everywhere to find a frame, so I hope I come up trumps with motobins - although I'm not best pleased to hear you still don't have your frame wishful traveller!!

How long did you wait Cyberzar?

Horizons Unlimited Hubb to the rescue again

Jupiter