Rotopax mounts for KTM racks

By request, here's the mounts I built for my rotopax cases/fuel cans.

As mentioned in another thread, I used cheap PE cutting boards to prototype my mount plates, since it's strong, yet soft and easy to work. Planned to have them made in aluminum once I got them right, but my fabricator friend thinks I'm nuts and that the PE will be plenty strong for the purpose. I've got almost a thousand miles on em now and so far, so good...

Front view:



Carriage bolts hold the mount to the plate:



Since I'm gonna keep using these, I should probably replace the backing washers with larger-diameter fender washers to spread the load:



Insulated P-clamps hold the works to the rack--I cut the boards with a simple sabre saw. Firm weatherstripping keeps the cases off the bolt heads; I used button head bolts for the P-clamps. The weatherstripping on the bottom side started off thicker than the rest since it bears more weight.



Et Voila!



Hope this helps!

Steve

...you have 2 units mounted on each side? You don't use side bags then, as a rule? What is your extra fuel capacity?
Mark

Looks like 6 gallons.

The black one on each side is actually a storage case not a fuel pack, looks like the red ones are each a gallon.

Correct. The black 2 gal boxes are just that, boxes. Keeps all the tire tools, tubes, bike tools, first aid, etc on the bike but low and narrow, with a little extra space if I need it. Lets me run a smaller top box for daily stuff.





1 gal each side gives me a real range enhancement if I need it.

I don't run full-sized panniers because they are expensive and huge; I don't do a lot of trips that are longer than day trips but I do travel alone a lot so I want to have everything I need to get going on my own as far as is reasonable. The boxes stay on the bike with the gas added for longer days. 400 miles is not unheard of in a good day for me, so being able to carry extra lunch and gas is a good thing.



A giant loop bag is on the list for the one or two camping trips I get to do each year.

Steve

I hate to be a buzz-killer, but if you do any serious off-roading, I am afraid the bracket for the Rotopax will put too much stress on the cutting board and will eventually fail. Adding fender washers may help with lateral loads, but the vertical forces, especially with 2 Rotopax, will be significant. It may be worth using compression straps to strap the Rotopax to the rack, just in case it fails. In that way, your ruck doesn't wind up lost in a desert, or worse, in the wheel of your riding buddy.

In addition, having used those rubber hose clamps before, I can attest that they do not hold up well to the rigors of off-road riding.

Sorry, dude. A very creative solution, but I am afraid that you are setting yourself up for a yard sale

Well, like I said, it was never meant to be more than a temporary solution. There's a couple of ratchet straps in the cases....along with some extra clamps and hardware. Come to think of it, given your experience (which trumps theory every time), I'll throw a couple of extra clamps on the rails the next time I have the cases off. Don't think (there's that word again) it can hurt, much.

I've done some pretty serious offroading with it so far and everything looks OK, but I don't think anyone will be surprised if (when) it all comes apart in the end. Murphy says that'll be in a creek somewhere...

Remember that the black cases aren't holding 2 gals of gas, either, which helps some. They're not lightweight, but are lighter than 2 gals of sloshing gas. The theory goes that they'll crack before they fail so I can get the straps on em to get home if I check when I stop, but you know how theories work.







Rarely.


Anyway, I appreciate your input; fab guy is not offroad moto guy. If (or when) they go, they'll be replaced with heavy gauge aluminum plate, with z tabs on the bottom to rest on the bottom loop rail and support the weight of the load.

Word is it's a short riding season this year so if they last till the snow flies then it's all good. By the end of winter they may be chrome if it's anything like last year's never-ending miserable season.

Thanks!

Steve

Good stuff. I just mount mine to the rack with 4 2' NRS straps:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtadlock/5972291963/" title="Chambers lake by rtadlock, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/5972291963_02dae0d3d2_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Chambers lake"></a>

Didn't move once on my 600 mile trip with my gal. We did everything from pretty rough two track to fast twisty pavement. Straps are cheap, tough and add negligible amount of weight. I don't think I could carry two cases like the above setup though. YMMV.

Cool. Nice to know the back-up works!

In a pinch, I'll bet that if you put the two like sized cases together on one side and ran the strap through the handle you could get home. Dissimilar cases, maybe not, but if you (I) doubled them up....

Thanks!

Steve

Talk to Harcus at globetrottin.com, I'll bet he has a plug and play solution. He rides a 990. I run his racks and Rotopax on my SE. Thousands of miles of Baja-type riding without an issues.

Thanks!

I really wanted -and still do-- to arrive at a solution to mount the rotopax cases and fuel containers to the KTM racks (which I already have). I can find several solutions for other racks, but wasn't able to find one for this particular combo. What I can find premade doesn't fit the KTM rack, and they all are awful expensive for what they are.

Even if I have to go with the original plan, which I'll probably do for peace of mind this winter if the cutting boards hold up that long, I'll end up with a sturdy and solid solution for not a lot of dollars, which fits the racks that I already own.

Steve

AlleycatDad, I like your use of the Rotopax containers. I'm going to get some of those, the Gobi boxes are too big for lots of occasions.

Here are pics of my mounts. A friend gave me some 1/4" aluminum plate. I cut two 6"x10" pieces with a skill saw, used a belt sander to round the corners and drilled and counter sank 4 holes. I used a 6"x1" aluminum bar across the back side of the top 2 holes. The bolts go through the existing holes in the racks. 1/2" conduit clamps are the correct size to hold the bottom of each plate. I used a couple of pieces of rear tube between the tank and plate to keep the tanks from wearing through the paint and provide a bit of cushion.







The bike has been down on the right side tank with only cosmetic damage to the tank and a slight bend in the Rotopax bolt which secures the tank which was easily straightened with a nut and a vise. The whole setup is very similar to yours except for the aluminum plate.

I built this for the tail rack 1/4 plate aluminum. I use with the giantloop and a tail bag on top.

Awesome!

Steve

Dr Kayak, would you mind posting the dimensions of the rear rack your built? It looks like it's the perfect size for a 2-gal Rotopax with KTM tail bag, which is the setup I have in mind for my 990A. Thanks.

Thanks for the great idea's guys. And photo's, I'm visual.

I built this one for my Nova Scotia trip out of diamond plate laying around in my back yard.

I built these for my Trans-Tiaga trip out of spare scrap laying around in my garage. The round center caps holding the side tanks on are made from backyard tiki torch covers.

This is my version of mounting the tanks. I used 4" wide by about a 9 3/4" long stock aluminum, countersunk the holes and used 1/4 stainless steel flat head bolts and locking nuts.

Can you show me the other side of the mounts?

thanks!