KTM 640 factory racks

boxermoose · 03-12-2006, 06:53 PM

Checked the tread index and didn't find anything that quite matches...

I picked up a new to me 2005 - 640 adv yesterday that seems pretty well sorted with 1300 miles on the clock. I'll post pictures when I find the camera as it is packed somewhere from our recent move (Hey Driffty - I had to cut the grass today) but you all know what they look like.

Anyway the bike has the factory racks and looking at them it appears that the hoops have some some additional bracketry/bag mount bits over and above the standard plain TT items.

The question is then - with these pannier frames - can you attach either the standard TT alu boxes, as well as the Hepco alu or Gobi bags?

BTW I rode home from Austin to S. Houston yesterday after picking it up and have to say that ergonomically it feels much the same as my R100GSPD (with fastways) and the vibe's were about the same as when it needed a carb sync.

fire_strom · 03-12-2006, 07:03 PM

sounds like the gobi mounts but someone who knows more than me will chime in any second.
scott

creeper · 03-12-2006, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxermoose

Checked the tread index and didn't find anything that quite matches...

I picked up a new to me 2005 - 640 adv yesterday that seems pretty well sorted with 1300 miles on the clock. I'll post pictures when I find the camera as it is packed somewhere from our recent move (Hey Driffty - I had to cut the grass today) but you all know what they look like.

Anyway the bike has the factory racks and looking at them it appears that the hoops have some some additional bracketry/bag mount bits over and above the standard plain TT items.

Those are KTM made racks for the H&B Gobi panners. They differ in the "bits" you refer to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxermoose

The question is then - with these pannier frames - can you attach either the standard TT alu boxes, as well as the Hepco alu or Gobi bags?

According to KTM, yes the ally panners (Which I believe are made by Zega for KTM) will fit the KTM racks as well.

IMO... If you ride offroad with the bags attached, over time they will loosen up due to dirt and grit grinding away at the bags and to a lesser degree, the racks.
Unlike the H&B racks, which it sounds like you are familiar with, the KTM designed racks do not compensate for the wear and the bags will get a little sloppy.
Why KTM chose to go with a rack design other than the H&B version is a mystery. If I had it to do over again, I'd have bought the H&B racks.
I'm always concerned that my bag latches with break as the bags move around on the racks... and I'm still looking into possible solutions, short of buying new H&B racks.

C

Two Dot · 03-12-2006, 10:17 PM

As per usual, Creeper is right...

Just keep in mind that the H&B racks are 16mm tubing and the TT are 18mm.

TT makes a puck set (for the alum bags) to fit the thinner racks, but it is not their standard puck and latch set.

I bought a set of H&B racks to use on my 640 ADV. My Gobis (from the 950) would fit on the racks, but my TT (KTM) alum bags would not. To confuse matters even more my TT alum would fit on the 950 racks. The H&B racks that I bought for the 640 had a hoop size that equalled the smaller part of the KTM rack with the drop down doodads.

I ended up buying the 18mm TT rack (much stronger IMHO) and the KTM (TT) (ZEGA) alum bags fit great. I have the two 35L set up.

I hope this helps... I was in a real quandry for a time with mine. I kept thinking "does it really need to be this hard.."

Let me know if I need to clear this MUD up.

Two Dot

boxermoose · 03-13-2006, 06:17 PM

I checked the hoop tube diameters with a venrier caliper - 18mm

Two Dot · 03-13-2006, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxermoose

I checked the hoop tube diameters with a venrier caliper - 18mm

That's great!!! Now you just need to order a set of ZEGA, TT, KTM Alum bags and you will have the best set up available.

I found mine, used (very little), on this board for 265.00 the set.

Good luck and enjoy the 640!!!!!!!!!!

The H&B rack must be the odd one out.

meat popsicle · 03-13-2006, 08:00 PM

Hey bm,

You probably already looked in the index under luggage, and you probably really do want aluminum cases, but just in case you didn't, and hadn't fully thought thru options there are two others that have their pluses and minuses: soft bags and pelican cases.

Some who ride the 640s hard off road (in touring situations where they want panniers) use soft bags because they give in a fall the most of any option. They likely will survive more crashes than any other type of bag. The downside is they do not carry nearly as much (at least not any that I have seen), are usually not waterproof (ortlieb's the exception I believe), and have little security save easy removal to take with you.

A few who also ride the 640s hard off road on tour will not accept the soft bag compromises, yet fear the crash issues of the production aluminum bags, and choose to custom mount Pelican bags. jimjib is the most famous of those here IMhO. jimjib used hose clamps (adel clamps), bolted to the mount points of the cases for strength, to clamp to his pannier racks (probably similar to yours).

The beauty of this design is the hose clamps are both strong enough hold the bags on during off roading, yet weak enough in a crash situation to break away before either the bag (unlikely - pelicans are tough enough to survive after the rack and bike are severely damaged), rack (ouch), or bike (double ouch) do... not only that but they are cheap to replace (a dollar?) and also small enough to carry spares just in case

rum Of course removing the bags is difficult, but you can lock them with a paddlelock. And they are waterproof.

Just wanted to share that bit of info with you. Likely you have gone thru this and want the aluminum bags for security, style, and ease of use - and perhaps you do not have the same crash susceptibility.

G.Kennedy · 03-13-2006, 08:11 PM

Another waterproof option has just been released by Wolfman:

http://www.wolfmanluggage.com/06Expe...addleBags.html

And as far as bending your racks and subframe, here is my fine example.

meat popsicle · 03-13-2006, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G.Kennedy

...

And as far as bending your racks and subframe, here is my fine example.

How do you attach your pelicans GK?

G.Kennedy · 03-13-2006, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meat popsicle

How do you attach your pelicans GK?

I welded small triangular gussets in the corners. I just use bolts and nylocks. They do NOT come off in a crash. Takes about 1 minute per side to remove.

My rack and sub are not as bent as the picture shows. I loosened up all the connections and it sprung back. Both the rack and the sub are bent though. I hate having to remove it, cuz getting it back on take some sweating and swearing to get holes to line up.

ErrinV · 03-14-2006, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G.Kennedy

Another waterproof option has just been released by Wolfman:

http://www.wolfmanluggage.com/06Expe...addleBags.html

Those are pretty cool Glen. I've been going back and forth on what to get for my 640 and those new Wolfman bags look like they may be a good option.

Errin

03-12-2006, 06:53 PM	#1
boxermoose ^OP Now fully goosed Joined: Sep 2003 Location: Gulf Coast TX Oddometer: 2,699	KTM 640 factory racks Checked the tread index and didn't find anything that quite matches... I picked up a new to me 2005 - 640 adv yesterday that seems pretty well sorted with 1300 miles on the clock. I'll post pictures when I find the camera as it is packed somewhere from our recent move (Hey Driffty - I had to cut the grass today) but you all know what they look like. Anyway the bike has the factory racks and looking at them it appears that the hoops have some some additional bracketry/bag mount bits over and above the standard plain TT items. The question is then - with these pannier frames - can you attach either the standard TT alu boxes, as well as the Hepco alu or Gobi bags? BTW I rode home from Austin to S. Houston yesterday after picking it up and have to say that ergonomically it feels much the same as my R100GSPD (with fastways) and the vibe's were about the same as when it needed a carb sync. __________________ Sometimes you get the ABAT....and sometimes the ABAT gets you

03-12-2006, 07:03 PM	#2
fire_strom Beastly Adventurer Joined: Sep 2004 Location: Durango, CO Oddometer: 1,256	sounds like the gobi mounts but someone who knows more than me will chime in any second. scott __________________ Officially moto-free 6 cycles with pedals

03-12-2006, 10:17 PM	#4
Two Dot Studly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2005 Location: So Cal (winter) Montana (summer) NC (spring&fall) Oddometer: 567	As per usual, Creeper is right... Just keep in mind that the H&B racks are 16mm tubing and the TT are 18mm. TT makes a puck set (for the alum bags) to fit the thinner racks, but it is not their standard puck and latch set. I bought a set of H&B racks to use on my 640 ADV. My Gobis (from the 950) would fit on the racks, but my TT (KTM) alum bags would not. To confuse matters even more my TT alum would fit on the 950 racks. The H&B racks that I bought for the 640 had a hoop size that equalled the smaller part of the KTM rack with the drop down doodads. I ended up buying the 18mm TT rack (much stronger IMHO) and the KTM (TT) (ZEGA) alum bags fit great. I have the two 35L set up. I hope this helps... I was in a real quandry for a time with mine. I kept thinking "does it really need to be this hard.." Let me know if I need to clear this MUD up. Two Dot __________________ 03 640 Adventure 05 950 Adventure "S"

03-13-2006, 06:17 PM	#5
boxermoose ^OP Now fully goosed Joined: Sep 2003 Location: Gulf Coast TX Oddometer: 2,699	I checked the hoop tube diameters with a venrier caliper - 18mm __________________ Sometimes you get the ABAT....and sometimes the ABAT gets you

03-13-2006, 08:00 PM	#7
meat popsicle Ignostic Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Circumlocution Office of Little Dorrit Oddometer: 13,872	Hey bm, You probably already looked in the index under luggage, and you probably really do want aluminum cases, but just in case you didn't, and hadn't fully thought thru options there are two others that have their pluses and minuses: soft bags and pelican cases. Some who ride the 640s hard off road (in touring situations where they want panniers) use soft bags because they give in a fall the most of any option. They likely will survive more crashes than any other type of bag. The downside is they do not carry nearly as much (at least not any that I have seen), are usually not waterproof (ortlieb's the exception I believe), and have little security save easy removal to take with you. A few who also ride the 640s hard off road on tour will not accept the soft bag compromises, yet fear the crash issues of the production aluminum bags, and choose to custom mount Pelican bags. jimjib is the most famous of those here IMhO. jimjib used hose clamps (adel clamps), bolted to the mount points of the cases for strength, to clamp to his pannier racks (probably similar to yours). The beauty of this design is the hose clamps are both strong enough hold the bags on during off roading, yet weak enough in a crash situation to break away before either the bag (unlikely - pelicans are tough enough to survive after the rack and bike are severely damaged), rack (ouch), or bike (double ouch) do... not only that but they are cheap to replace (a dollar?) and also small enough to carry spares just in case rum Of course removing the bags is difficult, but you can lock them with a paddlelock. And they are waterproof. Just wanted to share that bit of info with you. Likely you have gone thru this and want the aluminum bags for security, style, and ease of use - and perhaps you do not have the same crash susceptibility. __________________ Kronreif Trunkenpolz Mattighofen LC4 640 Its not so much staying alive; its staying human that counts.

03-13-2006, 08:11 PM	#8
G.Kennedy ... Joined: Oct 2002 Location: Venice, CA Oddometer: 1,848	Another waterproof option has just been released by Wolfman: http://www.wolfmanluggage.com/06Expe...addleBags.html And as far as bending your racks and subframe, here is my fine example. __________________ '85 K100RS '05 525EXC '08 Hypermotard

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