MOD F800/F700/F650 (twin) GS skid plate and top rack

[Zacharia_11]

Originally Posted by toowheels

...[snip]...
Yip the current plate worked with Touratech (and most probably Git) engine bars only. Some people like the increased coverage and think I should do two versions. Any thoughts y'all? There seems to be a lot of the Git set up out there and I think a good part of that is the front and side coverage of their skid plate.
...[snip]...

You've got the GIT plate beat for coverage underneath:


I think the GIT plates as got you beat upfront:


I think BMW has you both beat on compatibility?
*I have seen this plate on several crash bar set ups, and I think this is attributed to the lower side coverage.

For me the best of both worlds is of course maximum coverage with my chosen bars, but for you I think the maximum coverage with maximum compatibility from a single plate is probably better.

If I am you, I keep the skid plates lower/bottom coverage you have, beef up the coverage for a direct frontal impact and debris (closer to GIT), and sacrifice a little of that side coverage for compatibility. If you can provide more side coverage that BMW's stocker and still be compatible, your construction and durability should win over some of the market.

For me I picked the crash bars I wanted then looked for compatible bash plates. If I picked the Adventure Spec bars, I would have just ordered the plate along with it.

[toowheels]

Originally Posted by wachs

The Great Basin will work with any of those racks shown as long as the edges and slots are rounded (tumbled or filed smooth). If not, the metal will saw right through our Ballistic Cordura webbings. As tough as it is, no webbing or strap material will survive the CNC edges.

We are looking at an '09 F800Gs and hope to pull the trigger before the end of the year (3 more days!!?). Have never owned a BMW but this one looks like it'll fit nicely in the barn.

Thanks for the reply on that wachs.

Our top rack will definitely have the edges and strap slots rounded.

It's a day later...did ya get it??

Zacharia_11;

Thanks for the input and the pics.
That's exactly what we are going for; same under bike coverage as we have now and the most side coverage I can fit while still being compatible with the most popular bars.

As far as the front is concerned we are similar in height in the front to Git...about 1" higher than the oil cooler. You can see it a little better in this pic. We don't have the extra top piece though.
If you have serious filling up the front mud issues like some of the pics I have seen you could make a "fit it when you need it shield". Our plate would accommodate an extension be it plastic board or whatever very easily with the tool box mounting points. Alternatively the foam that enduro riders use would fit in easily too.


The tool box also works really well as an extension too...and it's somewhere convenient to put heavy tools low, but not too low.




Dave

[Motoriley]

I love the fore aft adjust ability. Would it be possible to add an extra hole halfway between the the others that would be big enough to remove the rack? That way you could just loosen the four bolts and remove the plate to reconfigure the Rotopax mounts without undoing the bolts all the way.

[superhawkrider]

I really like your top rack and skid plate. It would be great if you can make the same skid plate that will fit with the Holan, Metal Mule, or Adventure spec bars. Just one vote of what I would put on my bike.

[markymcd]

Originally Posted by Motoriley

I love the fore aft adjust ability. Would it be possible to add an extra hole halfway between the the others that would be big enough to remove the rack? That way you could just loosen the four bolts and remove the plate to reconfigure the Rotopax mounts without undoing the bolts all the way.

+1 on the extra hole thing. Genius!

[toowheels]

Originally Posted by Motoriley

I love the fore aft adjust ability. Would it be possible to add an extra hole halfway between the the others that would be big enough to remove the rack? That way you could just loosen the four bolts and remove the plate to reconfigure the Rotopax mounts without undoing the bolts all the way.

That is a really good idea! Thanks!

I'm going to look at that.

I was paying attention to the fact the you could get underneath the plate when it is installed to swap mounting positions but it's still a bit of a pain that way without the right tool for the job.

Thanks superhawkrider!
I do believe the current skid plate will fit the Adventure Spec bars however the next version should be compatible with Holans as well.

Dave

[WoodWorks]

This setup looks really great Dave. I wonder if you know anyone nearby who has the removable SW-Motech racks mounted on an F800GS (see mine below). They leave quite a large gap between the tank and the right pannier, and I'd be eager to see if the Rotopax can, if hanging from your rear plate, might be able to fit in between.

I've got the Touratech plate now, and I've kludged a Rotopax mount to it. But I'd prefer your setup if I could fit a Rotopax down low and behind my Caribou bag.



Oh, and let me add my +1 to Motoriley's "big middle hole for easy plate removal" idea.

David

[toowheels]

Hey WoodWorks (David) Thanks!

...so that's +2 on the Motoriley's bmhfepr idea.

I'm lookin' at your setup there and I see a strut just in front of the turn signal. That looks like it is right in the way...I think. It's the Quick-Lock rack you have right? Did you relocate the turn signal like the pic on Twisted Throttle? Either way using the turn signal as a reference it looks like it won't fit.

In any case I think you may be better off making the Rotopax bracket fit to the inside of your rack...or even as I have seen some pics show mounting the bracket right to the inside of your Caribou case...

I do like Oregon though...and I'm always up for a ride.

Dave

[robhar54]

Originally Posted by toowheels

Hey Dave,

This rack is an intriguing solution. Stacking a couple one gallon tanks on top, maybe one for water and one for gas, would be sweet. I could also see using one of these bladders from Liquid Containment in Oz on this rack:



They do custom designs as well, so it may be possible to get one fabbed up that would precisely fit any rack or pannier top.

But on to the above photo...

I like the idea of getting the weight lower. Are you using the stock Rotopax L-bracket here? What keeps it from flexing laterally, say, if you went down on the right side? I'm assuming it's held only by the two bolts. Maybe there's enough flex in the rack itself to absorb a hit from the side? Suppose you had a pannier rack system, are the attachment points on the L-bracket slotted to allow you to adjust the bracket in or out to rest on the pannier brackets?

Thanks.

[toowheels]

Hi robhar and thanks!

You can definitely stack them. Rotopax has a storage container version now too.

I saw those liquid bladders recently here and they look like a neat option.

The stock Rotopax DLX L bracket is being used. There is also a lighter gauge version that comes with the Rotopax 1gal. when you order them together. It is 12 gauge instead of the 8 gauge of the DLX L bracket.

There is some lateral flex in the system. At this point there is no extra support. It is all being tested by the "MOD Squad" now. Crash damage?...don't know yet. Although the whole setup doesn't stick out as far the passenger pegs so that will offer some protection in a tip over and the flex in the system should give it some resilience.

The L bracket does have some slotted holes. In the pic you show above the L bracket is actually held on by five bolts. There is even an option with the slotted holes to have the Rotopax "angle in" at the tail making it even a little lower profile.
In the pic below it is held on by two bolts and then sits against the BMW Aluminum box rack.



More pics of the setup above here;
http://www.motooverland.com/index_files/Page508.htm

I would actually like to see which other side racks this configuration will work with. Between the slots in the L bracket and the five holes in our Top Rack there are a few options.

Dave

[toowheels]

This is the other top position on the MOD F800 GS top rack that I haven't really shown or talked about yet.

I'm not really sure if I like it that much. The original idea was that if you were running side boxes and a top roll bag it would give a position closer to the middle of the bike rather than laying it flat on the rack further back. The roll bag has lots of room to sit behind it. Is it a better position?...I'm not sure. I have seen a couple of pics here where people have wedged the Rotopax between roll bags on a top rack so this is sort of like that.

I think the biggest problem I have with it is that the Rotopax L bracket has the height for horizontal or vertical mounting of the Rotopax, so it sits a about 3.5" higher than it needs to when it is horizontal. Perhaps if we made our own shorter L bracket this position would work better.

What do you all think?


This pic has the top rack in the forward position.


In this pic the top rack is in the rearward position.
Of course the Rotopax mount can be put on either side of the L bracket for running two up too.

One of the great things about this top rack is that there is a ton of options between fore and aft positions, three Rotopax mounting options...and there is more to come too.

Thanks,

Dave

[Motoriley]

I think it would be fine if the mount was lower. Make your own mount with the option of mounting the Rotopax facing either way. Then offer a backrest option on the front and you would have a winner.

Originally Posted by toowheels

This is the other top position on the MOD F800 GS top rack that I haven't really shown or talked about yet.

I'm not really sure if I like it that much. The original idea was that if you were running side boxes and a top roll bag it would give a position closer to the middle of the bike rather than laying it flat on the rack further back. The roll bag has lots of room to sit behind it. Is it a better position?...I'm not sure. I have seen a couple of pics here where people have wedged the Rotopax between roll bags on a top rack so this is sort of like that.

I think the biggest problem I have with it is that the Rotopax L bracket has the height for horizontal or vertical mounting of the Rotopax, so it sits a about 3.5" higher than it needs to when it is horizontal. Perhaps if we made our own shorter L bracket this position would work better.

What do you all think?


This pic has the top rack in the forward position.


In this pic the top rack is in the rearward position.
Of course the Rotopax mount can be put on either side of the L bracket for running two up too.

One of the great things about this top rack is that there is a ton of options between fore and aft positions, three Rotopax mounting options...and there is more to come too.

Thanks,

Dave

[Motoriley]

From the photo it looks like you could just drill lower mounting holes in the L bracket.

[toowheels]

Originally Posted by Motoriley

From the photo it looks like you could just drill lower mounting holes in the L bracket.

Hey Motoriley,

Yes you could easily just drill a lower set of holes in the L bracket. You would be left with about 1.5" of the bracket exposed over the top which could also be removed fairly easily. That would make it look (and work) much better.

As the bracket sits now you can put the mount on either side so those options are already there. Then there is the second set of horizontal holes still left over too.

Dave

[Gregarious]

If it's not too late to make a suggestion: pre-drill 4 holes to accomodate a Givi mount kit. These mounts can be used on Happy Trails and SW-Motech racks for optional Givi side cases. The bottom lugs are the same ones used by Caribou cases as well.

For those of us that also use Givi top boxes for on-road touring, commuting, errand running etc., this would be super convenient addition to a top rack. Screw on 4 bolts in 1 minute and you can mount your Givi top case. Going for an off-road adventure? Pull off the mounts and strap your soft luggage on this new top rack.

I'm currently using an SW-Motech top-rack that has a quick-release Givi compatible mounting plate , which works OK for the Givi, but their top rack isn't that swell for larger soft luggage.

All my previous dual-sports (KLR650, DRZ400, KTM640) have done some sort of commuting duty and on each one I've rigged up some kind of Givi top-mount. The SW Motech has the right idea, but their top rack isn't as nice as your's promises to be.

Just a thought...

Givi Lug Kit:


SW Motech Givi Plate:


SW-Motech side rack with Caribou Cases mounts (bottom ones are the same for Givi):