Homemade roof rack/basket

[mws]

Here's the racks and basket I whipped up before our desert adventure last year. Works extremely well!

 

Oh, other notes:

 

Those are the oft discussed leak proof NATO gas cans.

 

The other rack on top of the wheels is receiver mount motorcycle carrier I whipped up at the same time. My KTM is off in the distance getting whipped by my nephew's kids....

Edited January 7, 2006 by mws

[Precise1]

Cool !! I really want to see your receiver carrier for the bike !!! I've been knocking around that idea as I want to set up a xr400 enduro but don't want to schlepp around a trailer... Damn, this summer I'm going to have to come up there so we can hit the sierras !!

 

B

[Harbinger]

Looks good mws! Looks pretty solid and functional.

 

The truck looks good too, for some odd reason I thought you had a 4 door before I saw this pic.

[RedPath88]

Yeah I agree with those above.. I like it. Good job

[Mr. Pickles]

Gotta love the homemade, built to do what you want it to do. Please post up on the motorcycle carrier. My dad is currently looking for a receiver mount or something similar for their RV to carry his older small Suzuki street bike (550, I think).

[Precise1]

Would that be a Suzuki GS550 Mr P ?? That was my first street bike. 78 GS550E to be precise... Great little bikes with a totally bullet proof motor... If he ever gets rid of it, I highly recomment you aquire it !!

 

B

[Mr. Pickles]

I believe so. I've only looked up close once really since he just got it. It was owned by a friend of the family and is in great shape. I'm already in discussion about riding a bit and maybe getting licensed, since I've only had dirt bike experience. But anyways, I actually think he's looking at a setup that will still allow them to tow their 22' jet sled as well. Still, picks could help.

[mws]

Cool !! I really want to see your receiver carrier for the bike !!! I've been knocking around that idea as I want to set up a xr400 enduro but don't want to schlepp around a trailer... Damn, this summer I'm going to have to come up there so we can hit the sierras !!

 

B

Anytime, B. Anytime!

You can't go wrong with an XR4, either. Awesome machine. I loved mine and would have kept it if I could afford it.

 

The KTM is lighter, more powerful, and handles incredibly well. And the magic button is mighty nice. But.... It is much more highstrung, high maintenance, high cost, etc. And sometimes, just a touch too powerful. Where the XR would hook and crawl up technical stuff, the KTM is more prone to present just a few too many lb-ft too quickly. Sometimes it's wonderful, but sometimes it leads to dramatically spectacular sky poking wheelies and loops. Those with sloppy throttle wrists need not apply! :o

[Precise1]

I totally understand what you are saying M and agree !! I'd love a trick bike, but I need a reasonably priced workhorse. My XR650L was far too powerful for off road unless your goal was to knock riders off their bikes 100 feet behind you with torn knobbies and fist sized rocks... It was nicknamed "the Tractor" :cool2:

The XR's have great aftermarket parts and don't worry, I'll make that little 400 piggy squeal !!

 

B

[mws]

http://www.sierradirtadventures.com/wp-con...m&g2_itemId=187

 

A link to a typical "whoa, down biach" moment....

See that 12" granite step up to the left? Yup, the KTM torque combined with a super grippy trials tire resulted in a dramatic vertical launch and midair 180 degree pirouette. I did land front wheel downhill...

 

Photo's never do hills justice, but that hill was steep at least 40 degrees - the one guy who had to climb it on foot had to do it on all 4's.

[Precise1]

Hey, at least you landed on your wheels, and not on the bars !! I see that as a perfect loop ramp... Probably shoulda chopped the throttle on the up and over, eh ?? Gotta love those "trying to keep momentum" moments !! :cool2:

 

B

[mws]

Err.... well....

There was a brief period when the the bars were rather deeply embedded in the dirt.... I'm kinda pounding the FastWay hand guard back down. Took one heck of a whack with only a small bend to show for it.

 

That's when the relative light weight of the KTM is appreciated. It was 125 degrees of lift back to vertical! She was nearly inverted.

[mws]

Hey, at least you landed on your wheels, and not on the bars !! I see that as a perfect loop ramp... Probably shoulda chopped the throttle on the up and over, eh ?? Gotta love those "trying to keep momentum" moments !!    :cool2:

 

B

Yeah, yeah - chop the throttle! I did, but the KTM reacts a whole lot faster than a 42 year old brain that is accustomed to the more sedate reaction time of an XR4. It comes up and over so fast I just didn't catch it quite in time. And once air borne, well. Wheeee! Enjoy the trip!

Edited January 9, 2006 by mws