Don't drill the stock rack

[ec90t]

I found out the hard way not to use the stock rear rack for anything. I had drilled it to mount my Shad top case. Yesterday on the way into work the rear rack failed and sent my top case bouncing down the road. Both the rack and the box are total losses. I now have a Happy Trails rear rack coming and a new top case. A bitter $300 lesson to learn

 

[pnelson]

I mounted my Besteem case by drilling the Besteem supplied mounting plate to match the two forward rack mounting bolts that hold the original rack on. This means that you are bolting right into the frame support for the rack. The rack is removed and that allows the case to sit that much lower.

;-)

 

[hANNAbONE]

I did the same...with this rack :

http://cariboucases.com/Rear-Cargo-Plates/Yamaha-Super-Tenere-XT1200Z-Rear-Cargo-Plate.html

 

[Checkswrecks]

I was curious when I opened this thread to see WHICH rack somebody had break as a result of drilling.


Remember that the plastic front rack/mount for the headlights and windshield carries the strain of everything forward through 3 load paths. The beating of pot holes and other vibration creates a lot of load, so drilling to install switches in those handy flanges to the left and right is a bad idea. In really simple terms to visualize, drilling those flanges is to cut way part of an I-beam's upper flange.

 

[patrickg450]

I have had a pelican case mounted to my stock rack for about 8000 miles. No worries and it is full.


::006::

 

[martin_nj]

Previous owner installed a 29L Shad trunk - looked a bit hack job.

I rode it this weekend a bit and something went wrong:

Basically it fell off on the highway! I'm thankful it didn't damage anyone's car! The case was locked and suffered only a few scuffs. There was actually very little weight in there, just a 2 piece plastic rain suit. I did go a bit fast on the highway and combined with the bumps I think that did it in...

Here's the quick repair job:

Some zip ties, some bungee cords and a little dash of electrical tape to keep everything tidy.

 

[squarebore]

I drilled the stock black plastic rack under the shiny plastic bit on top and I agree, don't do it. It is a very brittle plastic, won't hold a thread and breaks easily. I replaced with a H&B rack and it has room for my Cougar compressor underneath.

 

[Ramseybella]

I mounted my rear bag on my stock rack lasted about two weeks. One day I was riding some wash board roads and pulled over for a Leak break, I noticed my foot didn't hit my case as it always does and it was gone.
Snapped the rack clean off, lucky it was just 1.5 miles or so back down the road.
My solution made my own out of a piece of old recycled street sign.
Twp piece with rubber grommets under the top sheet as for shock absorption..