Hawk RotopaX Rack Mod

[wamey]

Hello again all! I am planning on leading a small group on a trip and was struggling to figure out how to carry stuff. I think I have a solution now so here's what I got:

- RotopaX Universal Mount Plate (Double) ($50)
- 2x RotopaX Deluxe Mount ($45/piece, $90 total)
- RotopaX 1 gal water and gas combo pack ($90)
- RotopaX 4 gallon gas pack ($135)

And here are the pics (sorry they're all at night, I finished late! I'll try to get some today):
http://imgur.com/gallery/TKPqO

I know it's expensive, but these are serving double duty in my truck and on my BMW F650GS Dakar, so it's worth it to me to have something I can just pop on and off at a moment's notice. The mount plate will be a great place to strap gear down to as well.

[Weldangrind]

I like it! You can also use Quick Fist clamps (like those used with fire extinguishers) to mount more burrito tubes on the forks. A 30oz MSR fuel bottle is a perfect fit inside the burrito tube. Not much fuel, but enough to get you out of trouble.

[wamey]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

I like it! You can also use Quick Fist clamps (like those used with fire extinguishers) to mount more burrito tubes on the forks. A 30oz MSR fuel bottle is a perfect fit inside the burrito tube. Not much fuel, but enough to get you out of trouble.

Awesome! I was looking for a good way to mount a burrito tube to my friend's magician. These look like just the ticket!

[pcspecialist]

Why not stack them? That's what I did on my Funduro. They make a mount extension to do that.

I can pretty much guarantee you won't put up with those wings for very long unless you never take it off road.


https://rotopax.com/1-2-4-gallon-extension.html

[Rangerscott]

Id rather they make a stackable mount so theyre not catching wind.

[pcspecialist]

The good news is, you can cut the double mounting plate and have one for each bike. Something I would have never even thought of had you not posted about it. It actually looks like, cut in two, it has better mounting options than the single.

[pcspecialist]

Originally Posted by Rangerscott

Id rather they make a stackable mount so theyre not catching wind.

They make an extension for that, see my comment above yours

[wamey]

Originally Posted by pcspecialist

Why not stack them? That's what I did on my Funduro. They make a mount extension to do that.

I can pretty much guarantee you won't put up with those wings for very long unless you never take it off road.


https://rotopax.com/1-2-4-gallon-extension.html

That's a good idea! I may try that if I don't like this. Also, it's pretty easy to take off (4x 8mm bolts) for single track.

The idea I'm shooting for is 45mph along dirt, gravel, and fire roads. More of an ADV thing than a dirtbike thing. With this I estimate I'll have a 300ish mile range.

Regarding it being wide. The widest setup (4 gallon pack) is almost exactly as wide as the handlebar, maybe a little smaller. I do like the idea of 2x 2 gallon packs stacked now... Oh well, I'll see how this works out first!

[Rangerscott]

A big problem with that side to side mount is if you go down, theres a good change those containers are gonna bust on the ground, rocks, tree, etc.

[wamey]

Originally Posted by Rangerscott

A big problem with that side to side mount is if you go down, theres a good change those containers are gonna bust on the ground, rocks, tree, etc.

That's a good point. I am thinking of this as being similar to having panniers. This is what I'm shooting for eventually:



No one makes a small displacement ADV bike these days. So I'll make my own

[Rangerscott]

Coming from someone that has ridden a lot with cloth type bags, Id go with plastic or metal bags. Yea, theyre bulky but having dry clothes and items out ranks style and size.


If you want the side to side mount, I'd recommend welding or bolting on some crash bars around the containers.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Rangerscott

A big problem with that side to side mount is if you go down, theres a good change those containers are gonna bust on the ground, rocks, tree, etc.

I have a couple of Rotopax cans. You would have to go down pretty hard, or hit something just right, to bust one open. These are tough little things.

Also, soft bags have many advantages as well, and if packed right you can avoid wet gear. I have also seen plenty of hard panniers that sealed poorly and still let in water. Soft panniers offer the advantage of conformability, weight, and a little versatility. Waterproof roll top bags are my personal favorite.