Poor-mans hard case for storage on the bike !

[Bob KellyIII]

Here is my answer to the storage problems on almost every motorcycle I have ever known.... if your like me the bike you get will not be a full dresser so carrying anything with you is a problem.
....
I bought an expensive back rack for the XR650L a few weeks ago and it came with side crash bars ( that's why I bought it !) the rack didn't seem very large at all and I admit I was dissipointed when I unwrapped it but it does fit the bill.
.....
the other day when we went to town I went to Harbor freight tools to buy another water proof pistle box/case that I had done for the Ninja and TT250
but I really wanted something a bit bigger.... I asked a guy there where he was hiding the boxes and he showed them to me on the top shelf in the back
and they had about 20 of them there .... they didn't have RED so I bought a green one instead.... it so happens that this one IS bigger than the previous ones I have bought from there .... and it has 4 latches to keep it closed rather than just 2....
It cost $54.00 and I hauled it home...
yesterday I mounted it on the back rack of the XR650L by drilling 4 holes and using 4 1/4 x 20 2" long bolts and 4 2" fender washers to spred out the force
on the plastic case....
the end results are pictured below and after a quick ride I wish I had set it further back as my butt hit it a few times on that ride.....another 2" back would be perfect.
....
these cases are completely water proof and lockable if you put a padlock on it.......
I mainly want it on there so if the mood strikes me I can run to McDonnalds and pick up 6 sausage biscuits on a warm summer morning and zip back home before the wife gets up.... and surprise her ! HAHAHAHAH
I know from the Ninja's little box I can get 2 gallon jugs of milk in there and have some extra room to boot... so there is alot of room in these things.

it's about as easy as it gets as far as a water proof box goes !
....
Bob......

[thedrewski86]

Originally Posted by Bob KellyIII

I mainly want it on there so if the mood strikes me I can run to McDonnalds and pick up 6 sausage biscuits on a warm summer morning and zip back home before the wife gets up.... and surprise her !

That's worth $54 right there!

[DannoXYZ]

heh, heh... I commuted to S.F. for years with this arrangement.

[Bob KellyIII]

Yah the plastic milk crate does work too and usually can be found for no cost !
....
I think I will turn that box side ways so I have a bit more room on the seat
when I rode it the other day I found I hit the box with my butt a few times
which tells me a bit more room might be a good idea, so turning it sideways
and then drilling new holes is in order....
my carb parts finally arrived so I can put in a bigger pilot jet if they fit and a bigger main jet to help it run cooler. it is air cooled after all and it's burning grey on the plug...a bit richer would help !
....
so I'll give the Ninja a rest and play with the XR650L the rest of the day...
LOL


Bob.......

[Alex]

/moved to cargo space

[Bob KellyIII]

Oh Yah.... good idea Alex ! why didn't I think of that !???
here's a pitcure of the box turned sideways like I should have done it in the first place.... LOL
...
the plastic case has 4- 1/4X20x2" long bolts (which are too long) and a big 2" fender washer touching the plastic on the inside
to distribute the force to a wide area of the plastic container. it's nice and solid... hard to say how it will hold up when I dump it though.
but with the side guards on the bike now I doubt the box will ever hit the ground it will be close though, no doubt.
Unfortunately this renders the tool carrier pouch under the box completely useless the only way to get the tools out of it now is from under the box, before the box the tools were axcessable from above.... but that area is now covered by the box so I will just empty it and put that stuff in the big box and be done with it ! LOL
....
so Now I can fill the box full of apples and go to the top of the Hill and feed the Sasquach....or Deer which ever I see ! LOL
....
Bob.........




Bob....

[Snake]

Perfect....... It’s lockable and the lid is secure.

[Bob KellyIII]

and I can strap a large pizza box to the top with bungi cords !
there is a suprizing amount of room in this thing !
....
Bob.....