SWMotech Racks - open discussion of issues

[TierHawg]

I've been on the fence with the SW-Motech product line after having issues with an early set of crashbars. I'm still in the market for crashbars and have been waiting for various dealers to get restocked. If this is the answer for the poor fitting pannier racks, it helps to make my decision.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

 

[3putt]

As you all know I modded my SW-Motech racks to my liking, so I am happy. But the experience just reinforces my feeling that if you want it done right do it yourself. The problem for me to make them from scratch is they have some nice parts like the quick disconnects joints that I have no idea where to source and the fit up to the Givi Monokey is a special hardware part also. So, I pretty much go in knowing I will mod the rack with bending/tweaking and/or cutting and welding to make them fit like I want.

In other words, I purchased this rack, knowing it had some very good points plus I knew I could modify if necessary.

 

[vilageidgit]

anyone installed the updated SW Notech/SW Slowtech racks yet?
without installing it,how can I tell if it is the updated rack ?

 

[twistedthrottle]

anyone installed the updated SW Notech/SW Slowtech racks yet?
without installing it,how can I tell if it is the updated rack ?

If they were purchased and delivered after the issue was recognized then they are the new racks.

 

[fredz43]

I have a set that was delivered in Oct and can see no difference.

 

[twistedthrottle]

I have a set that was delivered in Oct and can see no difference.

If I remember correctly Fred... you didn't have any issues with the first set you recieved.. Correct? The design changes we subtle. Just a few length adjustments.

 

[fredz43]

If I remember correctly Fred... you didn't have any issues with the first set you recieved.. Correct? The design changes we subtle. Just a few length adjustments.

Hi Kev,

Yes, I was ok with my first set. As I recall, the objections I read were about two items, both of which could fall under the often used term "splaying". One was that some pics showed that some of the right hand racks when viewed from the rear showed that the bottom of the right side rack was farther out than the top of that rack. When the bag was mounted to those racks, one could see that the bottom was "splayed" out. The other item mentioned was that the distance at front of the racks was more than at the rear of the racks, if measured across the bike. Then with the bags installed the bags were wider at the front than at the rear.

I installed 4 original sets of those racks and bags for our dealer and I did notice that the first category of splaying could be influenced by the positioning of the spacer bar that goes from one rack to the other and bolts to the rear fender at the license plate. If a person bolted that bracket too far to the right, it would tend to kick the bottom of the right rack out, resulting in some splaying at the bottom. If you positioned the other rack connectors before bolting the connecting bar to the fender, ours tended to be straight. The below pic of my original racks with the bags on shows none of that splaying.

Now for the front to back splaying, I honestly didn't notice that until someone mentioned it. Mine had that, but I didn't have a problem with that, as it seemed to follow the lines of the bike, which in itself tapers toward the rear. Not a problem for my tastes.

The reason I have a second set is that one of our customers didn't order his bags and racks until after he had the bike for a while, some time in August, I believe. He got his Trax bags, but the racks were back ordered. He had been plannng a trip in October for some time and when the time approached, he began to get concerned that he would have no luggage for his trip. I finished my last trip of the year the first week of October, so volunteered to give him my like new racks and would take his order whenever they came in. He was appreciative and I was in no hurry as I was done travelling for the year.

The second set came in and I finally installed them on my bike last week. I again saw that one must be careful with placement of the crossover bar or you could splay the bottom of the right rack outward. Not a problem, I just positioned it after fastening the other 3 fasteners on each side. In looking front to back from the top, it appears to me that they still are out farther in front than in back. Not a problem for me, but if some found this objectionable in the original racks, I am aftraid that they will find them the same with these. Therefore my above statement that they look the same to me.

Here are my original racks and Trax bags:

 

[AlsoRan]

I received my racks in October after waiting on the back order. I'm not sure if they are the old or new ones though. I fitted them to the bike and found that from viewing the cases from the back that there was a slight "lean" to the left on both the left and right cases. In other words the left case bottom was kicked "in" where the right case bottom was kicked "out". I ended up getting some spacers to level (to the eye) each side as best as possible. Also they are splayed out in the front slightly but no big - it's not much. It looks good now, but it was not really how I wanted to set up these new racks but I know improvising is common on these adventure bikes. I think their welding jig must have been off. Anyway it's not a deal breaker if you like the cases, they do look good on the bike.

 

[Boostedxt]

so has this issue been resolved? It can be really freaking depressing in here so I think buying some new toys for my bike will make me happy. ::013::

joe

 

[sallydog]

has this issue been fixed or should i give up on these? my boxes have to be square, plumb, and even.....

 

[wantajustride]

I put mine on a couple weeks or so ago. And they are not perfectly square. Not so noticeable unless you look specifically for it. But if you get hung up on it, you see it every time you look at the bike.
Do I care that much,, no. I read this tread before I bought and took it all into consideration.
Should they be perfect for the price,,yes, I guess.
I chose them from a functional stand point. Only positive compliments from other riders who looked at my bike. They didn't notice until I pointed it out.
I think there are just to many different angles on the bike to get them perfect. I do think a few shims here and there and they could get square. I will say the SW Motec racks went on fast and they fit without needing to bend or force anything to get them to line up. Then the cases went on the racks very easily. So for that they a get an A+ from me.
But after a couple drops, I doubt I'll care much. Yea, I said it. I'm not a perfect rider I'll drop the beast. It just wipes the "New" off .

::021::

WJR

 

[Checkswrecks]

I put mine on a couple weeks or so ago. And they are not perfectly square. Not so noticeable unless you look specifically for it. But if you get hung up on it, you see it every time you look at the bike.
Do I care that much,, no. I read this tread before I bought and took it all into consideration.
Should they be perfect for the price,,yes, I guess.
I chose them from a functional stand point. Only positive compliments from other riders who looked at my bike. They didn't notice until I pointed it out.
I think there are just to many different angles on the bike to get them perfect. I do think a few shims here and there and they could get square.
But after a couple drops, I doubt I'll care much. Yea, I said it. I'm not a perfect rider I'll drop the beast. It just wipes the "New" off .

::021::

WJR

::026:: to everything he wrote.

 

[sallydog]

thanks for the info. my stuff has to be strait. if i could accept half assed or off a couple degrees i would make my own but on this bike they have to be correct.does anyone else make solid racks that are tight to the bike and solid. i like HT but the throttle side isnt tight enough IMHO

 

[wantajustride]

thanks for the info. my stuff has to be strait. if i could accept half assed or off a couple degrees i would make my own but on this bike they have to be correct.does anyone else make solid racks that are tight to the bike and solid. i like HT but the throttle side isnt tight enough IMHO

Keep looking around. Jesse' Happy Trails, Trax. They all have pros and cons if you read enough posts. It made my ::010::

Let us know which you pick and share pics.

 

[sallydog]

The Jesse racks are the tightest I've personally seen. Hepco and Becker is suddenly on a 'symetrical' kick, so they definitely have a gap. Most of the racks I've seen are 'plumb' except for the SW Motec.

I personally don't understand the issue with them not being 'square' because even the OEM cases are wider at the one end (distance between L&R case outer edges) and they look fine.

i can deal with the "not square", but i cant deal with the not plumb. if i had to look at the boxes from the rear avery time i walked up to my bike and it looked like some of those pictures it would kill me.

 

[sallydog]

is it me or do jesse bags look like they are out of plumb also.they are tight though and they can be 2" tighter if you remove the grab handles.

 

[sallydog]

i talked to the people at jesse. it is an optical illusion. everything is adjustable. in stock $300

 

[fredz43]

i can deal with the "not square", but i cant deal with the not plumb. if i had to look at the boxes from the rear avery time i walked up to my bike and it looked like some of those pictures it would kill me.

I don't know what was going on with some of the early pics that I saw with non SW-Motech bags on SW racks, but our dealership sold and installed 4 sets and didn't see that problem with the Trax bags. I know that the cross brace that bolts to the fender is slotted and a person could bolt it in a position so that the bags would be cocked to one side or the other.

Here are 3 sets that we installed, including mine.Do you see any problem with them being cocked? These are all first gen racks, installed in Aug, 2011.

 

[jajpko]

The left bag is splayed to the left.
Kevin even said the racks were only out of place, Aesthetically. I don't care who you are, if the damn things don't look right, they are not right. jmho

 

[fredz43]

We're talking about splaying and we're talking about plumb here. Both racks are splayed front to back, but both are plumb or damn close to it. I was answering the guy who was worried about plumb.

If someone is not satisfied about all that, that is fine. To my tastes, they are perfect enough for my tastes and much better than some of the more utilitarian bags that to my eyes are plain ugly, regardless if they are splayed or not.