Ah, the miricles of modern communication huh?

Just heard back from Thorsten - the internal width of the tool box will be 210mm, so a set of compact (8") tyre levers will fit in no problem.

The overall capacity of the container will be around 1 - 1.5 litres, so certainly enough for a decent tool roll and a few sundries like tape, small can of WD40 etc.

He also said the lock/latch mechanism will be revised on the final production design.

Price TBC shortly...

J x

Looks good on CAD. One reminder: those who have lowered the bike may see the toolbox gets too close to the front tire. I know this would be hard to guarantee or even measure the spare space between the tire and the toolbox when the bike is bouncing up and down. Just something to pay attention to.

Does look like a good bit of kit If he can bring it out at a reasonable cost then he is onto a winner as it looks a 100 times better than what tourajunk came out with.

just so people know the touracrap set up is �285 - yes that is not a type error for a bash plate and tool box. They can't even justify the development costs because they used the box developed for the Katoom.

The touratech bash plate is even made cheaply with the side panels riveted on ???????

This looks pretty nice.
But I wouldn't buy one. Not because of the toolbox, but because of the bashplate design itself.
I don't like the fact that the bashplate doesn't offer any protection to the water-pump. And from my experience, the water pump guard that OTR have won't save the pump in most circumstances.
I would love to see a bashplate that protects the pump. Similar to what I have, only less ugly. :003:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h_hIYKggHWM/Sz...6122009198.jpg

Yep, I see what you mean about it being ugly! x

I won't go on about the waterpump issue (there is plenty of discussion already on the forum regarding that), suffice to say, I've ridden my Tenere over 50,000kms now - including the Rubicon Trail in California, countless deserts in the USA, and a small jaunt down to Dakar recently... dropped the bike God know's how many times on rock, ice, sand and everything else you can imagine riding over, and my pump has been fine - both with the stock bashplate (in the USA) and the OTR one (Dakar). Thorsten said in 10 years trading and dealing with XT660 customers, he's only seen two water pumps damaged (and those I imagine were after sliding down the road?) - he reckons the clutch cover is going to sustain damage before the water pump cover does?

But I agree, it is one aspect that could be more neatly addressed - and I'm sure if you wanted, you could extend that edge of the OTR bashplate with an angled plate if you really wanted to protect the front edge of the waterpump?

J x

Well maybe it's just the damned "luck" that we have around here, because I know two guys (other than myself) that had their water pump damaged.
And while mine was shot after a 10 meter slide down a trail, the others broke the pump by falling at a standstill.
I recon it's all a matter of how unlucky you are regarding where and how you drop the Ten.

I recon I can. But at the price that all of the bashplates are sold (not including S&H, which will be costly), I'd like not to mess around with it.
Just for comparison- my guard cost me about �117, while the OEM one costs about �200 around here.

That's fair enough - I must say looking at my photos recently, it does seem that I drop the bike on the left hand side more the right!

Thorsten is always interested in feedback, and he did say to me that it wouldn't be a problem to extend the lip of the bashplate to offer more protection to the waterpump, but like you, he is aware of the aesthetic appeal of such a mod.

I'll pass your concerns on to him, and perhaps he will consider a revision in the future...

J xx

Just a thought. Having an option for a bashplate that does extend to protect the pump would seem to be a good idea. It might not happen much (damage to the pump that is) but it does seem to happen. Currently nobody is producing a satifactory option so here is an opotunity for OTR to be first. Good marketing and all that. Would be the swinger for me as still looking but OTR are currently winning with the pro's and con's. OTR could still keep the smaller option for those more cosmetically minded.

Sadly my life does not currently require me to carry such a toolbox. Maybe when the kids fledge but for now I am not interested. Seems to me that opening down rather than up is a sound idea though.

Maybe a good idea to have a toolbox that you can easily take off/put on.
I wouldn't like to have one all the time, but it can be usefull for the longer trips.

Hi Nelis - yes, this is a going to be a bolt on accessory to the main bashplate (see the photo of mine above) - it will bolt onto the standard guard so you can remove it as you wish.

J x