Pakit Rak ?

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dkwinger

· #22 · Jan 30, 2009

pshivers said:
Yes, All SIX Children! :22yikes:

:thumbup:

LOL! Too funny. Ride safe.

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kwthom

· #23 · Jan 30, 2009

Another Satisified Pakit-Rak Owner

I'll take on a couple of your questions that weren't addressed (that I saw...)

daddysbike said:
<...>This seems the ideal solution for somebody who does not want a trailer and the $$

Yep. It wasn't exactly cheap, but it was ~10% of the cost of a hitch and trailer combination. At this time in our lives, I really don't see me being able to do a really, really long trip, thus while having a trailer would be a nice thing to have, frankly, right now, I don't have the room to store one!

daddysbike said:
Does anybody know it they go to Rally's and do onsite installs?

Your answer would come from Dixon Y itself, most likely. With the economy right now ( :no: ) it doesn't seem like a small place like they are would be able to do rallies; though I'm not certain.

I can tell you as I mentioned in the other recent thread about the Rak that the install is actually pretty straightforward. I think I did it, along with some assistance from my wife, in a couple of hours. The longest time was the cutout of the center fender using a Dremel to make sure that it came out right (it did)

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jjsC6

· #24 · Jan 30, 2009

kwthom said:
I'll take on a couple of your questions that weren't addressed (that I saw...)

Yep. It wasn't exactly cheap, but it was ~10% of the cost of a hitch and trailer combination. At this time in our lives, I really don't see me being able to do a really, really long trip, thus while having a trailer would be a nice thing to have, frankly, right now, I don't have the room to store one!

Your answer would come from Dixon Y itself, most likely. With the economy right now ( :no: ) it doesn't seem like a small place like they are would be able to do rallies; though I'm not certain.

I can tell you as I mentioned in the other recent thread about the Rak that the install is actually pretty straightforward. I think I did it, along with some assistance from my wife, in a couple of hours. The longest time was the cutout of the center fender using a Dremel to make sure that it came out right (it did)

:agree:

I'm a pretty good do-it-yourselfer, but I think it would be a very doable job for anyone who has any skills at all. Like if you can hang a picture straight and at the right height, you could probably do this install.

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Lorenzo

· #25 · Jan 30, 2009

This looks like a good compromise instead of adding a trailer, but has anyone here installed the Pakit Rak with a Kuryakyn mudflap, which has its own bracket? The Pakit Rak website asks whether you have a mudflap, but does not ask what brand, or tell you about compatibilities.

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pshivers

· #26 · Jan 30, 2009

Lorenzo said:
This looks like a good compromise instead of adding a trailer, but has anyone here installed the Pakit Rak with a Kuryakyn mudflap, which has its own bracket? The Pakit Rak website asks whether you have a mudflap, but does not ask what brand, or tell you about compatibilities.

Give them a phone call. Bob or his wife will answer the phone and provide you with answers to any question you have about their product line. Good Honest people that love Motorcycling!

Contact Information

Telephone (707) 678-2375FAX (707) 678-1689 Company Address Dixon "Y" Machine, Inc.8749 Pedrick Rd.Dixon, CA 95620-9604 Electronic mail General Information: [email protected]

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The Astute Reader(tm)

· #27 · Jan 30, 2009

Greetings!

I use the Pak-It rack with the Pak-It mount. Installation was extremely simple. The best way to cut the needed hole in the rear fender is to install the mount, put the fender back up in position, and then use one of those "zip tool" hand routers to cut the hole. When the rack is not installed, your stock fender reflector (with velcro added) covers the hole.

All told, it took me no more than an hour (probably less) and I am very happy with the result.

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pshivers

· #28 · Jan 30, 2009

I for got to add that I had my Pakit Rak installed by the Folks at Pakit Rak while I was at the 2005 GWRRA California District Rally in Bakersfield.

RBBB's being installed after the Pakit Rak had been installed.

WingStuff was also there and they brought the SuperBrace Brothers with them. So I had the SuperBrace installed...

Then I moseyed on over to the Pin Stripping area and had a little work done...

Turned out to be a expensive but satisfying weekend. Entered the Wing into he Bike Show and won the Best of Class honors!

Of Course with the way GWRRA breaks up the various Goldwing Bike Show Classes it sometimes hard not to win an award, unless you don't enter at all... :joke:

4

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08BlackCherry

· #29 · Jan 30, 2009

I talked to the Pakit-Rak folks this last fall and asked why they had not been at the Hoot, WingDing, and WOTS. They indicated it was simply a matter of economics. They are out of CA and with gas as high as it was last summer the travel cost put the east coast trips out of sight. They hoped to make more rallys this year. With WD at Tulsa maybe they can.

I have the Bushtec hitch set up and it works well. I would be careful about placing another bag on top of the Pakit-Rak if it would block the plates. Some states are picky about being able to see the license plates. Some one mentioned they aren't water proff, mine came with a rain cover.
It beats pulling tail on the short to medium length trips but we still use the trailer on the long stuff.

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C

cycledude

· #30 · Jan 30, 2009

dkwinger said:
So do you guys leave anything at HOME?

it's pretty interesting to see some of the STUFF folks think they need to drag along on a motorcycle trip

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Helmetdance

· #31 · Jan 30, 2009

daddysbike said:
I'm considering getting a Pakit Rak for 2 up travel.
A few ?s

When not in use what needs to be done and what do you cover up?
Also there is no hardware visible when not in use, correct?

Does the bag hold appx the same as the trunk or one of the saddlebags?

Any likes/dislikes

This seems the ideal solution for somebody who does not want a trailer and the $$

Does anybody know it they go to Rally's and do onsite installs?
In the southeast?

Thanks,

Steve

Steve,

I've done a lot of traveling with my Pakit Rak and I loved it. I use it for things that are lightweight but take up a lot of room, for example, riding gear or tennis shoes. I've never had a problem or noticed any difference in the handling of the bike, but then again, I've always been careful not to load the Pakit-Rak any more than about 15 to 17 pounds, although the owners manual says you can go a little heavier than that.

The Pakit-Rak is made by Dixon-Y Machine in Dixon, CA - great company run by great people. They are very helpful and supportive. Here's their website: http://www.dixonymachine.com/ and http://www.pakitrak.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=6

The Pakit-Rak has a reciever assembly that replaces the rear portion of your subframe behind the reflector inside the rear fender. A square hole is cut into through the fender that the Pakit-Rak slides in and out of, it locks into the receiver with a removable steel pin. When the Pakit-Rak is removed, the reflector covers the hole in the fender, held in place with heavy-duty velcro. It also comes with a nice rain cover, which I use all the time as it also keeps the road dust off.

The bag measures 21” (W) x 12” (H) x 11”(D). That works out to 2772 cu. in. (without stretching), which is equivlent to 45.5 liters. Plus there are two zippered expandable side compartments and a front zippered compartment, so you probably get a little over 3000 cu. in., or about 49 to 50 liters. It's provides a hair more space than one of the saddle bags, and a little less than the trunk. For sake of comparison (found this on the internet), The Gold Wing trunk provides 60 liters of storage capacity with an additional 5 liters of storage available if the optional CD changer is not installed. Two full-face helmets fit easily in the trunk. The saddlebags provide 40-plus liters of storage each, resulting in a total of 147 liters of storage space.

Again, always try to keep your heavier gear in the trunk or saddlebags for the least impact on the bike's center of gravity. Use the Pakit-Rak for the lightweight bulky stuff.

I had mine installed at one of the big Goldwing rallies in Fort Wayne, IN a few years back. If you call Dixon-Y, I'm sure they could tell you about any rallies they are planning to be at. Their phone is (707) 678-2375.

If you get the pakit-rak, I suggest also getting the Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers also made by Dixon-Y, these are litle rubber spacers that install between your trunk lid and trunk body, they will stop that annoying chafing of the paint on the inside of the lid, plus it makes the lid close a lot nicer.

Good luck!
Helmetdance

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5th Gear

· #32 · Jan 30, 2009

Helmetdance,

Could you please describe the "Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers" aq bit more? The web site is not functioning properly to show the reviews of enlargement of the products picture.

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BrianH

· #33 · Jan 30, 2009

JCMcCarter said:
Could you please describe the "Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers" aq bit more? The web site is not functioning properly to show the reviews of enlargement of the products picture.

I had the BBB's and removed them..., so be sure you want them before drilling holes in the lip of your trunk. If you live in any sort of cold weather, they will never soften up enough to be practical. The bumpers make the trunk very difficult to close, but are supposed to soften with use. I think this only works if you live year-round in a warm climate. I even tried cutting mine down a bit to make the fit better, but that wasn't so good either.

A better (and more practical) solution to the trunk "chaffing" problem is to run a couple of strips of the fuzzy side of Velcro tape down the inside edges of the trunk lid.

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Helmetdance

· #34 · Jan 30, 2009

JCMcCarter said:
Helmetdance,

Could you please describe the "Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers" aq bit more? The web site is not functioning properly to show the reviews of enlargement of the products picture.

JC, try this: http://www.pakitrak.com/index.php?target=categories&category_id=4

As far as what Brian was saying, I didn't have that problem have ridden in temps as low as the mid-teens. I never had a problem with mine, though I admit most of my riding is in more moderate temps, probably like most people. If you're not going to ride in the cold much, then the hardness of the rubber should not present a problem. On the plus-side, the damage prevention is well-worth the $7.95 plus tax. Not to mention better fit.

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Dorian_Blue

· #35 · Jan 30, 2009

I've been using the Pakit Rak since the spring of 2004 without any issues. I've also been using the Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers.

The Pakit Rak has been perfect for our long summer vacation rides. I usually carry a weeks worth of clothes for my wife and I and my laptop in it. That saves the saddle bags for my fragile stuff and non-crushables(cowboy hats and such). We keep our sundries and stuff in the bag on the tail trunk. The Pakit Rak has been perfect for some serious camping trips. Its amazing how much it holds and how little it affects the handling of the bike. It eliminated any thought of a trailer.

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TJRANCH

· #36 · Jan 30, 2009

I use this set-up

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keysyrider

· #37 · Jan 30, 2009

Paki Rak

PhotoGuy said:
I have the same setup as Brian. Couldn't be happier for trips where additional storage is needed but the tent trailer is not required. Two additional things to add to what has already been said. One, the Pakit Rak has a bar that slides through meshing at the bottom of the bag. This bar locks so that the bag is somewhat safe from theft, but can easily be unlocked and released so the bag can be taken into your room at night. Two, I have a Rivco hitch and was going to buy the Rivco rack and bag rather than the Pakit Rak (the Rivco rack and bag had been recommended). But I tried the Rivco setup at Americade and felt the bag was too high. It totally covered the license plate, which could result in a ticket. The Pakit Rak also obstructs some of the view of license plate, but it's not totally hidden (see pshivers picture above).

Hey Paul, that might be just the right thing to have when you ride on our 407 toll road. The most expensive toll road in North America.

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PaulC

· #38 · Jan 31, 2009

keysyrider said:
Hey Paul, that might be just the right thing to have when you ride on our 407 toll road. The most expensive toll road in North America.

Most expensive in NA, eh? Tell me about it. I live about 2 kms away from the 407. Nice and convenient for missing all that Toronto traffic, but a $100 or $150 bill at the end of the month is a rude awakening. :wrong: I understand they are extending the 407 out your way, connecting to 115. (Not sure if the Pakit Rak would interfere with the camera, but I've heard if you ride on the shoulder as you go under the camera it misses the bike.)

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