Green Chile Adventure Gear

A10329

GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit

$99.00

The world's first soft rack for motorcycles

Turn any bag into motorcycle luggage. The GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit is the world's first soft rack. It is a strap-on base that adds over 60 daisy-chain mount points to the rear and sides of ADV, dual-sport, street and cruiser motorcycles.

Most bikes don't have enough solid places to hook a strap, and bungee cords only make it worse. The Uprising gives every bag a secure anchor, so you spend less time rigging and more time riding.

Green Chile Adventure Gear invented the soft rack. We built the first Uprising before there was a name for it, so we called it a soft rack.

How it mounts

The rear straps attach to the slots in a tail rack or to your grab handles. No tail rack or grab handles? Use the criss-cross rig instead.

Tighten the heavy-duty cam buckles and start loading. Runner loops, tensioner straps and velcro loops let you lock any bag onto any of the 60+ mount points.

Specifications

Size: about 17" x 10"
1" tubular climb-spec nylon webbing
Daisy loops along the sides and rack surface (60+ mount points)
Heavy-duty cam buckles on each corner
Weight: 1.6 lb / 0.73 kg
Colors: Red, Orange, Hot Yellow, Lime Green, Blue, Black
Made in South Carolina, USA

Fits / Best for

Adventure (ADV), dual-sport, street and cruiser motorcycles with a rear subframe or rack
Dirt bikes with an aftermarket rack that adds width and mount points

Riding a dirt bike with a stock, narrow rear fender? The Hardcore Soft Rack is purpose-built for smaller bikes with little rear support, and the Scramble Rack is optimized for carrying bags on the sides.

Build your own luggage system

Any bag on any bike, and you won't find a more versatile system anywhere else. Use the Uprising on its own with your own straps, or add GCAG strap kits like the Mondo Straps Kit and the GCAG Bag Snake Kit. Want it all in one box? Get the GCAG Uprising Luggage System.

Hand-crafted in South Carolina, USA, from climbing-quality tubular nylon webbing and steel buckles. See the soft rack in action in our Gallery and Video sections.

Dry bags not included.

Patent Pending

As always, every product comes with our Hardcore Warranty and Raving Fan Guarantee.

Video

Like a Swiss Army knife!

Purchased this kit to rig my 690 for the TAT… So far have been able to attach my bags/gear any number of ways, this is an extremely “friendly” item, so glad this was suggested to me

Great option for the DR350

So far, I'm very pleased with this system. I'm able to carry 40L of gear in dry bags on the sides and have plenty of space on top for another couple dry bags or, in this case, my sleeping bag. Everything seemed very secure still after a 40 mile shakedown ride consisting of pavement, gravel, and dirt roads in varying states of winter disrepair.

Here's some pros and cons I've experienced so far.

Pros:
Universal fit. The soft rack is intentionally adaptable to nearly any type of bike. This is great for me because most of the aftermarket support for the DR350 seemed to have dried up around the time Shrek was first in theaters.

Relatively inexpensive. The rack itself was $100 at the time of purchase. I was able to add some cheap cam straps and dry bags to complete my rack-less saddlebags for less than $150 total. I'm very interested in the bag snake kit offered by GCAG and will probably pick up a couple of them in the future.

Modular. I can strap down as much or as little as I feel the need for. If I only want my rain gear and tool roll, the I can carry that and don't have to deal with bulky bags or boxes hanging off the sides. But I can just as easily add a few dry bags and straps and comfortably fit 70L-80L on the top and sides.

Rugged. I haven't done much torture testing on mine, but a few reviews I've seen online involve a guy hanging his KLR from a tree with one of these things. The stitching feels very strong and the build quality seems high quality.

Cons:
Universal fit. Because it can fit everything pretty well, it doesn't fit any particular bike or bag perfectly. I had to mess around for a while with how the rack attached to the bike and how the bags attached to the rack before I was happy with it. It didn't help that my bike didn't have passenger pegs, so I had to get a bit creative on the forward mounting points.

Perfect

I tried to write this review using a link GCAG sent me. Unfortunately, that didn't work. So, not sure if I'm "verified" but I have 3 racks (2@Uprising on DRZ400s's, and a Hardcore Softrack on an XR250R), the z-drag, several bag snakes, and a couple mondo straps. On to my review of the Uprising that I tried to submit through the email link:

I have GCAG racks on 3 bikes now. They are very well made, and barring a user error, they should last as long as I'm able to ride. Most loaded use has been on. DRZ400S mounted directly to the bike. When I initially got my first one, it was a compromise. I didn't think it was exactly what I wanted, but I gave it a shot. It exceeded expectations, using 20L bags on each side and top (WABDR). Because my side bags weren't full and kit was evolving, I got 15L bags for the sides, and went with that (Northwest Passage ADV route and parts of the WABDR). Again, it worked very well. I've finally settled in the 15L bags for the side and a 20L bag on top. I use a single bag snake on each side, two of the heavy duty ROK straps on the back (I know, GCAG makes a competing product that's undoubtedly better) and a third heavy duty ROK Strap from the bottom leg on one side, around the side bag, across the seat, around the other side bag, then attached to the other bottom leg. This fully stabilizes the side bags, eliminating any possibility of bounce. I pay attention to how I pack stuff (hammock, UQ, tarp in one 15L bag, TQ and clothes in the other 15L bag, and odors (food, hygiene, camp stove, etc) in the 20L top bag). This set up is exceptionally stable, it's fairly light (maybe 25 lbs including the weight of the rack, straps, and bags) and loaded vs unloaded riding is virtually the same. GCAG has convinced me it is exactly what I was looking for but when I started looking I just didn't know it yet.

Simplicity at its finest

Great gear. Super versatile and easy to use. Nothing to take my leg out when I slide off the bike as I’m dumping it. Love it.

Uprising on Gen 3 KLR

The Uprising rack is a perfect base for the new KLR. I did have to drill/Dremel some slots in that useless KLR rear plate, but once I did that it mounted up very solid. I’m attaching 20L explorer bags to the side and use bag snakes plus an additional rok strap lengthwise on each side. Extremely solid, more so than any other rackless setup that I’ve used before

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between the Hardcore Soft Rack and the Uprising Soft Rack? +

The Hardcore Soft Rack is built for enduro-style bikes with narrow plastic fenders and little or no subframe; its carbon fiber support bars add weight-bearing support, and its base is about 15 inches long by 6 inches wide. The GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit was developed on the Kawasaki KLR650 for bikes with a rear subframe or an aftermarket rack that adds width and rear mount points; its base is about 17 inches long by 10 inches wide. On a bike that has a subframe, the Hardcore's extra support usually isn't needed and the Uprising costs less.

Can I use the Uprising Soft Rack on a dirt bike with an aftermarket rack? +

Yes, if the rack adds width and rear mount points and is braced down to the frame, such as a True North rack on a Husqvarna FE 501; then the GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit becomes a workable choice. On a stock, narrow dirt-bike fender, or with a small rack bolted only to the plastic fender, use the Hardcore Soft Rack instead.

Will the Uprising Soft Rack fit a KTM 500 EXC? +

On a KTM EXC-style bike with a stock plastic rear fender and no subframe, GCAG recommends the Hardcore Soft Rack or the Enduro Hardcore Camping Bundle rather than the GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit. The Hardcore was designed for enduro-style bikes, and its support bars give the plastic fender weight-bearing support. The Uprising only becomes workable when an aftermarket rack adds width and rear mount points and is braced down to the frame.

Will the Uprising Soft Rack fit a Kawasaki KLR650? +

Yes. The GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit was originally designed on a Kawasaki KLR650 (Gen2) and is GCAG's standard recommendation for the bike. Riders who also need bags often choose the Pecos Value Bundle or the GCAG Uprising Luggage System.

Can a passenger ride with the Uprising Soft Rack installed? +

Yes. On bikes such as the KLR650, Africa Twin and KTM 790 Adventure, a passenger can sit on the GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit. On a two-up KLR, the front cam buckles can be rolled under so they aren't under the passenger. Carrying side bags two-up on a KTM 790/890 Adventure calls for hard side racks.

What luggage works on a cruiser or street bike? +

GCAG generally recommends the GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit with strap kits for cruisers and street bikes, for example the Yamaha Virago 535, Suzuki Intruder, Honda Shadow, Yamaha FZ1 and Suzuki SV650. The standard rig attaches the rear base straps to a tail rack, grab handles or similar points; on bikes without those, the base is turned and the rear straps are criss-crossed so they work like a fender strap.

How do I keep a soft rack from sliding? +

Each GCAG soft rack is anchored at the rear differently. The Hardcore Soft Rack uses a fender strap, and so does the Scramble Rack's Dual Sport - Girth Hitch with Fender Strap version, which keeps it from sliding forward. On the Scramble Rack's Enduro - Fender Hooks and Street - Girth Hitch versions, set the side straps at a sharp angle to the base's rear rings. The GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit's standard rig attaches the rear base straps to slots on a tail rack, grab handles or similar points; on bikes without those, criss-crossing the rear straps is a modified rig that works like a fender strap.

GCAG Uprising Soft Rack Kit