Quick Releas back rest?
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 31
Likes: 5
Beware the locking quick release clips for Sportster
All, in addition to all the good replies, beware the locking quick release clips. I bought the quick release plates, backrest and rack for my 06 Sportster. As I live in the UK I bought the locking quick release clip which replaces one of the existing clips and comes with a couple of keys to unlock the lock.
I fitted the the whole kit and clipped the backrest and rack onto the bike. I rotated the locking clip into place and locked it, then realised that the key supplied will not fit into the lock with the Sportster plates since these taper inwards right where you want to insert the key. The only way to remove the kit (without spanners) is to break the key stem and operate the key with a pair of pliers.
Suggest instead you might use a cable lock to lock any luggage and the bacrest onto the bike.
Safe riding.
I fitted the the whole kit and clipped the backrest and rack onto the bike. I rotated the locking clip into place and locked it, then realised that the key supplied will not fit into the lock with the Sportster plates since these taper inwards right where you want to insert the key. The only way to remove the kit (without spanners) is to break the key stem and operate the key with a pair of pliers.
Suggest instead you might use a cable lock to lock any luggage and the bacrest onto the bike.
Safe riding.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: albany, ny
i went through this last year with my XLH 883, and there IS a way to use the easy brackets with saddlebag mounts. it took me a while to come up with a solution that worked but it was actually very simple. i'll try to dig up the documentation i made up afterwards and post it here...
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: albany, ny
ok, found it. this is for 94-03 models, but i'm sure a similar concept applies to later models as well...
Installing Saddlebag Supports w/ Detachable Sideplates (94-03 Models)
i've seen a lot of posts in here where people have run into trouble trying to install soft/leather saddlebag supports along with detachable sideplates (for racks and sissybars) on their sportsters. specifically the 1994-2003 models. i recently ran into this issue myself and wanted to share my solution here so that others might have a fighting chance to spare themselves some of the agony i went thru.
SHORT STORY:
amazingly enough, the answer was simple. all i needed to do was replace two bolts from the harley kit with two of my own and swap the location of where the instructions told me to attach one side of the saddlebag supports. that's it.
i've modified the original instructions for mounting hardware kit #53532-02 and have uploaded them here. it pretty much tells you everything you'd need to know. the instructions are large and there was no way to reduce them without making them unreadable. so rather than posting the images in full here. i'm just going to post thumbnails and links:
image 1 = original mounting hardware kit (53532-02) instruction sheet.
image 2 = modified mounting hardware kit (53532-02) instruction sheet.
image 3 = what it looks like installed on my (rather filthy) bike.
Installing Saddlebag Supports w/ Detachable Sideplates (94-03 Models)
i've seen a lot of posts in here where people have run into trouble trying to install soft/leather saddlebag supports along with detachable sideplates (for racks and sissybars) on their sportsters. specifically the 1994-2003 models. i recently ran into this issue myself and wanted to share my solution here so that others might have a fighting chance to spare themselves some of the agony i went thru.
SHORT STORY:
amazingly enough, the answer was simple. all i needed to do was replace two bolts from the harley kit with two of my own and swap the location of where the instructions told me to attach one side of the saddlebag supports. that's it.
i've modified the original instructions for mounting hardware kit #53532-02 and have uploaded them here. it pretty much tells you everything you'd need to know. the instructions are large and there was no way to reduce them without making them unreadable. so rather than posting the images in full here. i'm just going to post thumbnails and links:
image 1 = original mounting hardware kit (53532-02) instruction sheet.
image 2 = modified mounting hardware kit (53532-02) instruction sheet.
image 3 = what it looks like installed on my (rather filthy) bike.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: albany, ny
LONG STORY:
for anybody who wants to actually attempt this, or if you're just really interested, here's the long version of what i had to do. keep in mind that this only worked on my particular bike, and while there's a chance it could work on your 1994-2003 sportster i can't make any guarantees. but if you save yourself some unnecessary hassle, then it's well worth the read.
parts list:
68485-04 : turn signal relocation kit
90799-94C : chrome saddlebag supports
53532-02 : docking hardware
2 hex bolts : 5/16" diameter x 3" length
2 hex bolts : 5/16" diameter x 3 1/4" length
the above parts give you what you NEED to mount the following parts onto your bike:
53545-95 : detachable sideplates
sissybar & pad of your choice
luggage rack of your choice
these parts are rather self-explanatory, so i won't be getting into detail on them here:
turn signal relocation kit 68485-04:
fortunately for me, someone had already installed this on my bike when i bought it. but that didn't stop the dealership from giving me another one (which i returned). however i've done some research into it and have found the following.
basically all it does is move your turn signal back a little and bump them out on a couple of pads. the relocation kit 68485-04 seems to include a lot of extra parts and instructions that you don't really need. it's sort of a "one kit fits all" thing and includes parts and instructions for every possible make and model. so try not to be overwhelmed if and when you buy this thing. the "pads" it comes with are important later on.
NOTE: if you need to put this thing on yourself make sure you leave about an inch to an inch and a half of extra slack in the turn signal wires. you'll thank me later.
chrome saddlebag supports 90799-94C:
these are the standard leather / soft bag saddlebag supports for 94-03 sportsters. they attach at your shocks and at the first available bolt/hole/screw back from your shocks. they work perfectly well unless you want add detachable sideplates. in fact, harley will tell you they're incompatible. i'm here to say they're not. keep reading...
docking hardware 53532-02:
this is where it gets fun. the instruction sheet included with this kit contains a great, easy to follow diagram. but unfortunately the diagram shows a mythological saddlebag support that does not exist (at least not as far as both i and the dealer could tell for 94-03 sportsters). and the normal saddlebag supports (90799-94C) supposedly don't work with it.
why? well, you can mount the front end of the support on the shock with no problems (using the spacer and bolt provided in this kit), but the back end of the support lines up with that 2nd bolt/hole/screw. the instructions want you to use the 3rd bolt/hole/screw. so what do you do?
switch 'em.
well, sort of. the bolts provided won't do the trick. here's what i did...
2nd hole (#9 bolt in diagram):
that one for the 2nd hole is too short to run through your saddlebag support, mounting peg, and the fender support cover. but a 3 1/4" hex bolt is just about right! the trick for me was finding a 3 1/4" bolt that was 5/16" diameter. 3" makes it, but is to short to fully thread the nut on the other side. 3 1/2" is too long and will (most likely) hit your tire.
i went to 6 hardware stores looking for one of these before finally finding some online at www.boltdepot.com. who would have thought? a website just for bolts?!
3rd hole (#5 bolt in diagram):
the bolt in the 3rd hole is now way too long. and no, you can't use it for the 2nd hole, it's too long for that. i tried.
but a normal 3" long 5/16" diameter hex bolt is just right for that one!
wiring:
this kit bumps out your turn signals about an inch to make way for the mounting hardware.
because of this you may have to splice your turn signal wires and add some slack if there isn't enough there. that was kind of a pain in the ***, but we got it done. i was fortunate to have a friend of mine helping me do that while i fought with the rest of it.
detachable sideplates 53545-95, sissybar and/or luggage rack:
put all this **** together before you clip it on. it's pretty self-explanatory.
all done!!
so there you have it. that's how i made it work. it was an even longer ordeal than i had time to get into here. and you don't really need to hear about my 17 trips to the dealer or my epic battle with one of the screws for the sissybar, but i think i've told you all you do need to know to get started.
good luck.
for anybody who wants to actually attempt this, or if you're just really interested, here's the long version of what i had to do. keep in mind that this only worked on my particular bike, and while there's a chance it could work on your 1994-2003 sportster i can't make any guarantees. but if you save yourself some unnecessary hassle, then it's well worth the read.
parts list:
68485-04 : turn signal relocation kit
90799-94C : chrome saddlebag supports
53532-02 : docking hardware
2 hex bolts : 5/16" diameter x 3" length
2 hex bolts : 5/16" diameter x 3 1/4" length
the above parts give you what you NEED to mount the following parts onto your bike:
53545-95 : detachable sideplates
sissybar & pad of your choice
luggage rack of your choice
these parts are rather self-explanatory, so i won't be getting into detail on them here:
turn signal relocation kit 68485-04:
fortunately for me, someone had already installed this on my bike when i bought it. but that didn't stop the dealership from giving me another one (which i returned). however i've done some research into it and have found the following.
basically all it does is move your turn signal back a little and bump them out on a couple of pads. the relocation kit 68485-04 seems to include a lot of extra parts and instructions that you don't really need. it's sort of a "one kit fits all" thing and includes parts and instructions for every possible make and model. so try not to be overwhelmed if and when you buy this thing. the "pads" it comes with are important later on.
NOTE: if you need to put this thing on yourself make sure you leave about an inch to an inch and a half of extra slack in the turn signal wires. you'll thank me later.
chrome saddlebag supports 90799-94C:
these are the standard leather / soft bag saddlebag supports for 94-03 sportsters. they attach at your shocks and at the first available bolt/hole/screw back from your shocks. they work perfectly well unless you want add detachable sideplates. in fact, harley will tell you they're incompatible. i'm here to say they're not. keep reading...
docking hardware 53532-02:
this is where it gets fun. the instruction sheet included with this kit contains a great, easy to follow diagram. but unfortunately the diagram shows a mythological saddlebag support that does not exist (at least not as far as both i and the dealer could tell for 94-03 sportsters). and the normal saddlebag supports (90799-94C) supposedly don't work with it.
why? well, you can mount the front end of the support on the shock with no problems (using the spacer and bolt provided in this kit), but the back end of the support lines up with that 2nd bolt/hole/screw. the instructions want you to use the 3rd bolt/hole/screw. so what do you do?
switch 'em.
well, sort of. the bolts provided won't do the trick. here's what i did...
2nd hole (#9 bolt in diagram):
that one for the 2nd hole is too short to run through your saddlebag support, mounting peg, and the fender support cover. but a 3 1/4" hex bolt is just about right! the trick for me was finding a 3 1/4" bolt that was 5/16" diameter. 3" makes it, but is to short to fully thread the nut on the other side. 3 1/2" is too long and will (most likely) hit your tire.
i went to 6 hardware stores looking for one of these before finally finding some online at www.boltdepot.com. who would have thought? a website just for bolts?!
3rd hole (#5 bolt in diagram):
the bolt in the 3rd hole is now way too long. and no, you can't use it for the 2nd hole, it's too long for that. i tried.
but a normal 3" long 5/16" diameter hex bolt is just right for that one!
wiring:
this kit bumps out your turn signals about an inch to make way for the mounting hardware.
because of this you may have to splice your turn signal wires and add some slack if there isn't enough there. that was kind of a pain in the ***, but we got it done. i was fortunate to have a friend of mine helping me do that while i fought with the rest of it.
detachable sideplates 53545-95, sissybar and/or luggage rack:
put all this **** together before you clip it on. it's pretty self-explanatory.
all done!!
so there you have it. that's how i made it work. it was an even longer ordeal than i had time to get into here. and you don't really need to hear about my 17 trips to the dealer or my epic battle with one of the screws for the sissybar, but i think i've told you all you do need to know to get started.
good luck.
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