Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,457
Likes: 83
From:
RE: Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
a guy i know with a RK Classic installed his with a friend. when i looked at his bike- the bags looked abnormally spaced (away from the bike). apparantly- they shimmed the bag brackets so that the backrest would fit.
thats why i paid my guy $40 or $60 to do mine right.
thats why i paid my guy $40 or $60 to do mine right.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,031
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, SC
RE: Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
Thanks for all the info here. I bought just the kit this weekend and installed it. First thing I did was toss the instructions, printed a couple of user posts and sat my laptop next to my glide with pics from the forum. Took me less than an hour to do both sides, beer didn't even have time to get warm.
Again, thanks for all that posted.
Again, thanks for all that posted.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,728
Likes: 1
From: Olympia, Washington
RE: Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
Looked at photos and other instructions and think I'll tackle mine this week. One of the reasons I visit these forums...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 5
From: SE Wisconsin
RE: Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
I did mine and the detachable tour pack. Was not all that hard.
If you don't know how to take the saddle bags off maybe it's not for you.
If you don't know how to take the saddle bags off maybe it's not for you.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,728
Likes: 1
From: Olympia, Washington
RE: Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
Well, got the job done using some of the pics and instructions posted here and two small glasses of Jamison's. 
I've never seen such a collection of crap instructions in my life.Usually, I'd figured I'd screwed up if I had extra parts in the kit left over. Not this time. Saddlebags were easy,
But I did blue the air a couple of times.
I've never seen such a collection of crap instructions in my life.Usually, I'd figured I'd screwed up if I had extra parts in the kit left over. Not this time. Saddlebags were easy, But I did blue the air a couple of times.
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Cape Coral, Florida
RE: Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
I found this forum this morning from frustration on not believing that I could not install a sissy bar on my bike. A special thanks to JB Hawley for the picture he has in this thread showing how the complete assembly should look.
I spent hours trying to make it work on Saturday and after seeing JB's photo this morning, it took me about 1 1/2 hours to start over and get business taken care of (well mostly).
The well mostly is from the back pad. Something must be missing (couldn't determine it from the poor instructions in the box), but the back rest will not mount to the sissy bar with the three (3) screws, six (6) spacers and one (1) mounting bracket that are provided. It appears the 1 1/4" long screws are not long enough if I use all the spacers and even if I just use half the spacers, the screws are still not long enough, if the mounting bracket is supposed to fit on the rear side of the sissy bar and the pad (obviously) on the passenger side of the sissy bar.
I've only had my Road King a month, now. Bought it new and added just a small amount of bling to it, but I cannot believe the drama involved with adding just about any direct from Harley to one's bike. Personally, I think HD should hire someone to revamptheir instructions that are sent out for the folks that think they are reasonably qualified to turn a wrench or two. Rant's over.
Again, thank you JB Hawley for the photograph, that inabled me to keep $112.50 (what Harley was going to charge me to install the docking kit, sissy bar and rack) in my wallet. [8D]
I spent hours trying to make it work on Saturday and after seeing JB's photo this morning, it took me about 1 1/2 hours to start over and get business taken care of (well mostly).
The well mostly is from the back pad. Something must be missing (couldn't determine it from the poor instructions in the box), but the back rest will not mount to the sissy bar with the three (3) screws, six (6) spacers and one (1) mounting bracket that are provided. It appears the 1 1/4" long screws are not long enough if I use all the spacers and even if I just use half the spacers, the screws are still not long enough, if the mounting bracket is supposed to fit on the rear side of the sissy bar and the pad (obviously) on the passenger side of the sissy bar.
I've only had my Road King a month, now. Bought it new and added just a small amount of bling to it, but I cannot believe the drama involved with adding just about any direct from Harley to one's bike. Personally, I think HD should hire someone to revamptheir instructions that are sent out for the folks that think they are reasonably qualified to turn a wrench or two. Rant's over.
Again, thank you JB Hawley for the photograph, that inabled me to keep $112.50 (what Harley was going to charge me to install the docking kit, sissy bar and rack) in my wallet. [8D]
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RE: Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
One hour and twenty two minutesfolks start to finish with a bowl of cereal thrown in for nurishment puposes. Less the cereal and slight hang over from last nite I'm sure I coulda beat the one hour mark.
Kudos to the Moats family for the awesome job documenting and publishing the installation instructions for this project, combined with the parts configuration from the harley distructions this job was a piece of CAKE !
Don't let this one throw ya. It's easily done with with just the basic of tools.
BA
Kudos to the Moats family for the awesome job documenting and publishing the installation instructions for this project, combined with the parts configuration from the harley distructions this job was a piece of CAKE !
Don't let this one throw ya. It's easily done with with just the basic of tools.
BA
Banned
Joined: Nov 2006
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From:
RE: Detachable Backrest installatin/Lessons Learned
ORIGINAL: ci330guy
sweetlu...try this link courtesy of 07streetglide. I put the same kit on my bike last weekend and it was a bitch. One thing I dd that made for a much easier install was to remove the torx screws holding the bottom rear fender brace to rear exhaust brace. This made it easier to align the holes. Also, don't tighten until a screws are started.
The left side took about 4 hours of frustration...the right side took about 45 minutes after all the trial and error on the right.
Good Luck!
Rich
http://www.moatsfamily.com/Docking_Station_Install.pdf
sweetlu...try this link courtesy of 07streetglide. I put the same kit on my bike last weekend and it was a bitch. One thing I dd that made for a much easier install was to remove the torx screws holding the bottom rear fender brace to rear exhaust brace. This made it easier to align the holes. Also, don't tighten until a screws are started.
The left side took about 4 hours of frustration...the right side took about 45 minutes after all the trial and error on the right.
Good Luck!
Rich
http://www.moatsfamily.com/Docking_Station_Install.pdf