Agreed! However when riding solo I would put extra luggage on the passenger seat, for better weight distribution. Greatly increases what you can carry!

 

Most people are assuming the OP is talking about the rack on a Tour Pak. He's not. He's talking about the small rack that is clamped to his quick detach passenger backrest. This is my set up also, and am not sure I'd put 40 pounds on it.

 

I strap my shotgun in it's hardcase and do 200 miles every other weekend and that case is 32lbs.

 

Thanks, guys! That was the kind of input I was looking for.

I'll post up pictures from the trip when I get back.

 

RK Classic ('03") with HD standard luggage rack. Sticker says max wght 15 lbs but I've had way more than that on there (24 pack of 16 oz water bottles for instance).

 

It would appear that he has the same rack/backrest that I do. It does state 10 lbs max on the rack. I think the rack can handle more, but the weak point would be the mounting points (ie, the 4 point docking system). Still, I think it'll handle way more than the 10 lbs it states.

 

the backseat hold a 200# wife put the weight there.put to much that far back and u can feel the front end getting light.

 

Harley’s CYA 10# limit has more to do with weight distribution and the resulting handling geometry of the bike than it has to do with the weight the luggage rack itself can bear. Millions of riders have ridden millions of miles with more than 10# on the luggage racks without significant problems. I always enjoy looking at loaded down bikes on the way to Sturgis. It is amazing how much people can load on their bikes. Last year I saw a guy that had a piece of plywood bolted to his rack with a cooler, barbecue grill and some other stuff on top.

Having said all that I wouldn’t recommend loading up the luggage rack while leaving the passenger seat empty. The bike was designed around the passenger seat area taking the weight of several 100 pounds.

I always put the biggest, heaviest bag on the passenger seat and the smallest, lightest bag on the rack. The idea being to keep the weight as close to center as possible.

 

I think that is a great point that I hadn't considered. Putting the weight behind the rear axle is probably a bad idea. My wife is only about a buck ten, so substituting the weight of the bag for her weight should keep the handling in the range I am used to.

 

I replied to Potato, but you made the same point. Thanks!