Rider Backrest Question . . .
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Tourer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 261
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From: Wild Rose Country
Rider Backrest Question . . .
Seasons Greetings to all !! I got a rider backrest for Christmas, installed it yesterday and went for a test ride. I couldn't sit back into my Sundowner seat and felt likemylegs were bent too much and I was being pushed forward. The vertical bars come out of the slot in the seat too far forward and it wrinkles the seat in front of it. Had the pad adjustment all the way back. I do have oneposition left to go back on the mount itself and I'm going to move it today but it still doesn't look like it would be enough.
Has anyone bent those two vertical black bars back a bit to get a better fit?
Thanks.
Has anyone bent those two vertical black bars back a bit to get a better fit?
Thanks.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver, B.C.
RE: Rider Backrest Question . . .
Yup. Once I got a good look at them, I realized they were just made of tubing. I simply put it into a vise, taking some precautions to not beat them up, and used a ball peen hammer to bend them to where I wanted them. It took me a couple of attempts. It waseasy.
Now I've got a backrest that sits injustthe right place....in my Tour Pack in the garage,OFF the bikewhere it belongs.Just don't like having it on.A waste of $190 IMO. Others swear by them, but Inever use it.
CN
Now I've got a backrest that sits injustthe right place....in my Tour Pack in the garage,OFF the bikewhere it belongs.Just don't like having it on.A waste of $190 IMO. Others swear by them, but Inever use it.
CN
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Tourer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
From: Wild Rose Country
RE: Rider Backrest Question . . .
Thanks for the tip on those bars, I wasn't sure if they were bar stock or tubing. I don't care for the look of it either but on a long trip I need something. Wifey is tired of jamming a towel down behind my lower back.
Numb, howcome you don't use it now that you got it fitting right?
Numb, howcome you don't use it now that you got it fitting right?
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Rhode Island
RE: Rider Backrest Question . . .
I put an adjustable back rest on my RK and used it all the time. I installed it when I put the Sundowner seat on. Then I put on a set of pulled back handle bars on and haven't been able to use it since. With the new bars I sit straighter.I find that the rest pushes me to far forward. Kind of tries to bend my back into an "S". Just doesn't work. I'm going to work on it this winter.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver, B.C.
RE: Rider Backrest Question . . .
One other thing.....make sure when you do the bending that you make it higher up where thearms will be out of the mount.. That is, if you bend them down low on the arms they'll end up inside the mounting tube on the bike. They'll either not go in, or won't change a thing. I put my backrest in the mount (seat off) and marked where the arms exited the mount. I knew to make the bends no lower down thanmy mark.
I have heard of guys removing the upholstery and applying heat to make the bending easier. I had no interest in damaging the upholstery, but I sure wasn't gonna go through taking off the leather and padding.I pushed it up out of the way as best I could and went to town with the hammer.
It bends fairly easily. If you go too far you can bend it back. I didn't even bother to touch up the few tiny marks I put in the arms in the vise. They are below seat level and aren't even visible.
Cowboy49..... I figure if the backrest doesn't make contact with my back, it isn't gonna do the job....but I don't like feeling it there.
I guess I tend to move all over the seat when I ride, ( a little application ofenglish carried over from sportbikes, I suppose) and the backrest being therehinders me fromdoing that.
CN
I have heard of guys removing the upholstery and applying heat to make the bending easier. I had no interest in damaging the upholstery, but I sure wasn't gonna go through taking off the leather and padding.I pushed it up out of the way as best I could and went to town with the hammer.
It bends fairly easily. If you go too far you can bend it back. I didn't even bother to touch up the few tiny marks I put in the arms in the vise. They are below seat level and aren't even visible.
Cowboy49..... I figure if the backrest doesn't make contact with my back, it isn't gonna do the job....but I don't like feeling it there.
I guess I tend to move all over the seat when I ride, ( a little application ofenglish carried over from sportbikes, I suppose) and the backrest being therehinders me fromdoing that.
CN
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,007
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From: Vancouver, B.C.
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2006
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RE: Rider Backrest Question . . .
I just installed my new sundowner saddle today and noticed the exactsame thing as you. I didn't experience this with the oe saddle so I'll be interested to hear what you do to correct the backrest. I don't have a vise. any other suggestions.?
ride safe
twinfreeze
ride safe
twinfreeze
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 261
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From: Wild Rose Country
RE: Rider Backrest Question . . .
Cowboy49......Wild Rose Country? You from Alberta?
Looks like others are having this same problem especially with the Sundowner. I'll post my results.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 546
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From:
RE: Rider Backrest Question . . .
I had a driver backrest for my SG and I couldn't stand it. Pushed me too far forward and really made me uncomfortable. I sold it to a buddy and he loves it. Oh well, different strokes for different folks.