[happytrails]

I installed the carrier & backrest last week. I love the look. The bike has a beautiful & balanced look. However the depth of the backrest leaves maybe 5" of functional luggage carrier capacity. The soft pack tour bag with mounting pouch / sleeve, used on my ST1300 & Shadow Sabre won't even slide over the to wide and to deep CTX 1300 backrest. The remaining carrier is to little to support the depth of the bag.
HAS ANYONE FOUND SOMETHING THAT WORKS & CAN HOLD SOME GEAR ? The volume of tour bag I have now, could hold a twelve pack case on end. Rain suit pouch could clip on top.

 

[K8SDAD]

I agree. It looks good but renders the carrier useless. Even if you could put a T bag over it the paint would be toast in no time. They should offer a durable black insert to replace the painted one for use on trips. Or just get the trunk like I did.

 

[sleepngbear]

I'm having a tool bag custom made for the backrest/rear carrier. It's going to be about 11" wide (10" inside) and 5 1/2" high. The bottom will be mostly flat and 5" deep, tapering to 4" deep at the top. That taper will allow for the back side to hug the contour of the backrest. It will have one strap very low to go around the backrest post (another issue to overcome, as every other rear tool bag has two straps to go around the more 'traditional' sissy bar configuration), and two more straps around the bottom to secure it to the center rail of the carrier.

The folks doing the work are Ryu and Kim from RI Leather, and can be reached at [email protected]. They've been great to work with. They already have the exact dimensions and angles of my backrest and rack, so if anyone else is interested in this kind of bag or something different, I'm sure they can hook you up. Everything they do is one-off, so it will take a couple of months -- I expect to be getting mine around the end of September.

Unfortunately, because it's a one-off, it isn't cheap -- gonna be $150 for this bag. But it's going to be exactly what I want for a tool bag, and it should end up fitting this bike perfectly. So for one time, it's worth the cost to me.

 

[Hoosierman]

Show pictures when you get it please! I might want one. & :ty:

I'm having a tool bag custom made for the backrest/rear carrier. It's going to be about 11" wide (10" inside) and 5 1/2" high. The bottom will be mostly flat and 5" deep, tapering to 4" deep at the top. That taper will allow for the back side to hug the contour of the backrest. It will have one strap very low to go around the backrest post (another issue to overcome, as every other rear tool bag has two straps to go around the more 'traditional' sissy bar configuration), and two more straps around the bottom to secure it to the center rail of the carrier.

The folks doing the work are Ryu and Kim from RI Leather, and can be reached at [email protected]. They've been great to work with. They already have the exact dimensions and angles of my backrest and rack, so if anyone else is interested in this kind of bag or something different, I'm sure they can hook you up. Everything they do is one-off, so it will take a couple of months -- I expect to be getting mine around the end of September.

Unfortunately, because it's a one-off, it isn't cheap -- gonna be $150 for this bag. But it's going to be exactly what I want for a tool bag, and it should end up fitting this bike perfectly. So for one time, it's worth the cost to me.

 

[bob]

Sounds like it's time for the aftermarket to come up with a few items back there. Like an extended luggage rack and slimmer backrest! I've been considering making my own luggage rack using an aluminum plate that may end up as much as twice the width and a bit longer than the OEM rack. Thinking of what to do about a back rest, or if I want one since my wife doesn't like to ride. Suppose I should have one for that once or twice a year she does.

I made my own rack/bracket adapter for the top case on my ST1100. Used brass bearings for spacers in the recessed mounting bolt locations and a heavy plastic cutting board (painted black) for the plate with brass bar angle to brace the board. Still working great for the new owner.

 

[blakebird]

I got the backrest for the better half, didn't care much about the capacity of the rack.
A small duffel strapped to it can hold anything we might want handy, and we both travel light on the road. Got it down to a fine science after so many long road trips.

I'm a tankbag guy though...and am more bummed that the bike isn't really a tankbag bike. Looking at one of the Touratech handlebar bags

Traveling solo I like the bungee hook and saddlebag lash point for a bigger duffel if I need the space.

 

[tstickler]

I bought the backrest and rack from a dealer in Ohio. Anxious to get it installed when I return to FL. Also bought the taller windshield, which is a must, since I wear an open face helmet.

 

[TomP]

I installed the carrier & backrest last week. I love the look. The bike has a beautiful & balanced look. However the depth of the backrest leaves maybe 5" of functional luggage carrier capacity. The soft pack tour bag with mounting pouch / sleeve, used on my ST1300 & Shadow Sabre won't even slide over the to wide and to deep CTX 1300 backrest. The remaining carrier is to little to support the depth of the bag.
HAS ANYONE FOUND SOMETHING THAT WORKS & CAN HOLD SOME GEAR ? The volume of tour bag I have now, could hold a twelve pack case on end. Rain suit pouch could clip on top.

This issue is particularly important to me since I took my side bags off. I solved this problem to my satisfaction fairly easily. I found an old camera bag that was the right size and fairly waterproof. The bag has a hard plastic bottom which is necessary to do it this way. I mounted this bag permanently using 8mm (fine thread) bolts in the holes threaded into the rack (I never have anything of real value in it). I was able to push the bottom of the bag tight into the bottom of the backrest angle and bolted in place with large fender washers inside the bag.

This bag carries a rain jacket, tool kit and a small cooler. I'm going to add a small first aid kit.

I look forward to a picture of sleepingbear's custom bag. Here is a pic of my setup:

 

[happytrails]

What a great idea! Looks like a good fit. Would you please post the dimensions? All the pouches will come in handy. Thanks.

 

[TomP]

Happytrails - I'm very sorry I never responded to your post. I didn't see it until today when I was browsing for better passenger backrest ideas. My current camera bag is 14"W x 9"T x 9"D. It's a little sloppy at 14" wide which is too wide for the available space.

I'm currently working on what I think is a better idea that revolves around a Rothco backpack Item #2287 . The dimensions of this backpack are approx 11"W x 18T x 7D. It has a sleeve on the back (toward the front of the bike) which will accomodate both the vertical part of my support structure which will be 1/2' Starboard. It will also accomodate (I think) a pad that will sit basically on top of and flush with the current backrest and coincide with the angle of the current backrest.

The bottom structure will also be 1/2" Starboard which will be bolted to the current rack. I'll be attaching the vertical Starboard to the base Starboard with 2x2x1/4 steel angle iron that I'm going to bend to match the angle of the current backrest. I'm going to attach the vertical structure of this new design to the back of the current backrest; not sure how yet, but this connection won't be providing the primary strength structure I'll need for a safe weight bearing backrest.

A sissy bar would be so much simpler!

Hopefully, this will give me a taller and narrower storage area that will fit better with the profile of the bike and also provide my wife with a full height sturdy backrest similar to a traditional sissy bar.

I don't know if this makes any sense, but I'll be tearing into this project soon and I'll post pics, etc.