Newbie question on sissy bar.....

[dxerebl]

Hi all! Major newbie here - please bare with me <img src="images/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" /><br />
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I just bought a lovely little trike that I want to add some "goodies" to... most things are "standard" extras that could be added to a 2 wheeler and I'm okay with those......(grips, floorboards, chrome this and that...)<br />
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My problem is a sissy bar.......I know most of you guys go for the big trunks with plush passenger armrests and all (I just read through SmokinJoe's post on his trunk buying experience - Great job btw!)<br />
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So...I don't plan on carrying many passengers, I just prefer the look of a nice mid to low sissy bar on the back......BUT.....How in the heck do you bolt one on when most of the set ups I see are made to bolt to the fenders of a two wheeler? Is there major mods that need to be done? Cut through the trike kit? What am I missing?<br />
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This is for a VT750 Aero with a Motortrike set up. (I have pics in my gallery)<br />
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Thanks in advance for any help. Great site! I'm glad I found it <img src="images/smilies/grin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="big grin" class="inlineimg" /><br />
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~Dxerebl~

[Gorilla]

Can't help but welcome aboard Dxerebl

[Papa Zook]

Two holes through the body....It can be done but its a real PITA to do after paint and install! Ask me how I know.

[skuuter]

Two holes through the body....It can be done but its a real PITA to do after paint and install! Ask me how I know.

These "slots" were definetly done before paint on my Wife's Aero...I'd be happy to get You some better "Close Up Pics" dxerebl if You want some.....



This Trike has a Honda Bar and Back Pad....I can only imagine the problem of locating the right place to cut after full assembly and paint...GOOD LUCK...

[ThirdWheel]

dxerebl: Welcome and good luck on adding the sissy bar.

[John Luciano]

Skuuter getting use to the picture on the back sort of grows on you . REAL nice job on the rear rack and back rest ( sissy bar ?)

[dxerebl]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>skuuter</strong>
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<div class="message"><b>These "slots" were definetly done before paint on my Wife's Aero...I'd be happy to get You some better "Close Up Pics" dxerebl if You want some.....</b><br />
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<img src="http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii10/26modelt/MITZIESTRIKE004.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br />
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<b>This Trike has a Honda Bar and Back Pad....I can only imagine the problem of locating the right place to cut after full assembly and paint...GOOD LUCK...<img src="images/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" /><img src="images/smilies/cool.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Cool" class="inlineimg" /></b></div>

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</div>I appreciate everyone's imput... Didn't realize this was going to be a major undertaking.... what a PITA!! I really wanted that bar back there.<br />
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Skuuter -- I can't seem to find your pics. Can you point in the right direction please <img src="images/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" /> <br />
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--------nevermind - computer was slow to load the pic in the message -----

[dxerebl]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Bazooka</strong>
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<div class="message">Two holes through the body....It can be done but its a real PITA to do after paint and install! Ask me how I know.</div>

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</div>Any words of advice Bazooka how to not make is such a pita ?? <img src="images/smilies/frown.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Frown" class="inlineimg" />

[Yogisan]

Go to the Lehman site, Suzuki Tramp/Jackal, Suzuki accessories, third item down. It's a backrest/luggage rack combo in the picture but they are actually two seperate items. You should be able to get the backrest seperately through a Lehman dealer. The backrest has two brakets that mount with four bolts, two for each bracket, through four holes drilled in the top of the box. That's what I have on my Jackal.

[John Luciano]

Lehman Trikes 25th Anniversary | Performance, Styling and Reliability
Looks easy enough . I would do the rack too . Looks good will be stronger and will make a nice place to put your Helmet when you park or extra storage bag when you come to a TT rally
Measure 10 times and drill once ( Just A tip from a Lowe's Tool World Associate )

[skuuter]

Lehman Trikes 25th Anniversary | Performance, Styling and Reliability
Looks easy enough . I would do the rack too . Looks good will be stronger and will make a nice place to put your Helmet when you park or extra storage bag when you come to a TT rally
Measure 10 times and drill once ( Just A tip from a Lowe's Tool World Associate )

LOL on that John....last Trunk Rack I put on my 08 Gold Wing, I musta' measured and marked "30" times...that first bore into the lid with a drill bit is agonizin'.......

[Papa Zook]

Any words of advice Bazooka how to not make is such a pita ??

No real easy way. To do it right the body has to come off. I have a lay-on-and-mark-it fiberglass template just for this problem, for the vtx1300s but not for the 750s. Sorry!

[skuuter]

Over the weekend, I'll try to take some close-up Pics with maybe some measure points, dimensions in the Pics...I'll repeat, also, Mitzie's Aero has a Genuine Honda Bar and mounting kit. There will be some slight differences in Cobras, etc. ........Let me know, be happy to do it......:wtg:

[Big_Steve]

Hmmmmmm

I'm probably missing something here, but......

Do you have stock seats? On some bikes there is a bracket that holds the seat to the fender, and many sissy bars are made to bolt to the stock bracket.

[dxerebl]

Sorry for the delay in my reply -- they sorta frown on forum browsing at work - something about they want me to do what I'm being paid for... LOL

Thanks for everyone's imput!

Like I mentioned earlier, I literally just bought this trike this past Saturday. In a nutshell, the lady I bought it from has health issues and the poor girl has sat in the garage for 2 years! All old gas, all old fluids....won't hold an idle (imagine that)... so, we trailered it home almost 250 miles and it's sitting at my indy's shop getting the works.

I had only shopped it online and was just making a mental list of add ons I wanted to do to it once I got my hands on it -- never even considered the bar being such a pain - but if I had thought about it, it makes perfect sense.

As for it being a stock passenger seat - I want to say yes since it says Honda on the back -- and it looks like it bolts right to the top of the kit. Of course I'm not looking at my physical trike since its at the shop - just the pic I have of it. (see below) Maybe I could find something that bolts under the seat?

Skuuter and Bazooka - I'd love close ups or maybe measurements if you could offer them. (I will be going out of town tomorrow thru Sunday so it will be a few days until I'm back on here - Easyriders Rodeo Tour in Wilson, NC!)

One last dumb thought --- could it be that difficult to take off the body shell of the trike kit itself?....disconnect the lights, seats and a few bolts....could it be that easy? (see, I told you it was a dumb question)

~Dxerebl~

[Papa Zook]

Not a dumb question at all. Its pretty straight forward. Unbolt the seat, pull the rear lights out and cut the wires (MotorTrike Isnt plug and play on the 750s) and unbolt the body. Thats the easy part. Next you will have to measure, mark and cut the slots at the proper place in the body. You should tape off the area of the body being cut with blue masking tape before marking the slots. After the slots are marked, drill a starter hole and cut the slots out with a fine blade jig saw(tape still in place to prevent the paint from chipping), sand the inside edges of the slots, mount the frame rail mounting brackets and reinstall the body. Mount your sissy bar and youre done.

Be aware of the number of shims (large washers between the body and lower frame) and location when you unbolt the body, as you will need put them back where they came from to achieve proper body alignment. If you have any questions call me at 334-648-0157.

[dxerebl]

great tips Bazooka! Should some type of sealer be put on the "raw" edges that were cut? Maybe some clearcoat ?

It may be a while before I get brave enough to try this...... I'm just trying to plan ahead... Lord have mercy if this body gets messed up because I had to have a sissy bar -- for a seat that won't even have many passengers! lol

Thanks for everyone's time and imput. I'll definitely post back if we go through with it!

[Big_Steve]

As for it being a stock passenger seat - I want to say yes since it says Honda on the back -- and it looks like it bolts right to the top of the kit. Of course I'm not looking at my physical trike since its at the shop - just the pic I have of it. (see below) Maybe I could find something that bolts under the seat?

My VTX has a small bracket that bolted down into the fender, and the seat (passenger) bolted sideways into the bracket, and has one screw in the back that screws straight down into the fender. For that seat, I could find a number of sissy bars that were "L" shaped and bolted to the frame right with the seat.

*********BUT*********

MY Honda seat was the neatest looking uncomfortable seat you could imagine. 20 miles and my butt was killing me. I had to put a Mu$tang $eat on so I could ride it. Moral....... Ride it some before you make a final decision on the bar. If you swap seats around, whatever bar you bought might not work with the new seat :eek:

Check out my photos, that's the stock seat on a VTX maybe yours resembles that? Have to put up some recent photos. I've added Mustang seats, highway pegs, GPS, Crome ciggy lighter, and a tank bra (ooooh-la-la)

[Big_Steve]

Didn't realize you had put photos up. Your seats appear to be identical to mine. Search for sissybars for your model bike, and see what they look like.

Sweet ride, BTW!

[Papa Zook]

great tips Bazooka! Should some type of sealer be put on the "raw" edges that were cut? Maybe some clearcoat ?

It may be a while before I get brave enough to try this...... I'm just trying to plan ahead... Lord have mercy if this body gets messed up because I had to have a sissy bar -- for a seat that won't even have many passengers! lol

Thanks for everyone's time and imput. I'll definitely post back if we go through with it!

I do..but thats up to you.