Home made driver's backrest

daddylaci · 03-26-2009, 12:40 PM

I missed a support for my back for long lasting ride, because my back was painful after a couple of miles. So, I developed and designed a backrest for the driver. You can see, that very simple, but very effective and usefull. If you want reproduce yourself or by a fitter and upholsterer I attached the drawings for you, also. It's easy and very cheap.

mrlmd1 · 03-26-2009, 01:18 PM

That is a great mod - too bad you can't make more and ship them to us, or have them made somewhere, like over here. I'm sure there is a market for them.

BusyWeb · 03-26-2009, 11:43 PM

Hi, there.
This is a great accessory for the GZ.
I think that it might be also good for the any other cruiser style bikes.
:roll: :2tup:

burkbuilds · 04-09-2009, 10:12 PM

That is an awesome looking backrest!

alanmcorcoran · 04-10-2009, 06:24 PM

Daddyl,

I have two dumb questions:

Where do you buy metal plating (and what do you buy?)
How do you cut/bend it?

I used a sheet metal bender back in eighth grade metal shop a lifetime ago, but it was a huge shop machine. I'm pretty familiar with most woodworking tools/techniques, but my metal experience is limited to cutting a threshold with a Sawzall and cutting bolts and stuff with a hacksaw. I think I can also drill holes okay.

adrianinflorida · 04-10-2009, 06:30 PM

The pieces are all welded together, not bent. The guy in my office who does our welding is going to put one together for me when he get's some time, I gave him the plans. Then I'll go to one of the local metal plating places to get it chromed, I'll post pics and pricves as it progresses, and maybe I can have a few extras made, if it's cost effective.

Alan, this is best to take to a metal fabricator near you to get done. It's not simple bending.

alanmcorcoran · 04-10-2009, 08:43 PM

If you go through with it, and it doesn't end up costing more than the bike, I'd be happy to pay for the extra parts, your time and shipping.

adrianinflorida · 04-11-2009, 09:03 AM

It won't be a horrible cost for materials, my welder can cut the parts from scrap. The plating and a few bucks for his time are all that I'd need to cover, and youd need to either buy or make the backrest (Padded part). I'll keep everyone posted after the first one is made, then we can figure out if it's worth it. I don't know if I want to use it for myself, as I tend to sit further back on the saddle to extend the distance to the pegs for myself, so the prototype will probably be available at the very least.

mrlmd1 · 04-11-2009, 09:20 AM

I'd try one too, it might be not only more comfortable but also more secure having your butt/lower back up against that rest.
Can also use it secondarily to secure gear sitting on the passenger seat, tied between the 2 backrests or on a rack. It also gives a passenger something to hang on to besides the driver.

JWR · 04-11-2009, 10:03 AM

I had one of these on my Silverwing.
Utopia backrest.

Could be modified to fit pretty easy.

03-26-2009, 12:40 PM	#1
daddylaci Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Budapest, Hungary Posts: 15	Home made driver's backrest I missed a support for my back for long lasting ride, because my back was painful after a couple of miles. So, I developed and designed a backrest for the driver. You can see, that very simple, but very effective and usefull. If you want reproduce yourself or by a fitter and upholsterer I attached the drawings for you, also. It's easy and very cheap. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-26-2009, 01:18 PM	#2
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Home made driver's backrest That is a great mod - too bad you can't make more and ship them to us, or have them made somewhere, like over here. I'm sure there is a market for them.
	0

03-26-2009, 11:43 PM	#3
BusyWeb Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 626	Re: Home made driver's backrest Hi, there. This is a great accessory for the GZ. I think that it might be also good for the any other cruiser style bikes. :roll: :2tup: __________________ BusyWeb Login or Register to Remove Ads
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04-09-2009, 10:12 PM	#4
burkbuilds Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shannon, Georgia Posts: 1,268	Re: Home made driver's backrest That is an awesome looking backrest!
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04-10-2009, 06:24 PM	#5
alanmcorcoran Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 2,926	Re: Home made driver's backrest Daddyl, I have two dumb questions: Where do you buy metal plating (and what do you buy?) How do you cut/bend it? I used a sheet metal bender back in eighth grade metal shop a lifetime ago, but it was a huge shop machine. I'm pretty familiar with most woodworking tools/techniques, but my metal experience is limited to cutting a threshold with a Sawzall and cutting bolts and stuff with a hacksaw. I think I can also drill holes okay. __________________ [hr:5yt6ldkq][/hr:5yt6ldkq] http://alanmarkcorcoran.com Motorcycles, Music, Musings and More… Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

04-10-2009, 06:30 PM	#6
adrianinflorida Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 325	Re: Home made driver's backrest The pieces are all welded together, not bent. The guy in my office who does our welding is going to put one together for me when he get's some time, I gave him the plans. Then I'll go to one of the local metal plating places to get it chromed, I'll post pics and pricves as it progresses, and maybe I can have a few extras made, if it's cost effective. Alan, this is best to take to a metal fabricator near you to get done. It's not simple bending.
	0

04-10-2009, 08:43 PM	#7
alanmcorcoran Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 2,926	Re: Home made driver's backrest If you go through with it, and it doesn't end up costing more than the bike, I'd be happy to pay for the extra parts, your time and shipping. __________________ [hr:5yt6ldkq][/hr:5yt6ldkq] http://alanmarkcorcoran.com Motorcycles, Music, Musings and More…
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04-11-2009, 09:03 AM	#8
adrianinflorida Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 325	Re: Home made driver's backrest It won't be a horrible cost for materials, my welder can cut the parts from scrap. The plating and a few bucks for his time are all that I'd need to cover, and youd need to either buy or make the backrest (Padded part). I'll keep everyone posted after the first one is made, then we can figure out if it's worth it. I don't know if I want to use it for myself, as I tend to sit further back on the saddle to extend the distance to the pegs for myself, so the prototype will probably be available at the very least.
	0

04-11-2009, 09:20 AM	#9
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Home made driver's backrest I'd try one too, it might be not only more comfortable but also more secure having your butt/lower back up against that rest. Can also use it secondarily to secure gear sitting on the passenger seat, tied between the 2 backrests or on a rack. It also gives a passenger something to hang on to besides the driver.
	0

04-11-2009, 10:03 AM	#10
JWR Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Louisville, TN Posts: 1,413	Re: Home made driver's backrest I had one of these on my Silverwing. Utopia backrest. Could be modified to fit pretty easy. __________________ Jerry Truth is there are lots of great bikes available and not nearly as many good riders out there riding them... "A man's got to know his limitations..."
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