Rider's backrest

[shadowguy]

Is anyone aware of a rider's backrest available anywhere that will fit the Vulcan 500? I've got a passenger backrest, added saddlebags and a T-bag for storage, and am about to purchase a windshield and likely a crashbar and extended highway pegs to help make this bike more comfortable for exteneded trips around the Ozarks. If I can just find a rider's backrest to support my poor aching back I'll probably spend less time thinking about selling it and more time riding. It's a great bike and I love the way it handles but at my age and condition I just need a bit more in the way of comfort accessories.

I doubt I'll do as much to it appearance-wise as I have my Honda ACE but the comfort options do a lot to improve the rideability for someone as tall as me so I'm willing to spring for them. I already know from my experience with the ACE that the proper accessories can make a bike that is marginal for comfort a truly enjoyable ride.



Here's the ACE with all the creature comforts.

Thanks everyone. Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Triangles]

http://protac.net/ You have to call the guy to order them. I got one and the quality is very good. Unfortunately the ammo cans I have mounted interfere with the mounting brackets of the backrest and I have never gotten around to remedying this so I can use the back rest again.

[Jablonsky]

UTOPIA shouldn't interfere with anything (except with passenger and the amount of $ in the wallet)

[shadowguy]

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to check them both out and see what they look like. Also, I found a backrest on ebay that, while the fitment isn't for the Vulcan 500, looks to be configured in such a way that I can cut the seat cover and cushion to insert the mounting bracket, drill matching holes in the pan, secure the whole thing and use glue and thread to close up the mounting hole. All of this will run just under a hundred bucks. The caveat is, however, that I can't return the backrest for a refund if it doesn't work since I'm buying it for a motorcycle it is not designed to fit (which means the mounting tabs will have to be bent which will alter the backrest itself). Here's a photo of the backrest itself. I'd be curious to know what some of you think about it.

[Triangles]

I find myself riding in the rain more often that I would like. I would think it would be pretty darn close to impossible to seal things up enough to keep water out of the seat cushion if you cut it to install this backrest. That's why I went for the protac back rest. I don't remember how much I paid, but I think it was in the neighborhood of $150. No cutting and easy to install or remove if you don't like it. Personally, I think I am going to look at making some handle bar risers before I look at putting the backrest back on.

[Jablonsky]

I find myself riding in the rain more often that I would like. I would think it would be pretty darn close to impossible to seal things up enough to keep water out of the seat cushion if you cut it to install this backrest...

True. Perfectly good things tend to become not so good any more when you begin to cut them. That's why I went for THIS solution. Works like a charm for me.

[Triangles]

FYI here is what my Protac backrest looks like. The bar the backrest is made of is stainless steel.

Seat removed to show brackets.


Seat installed on bike.


Back of backrest.

[shadowguy]

FYI here is what my Protac backrest looks like. The bar the backrest is made of is stainless steel.

Seat removed to show brackets.


Seat installed on bike.


Back of backrest.

Hey Triangles, I've sent an email to the company to inquire about the seat as I think that's the way I'll go. It looks like just about what I'm looking for. Thanks!

[Triangles]

If you get the protac backrest, the instructions are wrong. Throw them out. IIRC the instructions say to use the bolt for the rear shock absorber to mount the bracket. The correct bolt to use is the one just behind the shock absorber as shown below. Also there are two positions a forward position and a back position. In the image below, #1 is the hole to set the backrest in the farther back position, and #2 as the backrest installed is a more forward position.

106_9279_Large.jpg (154.15 KiB) Viewed 24685 times

My natural riding position is somewhere in between these two settings. In the forward position my arms and seating are comfortable but my 32-34" inseam legs are too cramped. In the back position my legs are comfortable but I have to hunch over to reach my handlebars which puts more strain on my back then not having the backrest at all. My two solutions for this were to bend the backrest bars to move it slightly forward or add some handle bar risers. Whenever I find some free time... ha ha.... I plan to make some handle bar risers. I've had all the materials to do this for over a year, I just haven't had any free time to actually do it. Right now I'm trying to engineer a way to install some new panniers to replace my ammo cans such that it won't interfere with the backrest mounting brackets.

[mr.clean]

Triangles they don't have a 500 listed,which model did you pick?

[Triangles]

They have one for the 500. I called and ordered one for the 500. IIRC if you look at the pictures on the site they had some pictures of one installed on a Vulcan 500.