I Need a Nice Rack

[mainsail]

Just got this V9 and need somewhere to strap down my Stanley lunchbox when I ride to work.

All the available racks are for bikes with the rear seat, not a solo.  I've talked to a few fabricators but they don't seem terribly interested in my business.

Some pictures, the bike, and the terrible artwork rendering of what I want to do.

Would love some input.

[Dirk_S]

I know I'm reaching my weekly comment quota in just one day, but this relates to me a bit, as I'm planning on getting a fender rack made for my V7.

Curious why you want the hole. I know the pillion seat bolts through the hole, but are you looking to add a pillion seat on top of the rack? If so, you'll have to customize the seat as well, I imagine. If not, I wouldn't bother unless it simply tickles your fancy.

Note: I'm no engineer, BUT, the bolt holes on the rear frame rails are so close together,  that I don't think you'd be getting enough structural support front and back. Maybe I'm wrong, but instead, I'd see if you could do as some other racks I've seen (and as I'm currently planning for mine), and taking the forelegs forward to the rear fender mount, like you see here:





The rear mounts could still go to the rear most frame rail.

Or, the bolt hole and the fender mount?

[Huzo]

Just got this V9 and need somewhere to strap down my Stanley lunchbox when I ride to work.

All the available racks are for bikes with the rear seat, not a solo.  I've talked to a few fabricators but they don't seem terribly interested in my business.

Some pictures, the bike, and the terrible artwork rendering of what I want to do.

Would love some input.

Nah mate, that red diagram wouldn’t last two minutes.
The pitching moment and as mentioned the leverage, would tear it off before you left the driveway.

[RinkRat II]

 An Ebay search for a universal rear rack might get you closer to something easily modified to suit your needs. My$.02

    Paul B

[Chuck in Indiana]

[Caffeineo]

I much prefer Chucks examples.  But ended up with a fender rack for my Bobber Sport. https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=106046.0
Also some other ideas on that thread.

[Tom H]

If you think you can use just your fender. There are many universal racks to look at. I put something off the shelf like what you drew on my HD, but it is curved to the fender instead of flat.

If you need it to the frame bolts, you'll most likely need to go custom. Flat bar and welding or bolts could be your friend.

A flat bar bent into a square, some flat bar bent 90deg at each end to make a grid, and some more to the frame bolts. You need to figure out the weight, but I would go with 3/4" or so to the frame. maybe 1/2" for the square.

Hope this helps for some thoughts,
Tom

[mainsail]

Appreciate the input!

I have to believe if an adult can sit on the aft seat, and that seat is held to the fender with a single bolt, then a rack where the seat used to be could hold a five pound lunchbox.

What am I missing?

Checked out the links, nothing for a 2017 V9 though.

[pebra]

Aw don't mind Chuck, he's always bragging!

[mainsail]

We approached 60 degrees today, so took the bike out for a ride.

[smsw]

As said, those two bolts are much too close together.  I don't know if you will tear your rack off the bike, but something is going to give.  Your idea is not a bad one.  I just made a rack for my T3 by welding what I wanted to the back of an extra, rusted grab rail.  My support points are the upper shock mounts and rear-most bolt point on the frame.

If you modify your drawing so the front support angles forward to the shock mount, you will be ok.

Here is what I made, before and after powder coating.  Chrome would have taken far longer than I was willing to wait and would have cost more than I wanted to spend.  The two bars for the aft support are not shown in the powder coat picture.

[mainsail]

The two side rails are not to support any weight- they're only to steady it from trying to pivot around the bolt going through the fender. 

The passenger seat is held on with that one fender bolt- my thinking is that if that one bolt through the fender is strong enough to support an adult sitting on the seat, it is easily strong enough to hold up my lunchbox.

[Rich A]

You might be able to use the turn signal mounting points as additional braces for the rack if there are enough threads on the TSs.

Rich A

[Tom H]

If you are sure the fender is strong enough for your needs and a bit more. If you can live with a rack that is curved like the fender, there are a bunch of them on fleabay designed for Harley. The rack can be had for way under $30. You would need to drill holes in your fender.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/182208397564?fits=Make%3AHarley-Davidson&hash=item2a6c7780fc:g:uMwAAOSwARZXixcL

Yes this fit on the rack. The gloves were just stuffed there while parking.




Tom

[Kev m]

Appreciate the input!

I have to believe if an adult can sit on the aft seat, and that seat is held to the fender with a single bolt, then a rack where the seat used to be could hold a five pound lunchbox.

What am I missing?

Checked out the links, nothing for a 2017 V9 though.

Though I'm sure it's strong enough for a lunchbox, remember the fender doesn't support the seat.

The seat pan sits on bumpers that contact the frame rails.

The fenders are quite weak, especially the plastic ones found on many smallblocks.

Also, what smallblock model even uses a bolt for the seat?

My V7's use a frame mounted latch, no bolt on the fender. Are the V9s different?

[Dirk_S]

Also, what smallblock model even uses a bolt for the seat?

My V7's use a frame mounted latch, no bolt on the fender. Are the V9s different?

Why, the V9, of course!





And the passenger seat does actually sit on the fender, with the support of that metal cross plate seen in the diagram. Underside of pillion seat:





As a non-V9 owner, I only know all of this because it was the avenue I was headed for my custom solo + rear rack/pillion seat project on my V7. Until I met with reality and wasn’t comfortable chopping and bending the rear frame rails on my bike to match the horizontal projection of a V9 and earlier small blocks.

So, yes, the fender—at least in that area thanks to the cross plate—is indeed strong enough to hold a passenger, BUT you’re forgetting that what’s holding up any luggage on the rack is first…the rack. And that rack needs appropriate support. The OP’s rack is not supported fore or aft, only in the middle. That will cause a lot of levering/pivoting stress to the middle supports—the legs and that seat pin if indeed you use that. It’s like a diving board on both ends, except a diving board is planted on one side and engineered with materials to handle those types of forces. Steel might not be as reliable in that aspect.

That said, If you’re only putting 5 lb on, and that’s ever all that will be on there—give it a shot. But human tendency is to go beyond the initial means, and that’s why we’re giving the advice that we are.

But remember, 5 lb of weight does not only give 5 lb of FORCE, as bumps and dips in the road will cause that 5 lb to become more with the addition of downward speed. How much force? I love physics, but I’m no professor.

[Kev m]

Why, the V9, of course!





And the passenger seat does actually sit on the fender, with the support of that metal cross plate seen in the diagram. Underside of pillion seat:





As a non-V9 owner, I only know all of this because it was the avenue I was headed for my custom solo + rear rack/pillion seat project on my V7. Until I met with reality and wasn’t comfortable chopping and bending the rear frame rails on my bike to match the horizontal projection of a V9 and earlier small blocks.

So, yes, the fender—at least in that area thanks to the cross plate—is indeed strong enough to hold a passenger, BUT you’re forgetting that what’s holding up any luggage on the rack is first…the rack. And that rack needs appropriate support. The OP’s rack is not supported for or aft, only in the middle. That will cause a lot of levering/pivoting stress to the middle supports—the legs and that seat pin if indeed you use that. It’s like a diving board on both ends, except a diving board is planted on one side and engineered with materials to handle those types of forces. Steel might not as predictable.

That said, If you’re only putting 5 lb on, and that’s ever all that will be on there—give it a shot. But human tendency is to go beyond the initial means, and that’s why we’re giving the advice that we are.

But remember, 5 lb of weight does not only give 5 lb of FORCE, as bumps and dips in the road will cause that 5 lb to become more with the addition of downward speed. How much force? I love physics, but I’m no professor.

 


I would think the OP could alter his design to run two supports to the shock mount and use longer bolts there in the same way the HB rack fits the V7s.

[mainsail]

Why, the V9, of course!





And the passenger seat does actually sit on the fender, with the support of that metal cross plate seen in the diagram. Underside of pillion seat:





 lb of weight does not only give 5 lb of FORCE, as bumps and dips in the road will cause that 5 lb to become more with the addition of downward speed. How much force? I love physics, but I’m no professor.

Yes!  The seat pan looks exactly like the one in your second picture.  It's held down with one bolt thru the fender, and the weight is supported by the bolt and the four rubber feet shown.

After my ride yesterday I disassembled the seat and bolted a mountain bike rack to the plastic pan.  It's plenty strong enough for the lunchbox, but it looks janky as heck. 

[twowheeladdict]

Yes!  The seat pan looks exactly like the one in your second picture.  It's held down with one bolt thru the fender, and the weight is supported by the bolt and the four rubber feet shown.

After my ride yesterday I disassembled the seat and bolted a mountain bike rack to the plastic pan.  It's plenty strong enough for the lunchbox, but it looks janky as heck.

If you already had the passenger seat, why didn't you just buy a seat bag to hold your lunch box?

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rear+seat+bag+motorcycle&crid=3M7F3JVG0JGOU&sprefix=rear+seat+bag+%2Caps%2C146&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_14

[mainsail]

If you already had the passenger seat, why didn't you just buy a seat bag to hold your lunch box?

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rear+seat+bag+motorcycle&crid=3M7F3JVG0JGOU&sprefix=rear+seat+bag+%2Caps%2C146&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_14

I considered it.  The pax seat is like 6" thick, and looks dumb behind the aftermarket seat I have on there now.  I was hoping to find a low profile rack - either off the shelf or built by someone in town with mad fabrication skills.

[Tom H]

Did you look at the Harley ones?

Tom

[mainsail]

Did you look at the Harley ones?

Tom

Yes, but I'm not drilling holes.