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2003 R 1150 R Backrest
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 7:29 pm
by Rokko
Can anyone please refer me to an aftermarket backrest for my bike that I do not need to take a second mortgage on to afford? Thanks

Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:24 pm
by 1150929
Nope, I have the Pirates backrest...still paying it off.
Worth it though, feel that I can lift the bike with it, looks great, matching materials...perfect.
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 10:03 pm
by telliott
I went thru the same process back in the spring. I wound up getting a new Givi top box with a pad. Found one on sale for less than the backrests, so I get a back rest and storage. When my wife rides she always has something to carry that won't fit in my tank bag anyway. It comes right off if I don't need it.
Givi backrest question?
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 9:56 am
by superdarren
Hey Telliott....Does the Givi top box with pad serve as a backrest for you the driver or for the passenger on the back? I am looking at the E52 Maxima. Which Givi did you purchace? I'm pretty sure the E52 is for the passenger so if you know of a product that works as a case as well as a back rest for the driver I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks in advance.
Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:07 pm
by kantuckid
I went with the ebay Chinese top case and made the pad with a piece of plywood and some foam and stapled leather around it with two screws into the case for wifes backrest-she says it is more comfortable than the one I had on my R1100R that I copied from RCU by welding some aluminum.
Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:16 pm
by telliott
<<Hey Telliott....Does the Givi top box with pad serve as a backrest for you the driver or for the passenger on the back? I am looking at the E52 Maxima. Which Givi did you purchace? I'm pretty sure the E52 is for the passenger so if you know of a product that works as a case as well as a back rest for the driver I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks in advance.>>
Sorry, I haven't been on line for a while. I have a e45, I think, not the biggest one. It has a back pad attached and only works for the passenger. I haven't seen a backrest for the R that will work for the driver, except maybe the bestrest that can be moved forward whild still mounted on the rear rack. But with the stock riding position I don't see how that could help on an R.
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:31 pm
by MadrasGiaguari
Dear friends,
I asked an indipendent mechanic in Rome (former BMW mechanic) to find a solution for the passenger backrest. So, I left him my BMW (so called...) luggage rack.
Few days latter I went by and he reinstalled the rack WITH A NICE LOOKING BLACK GIVI BACK REST TIED ON IT.
The look of it is perfect (seems to be BMW made for R1150R).
The vertical height, the orizontal distance(from passenger body) and shape is perfect for passenger confort (my lovely wife was enthousiatic about).
The nicest think of it, is that the mechanic did not make any hole or altered the BMW rack. He just added 2 steel black bar below the rack (to reinforce its plastic weak structure), and the all thing is tied trough the existing holes by longer screws.
The result is estetically much, much better than a top case (that IMHO destroys the beauty of ANY bike), and had a ridiculous cost (50 Euros; the Givi thing was lost in the workshop, but does not cost much anyway), allmost nothing comparing to the very expensive third party back rest designed for the R1150R that I found on the web.
As soon as I can I'll try to make detailed pictures and send them to this lovely Forum. (pls somebody could explain how to send photos?).
Ciao,
Angelo
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 7:29 pm
by snowprick
MadrasGiaguari wrote:As soon as I can I'll try to make detailed pictures and send them to this lovely Forum. (pls somebody could explain how to send photos?)
Angelo,
It's very easy.
Enrol with
http://www.photobucket.com.
Upload your photo's.
Below each photo you will see 4 options (seen below).
Clicking on option 4 will copy the code which you then paste into your forum post (embedded photo). Please ensure that the photo's you are using are not too big (640x480) to avoid upsetting people with dial-up connections.
Or you may click on option 3 (referenced photo) which copies a web link that you paste into you forum post (easy on the dial up's)
An explaniation for the four options (seen below).
After you have done this once you will agree, it's about as easy as it gets.
It's eaiser on a Macintosh, but if you prefer working with your hands tied together, use Windose!
Good luck, look forward to seeing your photo's

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:41 pm
by MadrasGiaguari
Dear Rod,
what a kind biker. Perfect explanations.
I hope to may take pictures over the week end and put them on the Forum. I hink they will be really interesting for some people, at least as a starting point to develop further ideas.
Ciao
Angelo
Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 7:46 pm
by ride2red
J. C. Whitney has a nice top case that fits on the R's luggage rack and also doubles as a passenger backrest. It comes with mounting hardware and can be easily removed if you don't want or need it. I think I paid around $75 for this and it looks as good (to me anyway) as the Givi luggage.
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:07 am
by MadrasGiaguari
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 10:47 am
by JCsman
Beauty, Angelo.
I have the Pirate's Lair backrest...bought used (on this site) for only half an arm and a leg. This one looks every bit as "natural" as mine. Great pics for those that want to follow your lead. And I'm eying several of your other add-ons greedily.
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 11:01 am
by allanj255
Some nice mods there and the backrest does not look a home made job.
Well done