I installed my Sport Rack/Backrest

[mxz600]

As far as backrests go I like the looks of BRP's the best. It looks like a part of the machine and not something you just threw on it. The thing I don't like is the way it looks when you remove the backrest and you just have the Sport Rack. That thing looks a little large and out of place to me.

My Spyder before I started.

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My new parts.

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To install, remove bottom panel under the seat, all side panels, rear top cover behind seat, the passenger handle bolt below rear top cover, and the battery.

Next you run the release cable through the hole under your seat, past the battery box, through a hole under the top tube frame and out the back.

Attach the release cable to the piece of aluminum and install in the top frame tube. This is where it got interesting. The holes in the alum. block didn't line up properly with the hole in the frame and the passenger handle bolt hole on the Spyder. But with the assistance from a hammer and a few choice words, I got it to go.

Insert release cable to the latch on the sport rack and mount to alum. block with the four allen head screws.

Install bottom cover to the rack and your done.

There wasn't a clip nut on the bottom cover of the sport rack to accept the center screw for the bottom panel. To me this screw is important. Without it the only screws holding it on are attached to the side panels. I think the center screw helps stabilize the panels from moving side to side.
So until I get a clip nut for my sport rack I removed it and put my little top cover on. I didn't think it would fit but it did, and it only took five minutes to switch the thing. Now that I know it fits and is a quick and easy switch, I may leave the little top cover on until I need the backrest for my wife. The small cover looks much better. The sport rack without the backrest does not look that good to me.
Now my Spyder looks like the top picture again.

 

[happyspyder2039]

As far as backrests go I like the looks of BRP's the best. It looks like a part of the machine and not something you just threw on it. The thing I don't like is the way it looks when you remove the backrest and you just have the Sport Rack. That thing looks a little large and out of place to me.

My Spyder before I started.

[/IMG]

My new parts.

[/IMG]

To install, remove bottom panel under the seat, all side panels, rear top cover behind seat, the passenger handle bolt below rear top cover, and the battery.

Next you run the release cable through the hole under your seat, past the battery box, through a hole under the top tube frame and out the back.

Attach the release cable to the piece of aluminum and install in the top frame tube. This is where it got interesting. The holes in the alum. block didn't line up properly with the hole in the frame and the passenger handle bolt hole on the Spyder. But with the assistance from a hammer and a few choice words, I got it to go.

Insert release cable to the latch on the sport rack and mount to alum. block with the four allen head screws.

Install bottom cover to the rack and your done.

There wasn't a clip nut on the bottom cover of the sport rack to accept the center screw for the bottom panel. To me this screw is important. Without it the only screws holding it on are attached to the side panels. I think the center screw helps stabilize the panels from moving side to side.
So until I get a clip nut for my sport rack I removed it and put my little top cover on. I didn't think it would fit but it did, and it only took five minutes to switch the thing. Now that I know it fits and is a quick and easy switch, I may leave the little top cover on until I need the backrest for my wife. The small cover looks much better. The sport rack without the backrest does not look that good to me.
Now my Spyder looks like the top picture again.

Nice write up! I did this a few months ago and I took the clip from the orginal cover and put it on the new rack- and worked great! just an Idea

 

[mxz600]

Nice write up! I did this a few months ago and I took the clip from the orginal cover and put it on the new rack- and worked great! just an Idea

I was thinking of doing that but I thought the clip might break. And now that I know the small cover still fits I need the clip bolt for that. Like I said before, me personally I like the looks of the original cover better than the sport rack, and it's easy to switch them out.

 

[docdoru]

:thumbup:

 

[LDFIREWORKS]

:2thumbs: :2thumbs:

 

[Questions]

Seat removal with the sport rack installed

Let me ask: With the sport rack installed, what would it take to remove the seat?

I bought a 2008 GS a couple years ago. Unfortunately, the seat is just deplorable. I'm looking to replace it, but not sure how to go about doing it.

Any ideas?

 

[NZSpyderRyder]

WHY NO CLIP ?

I fitted my carbon black one to my ST Limited yesterday and apart from having to remove a few extra parts like the aerial, luggage rack and indicator arms it went quiet smoothly. I used the clip from the top cover to replace the one that was missing on the new sports rack, there was no mention of having to do this in the instructions but luckily had read this thread a few weeks ago.
I did a few other jobs whilst I had the rear end stripped down, I fitted a set of Custom Dynamics rear LED tail lights so I don't have to worry about a brake light blowing in the future and I tidied up the abortion of a job that Can Am had made of the aerial wiring, there was a 3' loop of spare ariel cable and the same amount of earthing strap coiled up under the rear wheel cover.

 

[mgilles0]

I have a sport rack and just replaced the seat

It is not too hard to replace the seat when you have a sport rack. I just did it today and it took me about 2.5 hours total. Pop the seat the pull the knob to release the sport rack insert. Remove the insert. Remove the four center hex head bolts. This was the hardest part for me since someone had used industrial strength Locktite on them. Remove the two screws underneath the sport rack on each side to slide the bottom trim panel off. Remove the back-most five screws on the black plastic lower fender cover so as to bend down to remove the nut from the rear bolt on the seat hinge. It's the only nut down there. Pop up the seat and remove the nut holding the shock to the seat. Pull shock loose from seat. Unplug pillion sensor on bottom of seat. Tip seat all the way back to 90 degrees to access and remove the three seat hinge bolts. You already took the nut off of the center one. Remove seat. Transfer hinge, pillion sensor and lock pin to new seat. Replace in reverse order. Now the hard part is getting the lock pin aligned. I'm still not sure I have mine just right.