samburger
11-12-2010, 10:54 PM
Alright I've been trying to figure out a way to make a bicycle rack work on my GS500 for a while now. For a while I planned on saving up for a rack from 2x2cycles.com & bolting it into the rear of my banana seat, but they're expensive & the leverage may still tear right through the plastic seat. So I just had an idea come to me & I want some opinions.
To begin with, I have a Givi topcase rack on my bike. I know from personal experience that it can handle 30+lbs at high speeds & going over bumpy railroad crossings at speeds faster than I ever would have in my old pickup. So keep this in mind.
Now, I drew up a (very) elementary design of how this idea would work. It would require some (hopefully) very basic fabrication & modification to the motorcycle seat & topcase plate. Here is the picture. I'll explain in further detail below.
http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab24/samburger077/bike%20rack/1112102226.jpg?t=1289619469
So I would use a universal fork clamp (like the cars that have bikes standing up on top with the front wheel off) & bolt it through the seat to the subframe. Then I would have a 'cradle' of sorts to hold the rear of the bicycle in place. This would bolt to the top case rack & would require some fabrication. I forgot to draw it, but the cradle would close fully via a hinge & lock shut to keep the bike from bouncing off on a bump or sliding off it a lean (though I doubt I would be leaning that much with a bicycle on top). It would also, of course, how some rubber or foam to avoid scratching up the bicycle frame. I was planning on buying a new (used) seat anyway because mine has 3 tears that are only increasing in size, so I would just use my current seat for this project.
Handling aside, which has already been discussed, can anyone see any major faults in this vague blueprint? My bicycle weights 25.6 lbs & the one I'm building up will weight ~30 lbs, give or take 1 lb at most. I figure the fork clamp combined with the cradle should be enough to keep the leverage down & lighten the load on the top case rack, though it doesn't really need it. Still, better safe than sorry.
The new seat will cost $100 at most, & it wont be necessary to buy it any time soon because all my lady friends think it's too cold to ride on the back of the bike. I already have the fork clamp (three, actually) & could easily find a friend to help me bolt it through the seat into the subframe. So that leaves fabrication as the variable. It would be nice to find someone who could do it for a 12 pack & some company, but I don't know how difficult it would be. The biggest problem I can foresee would be getting the angle of the cradle to exactly fit the angle of the downtube on the bicycle.
Anyway, that's what I got. Finally an idea rather than just questions. Let me know what you think!:D
EDIT: After taking another look at my drawing, it looks as though the downtube on the bicycle would hit the back of the top case rack before reaching the cradle. The seat is actually lower & the rack higher on the motorcycle, meaning the angle of the bike would be in the 'stoppie' position more so than this crappy drawing indicates.
To begin with, I have a Givi topcase rack on my bike. I know from personal experience that it can handle 30+lbs at high speeds & going over bumpy railroad crossings at speeds faster than I ever would have in my old pickup. So keep this in mind.
Now, I drew up a (very) elementary design of how this idea would work. It would require some (hopefully) very basic fabrication & modification to the motorcycle seat & topcase plate. Here is the picture. I'll explain in further detail below.
http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab24/samburger077/bike%20rack/1112102226.jpg?t=1289619469
So I would use a universal fork clamp (like the cars that have bikes standing up on top with the front wheel off) & bolt it through the seat to the subframe. Then I would have a 'cradle' of sorts to hold the rear of the bicycle in place. This would bolt to the top case rack & would require some fabrication. I forgot to draw it, but the cradle would close fully via a hinge & lock shut to keep the bike from bouncing off on a bump or sliding off it a lean (though I doubt I would be leaning that much with a bicycle on top). It would also, of course, how some rubber or foam to avoid scratching up the bicycle frame. I was planning on buying a new (used) seat anyway because mine has 3 tears that are only increasing in size, so I would just use my current seat for this project.
Handling aside, which has already been discussed, can anyone see any major faults in this vague blueprint? My bicycle weights 25.6 lbs & the one I'm building up will weight ~30 lbs, give or take 1 lb at most. I figure the fork clamp combined with the cradle should be enough to keep the leverage down & lighten the load on the top case rack, though it doesn't really need it. Still, better safe than sorry.
The new seat will cost $100 at most, & it wont be necessary to buy it any time soon because all my lady friends think it's too cold to ride on the back of the bike. I already have the fork clamp (three, actually) & could easily find a friend to help me bolt it through the seat into the subframe. So that leaves fabrication as the variable. It would be nice to find someone who could do it for a 12 pack & some company, but I don't know how difficult it would be. The biggest problem I can foresee would be getting the angle of the cradle to exactly fit the angle of the downtube on the bicycle.
Anyway, that's what I got. Finally an idea rather than just questions. Let me know what you think!:D
EDIT: After taking another look at my drawing, it looks as though the downtube on the bicycle would hit the back of the top case rack before reaching the cradle. The seat is actually lower & the rack higher on the motorcycle, meaning the angle of the bike would be in the 'stoppie' position more so than this crappy drawing indicates.