Thinner sissy bar pad?

[kuri]

So my wife and I are bigger people, and we love riding the FLRT, however with the tallboy seat that I need to keep my hips from getting jacked up, she just doesn't have enough room between the normal sissy bar and pad and my back. I'd like to find a thinner pad if possible to see if that will help before I go to the extremes of having a custom sissy bar fabricated that allows for more room.

Can anyone point me in a direction or offer some ideas?

Thanks!

 

[0pini0nated]

How About NO Pad?

I don't have an answer to your questions about custom sissy bars, but I had a similar problem. I eventually decided that there wasn't a one-fix solution, but rather, I had to take several small steps.

As you know, I bought a H-D 'Tallboy' seat P/N 52000134 first. Then, the sissy bar backrest P/N 52920-98B had to go (that is, the sissy bar is still on the bike, but the padded backrest is removed.) The was important because I also mounted a rider backrest ( http://www.triketalk.com/forum/threa...a-Tallboy-Seat )

Then, since I couldn't go backwards any more, I started expanding foreword.

I started with the DK Custom floorboard 1" extenders P/N DK-TR-FLB-EXT-TG to give me more thigh room. I also had to extend my shifter pegs outward.

Then I bought H-D 1" longer floorboards P/N 50409-04 that put my shoes closer to the floorboards.

Finally, I installed a Softbrake.com rear brake pedal w/ 20° P/N SB-014(P)+1

I also adjusted the handlebars down a few inches.

It wasn't one thing that fixed our problem ~ it was several small steps that eventually resulted in a comfortable ride for two.

 

[Darth]

You might try Mustang Seats, they have "setback" sissy bar backrests that give you and extra inch or so of room.

Here is one example...
http://www.mustangseats.com/Product...-Bar-Pad-12-x-9-for-Medallion-Style-Sissy-Bar

 

[kuri]

I don't have an answer to your questions about custom sissy bars, but I had a similar problem. I eventually decided that there wasn't a one-fix solution, but rather, I had to take several small steps.

As you know, I bought a H-D 'Tallboy' seat P/N 52000134 first. Then, the sissy bar backrest P/N 52920-98B had to go (that is, the sissy bar is still on the bike, but the padded backrest is removed.) The was important because I also mounted a rider backrest ( http://www.triketalk.com/forum/threa...a-Tallboy-Seat )

Then, since I couldn't go backwards any more, I started expanding foreword.

I started with the DK Custom floorboard 1" extenders P/N DK-TR-FLB-EXT-TG to give me more thigh room. I also had to extend my shifter pegs outward.

Then I bought H-D 1" longer floorboards P/N 50409-04 that put my shoes closer to the floorboards.

Finally, I installed a Softbrake.com rear brake pedal w/ 20° P/N SB-014(P)+1

I also adjusted the handlebars down a few inches.

It wasn't one thing that fixed our problem ~ it was several small steps that eventually resulted in a comfortable ride for two.

We tried a ride tonight without the pad, and it's just not workable. That issue aside however, without the extra thickness of the pad it worked out pretty well. Still a little tight but I think your other suggestions might do the trick for that. I had already been looking at the extended floorboard kit and the extended brake pedal.

I think I'll pick those up and then call around to a few upholstery shops and see if maybe they can take my current pad apart and slim it down and maybe stick some memory foam or a gel pad or something in there. I'm sure that would end up being cheaper than trying to get a whole new bar created by one of the local fabrication shops.

- - - Updated - - -

You might try Mustang Seats, they have "setback" sissy bar backrests that give you and extra inch or so of room.

Here is one example...

http://www.mustangseats.com/Product/...tyle-Sissy-Bar

I looked at the mustang seats pretty closely before buying my tallboy, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money without being able to test it out first. Due to some back issues I'm pretty picky about my seats (even back when I had my dyna), so without being able to do the 24 hour demo it was pretty well a no-go from the start.

 

[rsu1981]

Thinner sissy bar pad

So my wife and I are bigger people, and we love riding the FLRT, however with the tallboy seat that I need to keep my hips from getting jacked up, she just doesn't have enough room between the normal sissy bar and pad and my back. I'd like to find a thinner pad if possible to see if that will help before I go to the extremes of having a custom sissy bar fabricated that allows for more room.

Can anyone point me in a direction or offer some ideas?

Thanks!

We had the same problem. Bought the Mustang seat and used the rider backrest off my softail. With the rider backrest crowded my wife to much with the Harley passenger pad. Got one off eBay that was 2" thinner helped a lot.

 

[kuri]

We had the same problem. Bought the Mustang seat and used the rider backrest off my softail. With the rider backrest crowded my wife to much with the Harley passenger pad. Got one off eBay that was 2" thinner helped a lot.

I'll look for those, thanks!

 

[ZooMan55]

That is what I am trying to find. I took the back pad off the bar and it gained 4" but not that comfortable for her. I do not have a rider's backrest, but still too crowded. There is 5.5" between the back of the backrest and the open trunk door, so there is plenty of room for and step back backrest that simply allows the rider to slide to the back fo the Tallboy seat. HD should have addressed this.