Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Custom Corner New rear end: show off your creative side...

I'm looking at doing a few mods to my bike and I'm putting it out there to, hopefully, tap into your collective knowledge and wisdom.. Courtesy of another BA member, I now have a single seat to go onto my Speedie (thanks, Steve) and I can put stage 1 of my plan into action. My aim is to remove the rear end of my bike (mudguard, lights, plate) and streamline it. I'm looking to get a low-profile/lightweight mudguard made to attach to the swingarm and I know roughly how I'm gonna attach the lights and plate. (The plate is going up between the frame rails, with the lights either side). What I really want to incorporate into the design is some sort of rack system that I can add/remove as and when needed. Obviously, I can just weld a shopping trolley to the back but I want something a bit more discreet; I also don't want the mounting points to be too obvious when it's not in use, which will be 99% of the time. It'll need to carry basic camping stuff to and from the site but be easy to remove when I get there. (Regarding the lights, I'm thinking of having some permanently attached to the rack and when I want to use it, I just plug them into a connection block on the bike, kinda like you do with a caravan.)

If you want a rough idea of what you'll be working with, check out the Speedblaster/American't thread, although I intend to remove the whole mudguard and there'll be a bit more clearance as mine will be standard ride height. I s'pose this is as good-a place as any to thank Davin (Triumphdetroit) for the inspiration: thanks.

Any ideas/suggestions/pointers/relevant links/etc.?

(I've a mate with a machine shop that's doing the fabrication work.)

111 views and not a single response.

To be honest, I didn't expect any so I'm not at all disappointed. Just means it'll be a surprise to everyone when I finally do unveil my creation.

Ride safe.

If I was doing the detachable loggage rack it would more than likley just grow and turn out the way it turns out.
If you are keeping the chrome side arms it would attach to these, sounds like you are removing them though, so I wound go for attachment points at the rear shock and perhaps the passenger peg mounts on the frame.
one of these would be worth adapting. £25 from Royal Enfield

OR if you can get your hands on some aluminium checker plate use it.

You need to come to Fleetwood Neill and I will introduce you to Dave a mate of mine, who is a wizard at the welding thing..

well if youre getting rid of the struts and the fender your only options for mounting to a fixed position are the 2 fender bolting spots under the seat and the shock mounting bolts.

My first thought is to use the struts as part of the rack. If both the struts just had some round bar connecting each or even just a metal plate they'd make a rack that stuck straight out the back and had plenty of room. Even the holes on the side can be adapted for eye holes to tie stuff down. Depending on your ride height and the new fender attached to the swingarm, you might need to raise the height of the cross plate a bit to clear the rear wheel.

The struts are attached to the shock post like open ended wrenches so they resist up and down motion. The question is how much weight can just the struts can hold. The fender is a key structural piece in the stock configuration. Its mounted under the seat with 2 bolts and then has 6 along the sides which are held by the struts locked into place. So if you get rid of that fender, the struts should hold some weight. and then you'd just need to loosen the shock bolts to slide the rack off the back.

heres a rough sketch...the other 2 holes i pointed to can be used for some added structural support but would lengthen the time to remove and replace though.

Nice one, Tom. Your idea is similar to what I had in mind, although I don't possess the technical savvy to make a pretty picture to explain. Regarding payload, I'd be carrying basic tenting equipment (tent, sleeping bag, little stove, a few personals); the tent being the heaviest item and, as such, being right up against the seat. I should point out that there will be an extra brace across the frame (where the frame ends) so I can attach the seat.
Using the existing mudguard (fender) mounting bolts is probably the easiest (and safest) way to approach things.

Wendy and I carry that on our bikes. Last trip had a room tent, 4 sleeping bags, air mattress, enough clothes for a week with extras incase of rainy wet stuff, lanterns, leathers (not worn), snack food,etc... we didn't bring the folding Sterno stove but could have. 2 bikes both with saddle bags and T bag with some stuff tied to the pillion. I have pictures of the loaded bikes and our camp site set up but not on the computer yet.

yeah, i figure you might as well use the same parts if you can. No sense in making something new that does the same job the struts will. I guess the main thing is clearance above the tire and new fender. But you really cant know that until you get the other components settled in like the seat and the fender.