unconventional rack options

[snowbeard]

well, this may be blasphemous to most of us, but since racks are getting harder and harder to find these days, I thought I'd share a find I have made. at least I can take it off when I feel like being more stock...

planning on some significant overnight trips this summer on the old brit iron, I wanted to build up something a little beyond my fender and saddle bags.  I've got a few old rack systems, none of which are brit, but also none of which seem to fit well (or at all!)

so digging thru a harley customs shop yesterday, after being shown the catalog options of classic racks (for well over $100!) I found what appears to be the mounting bar for an air suspensions seat set up.  I saw a few more of them with a black plate mounted to them, and a small air compressor, but I found one that was just the crome rail.  it has two holes on the sides, and one at the back, is about 8-10 inches wide, maybe 14 inches long, and has the front ends flattened, bent slightly down, and welded with threaded "nuts" welded into the flattenned part.

so I bought it for $20, since he was being generous and mostly reasonable by that point. drug it home and looked at it on the A10, and low and behold it fits exactly with the bolts that hold the tool box and oil box on! the threaded nuts even seat right into the depressions inside them!  so with some 5/16th x18 standard bolts, it mounts up just right. 

I did have to grind a couple of rounds out of the bottom of the flattened parts so let it rest straight, and it actually rests just on the spacers for the fender to rear shock mounts.  one final bolt on the back end for a little more support and I think I have my traveling rack!! 

[RichardL]

Snowbeard,

Nice improv from an unexpected part. One thing, do the bags attach to the rack, or is it strictly for tying things on top?

Richard L.

[snowbeard]

so far the bags ride on the fender, held in place by the silly little wingnut and plastic clamp.  the fender stays keep them out of the wheel.  I made them by unlacing the yoke and bolting them together much shorter, (the diamond holes are from where the UJM seat supports are supposed to go thru them). I wrapped the underside of the bolt heads with short pieces of nylon webbing that keep them from scratching the chrome. the fender has so many random holes, rips, and brazed welds that it is far from concourse already, but at least I won't make it rust from the outside any worse...

the harley rack is just above the whole system, fully suspended over it all except for whatever bolt I put in the back.  I don't want it to ride on the aluminum taillight, or bolt thru it, etc.  my whole point here is "do no harm" so that I can take it all back to the way I found it, which wasn't "stock" per se, but it wasn't Harley either.    the original bolts are taped up and labelled in the box for the spitfire, ready to be replaced when needed.