Rear trunk handle?

[ozarkryder]

On our GL1500 Goldwing trike, I had a trunk handle I won on the Trike Talk forum. When we got the GL1800 trike I moved the handle to the lower trunk on the conversion kit:
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Really helps getting in and closing the trunk, especially with gloves on. We are selling the Goldwing trike, and I wanted to move the handle to the rear trunk lid on the Spyder. Seems to me it would help opening the lid, especially when we install the rear LED light kit as the LED strip fills the gap between the trunk and the lid which is where my fingers go when opening the lid. Unfortunately, the curve on the RT trunk is more than the Goldwing trunk, and it doesn't come close to fitting.
Does anyone make a handle for the RT trunk? Or has anyone made or fitted some sort of handle back there? I did a search, but either the answer is no or my Google-Fu is lacking. I was thinking of a chrome drawer pull, bit they are made to go on flat surfaces, which the trunk lid isn't.

Anyone install something like this on the rear trunk?
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How did it fit? Did it have to be filed down so it would fit the curve? Or maybe did you use a different style?
TIA

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I would look in Home Depot or Lowe's in the Kitchen handles section ….. many dozens to choose from ………… IMHO , using it to open would be OK …. But using it to close could break the Trunk lid plastic ………….good luck …. Mike :thumbup:

[Lew L]

Some of us here have racks on our RT's. Mine is finished in " safety Chrome" It makes a great lifting handle and carries our rain suits and the bike cover. Haven't heard of one cracking a trunk lid either.

Lew L

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Some of us here have racks on our RT's. Mine is finished in " safety Chrome" It makes a great lifting handle and carries our rain suits and the bike cover. Haven't heard of one cracking a trunk lid either.

Lew L

Lew, you are comparing apples to oranges. The possible stress created by your trunk rack which is attached at 4 ( or more ) points is far less than the 2 points on the handle pictured above. Also you are pushing down on the RACK which will close the LID. Pushing down on that handle is going to create a hugh amount of stress where the bolts go thru the plastic...………. Mike :thumbup:

[ozarkryder]

On our 1st Goldwing trike, a GL1500 Goldwing, there were cracks around the 4 holes where the rack was attached to the lid. I used black ABS cement and a layer of woven fiberglass mat to fix the cracks and and strengthen the lid from the inside. Our current GL1800 trike had a crack around one of the legs of the rack just starting, so I did the fiberglass/ABS cement thing again. Plus I got some large fender washers underneath And some decorative fender washers on the top to distribute the load. I would still be careful not to put much pressure on the rack - be careful not to slam the lid closed using the rack. I use the rack on the goldwing to open the trunk, and to close the trunk until the latches touch, then I engage the locks by pushing down on the lid itself, not the handle.

[Lew L]

Lew, you are comparing apples to oranges. The possible stress created by your trunk rack which is attached at 4 ( or more ) points is far less than the 2 points on the handle pictured above. Also you are pushing down on the RACK which will close the LID. Pushing down on that handle is going to create a hugh amount of stress where the bolts go thru the plastic...………. Mike :thumbup:

I like both apples and oranges. The rack is great for carrying small pack with 2 rain gears and a half cover. With these items, the back edges of the rack make it easy to lift the trunk lid. Also closing the lid is " better as having the rack edge to control the lowering of the lid.

I'm NOT overloading any thing BTW. I know the limits of the trunk and total with the rack, bag, and trunk contents are just below BRP's stated limit. The safety chrome rack is snug to the sides of the lid and helps spread any stress along with body washers in the inside. I cracked enough plastic to know not to over tighten the 4 bits of attaching hardware.

Thousand of miles and hundreds of openings and closings have left nothing but a smile on my face on my choice of racks. nojoke

It works great as a handle--- Mike, I was not trying to compare it to a piece of cabinet hardware ( though it was much more expensive , espcially in " safety" chrome):joke:

Lew L

[UtahPete]

We have the rack on one bike but not the other. I've put the second lift strut on both bike's lids. Neither bike's lid will open by itself, but the one with the rack on it is easier to open and close manually.

I'd like to make it easier to manipulate the rackless lid without having to add a rack. The handle idea seeks to address that but I'd be concerned about the plastic lid getting cracked, so won't be using that particular solution.

Let's focus on possible solutions.

Thanks.

[cruisinTX]

Lew, you are comparing apples to oranges. The possible stress created by your trunk rack which is attached at 4 ( or more ) points is far less than the 2 points on the handle pictured above. Also you are pushing down on the RACK which will close the LID. Pushing down on that handle is going to create a hugh amount of stress where the bolts go thru the plastic...………. Mike :thumbup:

There is a solution to that cracking around the bolts. Provided there is room to install a backing plate on the inside and outside, you can put a 14ga stainless steel or aluminum plate and use fender washers between it and the bolts on the inside to spread the forces over a larger area. The plate on the outside would spread those forces out as well. I mounted running lights on one of my bikes using this method. The pictured running light has been on my RT for almost 55K miles like this and is showing no sign of stress fractures around the single bolt holding it on.