Just a little more storage on an RT..??

[Cruzr Joe]

Joe, I'm pretty much with Mike on this. IMO, it would be fairly easy to load 20 pounds of stuff into the trunk, thus leaving you zero spare capacity, according to specified load limit, to add anything to the top of the trunk. Now, if your experience is that a total load of 30 or 40 lbs, including what's IN the trunk and ON the trunk, has caused no problems in spite of exceeding the BRP spec, then more power to you. In that case feel free to SUGGEST the rack as a solution, but for those who take notice of the BRP specifications, it would be prudent, IMO, to acknowledge this approach MAY cause an overloading issue.

I do not carry a lot of weight back there, if i had a bowling ball it would go in the frunk, but an extra change of clothes or non heavy items are perfectly fine back there and don't use up the room in the other compartments.

Cruzr Joe

[WA5VHU]

Just remember that the things you put on a hitch mounted tray will vibrate with every movement of the rear wheel, amplified by the length of the setup behind the axle. Clothes and such should be OK but I wouldn't put my shaving kit back there. In another thread one poster said he had a small ice chest back there and the milk or cream he had in it for his coffee had mostly turned to butter after one leg of their trip.

[Upstater]

While BlueKnight and Cruzr Joe hash this one out, I think I might try to come up with a plan to fabricate some framework similar to how the hitch installs, but I don't want the hitch. The rack is interesting though. This might take some head scratchin'.....LOL. The budget is tight, so the hitch is out, and a trailer is certainly out. The bag 'o quarters just might be the final approach.
Mike and Cruzr Joe, I've learned a lot from both of you guys, so don't get in a peein' match on my account.....

I installed the Show Chrome rack on the trunk lid of my '12 RT Ltd. Relatively easy if you follow the instructions to a tee and measure, measure, measure. For our 4-5hr trip to SpyderQuest (3 days) in Lake George NY, the rack worked out well. Plus, I like the look. It adds to the "touring" feel of the RT. A waterproof duffle bag was the perfect size for some essential clothing items and did not exceed the trunk weight limit. We weighed everything in/out of the trunk and it was 16 lbs total (under the 20lb weight limit). Bigger and bulkier stuff was reserved for the frunk and side bags. We had everything we needed and did not want for anything.
Obviously a trailer or trailer rack allows for more stuff. But the expense is nothing to sneeze at. If you don't want to drill into the trunk deck and/or need more capacity, the trailer rack may be your best bang for buck. But, you will have the added expense of installing the hitch assembly first (assuming you don't have it already). Good luck, let us know what you decide.

[guzzihack]

This is kinda two part question-observation. I also have thought about the rack/bag idea for the trunk lid. But from what I've looked so far, I haven't found a bike cover that will work with the rack installed. Is there one out there? I'd like a travel cover to keep the seat and dash dry if one is available. The bag could be a nice spot for traveling stuff like rained, gloves, glass cleaner etc.

My second Q-O is that the inner liners on the saddlebags could be remolded for more volume. They should at least do the left bag where the bulge for the non-existing battery was. Seems like there should be constant ant improvements on a good design. If I was plastic mod smart I'd try to change/push the bulge back and make more room. It's sad a helmet won't fit in there.

Sometimes I may do to much driving thinking.
Coke

[Purple Guy]

I do not carry a lot of weight back there, if i had a bowling ball it would go in the frunk, but an extra change of clothes or non heavy items are perfectly fine back there and don't use up the room in the other compartments.

Cruzr Joe

with Joe.
Be mindful of what you pack and where you pack it.
Addind the trunk rack solved all my (ok, my Wifes) packing problems!

[jerpinoy]

If we can only go back in time, GO NAKED.

[YIRYDE]

I have the trailer and I use the Pakit Rak for weekend trips. I haven't had any problems with the Pakit Rak so far.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...ighlight=pakit

[jaherbst]

OK, I have been riding for 64 years and still take more than I need. I'm still working on it. Two people just don't need any more space than is provided on the Spyder RT. If you lay things out long before the trip and really think about it you will discover all the things you really don't need. Try it sometime. Really.

Ride with the bare essentials and plan on laundry every three days at the motel. It will take about one hour of your day. (you can read your owners manual or call home while waiting for your undies to dry ) ​I traveled around the world for a living for 40 years and packing became part of my life.
Most if not all Hotels will provide 90% of anything you need, just ask. Rolling your clothes tightly instead of folding saves space. You only need one change of clothes and three days of undies if you think about it.

Mailing things home that you are not using or giving them to Good Will is a good idea. Taking too much along is like always having "comfort food" with you. Take a walk on the wild side once and try to do without all that useless stuff you haul around and never use. Remember in an emergency Walmart is always there to help you.

"We don't need no stinking racks"

​Jack

[PenMyster52]

We added chrome rack and don't carry more than extra 10# or so but gives us extra spot and easy access.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[DickyRichard]

I have a pak-it rak that I would sell. I have gone to a folding camper trailer and no longer use the rak. One problem with this type of rack is the bouncing of the swing arm. I had the mounting hardware bend. The company sent a new heavier one to me free. I have not used it so don't know if it works better. If you just put light weight clothing in it, it should be no problem. Remember, you have a 40 lb limit on the swing arm hitch. DickyRichard

[cognaccruiser]

Learn what is needed as opposed to what you think you might want and learn how to pack your things to save space.

My wife and I have been done numerous trips on bikes for years prior to the Spyder. We used to bicycle camp and carry everything we needed. We canoed for years on lengthy trips and learned to take only what was needed. The Spyder has more space than our Venture or Wing and we don't have a rear rack or trailer on our Spyder. If I was going to add something it would be the trunk rack. Crusr Joe is correct in that the rack and bag doesn't have to exceed BRP's load limit. Reserve that for lighter, bulkier clothing that isn't heavy.

Jaherbst is also correct. Roll up your clothing tightly. We use compression straps to keep clothing rolled tight. Shoes can also be packed with compression straps. We do have the soft saddlebag liners and that helps to keep things tightly packed. If you think about what to take and only what you need, you will reduce the unnecessary items. Things like jeans take lots of space so we don't take them any more. We wear riding pants and carry light weight pants, the type with zip off legs that double as shorts and look quite presentable. Underwear and socks and T's can be washed so only take max 3 pair. Sometimes I keep old underwear that gets worn once on a trip and then thrown away. Think of learning to travel lightly as a challenge and a learning experience. I can't remember ever having wanted something that we didn't bring and still usually end up bringing something we didn't need but everything fits in the storage space on our Spyder.

Gary

[robmorg]

Joe, I'm pretty much with Mike on this. IMO, it would be fairly easy to load 20 pounds of stuff into the trunk, thus leaving you zero spare capacity, according to specified load limit, to add anything to the top of the trunk. Now, if your experience is that a total load of 30 or 40 lbs, including what's IN the trunk and ON the trunk, has caused no problems in spite of exceeding the BRP spec, then more power to you. In that case feel free to SUGGEST the rack as a solution, but for those who take notice of the BRP specifications, it would be prudent, IMO, to acknowledge this approach MAY cause an overloading issue.

I suspect that the 20 lb. limit is over cautious, but I can't say that with certainty because I don't know how BRP came up with that figure. But at the same time, I have to wonder why that weight limit for the trunk is so low. That rear storage module is a fairly sturdy piece, and it is bolted to the frame with some hefty bolts.

My greater concern about loading up the "Show Chrome" trunk rack is that the way it mounts to the trunk lid might cause stress at the attachment points. Some folks have reported cracks there. That is partially why I got this rack from Value Accessories instead. (The other reason was that it doesn't hide the high brake light.)



When going up for SpyderQuest last fall, I had that trunk rack loaded with a medium size trunk bag, and also a fully loaded backpack on the passenger seat. I had a little room to spare, but not much. i would be fairly comfortable on any extended trip riding solo in this fashion. But frankly, I don't know how folks who travel double on the RT do it without a trailer.

[finless]

I'm not saying that 20 lb. limit is over cautious, because I don't know how they came up with that figure. But at the same time, I have to wonder why that weight limit for the trunk is so low. That rear storage module is a fairly sturdy piece, and it is bolted to the frame with some very hefty bolts.

My take after having it off my Spyder is yes it bolts to the frame with big bolts but the rear end is plastic even where it mounts to the frame. I think they are worried with too much weight it will crack or fatigue the plastic mounting bars.

Bob

[ARtraveler]

Take less stuff! You need underwear/sox for 5 days. A few shirts, a spare pair of pants or jeans, toiletries. Do laundry. All your stuff should easily fit in the trunk and one side case. Her stuff in 1 sidecase, and the frunk. No redundancies - you are going to Springfield, Mo, a town with all manner of stores and shops. If you ruin your shoes, pitch them, and get new ones. If you split your pants, there are tailor shops who can fix them. You are not going to the middle of no where! With practice, you can whittle it down to a fairly small bag. Yes, bring tools, but only for emergency repairs. There are enough tools at Lamont's shop to fix any problems. A small sewing kit - if you lose a button, or tear something. A knife or leatherman tool. Lay it all out on the floor, and then be very critical. Boots to ride in, shoes or sneakers to lounge around. Less is better. You will get better with practice! That is half the fun! A tankbag might help. Joe

x 2.

[RTJERRY]

Bite the bullet and buy a trailer. You won't even know it's back there and can carry what you need. Mini trailer USA is a vendor on this site.

[CapNCrunch]

I rode from Las Vegas to Florida and back and from Las Vegas to British Columbia and back with a box on the trailer hitch and I hated it. Spyder handled awful with that. On the FL trip I know for sure that I was well below the 40 lb tongue weight but it was still awful. If it was me, I'd go with the rack on the lid or better yet buy your wife her own Spyder and you'll have twice the storage. I would think that the trailer hitch option is a lot more expensive than the trunk rack.

Being an old aircraft tech, I would think that both weight and balance would be thrown off when using the trailer hitch box with a load of stuff. As an option, I've used a set of textile saddlebags thrown over the back seat, and the passenger had plenty of room for their legs and feet, and you can take it into the motel with you. Worked great, because the balance wasn't thrown off. Just a thought.
CapNCrunch : =)

[Mazo EMS2]

Being an old aircraft tech, I would think that both weight and balance would be thrown off when using the trailer hitch box with a load of stuff. As an option, I've used a set of textile saddlebags thrown over the back seat, and the passenger had plenty of room for their legs and feet, and you can take it into the motel with you. Worked great, because the balance wasn't thrown off. Just a thought.
CapNCrunch : =)

I've thought about this option as well.

[DJFaninTN]

OK, I have been riding for 64 years and still take more than I need. I'm still working on it. Two people just don't need any more space than is provided on the Spyder RT.

​Jack

Obviously you have never traveled with my wife

​I do agree with you and we did that the first few times we traveled but once we got a trailer, Momma figured out real quickly she could take her pillow and several different shoes plus go shopping along the way. If Momma ain't happy then no one is happy. Truer words have never been spoken!

[Cruzr Joe]

This is kinda two part question-observation. I also have thought about the rack/bag idea for the trunk lid. But from what I've looked so far, I haven't found a bike cover that will work with the rack installed. Is there one out there? I'd like a travel cover to keep the seat and dash dry if one is available. The bag could be a nice spot for traveling stuff like rained, gloves, glass cleaner etc.

My second Q-O is that the inner liners on the saddlebags could be remolded for more volume. They should at least do the left bag where the bulge for the non-existing battery was. Seems like there should be constant ant improvements on a good design. If I was plastic mod smart I'd try to change/push the bulge back and make more room. It's sad a helmet won't fit in there.

Sometimes I may do to much driving thinking.
Coke

I use the "ULTRAGARD" half cover and it covers the bag rack and all the way up to the frunk. Mind you that you may have to cut a hole in it for your antenna, i have a retractable antenna so i don't need the hole. I also threw away the metal hooks and use some elastic cord.

Cruzr Joe

[finless]

Being an old aircraft tech, I would think that both weight and balance would be thrown off when using the trailer hitch box with a load of stuff.

The trailer hitch hooks to the swing arm and thus any tounge load is applied to that and directly to the axle. It is not weight on the body like the trunk rack.
Trailer hitch tounge load spec is max 40 lbs as I recall. Probably not good to go that much though.

Bob

[vstrommer]

I have been searching for the rack that robmorg has on his RT and I can't seem to locate one. Does anyone know where to find one like it?

[Cruzr Joe]

I have been searching for the rack that robmorg has on his RT and I can't seem to locate one. Does anyone know where to find one like it?

"Value Accessories" a supporting vendor on the home page, just click on their Icon.

Cruzr Joe

[jaherbst]

Obviously you have never traveled with my wife

​I do agree with you and we did that the first few times we traveled but once we got a trailer, Momma figured out real quickly she could take her pillow and several different shoes plus go shopping along the way. If Momma ain't happy then no one is happy. Truer words have never been spoken!

​Kudos to you. Ain't it the truth!

[vstrommer]

I looked on the website and did not see it there.....Must be discontinued...

[robmorg]

I looked on the website and did not see it there.....Must be discontinued...

Jeff,

I looked on the Value Accessories web site and don't see it anymore either. It is made by "Custom World International". Here is their web site, but it doesn't look like it's been updated since 2014. Don't know if you can reach anyone from that site.

That said, Value Accessories does appear to sell a lot of other Custom World parts on this page. Perhaps if you emailed them, they might supply you with more info. Feel free to copy either of my pictures here if you do that.

Good luck.