Your Tail Bag Luggage Rack Suggestions

[robhowen]

Have any of you installed RT Tail Bag Luggage Racks OTHER THAN the Custom Chrome or Rivco ones attached? If so what, and a photo or link to the product is appreciated. Your comments are also welcome.
Thank you,
Rob

 

[blacklightning]

I installed a trailer hitch and one of the racks from Doc Humphrey. It was very useful when the wife and I went to the Rally in Maggie Valley this past fall. I would estimate that it increased my carrying capacity by at least 50%.

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[Paula]

Cover fit?

Rob- I am glad you posted this. Looking forward on seeing the options and would like to add to your questions.

I have a partial or 1/2 cover. I think that I read on here that if I get the rear trunk rack my cover won't fit anymore? Anyone know if that is true?

Blacklightning- Did you notice a difference in how your spyder handled with the rack? I noticed a big difference when I ride double... and I don't like the different feeling...

Thanks hyea:

 

[Cruzr Joe]

Rob- I am glad you posted this. Looking forward on seeing the options and would like to add to your questions.

I have a partial or 1/2 cover. I think that I read on here that if I get the rear trunk rack my cover won't fit anymore? Anyone know if that is true?

Blacklightning- Did you notice a difference in how your spyder handled with the rack? I noticed a big difference when I ride double... and I don't like the different feeling...

Thanks hyea:

The BRP 1/2 cover will not work with a rack, the Ultraguard 1/2 cover will work.

Cruzr Joe

 

[cognaccruiser]

Have any of you installed RT Tail Bag Luggage Racks OTHER THAN the Custom Chrome or Rivco ones attached? If so what, and a photo or link to the product is appreciated. Your comments are also welcome.
Thank you,
Rob

robhowen, There are not a lot of other options to the top mount trunk racks that are much different than these IMHO. Diamond R does make one that is flat, and not sloping, much like the Rivco. Their website shows it I believe. I just installed the Rivco this fall and am happy with it.

Rob- I am glad you posted this. Looking forward on seeing the options and would like to add to your questions.

I have a partial or 1/2 cover. I think that I read on here that if I get the rear trunk rack my cover won't fit anymore? Anyone know if that is true?

Paula, As stated above, I installed the Rivco and have a BRP half cover. The BRP cover no longer fit over once the Rivco was installed BUT my wife and I redesigned the BRP cover and she did the sewing work and it looks like it was designed to fit. We used the original stuff sack and needed a very small additional amount of coated fabric to complete it. Sorry no pictures at present. If you are at all comfortable with sewing it can be done. Some of the other after market half covers apparently do still fit over the Rivco and other racks.

Gary

 

[ruralgirl]

I installed a trailer hitch and one of the racks from Doc Humphrey. It was very useful when the wife and I went to the Rally in Maggie Valley this past fall. I would estimate that it increased my carrying capacity by at least 50%.

Thanks for showing this. What's the maximum weight that it can carry? Also, I wonder about the legal ramifications of covering up one's license plate with cargo?

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

MAX WEIGHT

Thanks for showing this. What's the maximum weight that it can carry? Also, I wonder about the legal ramifications of covering up one's license plate with cargo?

The rack is strong enough to hold far above the MAX for the tongue. Which I believe is 40 lbs .... I don't know what the rack weighs, but you would add that to the items you plan to carry ............. And for those of you who want to add the REAR TRUNK RACK ..... BRP placed a 20 lb weight limit on the trunk that means anything on that rack has to be included in that 20 lbs ........ Can you go over - probably :dontknow:, but folks here freak out about using car tires on the Spyder and not genuine Mtc ( ie Kenda ) tires ........ good luck ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[blacklightning]

Rob- I am glad you posted this. Looking forward on seeing the options and would like to add to your questions.

I have a partial or 1/2 cover. I think that I read on here that if I get the rear trunk rack my cover won't fit anymore? Anyone know if that is true?

Blacklightning- Did you notice a difference in how your spyder handled with the rack? I noticed a big difference when I ride double... and I don't like the different feeling...

Thanks hyea:

Due to the weight restrictions on the trailer hitch, there is no problems with the extra load on the rear.

 

[blacklightning]

Thanks for showing this. What's the maximum weight that it can carry? Also, I wonder about the legal ramifications of covering up one's license plate with cargo?

I also have the pack that is sold separately from the rack assembly. This only goes up about 6-8" above the bottom of the rack, so therefore, it will not get in the way of the license plate.
as for the load, the rack is very strong, but the load on the hitch is limited to 40 pounds. I actually weighed my rack before mounting, and it is 11 pounds. That means that you can load approx. 30 pounds of luggage. Typically I will only load things such as shirts, pants, and other clothing that will be not be needed until getting to the destination.
There are other racks sold, but I like the way it distributes the load and doesn't take it any further to the rear of the spyder than it has to.

 

[dlby]

I use the custom rack ---
With a twist, I put a really nice carry on type of luggage case on the rack. All kinds of places to put stuff! Matches the seat & have a water proof cover for it if it gets to bad wo rain.

I love R&R put another dime in the jukebox baby!

 

[ruralgirl]

Thanks Mike and Blacklightening. I didn't know that the max load on the hitch could only be 40#. Way too light for what I had in mind.

 

[Peteoz]

Thanks Mike and Blacklightening. I didn't know that the max load on the hitch could only be 40#. Way too light for what I had in mind.

Gee...how many cases of Bud are you planning on carrying, Ruralgirl? :roflblack:

 

[ruralgirl]

Gee...how many cases of Bud are you planning on carrying, Ruralgirl? :roflblack:

Yuck, I can't stand beer! Actually, I was thinking of a better way to carry 50# bags of livestock feed. Currently, I stack them on my passenger seat, but today's bags are made of slick plastic, so I have to tie them down (to the handrails) from here to Sunday and they still don't feel particularly stable. At the very least, I need to install higher tie-downs, but I'm not finding solid locations, although my project is on hold until Spyke comes out of hibernation.

 

[Bob Denman]

It sounds as if you really need a hitch and a trailer. nojoke
Just distribute the weight properly, and watch your total weight limit; you'll be hauling feed in no time! :thumbup:

 

[jaherbst]

Yuck, I can't stand beer! Actually, I was thinking of a better way to carry 50# bags of livestock feed. Currently, I stack them on my passenger seat, but today's bags are made of slick plastic, so I have to tie them down (to the handrails) from here to Sunday and they still don't feel particularly stable. At the very least, I need to install higher tie-downs, but I'm not finding solid locations, although my project is on hold until Spyke comes out of hibernation.

Perhaps a pickup truck or a Polaris Ranger would be more suited for the task of hauling thing such as 50# bags of livestock feed.

You might be a rural girl but your Spyder is a "City Slicker"!

Jack

 

[ruralgirl]

Bob and Jack, you guys are No Fun!! I've got a pickup, a side-by-side isn't road legal here, and a trailer would just be a PITA. I know my pretty girl, Spyke, was born to be a city slicker, but my philosophy about machines, horses, and people is, beauty is moot if it renders the individual less useful. Spyke has zero complaints when we play pickitup truck together (and we don't deny enjoying the spectator gawk factor); she just needs a little help gripping her "passengers".

 

[Bob Denman]

"Function over form": I can dig it! :thumbup:

 

[Mazo EMS2]

Could you find some sort of rack that you mount on the seat, that would in turn attach to the grab rails somehow? Then load up the rack......don't know...just thinkin through my fingertips here...opcorn:

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree: A piece of plywood, that has been cut to fit. Add some U-bolts, to hook it to the grabrails, and some eyebolts on top: for tie-downs! :clap:

 

[ruralgirl]

Could you find some sort of rack that you mount on the seat, that would in turn attach to the grab rails somehow? Then load up the rack......don't know...just thinkin through my fingertips here...opcorn:

Your (brilliant ) idea is the same as mine. I'm designing an adjustable metal rack that'll sit on the seat and attach to the rails, but it'll also require higher tie downs. Anything I come up with will require horizontal tying ability that's several inches above the handrails to snug the load to the backrest.