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Rider Backrests

Lancer

Junior Member
I am about to put a rider backrest on my 08 Ultra Classic. There are two types that fit the OEM seat. One is fixed the other has a gas strut that you can adjust on the fly. Price is $300 vs $200 is the gas strut worth $100? Seems once the backrest is set there would not be much need to change it, or do most find they need to change it especially when on a long ride?:)
 
Adjustable has got to be the way to go with back issues. For me, I'm like Hobbit, feels best to change position every once in awhile, no matter how slightly.

Bottom line - you're riding a Harley for Pete's sake, let's not get cheap now and worry about a hundred bucks! :p
 
Adjustable has got to be the way to go with back issues. For me, I'm like Hobbit, feels best to change position every once in awhile, no matter how slightly.

Bottom line - you're riding a Harley for Pete's sake, let's not get cheap now and worry about a hundred bucks! :p
Yeah I know, can't help it though. (the 100 bucks I mean) I'll be up to Mayretta/Kennesaw end of this month hopefully on my bike. Maybe get a chance to hook up for lunch and a short ride.
 
I bought a used 03 RG, and it came with a fixed rider backrest. There is a height adjustment and a bit of an adjustment for lean, but all in all, I don't like it. It's too upright for me and after a while it's really uncomfortable.

Bottom line, if you can, try one out for a while before putting out any money for either one. You might not like it.
 
I have the adjustable rest and it is worth every penny it cost. I rode almost 5000 miles to Sturgis and back and moved it a bit now and then to get a different position. I have mounted the adjustment lever in the right side panel. Now I can still use the heater for my hands (put them behind the rear cylinder), as the stock location is under the rear of the fuel tank on thel left side.
BUY THE ADJUSTABLE BACK REST--YOU WON'T BE SORRY!
 
Hi all .. I do have a back problem. I bought the nonadjustable one ... Well it pushed me way to forward on the bike. So turned the mount backward cut off the tab and welded anew one on ...I also had to move or say bend the rods on the backrest to fit just right but now it is perfect and saved a HD. Not a hard job at all...
 
Howdy group, I put a fixed one on my 08, it was a bear to get in there and I had to mess with it a bit to get it right. Works great now that I have it low enough and back enough. I was having trouble getting the pins to engage on the lowest setting, since it popped out in the first or second, I just wasn't strong enough in the fingers to keep it compressed. I ended up putting flat head bolts in the top two so it had no chance to engage. I just dread taking it out, my hands are too big and too weak! I just put on the mid frame deflectors this past weekend, the instructions tell you to take the seat off, but when I studied the bolts, didn't have too, so they went on easy.
 
Howdy group, I put a fixed one on my 08, it was a bear to get in there and I had to mess with it a bit to get it right. Works great now that I have it low enough and back enough. I was having trouble getting the pins to engage on the lowest setting, since it popped out in the first or second, I just wasn't strong enough in the fingers to keep it compressed. I ended up putting flat head bolts in the top two so it had no chance to engage. I just dread taking it out, my hands are too big and too weak! I just put on the mid frame deflectors this past weekend, the instructions tell you to take the seat off, but when I studied the bolts, didn't have too, so they went on easy.

How dare you not follow HD's instructions to the letter! :p
 
Howdy group, I put a fixed one on my 08, it was a bear to get in there and I had to mess with it a bit to get it right. Works great now that I have it low enough and back enough. I was having trouble getting the pins to engage on the lowest setting, since it popped out in the first or second, I just wasn't strong enough in the fingers to keep it compressed. I ended up putting flat head bolts in the top two so it had no chance to engage. I just dread taking it out, my hands are too big and too weak! I just put on the mid frame deflectors this past weekend, the instructions tell you to take the seat off, but when I studied the bolts, didn't have too, so they went on easy.

You could try wrapping a thick plastic zip tie around the two posts that go down into the seat slit and pull it tight with a pair of pliers. That might compress them enough to slip the thing out.
 
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