luggage rack fitting for a 2011 B5

[mattsz]

So I ordered two racks from NField Gear - one that's meant, in theory, to fit my bike (Z90205 "Carrier, Rear Versatile w/ Pillion Seat [Bullet]"), and one that isn't (Z91110 "Carrier, Rear Luggage [Electra and G5]").  Neither fits.

The Bullet rack first.  The bolt holes all line up, but the front arms that mount to the shock bolts are too close together.  They fall well inside the fender supports, and in fact almost touch the fender.  In order to mount them to the shock bolts, each arm would have to be bent out approximately one inch, outside the fender supports and then straight down again.  I'm afraid that if I bend the arms the needed amount, I'll damage the finish (which is crap anyway), or worse, break the arm.

Photo 1: Wide view of the rack - it's mount holes are lined up the way they would be for proper installation, but the front arms land inside the fender supports, nowhere near the shock mount bolts.

Photo 2: Closeup of the front arm - not even close.

Photo 3: Similar to 2, but from above - shows how far apart the arm and its mount are.

G5 rack to follow...

[mattsz]

The G5 rack: I like the look much better.  But, it doesn't fit, as expected.  GlennF's rack was close, or at least it looks that way; his dealer installed it and I don't know what kind of conniptions they went through.  I can picture in my head some bracket concepts, but does anyone have any ideas?  How much can I bend the arms before the chrome finish is damaged?

Photo 1: general view - the back holes almost line up, but it needs to be elevated so it doesn't hit the B5 fender hump.

Photo 2: side view - things don't look too bad from this angle...

Photo 3: top view - this rack is much wider at the front; the arms land about 1/2 inch outside the fender supports.  Could be bent in a bit, but I don't want to crack the chrome.  I hoped to clamp them onto the fender supports like GlennF's installation, but they're too wide.

Photo 4: same with the right side... too wide.

Any suggestions or ideas?

[GlennF]

I do not have the bike at work today but when I get a chance will unbolt the rack and take some photos of the mounts.

One difference I have noticed is the rear mount on my bike has a slot not a hole.

[gremlin]

Your B5 rack (the first one) needs a set of the half-circle clips that are used on the front mounting of the pillion seat (the rear seat mate of your front seat)

you would also need to drill a second hole in the rack leg above the mounting rail.

[sparklow]

This is just a guess, so take it for what it is worth. I also have a B5. The frame, back fender of our bikes is similar or the same as the home market Indian 350s. I wonder if we would need to source a rack that would fit those home market bikes?

[mattsz]

Gremlin - can you elaborate about the "half-circle clips" you mentioned?  Or better yet, a photo or web link?

Sparklow - you may be right, but it's difficult to communicate sometimes.  I checked with royalenfieldzone.com  regarding this rack:
http://www.royalenfieldzone.com/view_large.asp?Id=2466
Look familiar?  I received assurance that it would fit my bike, and that it cost $150 and another $100 to ship to the US. 

I asked again for confirmation of that price in US$.  So... don't think I'll be ordering from them any time soon!

[mattsz]

Your B5 rack (the first one) needs a set of the half-circle clips that are used on the front mounting of the pillion seat (the rear seat mate of your front seat)

you would also need to drill a second hole in the rack leg above the mounting rail.

Ahh...  I think I see what you're getting at now, Gremlin:

[mattsz]

I just looked at the NFG photo of the black rack, and it shows two bolts with sleeves.  Sure enough, I found them at the bottom of the box.  But, I still don't see how to make it fit.  That bolt would have to replace the shock mount bolt, and it's the wrong size - too short, too small.

[mattsz]

I do not have the bike at work today but when I get a chance will unbolt the rack and take some photos of the mounts.

One difference I have noticed is the rear mount on my bike has a slot not a hole.

If you want to snap a closeup photo or two of the hardware while mounted, that would be ok, but please don't remove the rack from your bike!  I can see how it fits just fine from the other photos you've posted here.  I was hoping that the rack I bought would be close, like yours, but clearly it's much wider than the one you got.

Still pondering a way to fabricate a bracket that will work, and won't be too ugly, for those wide front arms.

Lock that rack up at night! 

[gremlin]

Ahh...  I think I see what you're getting at now, Gremlin:

and those half-moon clips are properly angled as well,  they are made for clamping round that stock at an angle !

[Arizoni]

If I was going to install that G5 rack I would mount the forward two legs to the tubular frame using an AN742 or MS9024 type clamp on each side to secure it.  Use this link to see what the AN742 clamp looks like.

http://www.everyspec.com/Clamp/AN735_THRU_AN742/

Although the jet engine business uses hundreds of these kind of clamps (usually cushioned to provide support for tubing) they are not a common item carried by hardware stores so I would buy some steel "plumbers tape" and make my own.

Plumbers tape is the roll of steel with holes punched thru it.  It is used to make supports for pipe and tubing.  It is easily cut with metal cutting shears or a hack saw and it is easy to bend it to wrap around a tube.
Here's a link to some plumbers tape if you want to see a picture
http://compare.ebay.com/like/370034111375?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

After making my home made clamps I would wrap them around the frames tube with the straight leg towards the fender and hanging down below the tube.
The front legs of the luggage rack would extend down below my home made clamp and either be bent outward to match the clamps location (best) or I would use a stack of washers between the downward leg of the clamp and the faces of the racks front tubes (not the best).

The plumbers tape and any washers or spacers used would be painted black.

[mattsz]

Arizoni -

Now you've got me thinking.  Angled loop-type clamps like you mentioned...  spacers...  I have lengths of black delrin rod, both 1/2 and 3/4 inch, which I can machine to any size I want - prob'ly would make a good spacer.  Hmmmm.....

Still waiting to hear from NFG guys about how the rack that is supposed to fit, is supposed to fit...

[Arizoni]

As I mentioned, using spacers between the two forward rack legs and the tube clamps isn't the best idea.

Because the load will be straight down on the rack, the offset between the legs and the supporting clamps will create a torque which is constantly trying to twist the lower ends of the clamps down.  This will result in a turning force that will try to bend the clamps outward.

If you just bite the bullet (pun intended) and bend the two front legs outward about 1 inch and then bend the lower area so it is perpendicular to the ground, the load on the clamps will be straight down.
This too will try to rotate the clamps but because their vertical surfaces are right up against the racks legs they cannot rotate.

[mattsz]

Arizoni-

Just so we're clear - are you talking about mounting the black B5 rack (which doesn't fit my B5), or are you talking about mounting the G5 rack (which also doesn't fit my B5)?

I thought you were talking about the G5 rack - I can't see bending any parts of the rack without busting up the chrome.  I'm worried about breaking the other rack's arms if I try to bend them...

[gremlin]

...  I have lengths of black delrin rod, both 1/2 and 3/4 inch......

Should I ask ?