Tail luggage rack fitment?

[buellboy]

Will a tail luggage rack from a 1978 xs1100 fit on a 1979 XS1100SF Special?

[motoman]

Since the 78 was a Standard model only........unlikely without some mods to the racks mounting points.

[cywelchjr]

I'm unsure on the SF as it's different than any of the other specials and some ways. It's mounting points for the rack just might be the same as the E and F mounting points are, unlike the SG and SH which both have different rack mounting points than the G and H even though the H uses the same exhaust as the SG and SH (how about that for weird?). Then to make matters stranger, the SF shares basically the same side covers as the G and H with the upper slots being the only difference between them, you can even move them from one to the other with only minor surgery to the upper mounting points of the side covers (and of course changing the emblems).

[newc4]

Racks

I believe so. I had the identical racks on my 78E and 79SF. You'll have to remove the special grab bar though.

[crazy steve]

Will a tail luggage rack from a 1978 xs1100 fit on a 1979 XS1100SF Special?

Not without modifying in most cases. The rearmost mounting points on the frame aren't quite in the same place between the models. All the standards are the same, as are all the specials. A quick glance can lead you to think they are, but they're not; the special mounts are about 1" higher in relationship to the rest of the mounting compared to a standard. It doesn't help that the different versions of the aftermarket luggage racks look identical to each other, with the only way you can tell would be to have both types in front of you for a direct A-B check. One other problem that can come up is some require that you remove the stock grab rail, a problem on the '80-81 Specials as you'll lose your taillight mount.

Bottom line? You can fit a special rack on a standard (and vice-versa), but you'll have to modify the rear mounting points on the rack for proper fit. This will usually mean cutting off the rear mounts and welding them back on either higher or lower to match your bike. Failure to do this will leave the rack slanted up or down (depending on which rack you're putting on which bike). Unless you actually see the bike the rack has come off of (and how it fit on that bike), it can be impossible to tell if a given rack will work.

I have seen one type of 'universal' type rack that would fit both; this one has a flat plate at the rear mount with different mounting holes in it, but there's some other hardware involved (spacers, bolts) that you need to have. I've only seen a few, they seem to be rare.

[tom clisham]

A factory rack will fit

I took a rack off my 78E & bolted it onto my 79SF. Just had to relocate the signal lights, as they wouldn't clear the rack. Yamaha actually made signal light relcation brackets. I have a couple sets in my garage.