XJ1100 rear carrier rack ideas needed

[TomB]

I need a rear carrier for my XJ1100, I was thinking of making my own simple tubular platform that bolts to the XJ's rear aluminium seat bar to carry a tent and other camping kit. I have hard bags already so only need to make the rear carrier rack.

Have any of you guys made something like this? or bought one like this?

Any pictures would be great.

Tom

[DiverRay]

Tom,
I welded up a carrier for my LG from 1/4" square tubing. I used the shock mount top bolt as the front point, and one set of bolts on the handle as a second mount. I'll look and see if I have a photo available. It IS a lot like the XJ, so it would probably work for you. I did make it as an "extension" of the seat so I could put something large on the rack and passenger seat, then bungie it down.
Sorry, no photo. Photobucket is so bad that after 2 minutes I STILL can't get to my own photo's! I'll take the time later today to pull everything off the site...

[TomB]

Thanks Ray, I'll be riding two up so will need to put the kit behind the pillion.

Apart from the forward extension part it sounds like your idea is what I need, a photo would have been good, PhotoBucket is a PIA now.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Tom,

I made a rack frame for mine years ago because I mounted both some hard saddlebags as well as a trunk bag. I used Angle iron and ran it from the upper shock mount like Ray said, but the XS's grab rail is not as BENT/Curved as the XJ's. SO...you would probably need to just use a piece of flat bar at least from the upper shock mount backwards till it cleared the grab rail area, then you could change to square tubing. I also used the rear grab rail mounting bolts as another support point for the trunk rack, but I also incorporated it into the saddlebag frame as well, so I also ran a support bar down to the passenger foot peg mount as well, but you probably don't need to do that.

The XJ has some bolts securing the upper plastic grab rail section to the lower metal portion, so that's another point where you could make another support bracket point to attach there as well. Spread those weight stresses around.

T.C.

This is a very old photo(s), but it shows the bags/trunk frame assembly, I was able to relocate the turn signals onto the rack moving them out of the way of the saddlebags.
The bags/trunk are diamond plate aluminum, not just off the shelf ABS stuff!

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/topcatgr/Forward%20Controls/fwd_cntrls_06b.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/topcatgr/Godzilla/2007_trunk01_zpsr8pwmhqh.jpg

[TomB]

Wow TC that is impressive luggage! Thanks for the photos.

I was thinking along this sort of idea


But not at this price

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-1100-XJ-MAXIM-XJ1100-Used-Rear-Luggage-Rack-Carrier-1982-YB149-/112409760879?hash=item1a2c24d46f:g:Z0AAAOSws5pZG4s2

I like your idea of flat plate for the bottom part, like where the ebay rack bolts to the bike instead of tube as the ebay rack has, Harley racks use similar flat plate.
I have 1/8" stainless plate that would work Ok.

[Bonz]

That rack is dying to have you make an offer on it. It's not going to sell at that price with the wear and tear it has.

[Schming]

Hi Tom,

I have an extra KG adjustable rear rack you can have if it will work for ya.

I have the same rack fitted to my XJ 750MK but I had to remove the grab bar.

I have it listed in the parts for sale section except the pics aren't visible thanxs to Pee Bucket.

I'll try to get pics up for ya somehow.

[DiverRay]

Tom, Can't upload or find the photo's I want. But, if you look at the picture of the rack, and imagine running a strait bar from the bend at the lower mount hole up to the end of the same bracket, you get the idea. makes the rack MUCH more stable, and very little weight added.

[TomB]

Dya mean some triangulation added?

[Jerry]

Back in the day I was looking for a rack for my XJ. Came across a rack at a boneyard, the guy I spoke to though it came off a Honda 750. Has one of those sliding backrests with a pocket that says "Honda" on it. Seems to me I adapted it to fit the XJ without much trouble, adapted it again when I mounted Vetter bags and fairing to fit the Vetter frame since I didn't get the Vetter rack.



Paid around $10.00 for it. You might look into adapting a close fit instead of constructing something from scratch. At lest gives you a starting point.

[DiverRay]

Tom, yes. I wanted something that COULD carry 50 lbs WITHOUT fear of it breaking. I'm old school, and ALWAYS over-engineer.

[TomB]

I'm old school, and ALWAYS over-engineer.

Haha yep me too.

Thanks Jerry, I never thought of adapting another rack.

[tcoop]

I didn't make this. I got it off EBay for about $50. I don't know what brand it is. The only issue is it covers up the license plate, but so far I have not had any issues with the police.

[robbo]

Hi Tom. i have a rack for a xs11, dont know if it would fit the xj. I can take some pics if your interested. You can pm on this site or our uk site.

Cheers Rob

[TomB]

Thanks for all the brilliant responses guys

Thanks Ty, where it fits to the XJ aluminium rail fixing is good to see. I hadn't thought about the license plate problem, I may mount the plate below the rear light to get round the problem, the UK Police are red hot on license plate infringements

Cheers Rob, the XJ1100 is slightly different to the XS1100's but any info is good as these guys have shown.

The 2018 Euro rally is in Berlin and I want to go on my XJ1100, having just got back from this years rally its in my mind to get on with my XJ11 work