DirtyRider
New Member
Has anyone fitted a passenger back rest pad to their OEM top box? And if so, what did you use or where did you get it?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Top Box Back Rest pad
- Thread starter DirtyRider
- Start date
MileageMonster
Well-Known Member
Bumot has got a great solution. Bumot top box back rest
DirtyRider
New Member
I've looked at those. My main concern with most that I have found is that they are for a smooth surface. The factory top box has the ridges, which I fear would interfere with adhesion of most aftermarket pads. I feel sure someone on this forum, much smarter than I, has already figured out the best option for this.
RCinNC
Well-Known Member
I didn't fit one to an OEM top box, but here's how I attached one to a knockoff Pelican case:
The backrest pad is an ATV seat pad from WalMart, folded in half with a piece of outdoor seat cushion foam stuffed inside, with the edges of the folded backrest sewn together. On each side of the pad I sewed a quick release buckle, with some adjustable webbing that terminates in a snap hook. I attached a couple D-rings on each side of the case. The snap hook clicks onto the D-ring, and then you can tighten the whole thing down to the top case by tightening up the quick release straps. You can't see it in the photo, but there is also a strip of two sided Velcro tape on each lower side of the pad; these go through a couple slots in my luggage rack, and keep the seat pad from shifting upwards when the passenger is getting off.
I made it this way so it could easily be removed for washing (and so the top case could be washed). You wouldn't need to mount D-rings on an OEM case; I had to do it that way because I couldn't wrap the attachment strap all the way around the top case (it would have interfered with trying to open the case). You wouldn't have that problem with the OEM case, since it's a top loader, and you could just wrap the strap from one side of the backrest all the way around the rear of the case to the other side of the backrest. That way, you wouldn't have to drill any holes in the case and compromise its water resistance. It's been a very secure mounting system, and it's been on the bike for at least 80,000 miles.
The backrest pad is an ATV seat pad from WalMart, folded in half with a piece of outdoor seat cushion foam stuffed inside, with the edges of the folded backrest sewn together. On each side of the pad I sewed a quick release buckle, with some adjustable webbing that terminates in a snap hook. I attached a couple D-rings on each side of the case. The snap hook clicks onto the D-ring, and then you can tighten the whole thing down to the top case by tightening up the quick release straps. You can't see it in the photo, but there is also a strip of two sided Velcro tape on each lower side of the pad; these go through a couple slots in my luggage rack, and keep the seat pad from shifting upwards when the passenger is getting off.
I made it this way so it could easily be removed for washing (and so the top case could be washed). You wouldn't need to mount D-rings on an OEM case; I had to do it that way because I couldn't wrap the attachment strap all the way around the top case (it would have interfered with trying to open the case). You wouldn't have that problem with the OEM case, since it's a top loader, and you could just wrap the strap from one side of the backrest all the way around the rear of the case to the other side of the backrest. That way, you wouldn't have to drill any holes in the case and compromise its water resistance. It's been a very secure mounting system, and it's been on the bike for at least 80,000 miles.
DirtyRider
New Member
That is a pretty good set-up and very similar to what I had on a previous bike. I would like to have something a little more low profile on the S10, and maybe something that looks factory.I didn't fit one to an OEM top box, but here's how I attached one to a knockoff Pelican case:
The backrest pad is an ATV seat pad from WalMart, folded in half with a piece of outdoor seat cushion foam stuffed inside, with the edges of the folded backrest sewn together. On each side of the pad I sewed a quick release buckle, with some adjustable webbing that terminates in a snap hook. I attached a couple D-rings on each side of the case. The snap hook clicks onto the D-ring, and then you can tighten the whole thing down to the top case by tightening up the quick release straps. You can't see it in the photo, but there is also a strip of two sided Velcro tape on each lower side of the pad; these go through a couple slots in my luggage rack, and keep the seat pad from shifting upwards when the passenger is getting off.
I made it this way so it could easily be removed for washing (and so the top case could be washed). You wouldn't need to mount D-rings on an OEM case; I had to do it that way because I couldn't wrap the attachment strap all the way around the top case (it would have interfered with trying to open the case). You wouldn't have that problem with the OEM case, since it's a top loader, and you could just wrap the strap from one side of the backrest all the way around the rear of the case to the other side of the backrest. That way, you wouldn't have to drill any holes in the case and compromise its water resistance. It's been a very secure mounting system, and it's been on the bike for at least 80,000 miles.
Thanks for the reply!
RCinNC
Well-Known Member
Actually, my original version of this was a sissy bar pad I bought on Amazon. It was leather, with a zipper opening so the foam could be removed. I set it up the same way as this one, with quick release straps sewn to the leather cover and strapped to the top case. I liked it, but my passenger didn't (she wanted something wider), so I got the ATV pad as a stopgap measure til I could find something better. Turns out she really liked the ATV seatpad, so it remained on the bike.
This looks really similar to the one I bought:
This looks really similar to the one I bought:
DirtyRider
New Member
Thanks for that info! I may end up going down one of these paths before its over!