Hi boys and girls! Today I thought I would demonstrate how to build a simple custom bracket. In this example, I am constructing a bracket for an after market sissybar, however, the simple techniques shown in the following demonstration could be applied to many other types of brackets as well.

The sissybar will be mounted to the rear frame rails of a 78 GL1000. The standard outside dimension of the 78 GL1000 frame is 8 3/4" +/- 1/8". It just so happens that sissybars made for Harleys by Kuryakyn (part number 1587) have an outside mounting dimension of 8 3/4".

The specs on the sissybar are: 8-3/4 in. outside mounting dimension, .55 in. square stock mounting and 1-1/4 in. mounting hole spacing.

To mount the sissybar, you can buy a bracket system or fabricate one. I chose the latter. I went over to my favorite scrap metal yard and scored a 2 foot square piece of 7/32" for 6 bucks.

After designing the part and transferring it to the aluminum stock, I cut the rough brackets using a saber saw with a blade designed for thick metal. It cut like butter.

The next step was to take the parts and run them through the grinder to get everything smooth. Then, putting a small abrasive stone on a Dremel, I lightly rounded the edges.

At this point, I drilled the holes for both the sissybar mount and the frame mount.

Finishing consisted of 400 grit sand paper, followed by a 600 wet sand. The part was then taken over to the buffer and buffed to a mirror finish.

Finally, I drilled an extra hole in the frame rail and mounted the brackets and bar.

Using these simple steps, a person could make a bracket that extends all the way to the shock and adds a little design flair if they wished.

That's it for today, and remember, if your day doesn't shine, use a better polish!

Cutting the parts out of thick aluminum stock




Buffing the part




Drilling extra hole in frame. (be sure to seal the hole to insure it doesnt rust in the future)




Bracket mounted to frame



Bracket closeup prior to finishing

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I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes offers polishing and upholstering for your Wing!

Nice job sunnbobb looks great. Just so you know if you have a router for woodworking aluminum is soft so you could do your round over's with a round over bit.

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love new ideas for old wing's. AS I have three and am always working on them

Thanks Petey, I wondered but never tried it. I have boatloads of woodworking tools looking for other purposes!

Sunny

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I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes offers polishing and upholstering for your Wing!

Yes . very nice work sunnbobb


Zryder

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1982 GL 1100 std. Custom
To my album ; http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/zryder/

I've got a 76 bobber that I would like to stretch the seat all the way to the end of the fender, not much room but squeeze in tight baby, and put a 3 or 4 inch sissy bar there to be able to bungee stuff down and not worrying about it sliding off. I just saw the pictures of making one, but don't have the tools. Any ideas?

Any more pictures out there of short sissy bars?????

Thanks

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MesaMike
1976 gl1000 bobber/mix bike
Running, repairing after wreck.

i can whip you up a bracket...

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I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes offers polishing and upholstering for your Wing!

Nice bracketry there. How did I miss this thread?

Oh, I get it ... it's not on ShopTalk yet.

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Steve -- IBA #8078 -- Winnie, the '81 Nekkid Bagger build

Hope this works, trying to insert a picture of the back of my 76. I know, I know the seat looks like crap and feels like it. That's another project. So I need a bracket that lines up with the rear edge of the bike. Black preferred.


MesaMike



sunnbobb, how can I get hold of you? Still new to this!

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MesaMike
1976 gl1000 bobber/mix bike
Running, repairing after wreck.

Just click the PM button at the bottom of one of his posts.

Write him a note and he'll get back with ya.

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Steve -- IBA #8078 -- Winnie, the '81 Nekkid Bagger build

I was looking at your gallery and noticed that when you got your bike, it came with a passenger backrest/rack setup.
Is that a stock piece, aftermarket?
Do you know where a guy could get one?

Thanks,
Keith

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'82 GL1100

Ya Hey Keith, I think all it had was the grab rail and it was stock. I sold it for waaaay less than I later found out they were worth! LOL Good luck finding one!

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I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes offers polishing and upholstering for your Wing!

hey, i found out when you take the factory trunk/seatback off, the rear fender tends to lose support.
if you make a few changes here/there you can use a chrome super sport fender which has support built in.
you can get a rear rail from a standard such as this one on ebay now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... K:MEWAX:IT

now you take all the chrome guards/bars off the rear and just use this and a sissy like the one so nicely demonstrated above.

i still thought it was a giant morass of chrome, so i (LUCKILY) found this tidy little biddy instead:

The photo in the auction appears to be a grab rail. I see you are a coug too. Welcome to NGW, glad to see another member from the Salish Sea.

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I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes offers polishing and upholstering for your Wing!

thanks sunbobb. the nice thing about a wing is i can take a weekend and visit my old friends in wally world soon.
i'm working up a bio now. and im gonna go with photobucket.
stay 'tuned'
tim

btw, that thing in the auction, a grab rail. . .that would provide plenty of support to the stock fender when going naked wouldnt it?
it just seemed real bulky-looking and chromey compared to the hogtail. . . . maybe overkill