Top box/rear rack project

[VFR1200XDH]

This is a placeholder for my next project (this one then onto the side bags ). I'll just start it and post updates until it's done so hopefully the result is a step by step almost anyone can replicate using common materials and some basic hand tools. The goal is to make up a rear rack plate that can hold most any topcase, softbag and double up as a rear passenger back rest holder. When done you should be able to remove it without using any special tool in a minute or so and no have drilled into or modified any part of your VFR-X

Here is the materials list:

A piece of cardboard, thin foam board or similar. This will be used to make up the template and expect to go through that process a couple times to get the topcase plate just the right size and design for you.

One piece of sheet plastic, it could be ABS, Delrin (more $$), Nylon, Starboard or even aluminum if you must have that. The piece can be whatever size you want within reason, just consider what you'll mount onto that and allow for anything hanging off the sides like bags to clear.

Some 14/20 screws (or M6) with washers, nuts. The sizes will be identified as we go along.

A piece of rubber mat the same size as the finished top rack plate.


Tools needed in fabrication:

Fine tooth hand saw (can also be used if the plate is made from aluminum)

A ### file (any fine toothed file works too)

Some sandpaper (100 and 200 grit)

A scotch pad (Red, Gray)

A drill. If you don't have a drill it doesn't matter, you can use the bits that have a hex style base and use a screw drive that accepts the bits that also have that type of base. They are pretty common,

A heatgun or hair dryer.

4 standoffs, if you like fancy get the chromed ones but stainless steel or nylon works just as well. If you can't find them, you can cut from the plastic sheet a few pieces to make the right height standoffs, I'll go through that to show how I do it.

Scissors. Rather than use the paper scissors that might cause concern with the spouse, tin snips, cloth shears or even diagonal cutters work well. Bare bones would be a box cutter (I often go that route).

This project should cost no more than about $20 USD and take as long as you want it to. It should be possible to do finish it in a few hours tops. Since I often have 5 projects or more all going at the same time plus home stuff and rides, it might take a week going at it bit by bit.

You can easily vary the size and some design elements to suit your individual needs.

[Funbobby]

I’m interested. Looking forward to pictures of build process and final outcome as I intend to mount a Pelican case on the rear rack. I’m considering the Bumot Luggage rack, but your inexpensive mount has my attention.

Rob, 2017 VFR12XD
Navarre, FL
IBA 606

[VFR1200XDH]

8-1-2020  Here we go. For this initial portion we have 7 steps. I might add some minor things to this post but try to make each post able to stand on its own. I'll do a few steps per day so if you want to follow along in real-time when I'm done you'll be done too. If I was going to make a lot of these I would follow a different path but right now I have only one VFR-X.  At this juncture we don't need to be very precise as we're just laying out a rough pattern. Purposely you'll leave wide margins as you can always remove material to suit but adding it back is almost impossible.

The cardboard sheet measure about 19"x14" and sits on top of the stock tailpiece lengthwise. It's not going to fit but thats okay right now. I'm doing all the cutting with a Workpro utility knife, you can buy them from Amazon and they come in a 3 pack. That little knife is one of the handiest cutters I have and I take one everywhere I go. They are stainless steel and not costly at all.

Be sure to use corrugated cardboard so that when the time come you can cut partially through it and bend it to shape. As you cut, make at least two shallow cuts or the corrugated board will cause the blade to follow in straight lines when you are trying to cut corners and shapes.

[VFR1200XDH]

STEP1

To speed things up I used a GIVI topcase rack that was laying around. You might not have that (and probably wouldn't be making one if you did) so I'll scan the pattern and upload it here tomorrow. You can print it out and get the benefit.



Here is the traced pattern of the GIVI mount. We aren't violating any copyright or design protections since the result won't look much like the GIVI mount at all and besides, this one doesn't fit anyway.



As you can see, I cut along a portion of the pattern where it should fit close to the rear edge of the seat. It doesn't fit as the prongs on each side aren't spaced wide enough. While this slight problem can be eliminated using standoffs why don't we just make it possible to place the new topcase mount as low to the stock tail piece as possible and let you decide how high or low you want it?



Now we change the shape to allow for the broad portion at the rear of the seat by altering the pattern a little. A guesstimate is good enough. Remember, better to cut less and then more than start over.





We save all cutting scraps where we need to replicate them on another side. Just turn them over and use them as a trace pattern and both sides are the same.

[VFR1200XDH]

That's it for today. Its still in rough pattern design. One of the benefits of this topcase rack is that you'll be able to customize it to do almost anything including angling the rack higher in the back than the front to blend everything into the lines of the bike. The materials, if you duplicate my choices will result in a rack that is almost indestructible & impervious to weather.

If you have questions along the way can I ask you PM me so that all the steps flow without comments or questions in-between the steps? Others might want to follow the steps and it will help if they don't have to hunt for steps. This will also help me add additional info or clarify why I did something the way I've shown. I'll try to answer any questions promptly but it could take until the next day depending on where you post from. If you use a VPN, then note you could be in one time zone but the post appears to come from another so please bear with me on time.

[VFR1200XDH]

Alright, a couple more steps.  Here we are touching up the rough pattern a bit. You want the rear contour to match that of the seat, or not, its a personal preference.  I removed a bit of material to make it fit better the the rear of the Corbin.

As we're using some type of plastic, in the final shape we'll make it about perfect. Since its a one-off item we can massage the pattern as we go and in the very last step make everything line up and look factory.



As you can see I used two 8mm bolts as temporary securing features as work goes on. They aren't tighten down, just a way to return the pattern to an approximate position. I use the word approximate quite a bit because much of this can be adapted to suit your personal preference. You might want the plate much if you really like the load up or in the end cut the pattern only slightly larger than the tail piece, its all up to you. One of the final steps will be to make up some slots and tabs to mount a GIVI top case but since those parts will be removable they can come off and you can put any other type of mounting in their place.