Passenger Armrest

[johnnyreb]

I was wondering about putting armrest on my bike. They have said that ones off of a gl1500 will work but how much modification is there to make them fit right on the trunk.... Thanks

[Mr Jensee]

No offense but I just restored and sold a Voyager 1200 with factory accessory arm rests and I didn't like them at all. Maybe the passenger will get a kick out of them but I just found them annoying. They were always in the way when I needed to open the trunk. The left one tended to swing out when I put it on the side stand and when going down the road alone they became wings that opened out just looking for someone poor sucker to knock down. The GL arm rests would have to be bolted onto the top case in order to work and if you got them find someone to fabricate an aluminum or steel plate to support them inside the top case. If you dont you will be replacing it from the stress of someone laying their arms on them.

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

I was wondering about putting armrest on my bike. They have said that ones off of a gl1500 will work but how much modification is there to make them fit right on the trunk.... Thanks

I got a set of them and with the brackets made by "Chris Near KC" (not sure if he still makes them or has any available at the moment) they work great. They do NOT mount to the truck like the factory Kawasaki XII arm rests did, they mount to the bracket that supports the grab bars for the rear passenger. Much stronger and no stress on the plastics!
My wife rides passenger and absolutely loves that I added them for her. She says she feels more secure with them and is able to ride more comfortably. The arm rests do swing outward but I just keep a small bungee attached to them to keep them forward when she isn't riding. I also added the foot pegs that provide the rear passenger an added position for their feet which again she loves! I don't have the pattern for the brackets but search for Chris and check with him!

[SgtSlag]

I mounted a pair of Honda GL1500 Arm Rests on my Voyager XII, some years ago. I attached to a longer bolt on the top of the rear shocks. It worked, mostly. Discovered that they can get in the way, if you want a quick passenger dismount... We were touring the Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia, Canada, north of Maine, USA, and one of the riders got too close to a ditch, and the bike fell into the ditch, which had a steep slope down. He, and his girlfriend got off, and were in the ditch, holding it up, trying to right it, on the edge of the roadway! My wife was driving at the time, so I tried to hop off ASAP, to help. Caught my foot on the Honda arm rest, and fell backwards, smacking the back of my helmeted head on the pavement -- hard. After that little "bump", I had a headache, and other issues (suspect it was a minor concussion). I spent the rest of the day riding in our support truck.

We have since removed the Honda arm rests. Working on a better mount, using P-clamps attached to the grab bars. Shelved it last Fall, as I ran out of time as Winter arrived. They work, wonderfully, when you are seated. We both tucked them under our armpits, against our ribs, putting our upper arms resting over them, down the outside, holding them in place (they move in/out from the passenger's body, hinged at the bottom of the arm, above the mounting point). We did this to allow us to lightly nap, on the back, such that the arm rests held us in place, on the seat. For that reason alone, they are wonderful.

We also noticed riding without them, last year, that our shoulders were dropping, uncomfortably, on long rides. They really do improve the quality and comfort of the ride, for the passenger.

By the by, we ride one bike, taking turns at driving, changing positions every two hours. Being insulin dependent, I need to test my blood sugar levels every two hours, to make sure I am safe to drive. Neither of us can tolerate the back seat position, for more than 2-3 hours at a time, so getting a break is wonderful. When I am on the back, I have the luxory of ignoring the road, to concentrate on the scenery, the smells, and all of the gorgeous beauty around us! When driving, I miss much of it, because I'm watching the road...

Minnesota is a very green, lush foliage, State, except for the SW, which is more flat, and open. We ride typically along the SE portion (Mississippi River Valley region, full of bluffs), and up North, in the Lake of the Woods area, and along the Northern shores of Lake Superior. Being on the back of the bike, in that kind of scenery, has us "discussing" who will drive, and who will get the prized rear seat.



We agree to take turns, keeping an eye on the clock in the radio...

It is also fun because my wife knows, beyond any doubt, that I trust her with my life. Remember, I cat-nap on the back, when she is driving. We often spend 6-8 hours (occasionally up to 10+ hours...) of pure riding time, each day. All of that fresh air is really tiring. Gotta get busy finishing those P-clamp mounts so we can be more comfortable on our longer rides, this year. Cheers!