Trunk Relocation for an 82 1100I The Easy Way!!!

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olered67

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Jesup, GA
Here is an easy fix for those of you on an 1100 that are like me... a little on the larger side!

I have seen posts on other forums that show how to build brackets to relocate your trunk a few inches back. Thus giving you a little extra room for you and your Copilot, Navigator, Ornament, Reverse or whatever you may call her!LOL

WVBOY and I noticed when our bikes(he has an 83) were parked side by side that the trunks were positioned differently. His was farther back and a little higher than mine. So after we took measurements, we found out that his trunk rack was about 3 inches longer than mine and a little more than an inch taller.

So I looked on Fleabay for an 83 rack. I went through the several listed and emailed every one of the sellers and asked them for the overall length of their racks. Mine measures about 24 1/2 inches from the center of the forward most mounting holes to the very rear cross pipe(where the locks are mounted). SOME of the 83's measure 27+ inches. I wound up with three of them being the larger racks and then I compared prices and picked the cheapest one... $59.99 + $15 Shipping with an Or Best Offer. Offered him $25 he countered with 39.99 and I bought it. Its not the prettiest thing in the world... a bit rustier than my original. But a nice shiney bike needs to be polished...and I am too busy riding to polish. So there you go!

It took me about two beer and one hour to complete the swap but it may take you a little longer as you may want to clean and polish a little while you have the saddlebags off.

Here are the two racks side by side
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Before
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After
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I will try to get some before and after pics of a side view posted later.

By the way, if you don't think a couple of inches are important... just ask your Copilot, Navigator, Ornament, Reverse or whatever you may call her!LOL :shock:
:-D :-D :-D
 
As an FYI (for those searching) The trunk rack on the '83's is also the same as on the '82 Aspencade. the easiest visual difference (when not viewed side-by-side,) is where the rack support tubes are attached to the rack. I cheaped out on mine. :lol: :lol: :lol: A scrapped rack (free) and 4 hose clamps and I can position it wherever I want.
 

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OK, so I'm a dummy. I drilled new holes and riveted the trunk about 1.5 inches further back with the stock bracket. Of course if I do that and your fix I will get 4.5 inches. Then I can move the front seat back another inch or two and I might even be able to find that darn footpeg that is hiding somewhere behind me when I go from stopping to going. Then when I get that new seat made I will have them move my "seat" a few inches further back.
 
So, Larry...
The rack you bought bolted up exactly the same as your original, with no mods? If so, then that definitely sounds like the way to go!! I've been tossing around ideas on how to make mine adjustable, and still may try that idea, but....getting a different, bolt on rack sure sounds much easier!!! Thanks for the info! :mrgreen:
 
Some background and a few caveats from my experience with trunk relocating.

1. My setup is mounted on a 78 GL1000.
2. I looked at the commercial trunk relocating bracket, but didn't want to lose the easy removability of the trunk (or pay $50+ :twisted: )
3. I looked for an 83 rack as soon as I found out they were set back further.
4. I had a friend that bobbed the rack off to make a bagger. Hence trash to him, free to me.

After cutting the unwanted parts off the bobbed rack, remove trunk, transfer trunk locks, clamp rack on, remount trunk, done.

Well not quite. :cry:

Found with the trunk further back, the passenger was barely sitting on the edge of the GL1000 OEM seat. I had a seat off a GL1200 that was longer so adapted it to fit. Perfect!

Well not quite. :roll:

Now my drivers backrest won't fit around the 1200 seat. :x Always something.

I noticed that the seat for the 82 GL1100A and 83 models have a different part number and IIRC they are longer (to compensate for the trunk being further back?)

Just some things to consider and as Randakk says, "Everything effects everything!"
 
My rack swap was for two reasons.
1) for added room for me and the copilot
2) to make room for the vintage Corbin seat I found on Ebay.

The Corbin seat was quite a bit longer than my stock one. So much so that when I put the trunk on I had to hook one side and then push like he77 to get the other side hooked. With the seat all the way forward the trunk compressed the rear of the seat about an inch. The trunk being this far forward caused the copilot to sit half on the rear seat and half over my seat which pushed me up on the tank. Now we both sit comfortably with the seat in the rear setting.
The bike handles a good bit differently now due to the weight transfer. That is taking some getting used to.
Also the added weight on the rear is causing my centerstand to drag again. This problem was "fixed" before by increasing the rear shock air pressure. I can't run it any higher as I am already over max by about 10- 15 PSI. I need to replace or rebuild the rear shocks and then replace the rear tire with the stock taller tire.
 
CapnDenny1":mtvayhq1 said:
OK, so I'm a dummy. I drilled new holes and riveted the trunk about 1.5 inches further back with the stock bracket. Of course if I do that and your fix I will get 4.5 inches. Then I can move the front seat back another inch or two and I might even be able to find that darn footpeg that is hiding somewhere behind me when I go from stopping to going. Then when I get that new seat made I will have them move my "seat" a few inches further back.

That's what I did with mine, except I used bolts and fender washers to hold the trunk on the rack. That moving the seat back bit is giving me an urge.... :builder:
 
On my 81 I went cheap and bought 4 "j" bolts.. like eye bolts only just hooks and threads.. drille trunk and used that to move my trunk back.. If I had time, money and a location to acquire it I would go the 83 rack way...
 
:? J bolt? :? Not sure what type of bolt you mean and on how to re-mount it

Like one of these?
 

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Joep":2cuh3p54 said:
That is them... and I drilled so that the j's would hook on the frame of the rack.. two at the rear (lock side) and one each to each side..

Do you have an aftermarket rack or the little stock one that the trunk sits on?
 
The trunk is my copilot's security blanket. ;) So I had to make sure that with the upgrade it was secure. If it were to slip the least little bit... :shock: I would end up with permanent puncture wounds in my love handles! I almost had them the day the center stand lifted the rear tire off the road in a corner! :beg: That was the day I learned about adding a little extra air to the rear shocks!!!LMAO
 
The trunk is my copilot's security blanket.

No kidding. I had a Nighthawk 750 before I got my wing, and the wife wouldn't ride on the back of it without some sort of back rest. I ended up getting a "Back Buddy", which is nothing more than a barrel shaped foam pillow that straps to the seat, and using that as a back rest for her. It made a world of difference to her, but if she was going to slide off the back, that thing wasn't going to help at all. :smilie_happy:
 
BigAndrew":2i6gc59v said:
Do you have an aftermarket rack or the little stock one that the trunk sits on?

It is the factory rack i beleive.. (bought last February).. and I have the two holding the sideway back rail facing rear and the the sides facing to the respective side (facing = opening)...
 
Hello fellow wingers,
I just picked up an 81 model with 27K miles and am looking to relocate my trunk to give the wife a little more room There is a web site that has one listed. Here is the link https://www.crescentmooncycles.com/html/ ... 10010.html It says it relocates it back 1 to 2.8 inches for $35. Doesn't seem to bad. Has anybody had any experience with these kits? Thanks for the time.

Pappy Wilson
 
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