SKOGDOG
One of the old ones.
After searching high and low for a sissy bar for my 2010 Bagger, I called Donna and Derek, only to discover they had just sold the last Bulldog Bagger sissy bar to Viking. I didn't have any mounting plates anyhow.
So Blacktopper and I decided to do it as a DIY. The basic problems were based on the fact that there are very few OEM parts for my Bagger. We briefly considered making a sissy bar, but it seems that bending stock is difficult.
I thought maybe I could find a 250 rear tire sissy bar and use that instead. The other issue is that the mount plates are separate, so we would have to make some or adapt some. While searching online for tha BDM brackets, I noticed a Sportster sissy bar bracket that I thought we could make to fit:
The hole in the rear is too small, and we had to use a chop saw to make it shorter because it's too long. We also had to put it in a press to straighten it, and then drill a second mounting hole in it, and grind a bit to make it fit. It was also necessary to trim the bottom of the receiver because it would have touched the fender trim. Having done that, it fit nicely. Here's the bracket. Looks pretty much identical to stock.
I saw on EBay that Dream Machines of Texas--the one near Austin--sells a lot of used BDM parts, including a 12 inch 250 tire sissy bar. I tried to buy it first thing yesterday morning only to discover someone else grabbed it first. So I phoned Jeremy @Biker's Dream (near Austin) 972.380.5151, and he actually had another one, which he sold me for $150, which I thought was a heck of a deal. (I vouch for this guy--need something and he will do his best)
It arrived today, so after lunch Blacktopper and I went to work. The basic issue was that the sissy bar is round and the receiver the s square. We had the best results using a hand grinder that was of good quality so it was not too hard to manage and actually left a smooth and polished surface. It took and hour or two because we were figuring it out, and basically we're not too smart, so it's best to go slow. We finally got it square and it fit correctly into the receiver holes. We then marked the hole and used a drill press and A tap to run a 1/4X28 to secure the sissy bar in place. I'll use a chrome tapered head screw with an acorn nut on the inside.
All done (except for buying the chrome nuts and bolts):
So Blacktopper and I decided to do it as a DIY. The basic problems were based on the fact that there are very few OEM parts for my Bagger. We briefly considered making a sissy bar, but it seems that bending stock is difficult.
I thought maybe I could find a 250 rear tire sissy bar and use that instead. The other issue is that the mount plates are separate, so we would have to make some or adapt some. While searching online for tha BDM brackets, I noticed a Sportster sissy bar bracket that I thought we could make to fit:
The hole in the rear is too small, and we had to use a chop saw to make it shorter because it's too long. We also had to put it in a press to straighten it, and then drill a second mounting hole in it, and grind a bit to make it fit. It was also necessary to trim the bottom of the receiver because it would have touched the fender trim. Having done that, it fit nicely. Here's the bracket. Looks pretty much identical to stock.
I saw on EBay that Dream Machines of Texas--the one near Austin--sells a lot of used BDM parts, including a 12 inch 250 tire sissy bar. I tried to buy it first thing yesterday morning only to discover someone else grabbed it first. So I phoned Jeremy @Biker's Dream (near Austin) 972.380.5151, and he actually had another one, which he sold me for $150, which I thought was a heck of a deal. (I vouch for this guy--need something and he will do his best)
It arrived today, so after lunch Blacktopper and I went to work. The basic issue was that the sissy bar is round and the receiver the s square. We had the best results using a hand grinder that was of good quality so it was not too hard to manage and actually left a smooth and polished surface. It took and hour or two because we were figuring it out, and basically we're not too smart, so it's best to go slow. We finally got it square and it fit correctly into the receiver holes. We then marked the hole and used a drill press and A tap to run a 1/4X28 to secure the sissy bar in place. I'll use a chrome tapered head screw with an acorn nut on the inside.
All done (except for buying the chrome nuts and bolts):
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next you guys will be telling me this is cool