help me hold on (the absence of grabrail)

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woolgatherer

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HI All,

I've got a 1100gs. (love it)
I recently installed a top-case. This obviously meant that i lost the back grabrail for the passenger, as the luggage made me install a new bracket.
Now, the top-case is all well and nice, but my passenger really has no place to hold onto.
I have the side pillion holders on the bike, and i was wondering if i could remove (or lift) these, and install some side grab-rails for the passenger.
I have looked high and low for something like this, but cannot find anything. Is there no kit i can buy that creates grabrails on the sides of the passenger seat?
How has everyone else copped with the back grabrail?
help!!

Thanks in advance.
 
I sit on the back unfortunately of his 1100GS and never use a grabrail.. first fo all for many years I never knew they had them (his other bikes)! Then when I did find them I found my gloves were too bulky to actually grab them properly... I don;t really grab onto anything just put hands by side and drum my fingers on panniers in 'are we there' sort of manner...
 
I also used to ride pillion a lot and ended up most riding with my hands on my kness, but prepared to grab the rider's side if needed. Admittedly I had ridden with the same rider a lot and could anticipate his riding choices.

In the early days of riding, I was using a grab rail that was behind me rather than to the side of my thighs - under very jerky acceleration, I pivoted on my hands and ended up with my feet in the riders armpits and my head below the saddle :eek: - stopped using rear grab rails after that.
 
I'm afraid I don't hold on at all with my hands. I just use my leg to grip hold of the riders thighs. I've often fallen a sleep whilst on the back :eek::D
 
Rarely used the grab rails when I used to go pillion, on high speeds would simply hang onto his jacket at the bottom on the back, thinkin about it, cant recall when I last rode pillion :confused:
I used to take my daughter and had some of them "love handles" strapped to me for her to use.
 
solution

this is just a FYI post, to tell you i have found a solution.
naturally it came form the infinite stock of eBay.
I found these (see photo) side pillion holders that have grab rails graffted onto them.
the product is very 'home made". What the person has done is simple bolt on some "half-moon" tubes onto the supports. IT's obviously not a product bought as is, but simple drilled and screwed on.
bmw1100gsgrabrailsek1.png
 
love handles. very effective. I also put a pouch for the autocom on the belt that comes with.
 
woolgatherer said:
this is just a FYI post, to tell you i have found a solution.
naturally it came form the infinite stock of eBay.
I found these (see photo) side pillion holders that have grab rails graffted onto them.
the product is very 'home made". What the person has done is simple bolt on some "half-moon" tubes onto the supports. IT's obviously not a product bought as is, but simple drilled and screwed on.
Click to expand...


Ahhh, but where do you now mount your panniers ??
 
From a safety point of view, grab handles located under or close-to-under the pillion aren't of a whole lot of use.....the angles are just all wrong and I doubt they offer much more than a degree of psychological comfort.

Love handles, or any other similar kit that gives a pair of handles on the hips/waist of the rider are probably better, certainly for the rider (who can then feel the pillion is with him/her) and probably dynamically for the riding unit as well.....they almost force a good posture for the pillion and discourage the independent movement that a less confident pillion sometimes exhibits.

I'm lucky with my pillion....Rosie is perfect on the back and apart from the performance penalty and the curbing of 'solo exuberance' , it's not an issue....you (as the rider) do have to consider the pillion more and ride more predictably than you might if you were solo, but my Rosie has nothing to hold onto and we manage to make progress fairly well, off and on road ;)

Go out and put the miles in, gently, give your pillion some guidance and ramp it up slowly.....

That said, Rosie does miss falling stone asleep on the back when I haven't got my panniers on so maybe there is something in it :nenau
 
Age of lust really dead?

Hold on to the rider he'll love it.
 
Handles for her indoors

P1010012.jpg


I made these handles up for Mrs Spotless.....half inch dural plate, angle grinder, files, drills and taps plus 3 days of sweat and curses.....work a treat, very strong and SWMBO'd loves them.

Really useful for when I am shifting the bike around out in the barn as well, the system panniers fit on no problem and they make great tie down points for luggage.

Safe riding

Spotless
 
Interesting "tyre warmer" you have there Spotless... and BTW your grass needs cutting ;)
 
Louise was a 'novice' pillion when we met 4 yrs ago and with a Givi top box + pillion pad she has never felt the need for grab handles. Like Kate she just grips with her thighs.

As Bill said take the pillion out for some acclimatisation rides and steadily build up speed. Pre - intercom days I just used to tap my pilllion on the left knee twice as a warining signal prior to me doing any serious overtaking/accelerating, quick thumbs up afterwards.. Nowadays Louise picks up on the fact that I am selecting a lower gear in advance of the overtake and you can feel her tense her legs a bit ahead of the move.
 
Gasman & Grazoid

....Gasman.....I had to compensate for the additional weight of the Mrs Spotless grab handles by lobbying the exhaust away......

and Grazoid....we got eight and a half acres of the stuff to cut.....it's like the Forth Road Bridge.....time we get the tractor back to the barn it's time for a another cut!!!!......if yer offering to come over and give us a hand mind........

Safe riding and hangin' on

Spotless
 
Spotless said:
....Gasman.....I had to compensate for the additional weight of the Mrs Spotless grab handles by lobbying the exhaust away......

and Grazoid....we got eight and a half acres of the stuff to cut.....it's like the Forth Road Bridge.....time we get the tractor back to the barn it's time for a another cut!!!!......if yer offering to come over and give us a hand mind........

Safe riding and hangin' on

Spotless
Click to expand...

hehehehe... fell for the old picture flimflam... but hang on .. eight and a half acres..ever thought of holding a UKGSER rally ??
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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