| Author | Message | ||
     Callawegian |
I would like to mount a tail box on my 06 Uly and I value all of the knowledge of the participants of this website. Do you have any recommendations what and where I should purchase one and tips on mounting it to the existing tail. If it isn't too much trouble, pictures would be really cool. I am looking for something maybe big enough to fit a helmet in it, but it doesn't need to be that big. | ||
| Pontlee77 |
There was a specific one for the uly that would fit a helmet, and had sátraps to use as a back pack, they were fair expensive, i saw a used one that i bought but now days it's quite unlikely to find one. | ||
| Dtaylor |
My Uly came with a Givi Micro 2 top case (Monolock). The previous owner had it secured to the triple tail in the down position, so when the case was attached, it was on the passenger seat. I don't have any pictures of it with the case on in the forward position, but here it is with the case removed:  I flipped it the other way to free up the pillion. It was a fairly narrow case, but could accommodate one full face helmet:  Later, I went with Fehling racks all around, so I could use my existing collection of Givi Monokey bags:  | ||
| Trevd |
You have a weird way of parking your bike. I usually let mine lie on the other side... | ||
| Yo_barry |
I don't know much but here goes... I think you can still purchase the original mounting rack from HD. If you are interested, I'll look up the part numbers. The original case used by Buell can be purchased from Hepco-Becker. A note of caution...you need to have the racks for the side cases installed if you install a tail rack/box. They form a triangulated brace for the rear section of the frame. Barry Hollister, CA | ||
| Callawegian |
I was just planning to mount something to the stock backrest, similar to what Dtaylor had. | ||
| Ratbuell |
You still have to have the side case racks installed to act as braces. Without the braces...think "diving board". The tail section needs the support if you hang something off the back like that. | ||
| Buewulf |
While you should have the side racks installed to support the weight as Ratbuell mentioned, I have had a hard case mounted directly to my triple tail like Dtaylor since I bought the bike until recently (just don't ride the bike enough anymore to need it). It has gone off-road lots (though not loaded while doing so), and the triple tail is still tight. As long as you don't intend to haul bricks in the case, I think you will be OK. I believe the triple tail is rated to hold something like 12 lbs or so. I used a pretty lightweight EMIGO case large enough to stow my helmet, armored riding jacket and gloves easily. No issues. | ||
| Mhevezi |
If you want a soft bag, that is large enough for a full-face helmet and fits the bike perfectly- check into the Ventura Pack. I slips over the triple-tail when it is straight up and the lower straps snap on to the passenger grab rails. It really fits the bike well and lets me carry additional items without the side bags on. I commutte in traffic and I avoid using the hard, side bags as much as possible as I split lanes almost daily. The Ventura bags are very well made and have built-in backpack straps. It's not a secure way to store anything, but you can easily take the bag with you. | ||
| Terrycoxusa |
The factory side racks are completely independent from the tail rack. The tail rack bolts to the grab handle and the tail trunk is rated for 11 pounds of weight. I just bought a tail rack from HD for 145 dollars. | ||
| Ratbuell |
And if you read every single instruction sheet that comes with the tail racks and with the 3-piece set, you will see you are not supposed to use the tail rack without having the side case racks also installed. | ||
| Court |
Good point . . . . and thanks for the e-mail. What am I . . . a f88king traffic cop?? Have fun. The results of all the testing would just bore folks anyway. (Message edited by court on July 30, 2014) | ||
| Afsoc_commando |
Court, I don't doubt you. But the racks are not even connected. Also when the Uly came Out I recall you could buy the Trunk or side cases separate. I do not see looking at mine how the Side racks have ANYTHING to do with the rear trunk rack. Can you explain how they effect each other? | ||
| Froggy |
There were two choices, sidecases only or all 3, there was no topcase only option. Back in the day it was next to impossible to order the brackets for the top case. I remember punching in the part number into Chicago Harley's website and it said something along the line of "don't bother ordering, you can't get it" | ||
| Terrycoxusa |
'from the installation sheets' NOTE Proper installation of Topcase mounting bracket requires installation of both Sidecase mounting brackets. Installing without both Sidecase mounting brackets can allow Tail Section casting to break. | ||
| Motorbike |
Take a look at the pictures dtaylor posted above. It is easy to see the side racks do mount up to the bottom of the tail section of the bike and would provide additional support for a rear rack and trunk. With that said, I really doubt that anyone would break the tail section of the bike by mounting a rear rack and trunk without the sidecase brackets. But, there is always going to be that one idiot out there who tries to use there bike to haul landscaping blocks and when the rear of the bike breaks off, it may result in serious injury or death. I'm sure Buell was just trying to avoid any liabilities, like any other company nowadays. Sorry for the rant, just my $.02 worth. Imagine what you would get for a buck.... | ||
| Ratbuell |
Just because they don't bolt to each other doesn't mean they don't work together. But like Court says...test results will just bore you anyway. Think about this, though - where do the SIDE case racks bolt? Ever hear of a triangle? Tail section front. Tail section rear. FOOTPEG. Triangle. Now, go look at a lighting truss from any concert on the planet. It's a line of... .....anyone....? TRIANGLES. Because they don't flex. Tail section front. Tail section rear. Footpeg. Triangle. Support. | ||
| Froggy |
Motorbike, I've ran my bike for a short while with the topcase rack only, the issue was clearly apparent going down the highway. I had some cargo in the top box, nothing major, no cement bricks. It was during a late afternoon, I saw my shadow being projected onto the road to my side. The shadow of tail section was flopping up and down like a diving board while the rest of the bikes shadow was stationary. I didn't run it that way long, but I am sure no good would have come of it if I continued. | ||
| Sprintex |
So you can order just the top rack now? | ||
| 1313 |
This isn't an urban legend... I hate to post a link to another board, but there's plenty of supporting info here. But hey, it's your bike. Do whatever you want. Just don't say that you weren't forewarned on THE BEST Buell enthusiasts website, 1313 | ||
| Ratbuell |
Wait... You mean all those engineer-type-people in East Troy actually....KNOW stuff???  | ||
| Xbimmer |
After signing on the line for my Uly in '06 I went right over to the parts counter to order stuff. I only wanted the side cases and a rack for the back without a trunk and was told no, sides/top or sides only. I asked them what would happen if the top rack were to get damaged and they told me it would have to be a factory-approved exchange due to liability issues with the rack being mounted without the side racks. Miffed as I was at the time at having to spend extra $$$ I'm glad now that I also bought the top case since it comes in handy on 2-up trips and for some reason it seems to smooth out the airflow in cross winds 2-up. The top rack does NOT bolt up with the side racks, but to its own frame mount and the grab rails. The strength comes from the triangulation as Ratbuell points out: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/379480.html You may note that I misspoke in there, again they do NOT bolt together. OT as much as I despised that dealership (due to the horrible and hugely unqualified goons in the service department), the sales/parts guys were great. When my cases finally came in and I discovered the mounting issues with the side racks one salesman unpacked the racks from a new 2-case set and helped me try to fit them in the lot. That didn't work so I went home and got lots of help here.  (Message edited by xbimmer on August 01, 2014) | ||
| Mark_weiss |
I've always had the side case mounts so never really gave this issue much consideration. Today however, I'm bored and just spent some time reading the above exchange. Without going out to my bike with a tape measure and doing some math, I'm wondering about this: 20 lbs in the top case (without side racks) risks breaking the sub-frame casting, but 150 lbs on the rear seat does not? | ||
| Motorbike |
Mark, yeah, I thought about that as well. Some of us have passengers that weigh more than 150 lbs. too. (It's okay, my wife doesn't read this forum anyway...) | ||
| Ratbuell |
It's not so much the weight (although you are looking at a much longer fulcrum for the top box...), it's the harmonics. Passengers don't go bouncy-bounce; we're not hard-mass, we're bags of water. We ABSORB vibrations. The top box will amplify it. Click the link to the thread on XBforums...'nuff said right there. Pictures worth a thousand words. edit: looks like the thread was in a Court-phantom-post...I'll see if I can find it again. (Message edited by ratbuell on August 02, 2014) | ||
| Cyclonedon |
I can't imagine anyone not connecting their top case to the side racks because of lack of support. Besides most people don't like or even use their top case anyway! I only use mine when I need to store a helmet or carry extra stuff. I don't like the looks or the handling of the bike. I still think I'm eventually going to purchase the Junior (smaller) bags for my Uly. I just like the looks better. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I use my top more than the sides... The sides cause airframe drag, the top is just "behind me" (and at 6'4" I block lots of wind!) |
