Triumphrat

bluesforchallah · 11-24-2008, 10:31 PM

Hi everybody, I'm hoping someone would be able to assist me. I recently purchased the Triumph "High" sissy bar for my '08 T-100 on eBay and received it today. However, there was no mounting hardware to mount it with. So now I'm left to source some nuts and bolts from my local hardware store.

Questions:
1)Does anyone have a copy of the manufacture's instructions that they could scan as a PDF and post for me and anyone else to see?

2) Does anyone know what size bolts I should be looking for? I need the 4 bolts which mount under the seat across the rear fender and the two I'm assuming that bolt into the backside of the rear shocks.

3) Can someone post some close up, detailed photo's of their set up for me to use for reference?

Thank you in advance for any assistance.

Best Regards,
Chris

rider8 · 11-24-2008, 11:29 PM

I've got a sissy bar coming this week off E-bay as well. When I get it, I'll post pictures (assuming I can figure it out)

Mark

Baltobonneville · 11-25-2008, 09:42 AM

PM me with your e-mail address. I'll scan and send you the instructions.

The hardware, per the instructions, stainless steel:

10 M8x20 bolts, 4 M8 washers for the chrome parts. The washers that were supplied with my kit are thick, not sure if that makes any difference.

Backrest, if that is apart, uses 8 M6x12 bolts and 4 M6 locknuts. 4 bolts and nuts secure the pad to the backing plate, 4 bolts secure that assembly to the sissy bar verticals. If you can't find locknuts, use regular nuts and lockwashers.

Words of advice:

Back pad assembly/disassembly is sensitive to sequence of events. Follow the instruction sequence forward or backward.

Alignment of everything is not precise and might require some "persuasion" (i.e. lean on it); assemble everything loosely and don't tighten until it's all together.

bluesforchallah · 11-25-2008, 02:58 PM

Marty, PM sent. Thanks so much.

bracherman · 11-30-2008, 02:29 PM

Chris - I just finished installing the high sissy bar on my '08 T100 yesterday. It was more of a pain in the rear than it should have been.

First, the rear mounting holes for the bracket didn't quite match up with the bike's frame so, as someone else said, you'll need to muscle the bracket around a little to get the holes to line up enough to start the bolts. Someone to help you here would be real helpful.

Second, the front mounting holes are in a real tight spot to get to under the seat frame. A good t-handle wrench won't work so you're stuck with an L shaped Allen wrench which will only turn about a quarter turn each time. Very tedious.

Third, the upright seat rest brackets have to have spacers to get them to fit correctly. The left side worked great. On the right side, unfortunately, the bolt holes in the base bracket weren't drilled out enough so my bolts wouldn't go in all the way. I had to use an extra washer on each to get it close and even then it didn't tighten down all the way. There is a slight wobble on the right side upright bracket but not too serious.

Fourth, when remounting the rear fender, make sure to reroute the rear light harness wires attached to the rear fender up through the fender's dented side. Otherwise, you'll find, as I did, that the wires get stuck on the outside making the fender more difficult to reinstall.

Finally, and this may not apply to you, but if you have the K&Q seat like I do, the high sissy bar makes positioning the seat back into the front tongue slot a real pain. Further, the grab bar/bracket that the sissy bar uses makes reinstalling the stock seat bolts a real nightmare. The newbonneville extended seat bolts are not on my Christmas list!

Having said all that, the sissy bar looks great and my wife will ride with me again. So, it was definitely worth it. But it's a two-beer job to be sure.

If you didn't get the installation instructions from someone else already, let me know and I'll scan mine and send them to you.

Cheers! Brent

Baltobonneville · 11-30-2008, 07:58 PM

I didn't find the installation of the sissy bar to be much of a problem, following the included instructions. If the bolts don't go in far enough, you could try using a tap of the right size to clean out the threaded hole.

I don't have any trouble with the K&Q seat. For the seat mounting bolts, use a long screwdriver handle with a 5mm Allen bit in it. I put some heat-shrink tubing over the screwdriver shank where it rubs against the tail light to prevent scratching.

If you get the NewBonneville extended seat bolts, get the ones that have a 5mm Allen head, so you can still use your long screwdriver to get them in and out. Having the extended bolts makes it easier to change the seat, but they still work best with a screwdriver.

Forget about "hand-tight", you'll eventually lose them. I put on a split-ring lock washer, then a flat washer (to keep the lock washer from tearing up the plastic tab on the seat).

bracherman · 11-30-2008, 08:10 PM

Marty - Thanks for the installation tips. I didn't have a tap for the M8 bolt or I would have tapped it a little deeper. As it was, an extra washer filled most of the gap until I can get the needed tap and do it right. Looks like a run to Sears is on order.

I also noticed my message said the seat bolt extenders are "not" on my Christmas list. Should have been are "now" on my Christmas list, and the ones with the 5mm hex end as you suggest.

Cheers!

Brent

bluesforchallah · 11-30-2008, 09:30 PM

Marty / Brent, Thank you both so much for your suggestions as well as your support. I was able to get my high sissy bar installed with very little problem. After a couple trips to the hardware store to get the correct tool to remove the rear fender, the job moved along quite smoothly. Now, I just have to figure out why my T-100 with 1004 miles on it blew it's fuse to the ignition switch 5 miles into my ride this afternoon leaving me stranded. At this point, I'll just replace it, carry an extra with me and see if it happens again.

bracherman · 11-30-2008, 09:51 PM

Chris - Glad you got it installed without too much trouble. I forgot to mention that you need a Torx driver for the fender removal. Luckily I had one on hand from when I had to work on my Sprint ST years ago. Otherwise, trips to the hardware store would have been in order for me also.

Sorry, but I can't help you with the fuse problem. Hopefully, it was a one off problem and you won't suffer it again. But, at least you have spares with you now.

Brent