Question on the Russell Day Long and Backrest

[Comanche]

As I wrote in another post, I just finished a three-day shake down cruise on the NT I bought 1 1/2 months ago.

Since I bought the bike, I thought I would eventually put a Day Long on it, but I have been pleasantly surprised at the comfort of the OEM saddle. My butt was pretty good lover the ride, but yeah - I was a little saddle-sore at first.

But - the muscles in my lower back bothered me a lot on the ride back from Houston. I was hurting by the time I got home. I am talking about the muscles below the shoulder blades. I stopped once to stretch, but that did little good. The Helibar risers helped me a lot, but not quite enough, it seems.

My last bike had a back rest on it, but that bike is a Suzuki Burgman scooter. I didn't have to swing my leg over a back rest - just step through the frame. In looking at the Day Long, I see they offer a back rest as an option. For those of you who own the Russell Day Long,

• Do you have the back rest option?
• If so, how do you get on your bike? Swing your leg up over the back rest? I doubt if my old legs and hips could do that.
• I see that it folds down, but then I would be sitting on the backrest. The web site says it is foldable for the passenger to get on.
• Does the back rest come out easily, or is it something you have to fool around with tools to remove?

I welcome any other comments pro and con about the Day Long.

 

[RedNigel]

Rick (Falcon AF) has the backrest. He's the guy to talk to

 

[Comanche]

. . . I have used a cheap kidney belt from HD that provides some lower back support - used it last year when I was having back issues and I took a 4k mile ride. . . .

Good idea - I will try that first. Chris (Daboo) gave me that hint before I bought the bike. I have it around the house somewhere.

 

[RedBird]

On the other hand, I also have a Day Long with a backrest and I slide my leg over the seat in front of the backrest.
Be aware that, depending on how deep they build your drivers portion of the seat, if you add a backrest option you could be reducing the space for passenger seating, especially if you have a trunk mounted.

Adding a backrest later will require you to ship the seat back so they can modify it, which could perhaps entail partial cover replacement to conform to the slot needed for the backrest pad support. By the way, you can remove the backrest pad just by unscrewing a knurled knob, but the support is still in place. It pivots forward, so without the 3" depth of the pad there can be another 3 inches or so of room for the passenger. If you do that, you might want to make a slide over cover for the metal post.

If you are going to Spearfish, and my plans do not change, my bike will be there. I think Rick's will be also. You can look and sit, even ride it, then decide. If you are going to order it, I think doing it when you first order the seat would save you money over adding it later.

 

[Comanche]

. . . By the way, you can remove the backrest pad, but the support is still in place. It pivots forward, so without the 3" depth of the pad there can be another 3 inches or so of room for the passenger. If you do that, you might want to make a slide over cover for the metal post.

Ah - and that is good information. I was going to call Russell and ask if the entire back rest could be removed. I don't carry a passenger often, and there are only two I would carry - either my daughter or my wife, and neither for long rides. I have a Givi E55 top box mounted and with the back rest taking up three inches (or so), I doubt there would be enough room left for my wife. My daughter is an adult, but tiny, so she will have room.

Folding the back rest down to recover that lost three inches would seem to be a problem - I don't know how I would sit on the bar if it was folded, even with the rest itself removed.

I wish there was a way to fit a different back rest on the bike - one that would sit back a lot further than the top box. That would solve the problem.

 

[RedBird]

You would not fold it down, only forward enough to about touch your back. The post would still be between you and your passenger. That is why I thought a closed cell foam slide on cover might be nice.

It is still a compromise though. I'll take some pics of mine and post them so you can see what I mean.

 

[Comanche]

I have seen pictures of slide-on backrests (mounted on posts). Install it when riding solo, take it off when riding 2-up. Is that what you're thinking?

Yes, I am. I had that on my last bike and it was handy.