Anyone cut off the rear grab handles?

NorthwestCajun

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Hi guys,
I'm looking to cut off my rear passenger grab handles, pull off the back seat and put the TT back seat rack in it's place. The reason I'd need to cut off the grab handles is the Trax luggage racks need the spacers to mount correctly. They also need to be off for the Altrider rear rack to be in the low position. It will clean up the rear end of the bike and give me a more level area to tie down my luggage.

I'm open to suggestions before I get out the hack saw....
 

GrahamD

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I don't understand?

Cant you just unbolt them and use something else to make the rest work?

pics would be good.
 

NorthwestCajun

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Not being very mechanically inclined, thats the easiest (but not the cheapest) way I can see doing it. A good reason to ask on here before hacking them off. If someone has made spacers to still get the racks to fit w/o the handles ::013:: inquiring minds would like to know....

http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/PN-046-0616/Luggage-Rack-Passenger-Seat-Yamaha-XT1200Z-Super-Tenere
You can see that if the handles were gone, you could position a barrel type dry bag across the rear and on top of each pannier.
 

talonboy

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I unbolted mine, pretty easy. You may need to come up with alternative spacers if you want to keep the racks at the same width as they are with the handles in place.
I removed my handles as I wanted my bags in as close as possible. I have the Jesse bags, and they come with a few different aluminum spacers to mix and match.
 

True Grip

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Hey Cajun

I know what you are trying to do but I would not cut my handles to do it. You may want them in the future if for nothing else returning to stock. I had a friend who made me some spacers. He had some aluminum rod maybe 2cm in diameter that he drill a hole through. The front spacers are 5cm wide the rear are 4cm wide. I just replace the grab handles and put on top box when misses wants to ride (maybe twice a year ::025:: ).Take a bolt out and go to the hardware store and see what you can find. I can check monday and see if he has any rod left I know it was a small piece to start with. Here are a couple of pics

 

BUGKILLER

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I did basicalley the same as True grip but just got spacers from the hardeware store I think they are 3 inches maybe 2 1/2 . I only put my teton bags on for long trips, and my wife done't ride anymore. Something about all the scratches in my crash bars, Whatever! ::)
 

iridemotorbikes

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I agree with everyone here don't cut them, I took mine off the other day and just made some spacers for my Trax box mounts.. Took 5 mins.
 

limey

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I removed my handles and just made some spacer with 1 inch aluminum round bar from Home Depot.
 

NorthwestCajun

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Thanks for all the replys, I figured there was another way, y'all are a great bunch of guys! Thanks!
 

CDMartin884

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don't need to cut the handles, the spacers are press fitted into them, just press them out and re-use them. If you look at the Touratech website, that is what they did for the pictures used for the Zega's.
 

Rasher

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And you don't have to remove them for the Trax cases, I have these (and the handles) on my bike.

I do however find the handles entirely useless as the Mrs can't reach down to them when on the back unless she either hunches down like that fella from Notre Dame, or leans back about 30 degrees, neither of which are comfortable.

If anyone does find some spacers I would probably buy them and ditch the handles, the only use I can see would be for strapping stuff to the back seat, and as I have panniers / box I don't really need to do that.
 

Swagger

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True Grip said:
...

I know what you are trying to do but I would not cut my handles to do it. You may want them in the future if for nothing else returning to stock. I had a friend who made me some spacers. He had some aluminum rod maybe 2mm in diameter that he drill a hole through. The front spacers are 5mm wide the rear are 4mm wide. I just replace the grab handles and put on top box when misses wants to ride (maybe twice a year ::025:: ).Take a bolt out and go to the hardware store and see what you can find. I can check monday and see if he has any rod left I know it was a small piece to start with. Here are a couple of pics ...
You'll be meaning cm not mm .... no?
 

nicolasr

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CDMartin884 said:
don't need to cut the handles, the spacers are press fitted into them, just press them out and re-use them. If you look at the Touratech website, that is what they did for the pictures used for the Zega's.
That is what I did. You can press them out very easily. You dont even need a press. I ''hammered" them with a ratchet socket and piece of wood.
 

Boondocker

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Re: Anyone cut off the rear grab handles? Or raise them?

I know this is slightly off the OP's question, but still on the topic of passenger grab handles.

My question is - has anyone raised or added some kind of riser addition to the passenger handles?

The stock handles are fine for my passenger when seated, however, when going over rough terrain or bumps when she wants to raise her butt off the seat, the handles are out of reach. We put risers on the handlebars for standing, how about risers on the passenger handles for the same reason?
 

Rasher

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I also thought higher handles would work, and also maybe a bit further out, the Mrs reckons on a long run she sinks into the seat a bit and the handles then rub her legs and the vibration annoys her (Yeah, I also thought women liked high frequency vibes on their thighs)

I guess the dimensions worked well for Yamaha's head of designs Mrs ::)
 

gunzevans

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Has anyone seen or heard of a tail kit for the S10? I am not riding a passenger and thought the arrow LED turn signal lights might mount into the rear bolt holes of the grab bars with little mod... or with a small hole drilled in the plastic behind the rear grab handle hole so I can still mount bags, and then move the license plate just under the luggage rack, below the brake lights... but then I will have to cut the plastic fender off and excess plastic for license plate and stock turn signals and hope there is no water intrusion from underneath... which, if its even a little wet out, I am sure all splashes up in that exact spot. (this would all be with the Pyramid Hugger fender installed)

ANY IDEAS? COMMENTS?
 

EricV

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For the US riders, most local ACE or True Value or any Farm oriented store will have generic steel spacers in various sizes. If you're handy with a lathe or know someone, it's a simple task as well. For my Zega Pro cases, I just swapped around the oem spacers and removed the handles to tuck them in a bit more at the top. They do have a bit of an angle, though I also changed the lower cross bar to bring the bottom in some. No big deal to skip some of the spacers depending on what you're mounting on top. I have a fuel cell, so no worries. If I had different cases or a large top box, I might need more spacers to allow for lids opening.
 
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