Harley Rider Backrest: Critical Review

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This junk costs $250. Do not buy it; the fit is awful. It is difficult to use, unstable, and cannot be adjusted to actually support your back without pushing you into the tank. Demonstrated on a 2008 Road King Classic (FLHRC) Twin Cam with both stock and Sundowner seats. I don't mean to be overly critical, but I wish I hadn't spent my money.
Rider Backrest Mounting Kit: part #52587-09
Road King Classic Style Rider Backrest: part #52583-09A
same design as: 52914-09A, 52900-09A, 51631-09A, 52572-09A, 52589-09A
This is the review, verbatim, that I posted on the Harley-Davidson product review website. It was quickly removed because H-D censors negative product reviews. FrEeDoM 🇺🇸
I would not recommend this backrest. There is substantial side-to-side motion due to the spring mechanism, but also forward-backward laxity that sometimes squeaks. This also prevents a passenger from holding the backrest for stability, and unfortunately the grab strap is displaced by the backrest, rendering it unusable. The skirt isn't long enough to tolerate this motion and gets untucked easily. The machine screw in the back can't be turned and does nothing. The paint on the mounting arms became damaged and began peeling during the first installation. The (separate) mounting bracket is poorly designed relative to the placement of the stock Road King Classic seat, meaning the backmost slot is physically unusable because it is so far under the passenger seat. Also thanks to this mount, the backrest angle is unacceptably far forward; even after adding shims to the front, the backrest prevents me from sitting as far back in the seat as I'd like to. Overall, I am unhappy with this backrest and wish I hadn't purchased it. I have not received responses to my e-mails about my quality concerns.
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#HarleyDavidson #RoadKing #FLHRC

Опубликовано:

12 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 36

@gregneely4318 3 года назад

I just purchased this from my local dealer yesterday for my 2021 Street Glide. I paid $260 with tax for the mounting bracket and backrest. You are 100% correct, it is absolute garbage! I'm really disappointed in the way it fits. On mine the two bars that squeeze together seem to be slightly too large to fit into the slots. Because of this it won't allow the pins to fully seat in the adjustment holes. I am able to wrestle and pry it together but as soon as there is any side to side pressure (like a passenger might put on it) it pops out of the slots and becomes a wobbling mess. The back and forth movement is also unacceptable. You are also correct about the adjustment screw in the back. It's totally useless! The entire piece just feels cheap and sloppy. And yes, the bottom skirt looks like crap too. It was 90 degrees and very humid here yesterday when I installed it. I was soaking wet with sweat after wresting with the backrest and seat slot for almost an hour trying to make it work. I thought for sure I must be doing something wrong and that surely Harley wouldn't sell such absolute garbage! I feel better after finding your review knowing I'm not the only one.

@rsrrock 3 года назад

Funny enough, I came to this video, after searching through many videos, to try to find how to take off the seat that came with my used Harley. The seat felt like a flat piece of wood with a corner pointing at my lower back. Thanks man!

@timothyandersen7678 3 года назад

Just bought a 2006 Road King and first upgrade was a Sundowner seat. Agree that is a must have upgrade for this bike. Was looking for a backrest and saw this one on HD site. So glad I watched your video and avoided being disappointed. The fit and finish is atrocious. I also think my wife would hate it taking away her space on the bike.

@BurntOnBothEnds 3 года назад

Glad it helped. Congrats on the sweet new bike!

@jfm562 10 месяцев назад

Excellent review. I just bought a quick detach passenger back rest tonight. I was contemplating the riders but didn't get it.

@madsparkie 3 года назад

I’m not sure how much this Harley one costs complete with hardware, but it looks exactly the same as one I bought on AliExpress for £40 (approx 70USD) and you have exactly the same issues that I had, so much so I threw it in the trash as I wouldn’t want to have offloaded it onto another rider. Now I feel a little better knowing I only burned £40 and not Harley prices!! Now I’m looking at the adjustable one, as it seems to get decent reviews 👍

@perrykissam1364 3 года назад

I had one of these on the stock seat on a 2007 Ultra Classic and I agree that it is the worst product I have ever purchased from Harley. I had exactly the same issues as the video. I complained to the local dealership where I bought it and they welcomed me to get in line with all the other customers with the same complaint. Of course, they are still selling them!! Harley doesn't care because there are some RUBs who wouldn't know comfort if they did see it, but as long as they look good, heh! That's all that counts!!!!

@dummysgarage7734 2 года назад

I left a bad review about Harley because they had my bike two months to rebuilt transmission. They said parts were unavailable. But they were still building bikes that used the parts I needed, they used 414,000 of those parts last year and wouldn’t give my dealer 2 of them do warranty work . I had to source them myself and give to the dealer

@hrslick2125 3 года назад

Glad I found this video, I definitely won’t be buying this style of backrest.

@sbhjackson5931 3 года назад

Wish I saw your video before I bought that backrest for my new sundowner seat this morning lol. Although after changing the holes/position (3 times) of the mounting bracket I will say it no longer feels like its pushing me forward as you mentioned. Another annoying aspect of this backrest is the fact you cant tell which of the 3 holes the backrest is in once it's inserted into the seat. I originally thought I could use my mustang seat backrest which is better than this but you can't oh well live and learn. Thanks for the video, at least I am not alone in my frustration with the design.

@joebob7344 3 года назад

Send it back with a letter of complaint and reference this great video .

@bobnolen7611 2 года назад

I have the same setup, it doesn’t move sideways. However I’m trying to figure out how to adjust it properly for lumbar support.

@dynaholica4274 2 года назад

I bought the Hogworks one. Love it!

@benjaminharriel6965 3 года назад

I have the same year bike. Same issues. HD driver’s backrest came with bike. Very difficult. Looking to upgrade seat. Doing research on different styles. Need a wider passenger pillion. Really like that style. Thanks for sharing.

@BurntOnBothEnds 3 года назад

Nice, and thanks for your comment. The Sundowner is much wider and more comfortable for a passenger than the stock seat, but of course there are plenty of options.

@abrahamgalloway5163 4 года назад

i had the exact opposite problem, mine was impossible to get out. if you want a good one, the harley adjustable drivers back rest is better, ultimate seats backrest is pretty good as well

@BurntOnBothEnds 4 года назад

Good info, thanks!

@abrahamgalloway5163 4 года назад

@@BurntOnBothEnds both of those are quick relase as well, the harley adjustable one has a little lever in it to realse it, it does have some lateral movement but not that much....ditched that one long ago....my rides are much better with my herniated disk and a backrest

@ralph24888 3 года назад

GREAT REVIEW thanks

@richardandrews8238 7 месяцев назад

I wish I’d seen this before I purchased the backrest for my road glide. What a piece of crap! No matter how far back I adjusted it pushes me forward too far and with it back as far as it goes it the forms the seat. absolutely the worst money I ever spent.

@stevec8836 3 года назад

Totally agree. A complete piece of junk that cost me 400 bucks Cdn with install kit and all. AT 6'1'' the fact that it is not adjustable is completely unacceptable. pushes you way to far forward with zero give. Bulky and ugly to boot.

@robinleavitt7919 3 года назад

Thank you for the vedio on the truth of the rider backrest. You saved me 260 dollars ty

@BurntOnBothEnds 3 года назад

You’re welcome.

@AleksiJoensuu 2 года назад

Yeah I have the same system as well and it is indeed terrible. On my 1994 Electra Glide Ultra, the backrest is so far back that it hardly supports me at all. I would need the - stock - handlebar like 5-10cm back to be able to comfortably reach it with any amount of bend in my elbows. I'm 5'11" so not even that short. The backrest dock is in it's most forward position already! And that adjustment screw at the back? In mine the hole isn't even drilled all the way through, so aside of drilling it out and retapping it, it literally can not do any sort of adjusting! Just sticks out the back. I will say that it does offer an awesome lazyboy experience if you just turn the cruise control on, let go of the handlebars and leeeeean back. I'm sure the accident investigators would have a hard time understanding why I didn't brake at all before the inevitable collision happened :D

@rezaarjmand7866 8 месяцев назад

I put one of these backrests on my 03 Road King classic with stock seat. first of all, it pushes me forward little more than I like to be sitting on the bike ( I am 6') , when insert it in, can't tell which one of the holes sitting in, worst of all, if it is sitting in the bottom hole, ( I am assuming) good luck being able to grab enough of the rods to push in order to either rise it up or completely pull out of the slot. I ended putting a house clamp around the 2 rods to push them together so can take the back rest out. bad design.

@DamnitDave 3 года назад

i agree that the rider backrest from harley could be better... BUT... take it on a LONG ride and you will see how they make a huge difference in comfort

@BurntOnBothEnds 3 года назад

Didn’t make a difference for me but everyone is different.

@niagarawaygmail 3 года назад

I think your review is perfectly reasonable for someone who lacks an engineering degree or any kind of mechanical sense. Bro the rider backrest is a lifesaver for anybody doing 500 miles. Last when I detach my king tour pack I like to pull my rider backrest off so that my bike looks as bad ass as possible.

@BurntOnBothEnds 3 года назад

“Bro.” My channel has over 500k views for mostly mechanical motorcycle/car videos, I’ve ridden over 1k miles in a day on a sportbike, and I have a PhD. Thanks for your insightful comment.

@lecroyrhyanessr.9624 2 года назад

I know we want all Harley...and everything on my Road King Base line is. But I went with Mustang low and back rest. Love it!!! That setup you can cruse for hours. But some riders don't like the Low...it does more you up closer to the tank. I'm 5-11 and it's good. If your 6-2 or above it might not work for your leg length. And the Low Mustang seat will put your feet 100% flat on the ground when your bike is stopped with both feet down. And I had this Mustang set up for 10 years. And still looks new.