I have a 16 Street Glide. I replaced the stock seat with an hd sundowner seat and added the hd non adjustable riders backrest. I have upper back problems and without the backrest after a couple of hours of riding I'll be in a lot of pain. So the backrest helps a lot but it pushes me forward. Anyone else have this problem and have a solution.
P.S. It sucks getting old.
I bought a '16 RGU over a year ago and the PO had purchased the HD adjustable backrest. But...., with or without the backrest the stock seat had me too forward--felt like my nuts were riding on the tank, wasn't comfortable to find the shift levers, etc. And I'm 5'11". I bought a HD Tallboy seat and it moved me back, much, much better. But the adj. backrest from the stock seat wouldn't fit the Tallboy seat, would need to buy a different backrest mounting kit and put on. Said screw it I'll do without the backrest. Also, lowered both shift levers and that also helped a lot. So, my bulging discs will just have to learn to do without a backrest but, so far, on rides of several hours I'm pretty comfy now that I'm not sitting as forward as I had been. So, besides a different seat, you may need a different backrest mounting kit to make it work for you. Hope maybe this helps ya a little.
I'm not sure what brand you have, but I took mine out, wrapped it with a towel, and bent it slightly in a vise to what I wanted. I have a Grasshopper brand backrest.
I put washers on the mounting bracket to angle it back more.
eventually took the washers off and took the backrest to an upholster to trim it down.
no more pushing me forward
I have the non adjustable Harley backrest. The bracket does have four positions. Also three depths when you put the backrest into the bracket and the lower you push it in the more forward it is. Plus there is a bolt in the back that changes the angle which also pushes the pad forward and back. So there is quite a bit of adjustment in the non adjustable unit. You just can’t do it while you are moving.
without a photo of your backrest I am guessing yours is similar to mine … fold the backrest forward and see if you have the grommet shown in the below photo … inside the grommet on mine there is an allen head bolt I can turn to adjust fore and aft tilt of the backrest …
the only other adjustment is how it mounts to the fender, but this was mentioned by CNCMIKE
Well known problem with the Harley adjustable backrest.
The simplest fix is to bend the bracket that holds the backrest. I took mine down to the dealer, and they used their shop press. Easy-peasy, no charge.
02-02-2019, 08:13 AM
Riders backrest pushes me forward
