My Street Glide has the Sundowner seat, removable passenger backrest, and the rider backrest. My daughter (who has ridden thousands of miles with me on my V Star 1100 w/Mustang seats) said the Street Glide was very confining/cramped with the rider backrest in place. I took it off and threw it in the saddlebag.

Anyone else experience their passenger complaining of lack of room with rider backrest in place? Is it the choice of seat? Big touring bike seems like it should have a little more room.

 

most remove the rider backrest when riding with a passenger.

those with tourpaks move them to the rearmost mounts to give passenger more room as well.

can you move the passenger backrest back at all?

the stock HD Ultra seat ends right at that rear mount in the fender, so your seat is probably the same length.

Mike

 

I moved my TP back 2 1/2 inces, using Georges Garage relocator, good dude give him a call. Think it was $160 or $180 for the mount. Think he is a retired machinist, just supplimenting his income.

George Anderson
2925 12th Ave.
Moline , IL 61265
Home: 309-762-6291
Cell: 309-236-0952

 

Thanks guys. Never had a rider backrest before so I wasn't aware that most people remove it when carrying a passenger. Good call.

 

If the above remedies do not work, and if you are VERY patient and can work slowly and deliberately (so you don't mess up the chrome) You can bend the bars on the pass backrest to give her a bit more lean back - My buddy did this for his wife on his new Street Glide (same seat too) and it made all the difference in the world for her.

 

I don't see how you could do that without damaging the chrome on the backrest. Like Ricky Ricardo would say, 'splain it to me please'....

 

What size back rest are you using? A buddy bought the 'low' one thinking it would be the best option for his wife, and she hated it. He borrowed mine, a 'medium' height, and she was much more comfortable.

 

My wife had no problems when I had the rider backrest in on the 08 SG I had, regardless of whether I had the sissy bar or tour-pak on. I even took my big fat mother-in-law for a ride and she fit fine too.
After the 08 got totaled, I didn't put the rider backrest on my 09 SG because I realized I hardly ever used the darn thing because I didn't like the way it pushed me fwd. So unless you really like the rider backrest, I'd say ditch it and solve your problem that way. Just get a seat that gives you some lower back support, like one of the seats from C&C.

 

I had the old style drivers backrest on my 08 and I agree it was never really comfortable. It pushed you forward and was a bad angle.
In 09 they changed the design and it doesn't push you forward like that old fat pad did. It's closer to the Mustang Drivers backrest design.

I have to have a drivers backrest or I couldn't ride over 20 minutes in comfort. With one I can ride all day.

 

I'll have to agree with this. I have the low on mine also.
Look closely at the backrest, and you can see it does have a slight angle to it.

So, naturally the backrest is closest to the seat the lower it is.
As you move to a taller bar, the backrest pad will be moved farther back.

Not much, but some anyway.