SIDE bag racks for my 2014 Honda CB1100 Deluxe?

[LucienLeFranc]

I realized something today: in trying to source side racks/cases, I’ve been looking at the Honda accessory rear rack that came with my bike in completely the wrong way. Instead of an obstacle to work around as I try to fit these or those side-case racks, they can actually be the beautiful solution.

The 7/8”diameter Honda accessory rear rack is a gorgeous monster--it looks and feels as if it’ll support A LOT of weight--so why not use it as part of a custom side-cases mounting solution?

Liberated from trying to figure out how to make the SW Motech, or Hepco and Becker and etc. side racks play nice with the rear rack, I instead spent $300 on $1000 worth of SW Motech clearance-sale product at Twisted Throttle today

First, I bought the cheapest clearance Trax Ion side racks ($150 on sale for $50), meant for a Honda Varadaro. While they won’t fit the CB1100, all that I want are the loops with four studs (which are the same across all the versions of the rack) that mate with the plates on the Trax Ion cases. I’ll undoubtedly be cutting off or modifying the Varadaro-specific mounting arms as part of the custom fabrication utilizing  7/8” QR handlebar clamps to connect the loops to the Honda accessory rear rack.

In addition to the Varadaro side racks, I also bought two SW Motech 37-liter Trax Ion LEFT-side cases ($444 each on clearance for $150) from Twisted Throttle, since all they had were left-side cases available.

Finally, on eBay and I bought a used and well-loved 46-liter RIGHT side case for $99, so that when everything delivers I can switch the mounting plates between the beat-up 46-liter right-side box and one of my new 37-liter left-side boxes so that when the dust clears I end up with a new set of left & right 37-liter boxes for the CB, and a used 46-liter right-side box to either resell on eBay, or keep, or Goodwill.

Feeling optimistic at the moment!

(...check back with me when everything is unpacked scattered about the garage.)