Rear rack loading

[Frankie_imp]

Hi wise people, I have just fitted a Fehling rear rack to my 2017 ex. The rack says it’s rated to about 5kg. The box I intend to fit weighs about 4kg.
So I can only carry one glove and a packet of crisps before I go over the weight limit. My question is, is reality different to the sticker? Do I actually fit a box or just use a cargo net? If I carry two gloves will the rack break off and kill me, or worse, scratch the bike? Will the RLETS that took me under two minutes to fit compensate for the puny rack? Do I just look at the rack and polish the chrome? Should I just be thankful that I now have a better handle for heaving the bike on an off the centre stand? No photos because it’s dark, the bikes locked in the garage and there’s no lights in there and I’ll wake the bike up if I start waving a torch around. I thank you in advance for the expected responses.

 

[Ben70_imp]

One wise guy here, advising you that if you can use it as a handle to heave it on the centerstand, you are good to load it up. Honda pretty much says that even so much as a pair of RLETs wills disturb the design parameters, so don't blame THEM if you wind up as a hood ornament for a cement truck. I suspect Fehling is being overly cautious.

Disclaimer: The foregoing is mere speculation on my part, so don't try taking me to court either.

Ben

 

[Lord Popgun]

I agree with Ben. I can sit on my Honda rack and it has a pretty low rating by Honda. I took the sticker off...

 

[Frankie_imp]

One wise guy here, advising you that if you can use it as a handle to heave it on the centerstand, you are good to load it up. Honda pretty much says that even so much as a pair of RLETs wills disturb the design parameters, so don't blame THEM if you wind up as a hood ornament for a cement truck. I suspect Fehling is being overly cautious.

Disclaimer: The foregoing is mere speculation on my part, so don't try taking me to court either.

Ben

Disclaimers... like party food for lawyers! Thanks though Ben


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I agree with Ben. I can sit on my Honda rack and it has a pretty low rating by Honda. I took the sticker off...

Now that’s an idea! Sticker removal. Had it not been there I’d never have considered the rack lacking in substance. Seems like the way forward. Thanks pops


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[pekingduck]

Well, it's not about how much weight the rack will hold as how it will make the bike handle. Of course, the weight recommendation is on the conservative side, but you know somebody's going to put a milk crate full of old brake rotors in it and at the first S-bend, it'll wag the dog, and the next-of-kin's lawyers will be looking to put his kids through college off it.:angel:

 

[Bheezy27403_imp]

Crisps and torches. I love English.

 

[bflint]

Have 7OL bag (w/extras attached) that sits on my Honda OEM rack.
Here is pic on my Facebook page: Facebook
Bike handling is excellent up to 110+MPH

 

[rboe]

Keep in mind that static loads are one thing. But start hitting pot holes and speed bumps and now you have dynamic loads that multiply your static load - could be a lot depending upon the accelerations seen.

High tail loads can make the handling wonky, so approach the limits with caution.

 

[Frankie_imp]

Well, it's not about how much weight the rack will hold as how it will make the bike handle. Of course, the weight recommendation is on the conservative side, but you know somebody's going to put a milk crate full of old brake rotors in it and at the first S-bend, it'll wag the dog, and the next-of-kin's lawyers will be looking to put his kids through college off it.:angel:

Yes of course, self preservation society!
That makes sense, thank you.


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Crisps and torches. I love English.

It’s an excellent language, often envied for its ability to convey nuance but rarely utilised to its full extent because of ridiculous spellings and grammar. There, they’re fighting over their plurals.


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Have 7OL bag (w/extras attached) that sits on my Honda OEM rack.
Here is pic on my Facebook page: Facebook
Bike handling is excellent up to 110+MPH

Wow, that’s a large load! I guess it depends how it’s balanced out. Thanks.


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Keep in mind that static loads are one thing. But start hitting pot holes and speed bumps and now you have dynamic loads that multiply your static load - could be a lot depending upon the accelerations seen.

High tail loads can make the handling wonky, so approach the limits with caution.

Thanks, I knew I could rely on this forum for rational explanations!


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[the Ferret]

Will the RLETS that took me under two minutes to fit compensate for the puny rack?

Wow you put on Rlet's in two minutes? You are truly a wizard. :worship:

Hardly anything will fit on my Fehling rack it is so tiny. I roll up a rain suit on it.

In 1984? when Honda brought out the Goldwing Interstate which had a trunk, people loaded them up and the handling got wonky. Honda's retro solution was to bolt a giant lead weight to the headstock on the frame between the fork ears.

 

[Frankie_imp]

Will the RLETS that took me under two minutes to fit compensate for the puny rack?

Wow you put on Rlet's in two minutes? You are truly a wizard. :worship:

Hardly anything will fit on my Fehling rack it is so tiny. I roll up a rain suit on it.

In 1984? when Honda brought out the Goldwing Interstate which had a trunk, people loaded them up and the handling got wonky. Honda's retro solution was to bolt a giant lead weight to the headstock on the frame between the fork ears.

I found that RLETS can be tamed with fire then lightly lubricated and they meekly comply. The size of the rack, as you say, is tiny, hence my idea of affixing a box of some sort to it in an easily removable fashion, the confusion in my mind, caused primarily by the offensive litigation avoiding sticker, was after fitting the box there would only be sufficient weight loading available for 17 M&M’s.


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[Lord Popgun]

Frankie, that’s correct. The top box isn’t for putting anything in, its for looks! And for use when parked only

ST1300 had problems when people loaded up the top box, but I haven’t seen that. I do try to not put heavy things in it, putting them in the saddle bags and bulky items in the box.

I did do a 1100 mile trip on the ST with it loaded up, and still no problem. But not suggesting one does that. YMMV.

 

[Frankie_imp]

Frankie, that’s correct. The top box isn’t for putting anything in, its for looks! And for use when parked only

ST1300 had problems when people loaded up the top box, but I haven’t seen that. I do try to not put heavy things in it, putting them in the saddle bags and bulky items in the box.

I did do a 1100 mile trip on the ST with it loaded up, and still no problem. But not suggesting one does that. YMMV.

Great ! It’s really just for the odd thing I buy when out and about, like a lottery ticket or some Jesus shopping.
I’ll just make sure not to overload it when I’m out dragging my knee around the roundabouts. Always good to have realistic goals I think, so thank you.


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[dave]

Honda's retro solution was to bolt a giant lead weight to the headstock on the frame between the fork ears.
[/QUOTE]

Fork ears?

 

[Frankie_imp]

Honda's retro solution was to bolt a giant lead weight to the headstock on the frame between the fork ears.

Fork ears?
[/QUOTE]
Fork ears?
[/QUOTE]


Four candles... .


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[the Ferret]

headlight stays ? (we used to call them fork ears)..the painted or chromed things that held the headlight bucket on.

 

[Frankie_imp]

headlight stays ? (we used to call them fork ears)..the painted or chromed things that held the headlight bucket on.

Gotcha !


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[pekingduck]

I seem to remember that ST1300 wasn't offered with a top box in the US because of UK and European complaints. But I also recall they eventually had an interim plate between the rack and box that was rubber mounted to allow some side-to-side jiggle, like record turntables (phonographs).

On some cruiser saddlebags (VTX1300-1800?), they also also had them spring-loaded to allow them to sway a bit.

 

[Frankie_imp]

I seem to remember that ST1300 wasn't offered with a top box in the US because of UK and European complaints. But I also recall they eventually had an interim plate between the rack and box that was rubber mounted to allow some side-to-side jiggle, like record turntables (phonographs).

On some cruiser saddlebags (VTX1300-1800?), they also also had them spring-loaded to allow them to sway a bit.

So many variables to keep in mind!


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