Passenger grab rail upgrade?

**Balquin** · 06-19-2014, 08:09 AM

OK, so I have an 08 1600 and a friend has an 03 1500. Was looking at the grab rails, backrest and gap fillers on mine and it looks as though these parts would fit on his 1500. Could this be a possible upgrade to his bike that we could look at if we happened upon the parts? It is a nice touch from Kawa that I think could give him a nice upgrade for his passenger. Thanks!

id-man · 06-19-2014, 08:28 AM

I like the full length chrome fillers of the 1600 way better than the stubby ones on my '04 1500 but I was under the impression the mounting hole spacing was way different. If the fillers are not interchangeable the grab rails wouldn't be either. I just had some grab bars made by a local shop, bent from 1/2" steel rod. He hammered out the tips where the bolt holes go into flat tabs. The unfinished bars cost me under $50 and I sprayed them with some black Plasti-Dip in a rattle can, and had them bolted up in a half hour.

**cnc** · 06-19-2014, 08:51 AM

I'm not sure but since you have the two bikes side by side, why not remove the hardware on one side of your bike and mock it up on his. Once the bags are off which is a 5 min job, it shouldn't take long.

recumbentbob · 06-19-2014, 10:14 AM

I traded in my 08 with a trunk on it.
I still have the grab rails passenger back rest & cobra luggage rack if anyone is interested PM me

toogun · 06-19-2014, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balquin

OK, so I have an 08 1600 and a friend has an 03 1500. Was looking at the grab rails, backrest and gap fillers on mine and it looks as though these parts would fit on his 1500. Could this be a possible upgrade to his bike that we could look at if we happened upon the parts? It is a nice touch from Kawa that I think could give him a nice upgrade for his passenger. Thanks!

My Nomad is a 2004, I like the backrest with the grab bars on the newer bikes so I found one on Kijiji and made a pair of brackets to make it fit.

**BudMan** · 06-19-2014, 09:26 PM

They are not a exact match. Putting the 1600 parts on a 1500 would require some work.

Eppic2 · 08-05-2014, 02:34 AM

Hi Toogun. What about the black studs or antlers that are on the 1600 to secure the bags and leave space for the passenger bars...they are about an 1" longer than the 2004's. The 1600 bags stand out quite a bit more from the frame than the 2004. How did you handle that part of it?? Thanks, Dave

toogun · 08-05-2014, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eppic2

Hi Toogun. What about the black studs or antlers that are on the 1600 to secure the bags and leave space for the passenger bars...they are about an 1" longer than the 2004's. The 1600 bags stand out quite a bit more from the frame than the 2004. How did you handle that part of it?? Thanks, Dave

Not sure of the 1600 fittings since I didn't have access to one to use as an example. I used what I had (1500) and made a mock up to secure the backrest.
The first picture is of one of the brackets before final fitting and drilling.
The pictures of the backrest installed aren't that great. It allows the backrest to sit higher than the chromed space bars. Next time I have to take of a saddle bag I'll take a pic to give you a better look at the finished bracket.

Eppic2 · 08-06-2014, 09:50 AM

Thanks a lot for the 3 pics Toogun. That is very helpfull. I assume your profile pic with the black Nomad is the finished product. It looks good. Did the newer pad and backrest frame fit your bike easily? Btw how much did you pay for the newer passenger bar and backrest? Thanks, Dave

toogun · 08-06-2014, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eppic2

Thanks a lot for the 3 pics Toogun. That is very helpfull. I assume your profile pic with the black Nomad is the finished product. It looks good. Did the newer pad and backrest frame fit your bike easily? Btw how much did you pay for the newer passenger bar and backrest? Thanks, Dave

Everything fit quite easily because of the bracket that I made.
I bought the backrest used from a dealer on Kijiji, I noticed he had it listed for a long time,like year! He was asking $250 I offered him $150 and I think he was glad to finally sell it.
Next time I pull the saddle bag I'll take another picture so you see the entire bracket installed.

toogun · 09-23-2014, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogun

Not sure of the 1600 fittings since I didn't have access to one to use as an example. I used what I had (1500) and made a mock up to secure the backrest.
The first picture is of one of the brackets before final fitting and drilling.
The pictures of the backrest installed aren't that great. It allows the backrest to sit higher than the chromed space bars. Next time I have to take of a saddle bag I'll take a pic to give you a better look at the finished bracket.

Here are the pics with the saddle bags off.

Eppic2 · 09-23-2014, 09:38 PM

Thanks for remembering to take these extra pics Toogun. They will go into my files for a possible spring time project. I think the chrome looks so much better than if you did the brackets in black. Way to go man.

toogun · 09-23-2014, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eppic2

Thanks for remembering to take tuphese extra pics Toogun. They will go into my files for a possible spring time project. I think the chrome looks so much better than if you did the brackets in black. Way to go man.

Actually the brackets are aluminum,just buffed them up nice,

06-19-2014, 08:09 AM	#1
Balquin Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Windsor, CO Posts: 83	Passenger grab rail upgrade? OK, so I have an 08 1600 and a friend has an 03 1500. Was looking at the grab rails, backrest and gap fillers on mine and it looks as though these parts would fit on his 1500. Could this be a possible upgrade to his bike that we could look at if we happened upon the parts? It is a nice touch from Kawa that I think could give him a nice upgrade for his passenger. Thanks! __________________ 2008 Nomad black/red VBA#2803 "It takes all types to make up this world and not one of them is missing." Login or Register to Remove Ads
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06-19-2014, 08:28 AM	#2
id-man Advanced Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cape Cod Massachusetts Posts: 822	I like the full length chrome fillers of the 1600 way better than the stubby ones on my '04 1500 but I was under the impression the mounting hole spacing was way different. If the fillers are not interchangeable the grab rails wouldn't be either. I just had some grab bars made by a local shop, bent from 1/2" steel rod. He hammered out the tips where the bolt holes go into flat tabs. The unfinished bars cost me under $50 and I sprayed them with some black Plasti-Dip in a rattle can, and had them bolted up in a half hour. __________________ 2004 Nomad 1500FI - weeeeeeeeee!
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06-19-2014, 08:51 AM	#3
cnc Join Date: May 2009 Location: Montreal QC Posts: 12,034	I'm not sure but since you have the two bikes side by side, why not remove the hardware on one side of your bike and mock it up on his. Once the bags are off which is a 5 min job, it shouldn't take long. __________________ Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136
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06-19-2014, 10:14 AM	#4
recumbentbob Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newburgh IN Posts: 3,404	I traded in my 08 with a trunk on it. I still have the grab rails passenger back rest & cobra luggage rack if anyone is interested PM me __________________ VBA #01084 "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
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06-19-2014, 09:26 PM	#6
BudMan Join Date: May 2009 Location: Greenwood, Ark. Posts: 4,736	They are not a exact match. Putting the 1600 parts on a 1500 would require some work. __________________ Dave Jesse 2012 1700 Gray/Black Voyager 2006 1600 Nomad Green/Silver Sold VBA #1108 2010- Eureka Springs - Antlers - 2011- Maggie Valley - Antlers 2012- Margaritaville Ride - Van Buren - Antlers - 2013- Estes Park - Antlers 2014- Mountain View - Antlers - 2015- Eureka Springs - Antlers 2016- Salem - Antlers - 2017- Eureka Springs - Lake George - Antlers - 2018- Custer - Antlers
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08-05-2014, 02:34 AM	#7
Eppic2 Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 61	Hi Toogun. What about the black studs or antlers that are on the 1600 to secure the bags and leave space for the passenger bars...they are about an 1" longer than the 2004's. The 1600 bags stand out quite a bit more from the frame than the 2004. How did you handle that part of it?? Thanks, Dave
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08-06-2014, 09:50 AM	#9
Eppic2 Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 61	Thanks a lot for the 3 pics Toogun. That is very helpfull. I assume your profile pic with the black Nomad is the finished product. It looks good. Did the newer pad and backrest frame fit your bike easily? Btw how much did you pay for the newer passenger bar and backrest? Thanks, Dave
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09-23-2014, 09:38 PM	#12
Eppic2 Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 61	Thanks for remembering to take these extra pics Toogun. They will go into my files for a possible spring time project. I think the chrome looks so much better than if you did the brackets in black. Way to go man.
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