How to decommission a Metzler

Here's the info on the tail bag and mounting rack.

The bag is mounted to a piece of aluminum that I perfectly cut out to match. Just traced the bottom of the bag on the aluminum with a Sharpie pen and cut with a band saw. Not sure what gauge aluminum it is. It was from a scrap piece at work and is about 3/16" thick. The orientation of the hooks on the bag made it easy to attach to the aluminum with four 10/32” screws, nuts and some fender washers.

This aluminum plate is mounted to the bracket of a stock passenger pillion that I was not using. I simply drilled through the rivets on the bracket to remove it from the seat pad. Four 10/32” screws hold the plate to the bracket. The screw heads face the fender. Washers needed to be placed between the bracket and the plate since the bracket is slightly curved. The washers allow the plate to sit flat on the bracket with no wobble. The aluminum is tapped but I still used nuts on the top side of the plate for extra tightness.

I placed some weather stripping with self-adhesive backing to the bracket to prevent the bracket from coming in contact with the fender. The center of bracket actually sits about 1/8” to 3/16” higher than the fender when mounted with its 3 mounting bolts so the weather stripping is hardly in contact with the fender unless there’s some weight in the bag.

Very simple and provides a nice clean look. A way to carry a few small items without having to throw on my saddle bags which mount with easy brackets. IMO nothing kills the looks of an R3 faster than saddle bags.

The bag is the River Road Classic Tail Pack. I got mine on sale for $60 but it looks like it’s going for around $100. Amazon looks like the cheapest right now.

http://www.amazon.com/River-Road-Tail-Pack-Classic/dp/B002OMKY9O

Or Google River Road Classic Tail Pack 107743

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=river road classic tail pack 107743

It’s a high quality bag that I would still recommend even at $100. I originally bought it for my Yamaha Warrior so it has served me well (last two pics). I was looking for a bag that would impact the lines on the Warrior as little as possible and hold its shape when empty. Looks great on the Rocket too! Also holds quite a bit for its size.

Honestly, you could probably just strap this bag down on the rear pillion and it would still look nice. This just gives it a cleaner and more finished look.

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The four tabs in the corners could be cut off for a little cleaner look on the bike but you really can't see them unless you're up close and intentionally looking under there. Leaving them on allows the bracket to re-attached to the seat pad in the future. The four open holes in the plate are for mounting it to the Warrior.

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On the Warrior

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Also, exactly which shifter do you have directly mounted to the shift rod?
I'd like to hear more about that cool license plate holder! Did you actually drill into the fender to install that? Tell me more!

Sorry, these were both on the bike when I bought it so I don't really have any info other than the license plate is drilled into the fender and has an LED strip at the top that doesn't really work that well with the plate at that angle. Guessing it was a flat plate meant to mount vertically and somebody bent it just right to the curve of the fender but possibly it was purchased with the curve. Don't know.
 
I'm actually staring more in awe of those firmly planted feet in that first pic than anything else. That's it! I'm moving to Russia to do that thing where they break your legs over and over again and use a brace pinned to your bones to force them to heal across a small gap to make you taller. Then I can do the cool burnout, too!

Ever consider sheet rocker's stilts? :D

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What's with the front end repair?
Have I missed something?
From my first thread on this forum:

http://www.r3owners.net/threads/aerocharger-rocket-to-buy-or-not-to-buy.14700/page-2#post-186016

Fortunately there was no frame damage. Was less than a grand to repair. The most expensive thing to replace was the gas tank allowing me to find and buy the flamed one which I absolutely love. Had this mishap not happened I wouldn't have that. I'm also wiser for the experience.
 
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I'm actually staring more in awe of those firmly planted feet in that first pic than anything else. That's it! I'm moving to Russia to do that thing where they break your legs over and over again and use a brace pinned to your bones to force them to heal across a small gap to make you taller. Then I can do the cool burnout, too!

Just work on your balance and then you can stand on the footpegs and do a slow rolling burnout, looks even more impressive. ;)
 
I'd like to hear more about that cool license plate holder! Did you actually drill into the fender to install that? Tell me more!

Same or similar to what I was running .. mines from Kuryakan .. or whatever they call themselves. Got it from North County Yamaha in the States. Three holes do need to be drilled through the guard for mounting.
 
That is a brilliant solution to the 'ugly luggage' problem I have. Not liked my Long Rides saddlebags since the day I bought them, "buy in haste, repent at leisure" I rarely carry a passenger so that looks like a cool option, could mount whatever you want Aluminium, fibreglass boxes or Textile tankbags none would look too out of place. Thanks for the idea, Off to unbolt the current brackets, seat and set about planning.
Cheers
 
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