To prevent the rear of the R3T bearclaw from deforming the rear filter you can make a small bracket with two adjacent holes. Remove the rubber grommet from the stock mounting point and insert in one of the holes in your bracket. Using the adjacent hole, bolt the bracket to the hole you removed the grommet from. Then attach the bearclaw to the bracket.
The only problem with this approach is that you will have a gap between the bearclaw and the gas tank. Its only really visible from above, but it could be an issue in the rain.
I ran mine that way for awhile until I worked up the nerve to start hacking away at the bearclaw.