Author: gjosol

I’m so used to having a back rest on my sleds it was a priority for me to install one as soon as I could. That meant researching the current manufactures products.

I opted for the Honda OEM model. This is the first time I haven’t purchased other 3rd party solutions. I’ve used Utopia, Kuryakyn, Ultimate and others.

The OEM Honda style cosmetically looks the best to me. As far as functionality I don’t think it is as versatile as the 3rd party offerings. Both the rider and passenger seat do not have a quick release. The backrest are always on the sled.

The other odd thing about the passenger seat is the inability to adjust the vertical position. It’s a static position that seems to have backward tilt that is bit too much.

The angle of the seat may be adjusted by using spacers and longer bolts on the brackets 3 hole mount.

Took the various screws off that secures the trunk inner lid. I’m going to need to find replacement screws that are a bit larger in diameter. EDIT: I picked up all the hardware I needed at the local ACE store. I made sure to locktite 8-32 bolts I used for the trunk lock hooks. I also used lock nuts, I learned from the past fails trying to fix the original problem.

The original lid had a lot of damage. I found it was missing other areas on the lid.

The lower corner section on both sides of the cover was completely gone.

One thing that was unexpected was having to reuse the rubber seal that goes around the lid. Mine was in good shape for reuse. I’ll probably use some sealant to keep in place, just a few tacks around lid to keep it in place.

The part came in sooner than I expected. I need to source the original screws. I don’t want to use a mashup of spare hardware.

I noticed the replacement part does not come with the rubber seal. I’ll remove the original piece and reuse. It’s not in terrible shape.

For the past couple of years I’ve messing with the trunk inner lid. The plastic area the loop latch attaches will become weak in time and eventually crack. I have tried repairing it with liquid cement, metal brackets and various bolts and screws each repair would eventually fail.

As it turns out the OEM replacement part is not expensive and readily available minus the shipment time. I went ahead and purchased one and it should be delivered by next weekend. I will need to source out the OEM screws as the current hardware is not Honda Factory issued and definitely looks like it was pieced together with bits and pieces laying around a garage.

Saturday morning time maintenance. The sled is due for an oil change… okay way past due for an oil change. It is common practice to drain the oil and replace the filter. Just add 4 quarts of oil and your good, some don’t even bother measuring the dipstick.

EDIT: I could not get an odometer reading for the digital readout due to a trunk not closed flashing on the dashboard. The approximate mileage would be 69,200 miles.

I do the same but I will measure the dipstick and fill to the center line. I’ll run the motor for awhile check, add and restart the process. It seems I’m a little bit over 4 quarts each time. The recommended quantity amound is 3.9 quarts.

I believe the recommended Honda service manual maintenance section states changing the oil every 8,000 miles. If you’re running some type of synthetic oil you can hit up to 10,000 miles as long as the filter is decent quality.

With the amount of miles I do per year and the non-stop riding I can hit the miles limit very quickly. I’ve heard of some guys changing their oil when they hit 3-5k miles. That would be unreasonable for me to try and keep up with that type of schedule. At a minimum I ride 2500 miles a month back and forth commuting to work. This does not include all the places I ride during the weekends.

The local auto parts stores have the service that allows you to bring your used oil and fluids and they will discard it for you. It’s sometimes hit and miss as the recycle tubs are commonly filled and you have to come back another day. I was lucky and found one of the shops had space after leaving another parts store that had no room left in their tank.