[The Astute Reader(tm)]

Greetings!

You can pretty much tell everything about it from the photos below. Yes, that is a trunk rack held on using industrial-strength suction cups. No, I am not using mind-altering drugs. Yes, there is a safety tether running behind the passenger backrest.

This is just an experiment, mind you. It may work fine; it may come apart like a clown car. Further details as they emerge.

 

[Matt(BCNV)]

That 'Sucks"!!

LOL

Matt(BCNV) :thumbup:

 

[Scooby]

That's thinking out of the box!! :thumbup:
Would the possibility of dirt/dust getting trapped beneath the suction cups and damaging the finish be of great concern?

 

[louieg]

I had a set up like that. Sucked my CD changer out.

..louie

 

[The Astute Reader(tm)]

That's thinking out of the box!! :thumbup:
Would the possibility of dirt/dust getting trapped beneath the suction cups and damaging the finish be of great concern?

Yes, but if this works I will put down four round pads of 3M clear paint protection film where the suction cups rest. That should take care of paint scuffing.

 

[GeeWillikers]

Why would it come apart?

I recently bought a couple of GoPros and with one of the kits they gave us a suction cup mount.

If it were longer I could probably do pull ups on the darn thing.

I was very wary of using it at first, but after watching sport bikers using them in all positions/manners at speeds of 130+, I felt secure mounting it to the front fairing.

Solid as a rock all day long.

No issue with marring either - I just cleaned the surface well and mounted her up.

Mind you - this is one of those that you press on, then move a lever to increase the suction and affix it to the mounting surface, but I don't know why the same thing wouldn't work for what you're doing.

Cool idea - surprised no one has done it before.

 

[The Astute Reader(tm)]

Why would it come apart?

Don't know. The vibration back there might be higher than I think, or the wind resistance of a rack bag might be too much. The first part of my experiment is to just drive around with the empty rack and see how long it takes to loosen up or shake off. If that seems to work O.K. then I'll repeat the test again with a lightly loaded rack bag in place.

Cool idea - surprised no one has done it before.

Probably because no one had a bag of leftover, industrial strength suction cups kicking around in the garage and was really bored one day.

 

[icing777]

That 'Sucks"!!

LOL

Matt(BCNV) :thumbup:

Good one, Matt! :thumbup:

 

[ssncob]

It's been a few years, but saw that on an older wing. Worked well. The weight of the bag on the rack helped hold the cups down, and the size of the cups helped with weight distribution so no cracking occurred.

Only problem guy said he had was the Texas sun dried out the cups pretty fast, he had to replace them every couple of months.

 

[ki-speed]

I would think cooler / cold weather would make the rubber suction cups more rigid and they would lose their grip.

Mark

 

[Handley]

:shrug: :?: Call me confusrd...But why not just mount the rack :?: :shrug:

 

[GaryC]

You're a genius!!! I have argued with the wife for 5 years she wanted one I didn't (just don't like the looks) She finally won (it was futile to resist) and I installed one this week. I should have waited a few more days and went this route.:22yikes:

 

[Puzzle-man]

I think all suction cups fail with time. The advantage of the ones on a rack are that as you put weight on it the suction cup is forced down again. Over time however it will draw dust under the cup and that will cause it to fail to stick.

 

[smc]

I think your on to something. This would make for a good weekend trip.

 

[Biker John]

That 'Sucks"!!

LOL

Matt(BCNV) :thumbup:

 

[jd111]

Suction cups with a little assistance usually do a decent job. As a rural mail carrier, the car-top sign I used had 4 large suction cups and a tether on each side. Only lost it once and that was in very severe conditions at 55+MPH. Other than the slope of the trunk, I think this would work pretty well as it does not get much wind on it and the weight should hold it.

 

[GWRick]

Hmm Out of the box thinking like that should be outlawed!:evil: Next, some idiot will try putting a car tire on a motorcycle!:thumbup:

 

[The Astute Reader(tm)]

:shrug: :?: Call me confusrd...But why not just mount the rack :?: :shrug:

Several reasons:

You have to drill holes in the trunk to mount the rack. Once they are there they are there forever.

You might only want to use the rack for trips.

A rack (or trunk lid holes) might kill a future resale.

No two rack brands have the same hole pattern, so if your current one rusts out and is no longer produced you are screwed.

Racks are a pain to wash and wax under.

 

[The Astute Reader(tm)]

I think all suction cups fail with time. The advantage of the ones on a rack are that as you put weight on it the suction cup is forced down again. Over time however it will draw dust under the cup and that will cause it to fail to stick.

True, but it is easy enough to pull up the cup, wet it with a little soapy water, and stick it back down again.

 

[The Astute Reader(tm)]

I would think cooler / cold weather would make the rubber suction cups more rigid and they would lose their grip.

Yes, possibly. But I can get the same suction cup in silicon rubber instead of nitrile rubber and that should handle extreme temperatures better.