Hi folks,
I got another round of pics and a simple mod for ya. First off, here's the 'history' of this mod:
I bought a 37L Shad case with color matched plate. I love it! It looks factory!
However, there's not a specific mount for the 500(that I know of) and even if there were, most mounts from Givi, Shad, etc cost over $100 minimum. I originally had made a mount out of bolts and threaded bar from Lowe's, but that was my impatience catching up to me and also because I "needed" the topcase secured the day I got it home

. Oh well, my loss is your gain because I'm gonna try and show some basics on fixing scratches to the powder coated luggage racks and also install a MUCH MUCH better version of my 'el cheapo' DIY rack. This rack is great because basically it creates a raised, sturdy platform that can be drilled out and allow for the install of ANY topcase that has a basic bracket. As for parts, I used Metric bolts that were 6X1.0 X 75(longest they had), with some "fender washers"(the larger ones) and a few metric washers. The risers are Steel spacers that are 3/4 X1.5 inches...I tried 2 inches but didn't leave enough thread contact. I used multiple washers to not only distribute the weight/pressure, but also to add height and fill in the 'gap' between the spacers and bolt head to allow for snug tightening. Trust me, I could sit on this set up and it wouldn't budge. The metal is 1/8 inch thick steel, and believe me, getting the cutting done was the only long,hard part. The drilling went fairly fast, but cutting the steel made me realize how much I need a Rotozip or Die grinder. Enjoy...I hope this saves someone the $80++ bucks it saved me
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