Utopia Backrest Ordered!

I thought I would share my experiences that led to my decision to bite the bullet and order the Utopia backrest for my "hog"

I've only been riding for about 4 weeks now and I was becoming increasingly aware of lower back pain. I read a few threads on this site and tried several different riding positions, as I was conscious that I was probably over tense due the mammoth weight of The SW compared to my old 125cc! Anyway, nothing seemed to ease the pain and so I started to look for back support options ...............

Plenty of ideas here to choose from but I found pretty much all of them either impractical or visually displeasing, apart from that is, the Utopia backrest which looks like a genuine Honda extra! Unfortunately, the price was equally Honda like! So, before I made any rash decision to order the backrest, I had to be sure that it would completely cure the problem of my back pain!

To this end, I attached an old plastic storage box with a seat cushion secured to one end, to the passanger seat in order to simulate as closely as possible, the effect of a fitted backrest ......................... and took my first ride!

Result? Perfect!!! No back pain at all, and what comfort!

Needless to say, the Utopia backrest has been ordered at a price of €200 including delivery to Vienna! And if Mikeo's experience with duties and VAT are the same for me, then the total price will be closer to €300 by the time I have the backrest (mid November my estimation). Still, I wait with bated breath, and console myself that a Honda top box costs the same as I as I have just forked out for the Utopia, and my SW already had one of those when I bought it! So, swings and roundabouts

SteVe

steveonfarm wrote:

Needless to say, the Utopia backrest has been ordered at a price of €200 including delivery to Vienna! And if Mikeo's experience with duties and VAT are the same for me, then the total price will be closer to €300 by the time I have the backrest (mid November my estimation).

Will you be running the Utopia backrest with the buttrest in rear position or without the buttrest??

I have tested the Utopia with both configurations.

Almost certainly "with" the buttrest Bob! The pictures I've seen with it installed without the buttrest do not appeal to me aesthetically!

steveonfarm wrote:

Almost certainly "with" the buttrest Bob! The pictures I've seen with it installed without the buttrest do not appeal to me aesthetically!

I have my Airhawk and Alaskan Sheepskin covering ... with two leather wraps around the Utopia backrest bar.

I would suggest angling the Utopia backrest forward so that you barely touch the buttrest ... to avoid the lower portion of the buttrest (which has little to no padding). I noticed the difference without the buttrest.

I also ordered a Utopia back rest. I have had it for about four weeks. It looks like a high quality item and blends in perfectly with my seat. It has a pocket or pouch on the back side that looks great. I have no regrets spending $200 for it. The next thing was getting it installed.

I have been taking my bike to a guy who runs a repair motorcycle repair shop dealing mostly with trikes and Harleys but he also works on metric bikes and has done a good job for me in the past with my old Honda Helix, 250cc. I asked him to install the back rest because I just did not want to attempt it myself after looking at the instructions. He wasn't too sure he wanted to do it but finally said he would take the job.

He had the back rest and the seat for about two and a half weeks and was not able to get at it. I figured he had bigger fish to fry and my back rest was low priority so I stopped by his shop today and picked up the back rest and seat. I think he was happy to see them go. No hard feelings here at all, I will continue to work with him in the future on other projects -foot pegs for example.

I found a guy in Ohio who has installed a large number of Utopia back rests on different bikes over the years. He is now retired but agreed to install mine for me. So next week I will be driving from Michigan down to Ohio to get the work done. It will be a five hour trip one way, half hour to install the back rest and then five hours home. He is only charging me $35 but that's pretty small compared to what I will be spending on gas. It seems like a big fuss just to get the thing installed but I now like the idea of having the work done by someone who knows what he is doing.

I plan to leave the butt rest on and completely closed or pushed back against the seat. I am also going to ask to have the back rest installed just a little further back than normal because I am quite tall and tend to lean back when riding. The last thing I want is for the back rest to be right on top of or just behind the butt rest and in a completely upright position. I think that would be quite uncomfortable.

I'm looking forward to getting this project finished. Next will be footpegs over the winter while I can't ride and then next spring I'll get an Clearview XL windshield to replace the stock windshield on the bike. After that, some where long down the road I want to install a rack on the back of the bike to take two hard luggage boxes. Then I will be done, and probably too old to ride the thing any longer.

Could someone give me the Name of the Gentlemen in Ohio that has
installed many Utopia Back rest (Scooter Rider) mention him but I would
like to get his name and phone number to call
Thanks
Drew Arlington,VA

Scooter Rider
Could you furnish me with the name and phone number of the person
that you had install your Utopia Back Rest
Thanks
Drew
Arlington,VA

drewscrew13 wrote:

Scooter Rider
Could you furnish me with the name and phone number of the person
that you had install your Utopia Back Rest

If Scooter Rider does not respond, then send them a PM. Most likely they will receive an email notification of the PM.