Standard Rear Rack pics

If a properly proportioned and fitting rack is installed, they blend with the bike quite well and you quickly grow used to the "look". And you get addicted to their convenience even quicker, lol. You won't want to be taking it off. And what makes it even nicer and more useful is finding a nice fitting tail bag to strap on it. My rack is part of my saddlebag mounting system. My "tail" bag is actually a tank bag but it fit so perfectly on the rack that it's never seen a gas tank since, lol. It's been strapped to the luggage rack for about 14 years now .....

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Bosco659 and others take note that if that Great looking Special II chrome grab rail is chosen to be used, the Standard frame left side frame grab loop will have to be sacrificed with the dreaded hacksaw! :yikes:
This whole thread was originally to show the rare and fantastic sleek and pretty rear rack like Somerville has located and shown off. It fits over the frame grab loop.. And its a beauty. And I still don't know the manufacturer, just that those were at one time a convenient accessory to purchase.
 
It fits over the frame grab loop.. And its a beauty.

Yes, good point Randy! You can kind of see from my pic above of the rack off the bike (although I didn't do a great job capturing both sides), but in case it's not clear, the rack is asymmetrical. The LH side rail runs tighter to the seat with the mount point facing downwards so that it can clear the frame grab loop, whereas the RH side is a straight-shot into the shock mount from the side.

LH side
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RH side
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I had similar thoughts before I actually installed it and when realized I didn't mind the look of it I never revisited. In case it's useful to anyone, here's a close up of it off of the bike. When I was considering it, I had this idea to fabricate some sort of thick washer/spacer for permanent install on the upper shock mount standoffs. The idea being that this would be adequately recessed so that it could accept the open-ended legs of the rack without having to remove the upper shock nuts. Then maybe some sort of wing nuts or large knurled bolts on the other two mounts (rear turn signal brackets) so they could be installed/removed by hand. Could make it a relatively easy pop-on/off (assuming it worked, heh)

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Thx. What year is that rack from? Is there a range of years that would all use the same rack? Need to have the proper intel before I go shopping. Btw is this something that I would need to buy as an OEM
Bosco659 and others take note that if that Great looking Special II chrome grab rail is chosen to be used, the Standard frame left side frame grab loop will have to be sacrificed with the dreaded hacksaw! :yikes:
This whole thread was originally to show the rare and fantastic sleek and pretty rear rack like Somerville has located and shown off. It fits over the frame grab loop.. And its a beauty. And I still don't know the manufacturer, just that those were at one time a convenient accessory to purchase.
Noooo. I wouldn’t want to cut the handle off. I’d never get it on the center stand without it. In my case, with the cafe racer styled seat, a rear rack may look out of place. I’ll search for one and who knows, it may indeed grow on me. Thx
 
Overdue pic I promised Randy for this thread after some fitment advice. Here's a standard rack I picked up a couple months ago. Installed in about 15 minutes on the upper shock mounts and stock rear signal mount brackets on my 74 TX-A. Removed a bit of surface rust and it polished up quite nicely. Felt like a steal for $30. Couple pics of it empty and (mildly) loaded up. Originally I thought I might take it on and off, but 1) it's so dang useful and 2) I actually like the look of it way more than I expected. I think it suits the bike really well, it's a great design.

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The whole thing looks amazing.
 
Thx. What year is that rack from? Is there a range of years that would all use the same rack? Need to have the proper intel before I go shopping. Btw is this something that I would need to buy as an OEM
Those racks were made in the aftermarket. Some came from the Yamaha accessory catalog. I believe what you're looking for fits 1974 to 1979 XS650 standard. The Specials are altogether different. I think the best thing for you to do is get another bike, as in add to the fleet. There are touring bikes that haul tons of crap. Think GoldWing, Harley-Davidson, any number of adventure bikes, etc. Cafe racer and rack mix like oil and water.
 
Rasputin, that's a beauty. I assume you built it from scratch? Or did you just adapt some rack from a different bike? I have several from other bikes that I thought about trying to adapt.
 
Rasputin, that's a beauty. I assume you built it from scratch? Or did you just adapt some rack from a different bike? I have several from other bikes that I thought about trying to adapt.
Just one I bought at an auto jumble, been hung on the wall a few years, adapted a bit, would have liked chrome but it’s mega expensive to get triple plate here. Made the struts and brass parts, takes minutes to fit, not for heavy stuff though.
 
Those racks were made in the aftermarket. Some came from the Yamaha accessory catalog. I believe what you're looking for fits 1974 to 1979 XS650 standard. The Specials are altogether different. I think the best thing for you to do is get another bike, as in add to the fleet. There are touring bikes that haul tons of crap. Think GoldWing, Harley-Davidson, any number of adventure bikes, etc. Cafe racer and rack mix like oil and water.
That’s an interesting solution. I like the idea of another bike so I can have a luggage rack but I’m not so sure my wife would agree. Lol.
 
I just picked up a rear rack from an XS500 that the seller reckoned might fit the 650. It's close, and modifiable, if not a direct bolt-on, so I'll use it. It's in very good condition cosmetically, so that's in its favour.
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Mine's a 79 Special. No matter, I have grinders, cutters, welders up the kazzoo and I no longer have the original rear mudguard, so I can use something that fits it all together. The current guard is just a plastic mudguard from a 125 trail bike and it was always just a temporary solution. I can use something better.
The important bit for me with this rack is the front fitting - if they fit the top shock mounts, it's all good. The other supports can be molished.
I miss the days when the universal rear racks that fitted almost anything were easily got.
 
This XS750 rack was too good to pass up, so I snagged it. It will go on the 650 or the other GS850 Zuk, which has no rack at all. I'd be happy enough if the smaller XS500 rack can be made to fit the 650, as it's not a bike I plan to use for much carrying of gear; that's the job of the GSs and the XJ.
The XS650 rack is purely so that, if in the event of it being the only bike useable on a given day, it can at least be used to go shopping on.

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From what I can see this is the rack fitted to the XS750 Tourer, as a dealer option.
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/yamaha/yamaha_xs750 touring.htm
 
The XS750 rack arrived today and it's nearly a perfect fit for the 650, so that decides it.
I gave it a scrub with T-Cut and some car wax, so it now gleams. There's the slightest touch of rust rash on the backrest tubing, but I'll probably not use that anyway. If I feel the need, I can treat it with some phosphoric acid then buff it up again.
 
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