* Home Made Childs Sissy Bar Arm Rest's Suzuki C800 / C50 *

I was looking for sissy bar arm rest's for the grandchildren as I like to start the kids on the bikes from a very young age. The ones that you can buy are a little to wide for the little ones & seriously over priced for what is essentially something that I new I could make in my workshop for a fraction of the price.
This mod has so far cost me nothing as I am a bit of a hoarder & as we all know if you chuck something away you will need it one day, well you will if you like to tinker like me.

I haven't finished the arm rest's yet but I thought I would post where I am up to so far.


First I dug out some metal strapping and used the bench vice to bend it to the shape require.




After cutting off the excess length, I ended up with this. l will be modding the corners to give a little more rigidity, although to be fair it is up to the job required as is.




Next I cut some wood to the desired size & started making the arm sections by glueing and screwing it to the metal.




The next step was to add a softer top to the arm rest's by adding some padding, this was just cut to the desired size and glued on.




Don't tell the Mrs but I couldn't find anythng to use for the soft part of arm tops, so I cut a piece from the flooring she bought for my workshop




The next step was to give the arm rest's the desired finish by covering them with black leatherette & I think the first one has finished very nicely.




Still got to do the other arm rest but I have run out of time today, so that and the rest of this job will have to wait until next week.
I will fill the holes in the metal to get a better finish and then probably coat the rest of the frame in leatherette to give the whole thing a nice finish.
I am still working out exactly how I will attach it to to the sissy bar but it will be designed so that it just clips on, for a fast on & off

I will update the finished project next week hopefully but this should give you an idea of what I am doing

Here is a quick mock up of the arm rest, zipped tied.

Sound looking mod Dave (CC will be pleased),a bracket made on your sissy bar permently to accept your bracket with a couple of nylock nuts should suffice,and make it easy to lift on and off.It would not look to obstusive being just a bracket as well.Well you have a week to think on a way to suit your needs,but so far Dave excellant job.

Looking good that Mr I another well thought out job and write up, I'm sure the grand children will feel safe and enjoy the ride

Cheers Alfie, it's probably a good thing that I have got time to think because if I had more time today I would have gone with the first thing I had thought of. However it is secured, I have set a time restraint of 30 seconds to fit securely.
Cheers Sim, I think I have always enjoyed taking the little ones out on the bike as much as they have. It strengthens bonds and makes memories.

Another excellent mod and another excellent 1st for suzuki800.com

I look forward to seeing the finished job Mr I with a grandchild fitted for good measure.

We got some really good modders on here but you and Alfie are running ahead of the field with some great stuff. Your an inspiration & I always look forward to logging on as we never know whats coming next. Love the fact that you mullered the flooring in persuit of modification

When you consider how long some sites have been running and the fact that this site is only just over a year old & already the best site in europe, it's only a matter of time before world domination

A nice bit of DIY there mate! Now I know now why I can't find anything on my bench - I aint got a tidy toolboard like yours with everything in place! I lose my best Phillips head screwdriver, daily!

Tidy tool board, did you not notice his work bench. Looks like there has been an explosion

captain crash wrote:

Tidy tool board, did you not notice his work bench. Looks like there has been an explosion

Yes it does look a bit like that to be honest. I am good at putting tools away at the completion of a job but if I use 25 tools during a job all 25 will be on the bench with anything else that is used as well until completion usually. I have a 14' work bench and use every inch of it

Mr Intruder wrote:

I am good at putting tools away at the completion of a job......

I never tidy up at the end of a job but I'm retired and just can't find the time

nice job dave looks good

Really smart job Mr I.... very clever indeed!

"Don't tell the Mrs but I couldn't find anythng to use for the soft part
of arm tops, so I cut a piece from the flooring she bought for my
workshop "

Funny how when you catch your boot on the edge of that workshop matting, a perfect rectangle snaps off

PS........ If any other members are fashioning something and need padding, Aldi were selling packs of foam mats this week........ no doubt very inferior quality to the dogs bollocks workshop stuff, but could be worth a look

You got me thinking with the zip ties, could you bolt another piece of metal to the middle of the back of the arm rest that goes down to the sissy bar rack with a right angle at the bottom. then you could just use 3 zip ties to quickly secure it on to the bike. 1 on the left of the sissy bar 1 on the right of the sissy bar and 1 on the foot that holds on to the rack. That would be really quick to pop on and cut off but would be held reasonably well due to have the 3 points of contact which would stop it from moving in any direction. As long as you used a good quality tie or maybe 2 of them at each point it would be rigid. Sounds a bit mental maybe but its the best I can think of and it would give you the speed of fit and detach that you want

captain crash wrote:

You got me thinking with the zip ties, could you bolt another piece of metal to the middle of the back of the arm rest that goes down to the sissy bar rack with a right angle at the bottom. then you could just use 3 zip ties to quickly secure it on to the bike. 1 on the left of the sissy bar 1 on the right of the sissy bar and 1 on the foot that holds on to the rack. That would be really quick to pop on and cut off but would be held reasonably well due to have the 3 points of contact which would stop it from moving in any direction. As long as you used a good quality tie or maybe 2 of them at each point it would be rigid. Sounds a bit mental maybe but its the best I can think of and it would give you the speed of fit and detach that you want

Kids on motorcycles holding on to armrests held on by zip ties - if I were a health a safety inspector, I would say no.

Bluesman wrote:

Kids on motorcycles holding on to armrests held on by zip ties - if I were a health a safety inspector, I would say no.

Yeah well I never said I was clever, come to think of it it does seem a wee bit like an idea that came straight out of the funny farm

Probably be a bugger to do, but would it be good if they were permanently fixed, but mounted via some kind of 'sprung hinge', so that they would hinge up to let the pillion get on or off, then snap back down to the horizontal riding position. Just a thought...

captain crash wrote:

then you could just use 3 zip ties to quickly secure it on to the bike.

Yes Crash you really are & you are probably in need of help
Take a lesson from Mal and think of something that won't kill people

bigmal wrote:

Probably be a bugger to do, but would it be good if they were permanently fixed, but mounted via some kind of 'sprung hinge', so that they would hinge up to let the pillion get on or off, then snap back down to the horizontal riding position. Just a thought...

Actually very easy to do for a permanent fixture, all that is needed is a piano hinge or two separate hinges and a spring attached from the armrest to the sissy bar. very good idea for permanently fixed armrests

For me however it is being made with a small center to fit kids up to a maximum of about 9 years old. If I make it so that it will fit adults as well, the fit would not be as good where it is needed, with the little people.

Had a few minutes to mess around in the shed and realised that I was over thinking how the childs sissy bar arm rest would attach & quickly went back to basics.
A nut, bolt and bracket will be permanently attached to the rear of the arm rest bracket. This will allow the brackets to just swing when not in use. I will then only need to place the arm rest in position, swing the bracket up in to position and then quickly tighten with one wing nut on each side.
Its handy that the sissy bar is ^ shaped as this will help when fitting. I will cover/coat the part of the bolts that are not used with something so that they can not scratch the chrome, probably a thick black heat shrink. I will round off the brackets to give a more finished look before spraying and also cover the metal on the arm rests with leatherette to give a more professional look





Anyway thats where I am up to at present, I haven't really done anything as such but I now know what I am going to do and how I will finish the job. I will try to get the completed thing done at the weekend with pictures and a video of how quickly I can attach them and get a child in place.

Mr Intruder wrote:

However it is secured, I have set a time restraint of 30 seconds to fit securely.

I lay down the gauntlet to your time restraint Mr I

I want to see the arm rest fitted securely from scratch and then a grandchild put in place and then you on the bike and riding with helmet on and feet off the ground in the 30 seconds that you initially said you set yourself to fit it

I except your challenge on all counts CC & will reduce the time constraint to 25 seconds

Got on with the arm rest again yesterday and fitted them today, still got a few bits to do before they are completely finished but they are now functionable.

I covered the other arm with leatherette. I then considered spraying the rest of it but eventually covered it with leatherette which gives a much better effect.



I then covered the retaining brackets on both sides with leatherette. There are two reasons for this, firstly they look nicer but the leatherette will protect the chrome on the sissy bar from metal to metal crush damage.



I then cut the holes in the leatherette, on both the brackets and the arm rests to except the retaining bolts.



I did try to drill the holes in the leatherette but this just didn't work very well, so I got the dremmell out with a small attachment to cut the holes.



Here are a couple of pictures of the arm rests attached, I still have to change the bolts to flat headed ones which will be shortened to give only the length needed.






This mod has been made out of stuff in my workshop, so the cost is actually negligible. It is a quick fit arm rest for the grandchildren so it will be no hassle to pop it on and whip it off when not used.

PS, Crash when I completed a few little details I will post the video, so the challenge is still on!

Looking very good Dave,well thought out and functional.My only critisim is why the need for speed?.

well thought out and very nice dave

Cracking job Mr I and good write up as usual

alfie92 wrote:

My only critisim is why the need for speed?.

I presume you mean getting them on and off? Well simply down to the fact that if I have them fast on/off I will be more inclined to let one of the little ones come with me when I pop out on the bike, as the grandchildren are at our house daily, so I will be badgered to let them come with me if I pop out & I don't want it on there when no kid is on the back.

Me thinks its a great job as usual Mr I

I can understand that Dave,cheers for the reply.As I wrote in my last post ,well thought out and functional.

It's so satisfying when we can combine our hobby with family life. This project is about as good as it gets. Well done mate

Thanks guys, being a youngish father and grandfather of a very big family this mod really is about strengthening bonds and making memories with the little people.

That's fantastic. Mr I.

How do you go about the legal requirement for child being able to reach the pegs?
I got a 3y old son and he loves the bike...wondering how I could safely ride with him...like you said, for great memories and bonding.

It all depends on the child but to some extent the earlier you get them on the bike the better & with the arm rests, they really are as safe as they could possibly be. I love taking the little ones out on the bike, we will often pop out to the local countryside to see the animals and they absolutely love it. All my kids have been on my bikes from a very young age and with the sissy bar and arm rests you can relax knowing the are not coming off.
I usually have my pannier bags on my bike but when I carry one of the little ones I have to have them off the bike due to how I have addressed this. I removed the middle fender strut bolt, which usually fits from the outside going in and replaced it with one that screws in from the inside. This has been cut just long enough to leave extra thread that is cut off and then has a bolt extender fitted to it that fits just over flush with the outer edge of the pannier bracket. When I want the little one on I simply whip the saddle bags off and attach a 4" bolt to the bolt extender & that is where he puts his feet.
I will take some pics if you are unsure of what I mean but it is really very basic.
The law is very basic as far as young pillions go, they must have an understanding of being pillion, be able to sit astride the the bike & be able to put their feet on pegs. The pegs may be in addition to the originals, extended, raised or moved.

This is a bolt extender, as you can see it screws on to a bolt thread & then you can screw another bolt on to the other end. They come in various sizes & lengths and you can pick them up in your local hardware store such as B&Q in the area where they sell the long thread bolt bars.



I stopped and chatted to a motorcycle traffic cop about what I had done and he thought it was a great idea. He said that when he see's a small
child riding pillion on a bike he will usually pull the bike over for a chat to be sure in his own mind that the little one is safe but that he would be more than happy with what I had done! He did also say that even though I had taken ever precaution I should still expect to get pulled over occasionally by curious coppers, just because my grandson is so small but that there would not be an issue due to the sissy bar, arm rests & make do footpegs.

Hope this helps

Cheers for that, great write up and explanation. I appreciate it.

I think that my boy would struggle with understanding of being a pillion.
Seems like a gray area as he wouldn't be able to speak for himself yet.

Regardless, that mod is very high up on my to do list and thanks to you it will be a much easier task.

Much appreciated.

Marcin