Driver's Backrest

[nomadbehappy]

I have been looking to get a backrest for the spring and figured I would get a Grasshopper (heard great things about them for the price), when I came across this http://www.mutazu.com/products.php?c...304&s=prod.php. It is only $65! Has anyone bought one of these or know anything about them, quality, comfort? To me it looks like a knock off Grasshopper but even cheaper.

For $65 I am tempted to give one a try, but then again grasshopper is only $25 more and tried and tested, hmmm.....

[nomad561]

It may or may not be a good deal. Price isn't everything when it comes to getting a good deal.
I would go with something that is "tried and true" instead of taking a chance.
On a seperate note,I try to support the members here first if everything else is fairly even.

[nomadtom69]

Might want to email them and find out if you have to unbolt it everytime you want to take it off total cost on theirs in 77 you can get a grasshopper for 90 if you just keep making a min. bid on ebay you will get one sooner or later for that price and free shipping

[minst7877]

I have one from them that I got after the riding season ended for me last year. The bracket is heavier than the one on my buddy's grasshopper and it is chrome plated. Overall quality seems good but it does seem to push me farther forward on the seat which I'm not sure that I will like. May just need to do a little tweaking on it once I start riding in the spring.

DC

[nomadtom69]

can you take it off quick or do you have to unbolt it ???

[minst7877]

To tell the truth I don't remember. Haven't looked at it since I put it on three months ago. Will pull the cover tomorrow and give it another look.

DC

[rickyboy]

I went with the adjustable Utopia. Worth the extra cash for me and my "bad back".
I have heard many say the grasshopper "pushes them fwd" and at 6' that's exactly what I don't need. I tend to slouch a bit when I ride.

[nomadrider]

I have the grasshopper and it improves my riding position.Good lower back support.I like the larger pad on the mutazu backrest but from the picture you can't tell if it is quick release like the grasshopper

[brote]

I checked out he Grasshopper because of the low cost. I thought it was a very basic unit. I then saw a Utopia on a friends bike. This unit can be adjusted in almost any way and without to much effort. I bought one and haven't looked back. I think the additional $$$ I paid for the Utopia was more than worth it.

[ve3hzz]

Originally Posted by brote

I checked out he Grasshopper because of the low cost. I thought it was a very basic unit. I then saw a Utopia on a friends bike. This unit can be adjusted in almost any way and without to much effort. I bought one and haven't looked back. I think the additional $$$ I paid for the Utopia was more than worth it.

But the utopia mounts by removing the seat padding on the rear pillion and then attaching a bracket and cutting a slit in the covering and then reattaching it right? The Grasshopper mounts to the fender bracket bolts of the rear pillion and the frame of it sandwiches between the front and rear seat correct? So the Utopia maybe nice, but I have a Mustang seat on mine and would not want to have to remove the covering to reattach!! Or did they change there design???

[rickyboy]

I don't recal having to remove any seat padding. I do recall cutting a slit so the piece that the seat attaches to, can come through. They give you a heavy duty piece of material to "finish" the edge of the material where you made your cut. If that makes any sense. That's it ! I think it might have taken around 1/2 hr. if that, to install. There are a number of videos on the internet. None specifically for the Nomad, but they're pretty much all the same.
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...n+a+Nomad&aq=f

[ve3hzz]

Originally Posted by rickyboy ... #00722

I don't recal having to remove any seat padding. I do recall cutting a slit so the piece that the seat attaches to, can come through. They give you a heavy duty piece of material to "finish" the edge of the material where you made your cut. If that makes any sense. That's it ! I think it might have taken around 1/2 hr. if that, to install. There are a number of videos on the internet. None specifically for the Nomad, but they're pretty much all the same.
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...n+a+Nomad&aq=f

Thanks Rickyboy, I did look at the website. Then I called them and directed me to a section of the site about Mustang seats. It looks like the normal bracket you have to insert it after you cut the pad and measure, it has to have a section of the bracket removed (cut) and then welded back together!!! SAY WHAT!!! It's a bit cheaper do to the extra work required to make it work. I'm not really that secure in putting a hole in my mustang seat!!! I have a spare rear pillion from the stock seat, that would need to be reupholstered that has the seat foam off already. So not sure I'd want to do that to this seat?? I understand that the grasshopper may push me farther forward, and don't want that either. Still waiting to find out about the original posted link to see if those have quick remove like grasshopper does or if it's a permanent install. I do like the fold down feature of the utopia, just not sure I want to do surgery on it yet!!!!

Thanks for the info however.

Scott

[brote]

You can remove the Utopia by taking the bolt off. You only have to put the support through the seat. You do remove the covering but it isn't as hard or difficult as it sounds. It is mounted in the passenger seat at the very front. The Grasshopper is just a bolt on and I guess it can be adjusted by bending it.

[minst7877]

I pulled the seat on my bike to get a couple of pics of the backrest. It is not a quick detach backrest. I think when I go to the solo setup it will allow me to get it moved to the rear more. Right now the rear seat is not allowing it to go back any farther. The spots are from a dirty lens on the camera.

DC

[ve3hzz]

Originally Posted by minst7877

I pulled the seat on my bike to get a couple of pics of the backrest. It is not a quick detach backrest. I think when I go to the solo setup it will allow me to get it moved to the rear more. Right now the rear seat is not allowing it to go back any farther. The spots are from a dirty lens on the camera.

DC

Thanks for the pics, shows off how it mounts great. I don't like the fact you have to unbolt it to take it off unlike the grasshopper which you can quick disconnect. Wish someone had same pictures like your of that setup to show how it mounts and the quick disconnect works as there website doesn't either.

Great pics, looks good, may seat me a bit too far forward...oh well no rush now got lots of snow to deal with for a week or so :'(