Tech Tips: Ventura Rack Install – Daytona 675

The Rally-Euro Touring-kit, it comes complete with everything you’ll need. One of the kits is the best value option for getting started, with the rack, L brackets and normally a bag included. Plus all the mounting hardware of course. Keep in mind you can take the bag and rack with you to your next bike!

The rack and L-Brackets. The L-Brackets are specific to your bike model, so make sure you’ve got the right year and if in doubt check with the VIN to be extra sure. Everything is a very tight fit as far as clearances, which ensures the rack system looks great but also means you need the specific system for your bike.

Grab out those instructions and put all the mounting hardware somewhere safe where you won’t lose anything. These are the L brackets, with the smaller tubes on the lower ends going through the rear undertail plastic and contacting the sub-frame, where they bolt into existing (unused) mounting points.

Before getting started, make sure you’ve got all the necessary tools ready to go. A socket set, with Hex and Allen socket bits to suit your bike is a must, especially if you need any Hex bits.

I took the Ventura fitment as an opportunity to pick up some socket bit sets I didn’t already have. They are good value and make many jobs a lot easier, especially if you like working on your own bike. With this install the only really unusual piece I needed was a 22mm drill bit, which is a bit larger than you’ll find in your basic drill bit sets. It’s used for drilling through the undertail on the Daytona and makes for a pretty much perfect fit when fitting the L-Brackets.

Remove the plastics that impede access to the areas you’ll be working on. In this case that was the pillion and rider seats, plus these upper tail panels. You can see one of the mounting points on the sub-frame in this picture, it’s the metal coloured mounting point on the red sub-frame to the left of the socket wrench.

I didn’t completely remove the rear plastics at first which was a mistake, as I cracked one of the tabs that it’s bolted down with.

Here’s the sub-frame mounting point, you’ll need to drill through these into the plastic at an angle that matches the sub-frame mounting point, so the L-Bracket is aligned correctly. I drilled through from above following that angle to create a pilot hole.

You can see here how the alignment is correct. With your pilot hole if you mess it up you can try again, but there’s not really much room, so better to get it right the first time.

Now from below I used the 22mm drill bit to enlarge that pilot hole to the correct size. Taping off may help create a cleaner hole. Again you need to match the sub-frame mounting point angle. Also just drill through the plastic lightly, you don’t want the drill bit making contact and damaging the sub-frame.

The L-Bracket should be a snug fit through the plastic and you can run the bolts through and lightly by hand tighten the nuts. Use the washers as recommended in the instructions.

Now I fitted the rack, with the L-Brackets bolts still only lightly tightened, to ensure the alignment would be correct once tightened fully.

The L-Bracket nut and washer on the inside of the sub-frame. Each L-Bracket is held in place by two bolts.

Now tighten everything up! I’d recommend double checking all these bolts after a week and a month to ensure everything stays tight, as there’s a fair bit of vibration, especially with a loaded Ventura pack being carried.

Here’s the Rally-Euro pack fully fitted. You can run the pack on the pillion side of the rack to help with weight centralisation and aerodynamics, but it can make getting your leg over the bike a challenge.

Here’s the Sport-Pack fitted to the regular rack. It’s a much more compact bag, perfect for day rides. The Sport-Rack is a much lower profile rack as well.