For mounting the two steel ( 3/16" x 1 1/2" x 15" ) arm rests , I used 1/8" aluminum angle stock , cut , bent , and drilled.

I decided to use aluminum just in case a break away point is needed.

Right side: 

                  The very top of the aluminum bracket I bent a tab over and used the grill cover bolt (both sides).

                  Top 1/4" bolt goes through the arm rest steel , the aluminum bracket and the black plastic housing.

                  The bottom 1/4" bolt goes through the arm rest steel and the aluminum bracket.

                  The arm rest pads I already had from my other bike.

The left side: 

The 1/4" bolt goes through the steel arm rest , aluminum bracket and the black plastic.

The bolt is double nutted and used as a hinge bolt.

Note the aluminum tab above the double nuts, is bent for the steel arm rest to stop.

When the left arm rest is raised a bend in the arm pushes against a plastic rib on the back pad creating a gap for the movement.

The hardest part of this project is bending the 3/16" x 1 1/2" x 15" steel in all the right places.

All I had was a vise mounted on a work bench. A metal shop bender would have been very useful.

Let me know what you think.

Tom

wjoel - 2010-03-28 10:07 AM From the standpoint of the pictures, they look great. How does the passenger like them? That is the true test. It would be great to possibly have these mass-produced for sale ! Comparing these to the aftermarket ones from Polaris, these look much nicer.

Thanks.......... William    

My wife has sat on the rear and rested her arms (with a BIG smile) but we still need to test them on the open road. 

The weather in Wisconsin has been cold lately...next week looks better.

Yeah..that would really be something if Polaris or the aftermarket would take off with this mod.

Tom

roadgrit - 2010-03-28 11:18 AM is it hard to get in the passeger seat? or do they flip up?

The left side (guessing) flips up  about 60 degrees.

My wife says no problem getting into or out of the rear seat.

Tom

GAColson - 2010-03-28 11:19 AM They look great. My wife asks every time we ride; "when do I get my arm rests?". Let's hope somebody can get these mass produced.

Thanks............Grady,

Funny... I kept hearing a similar remark

These could defiantly be mass produced.

Tom

Bones - 2010-03-28 11:40 AM What other bike did you get the pads from? I have an office chair at work that looks almost identical!!! I do like it and they sure beat Polaris's fugly contraption.

The pads came off of aftermarket arm rests, I believe made by custom world (not really sure) . 

I since made my '99 Suzuki Intruder into a solo cruiser and use the Vision for 2up

Maybe these pads are universal, such as your office chair arm pad, that would be convenient.

Tom

Bones - 2010-03-28 11:40 AM What other bike did you get the pads from? I have an office chair at work that looks almost identical!!! I do like it and they sure beat Polaris's fugly contraption.

I went and remeasured my arm rest pads and these

http://chairarmpads.com/Chair-Armrest-Pads-Petite-YOYA1810.htm 

appear to be the same pads that I used.

Tom

GeekVisionRider - 2010-03-28 6:07 PM My wife says the same things. She wants armrests. I just can't bring myself to put the Victory ones on my Vision. They are fugly. But Thomas has a good looking alternative. Great job!!

Thanks............Rick!

I thought the $350 factory ones have a bit of a wheel chair look. However the factory arm rest have chrome and seem to attach with ease.

Tom

Prostreet1 - 2010-03-28 6:29 PM Good bit of ingenuity there Tom.....well done.

Thanks........................Michael,

Maybe there is something to necessity being the mother of invention...LOL!

Did you ever get a chance to make the fork bullets ?

Tom

ByteN2it - 2010-03-28 7:04 PM Looks good-when my wife first saw passenger arm rests on a Goldwing she said it looked like a dentist's chair and she had the same comment for Victory's version. Thanks for the idea-Brian

Thanks.....................Brian!

I think your just the guy that might make a set

Tom

ebayjoe - 2010-03-29 4:40 AM Good job, ordered my arm pads today Go Super Steel

Thanks....................Joe!

Should be interesting how yours will turn out.

There will be some gap between the speaker grill and the back pad.

It can be minimized on how you bend your arm rest steel. 

Way to GO!

Tom

chesshiretuna - 2010-03-30 7:20 AM Great design. I am a custom metal fabricator with my own shop. Please give us some feedback on your test rides. I could make this with the equipment in my shop. I have already made some heel rests for mine and 2 others in my group. I was impressed with your forming the arms in a vice. The great thing about these forums is the support and designs that we come up with for our Visions.

Thanks...........................  chesshiretuna,  It was a real brain warmer!

Judging by the nice work you did on your heel rests, you should be able to manufacture this project.

I started out making the first arm out of aluminum, it ended up breaking on me. 

At one point I felt like a blacksmith bending/twisting steel clamped in a vice. LOL!

My wife and I did a short 20 mile ride today.  She said that the arm rests felt comfortable and solid.

She was able to have her arms straight on them or have her elbows bent out.

Also she added, that she was still able to use the crab handles on the bike.

If I was to critique this project it would be the gap between the back pad and the speaker grill.

I feel the gap could be reduced to a minimum with the arms bent more precise.

Tom 

Lone Ranger - 2010-03-30 9:23 AM I like the look of the arms. Only thing is that for me, both arms would have to be able to pivot. Nice work!

Thanks....................Lone Ranger,

Both sides could be made to hinge up.

My wife always gets on the left side (kickstand side) so I made only the left side hinge up

Tom 

ScoreBo - 2010-03-30 4:59 PM I love the looks of these. The Vic ones look like a wheelchair bolt on cheesy version. I will not buy these. Tom, on the pivot point, does it move freely or is there a bit of rubbing on the back seat pad? It looks like is more separation between the back and speaker grill when the armrest is in the upright position.

Thanks.......................... John,  I really like the look too!

Yes when the left side is pivoted up the arm steel rubs on a protruded plastic rib on the back of the back pad.

It doesn't seem to hurt anything and provides a clearance gap.

When the arm is lowered I noticed it was starting to rub the vinyl so I screwed on a little wear plate

Tom

nailer - 2010-03-30 8:30 PM Nice mod Thomas. (got your fork bullets installed by the way) I was looking at the ~ 1/8" gap between the seat and the sides of the speakers on my vision and my only concern is wear/tear on the side of the seat/speaker housing from moving the armrest up and down. How about a thin rectangular slot mounted to the side of the speaker in which the arm rest bracket would pass thru and allow movement up/down. The slot would create a gap between the speaker and the seat and prevent the armrest bracket from rubbing on the sides of the speaker or seat. Just a suggestion....

Thanks..................Nailer!     

Hey your the first guy that I know of that did my fork bullet mod , way to go, how did they turn out?  I what to see a pic

I think your right the gap could be almost eliminated with a slot taken out of the speaker grill. 

First I think the arm steel could be bent more exact and then maybe just a 1/8" shave of the speaker grill would be in order. 

Tom

First and foremost, Great job and great mod!!!! I was thinking about the pivot point and thought that if a larger bracket was made the pivot point could be closer to the middle of the speaker area. This would put less force on the stop when the arm rest is down. I will see if I can mock something up. The bracket would be larger but the arm could swing further up. Possibly the bracket could be two pieces....a left and a right with the arm pivot bolt going through one side, the arm and the other side. That would protect the seat and speaker from the pivoting of the arm. Ride Safe!

Thanks.............................Paul!

I agree with your thinking the pivot point can be located closer to the speaker area.

It's going to be interesting what you come up with

Tom

ScoreBo - 2010-03-31 4:57 PM Hopefully someone with a production facility can produce these for those of us that aren't metal workers. A very contemporary look for our contemporary looking machines.

John,   Good point!   

The arm rests do seem to belong at that location.

Maybe with more modifying of my mod a more precise version can be manufactured.

Tom

clubford00 - 2010-03-31 5:24 PM Do you have any pics a little further back so we can see how they look? Thanks

Hi Dean,

I can take some pics of my scrap mistake pieces. LOL!

To be honest with you, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to pull this off when I first started. So I didn't take step by step pics.

Finally the homemade arm rests came together and I wasn't going to post them, just in case they didn't hold up.

My wife said you better let the guys on the forum know about this

Tom 

victoryvisiontour - 2010-03-31 8:04 PM I like the homemade ones because when you remove the trunk the armrests go with it. This is the only thing that has prevented me from getting the Victory ones.

Thanks................JC.          Now that's an added benefit!

Tom

ScoreBo - 2010-03-31 9:42 PM Please stop posting pics! You are making me jealous!

Sorry John,      Just can't resist, two pics for you. LOL!

I'm trying a different set of pads (inch longer but thinner) that I was able to get off of an older office chair.

I think I like the original ones  better

Tom

ammo - 2010-04-02 1:28 PM Is someone mass producing and selling these things yet? Whose taking the pre-orders

Hi Tim,

I don't know of anyone manufacturing these arm rests yet.

The homemade arm rests that I made work well for us, however they could definitely be improved

Tom

ebayjoe - 2010-04-03 8:04 PM Still have a few adjustments to make, but I like them and my wife loves them, thanks Thomas for the idea and the excellent pics, was an easy project, I made both sides able to swing up. Go Super Steel

Alright!...................way to go Joe and your...........welcome!  

Glad to see you made them and I bet it was fun to see that smile on your wife

Tom

clubford00 - 2010-04-03 10:51 PM Thanks for adding the extra pix, they look great.

Dean,       

Your.................................welcome!

So far the arm rests are holding up well

Tom

Gadget - 2010-04-04 2:11 AM These are fantastic ideas!! Please put me down for a set if able to be re-produced and "In-Stock". I love em...

Scott,

Glad you like them.

At this point you have to make them yourself.

I happen to come up with the idea but maybe someone will manufacture their version.

Tom

ScoreBo - 2010-03-31 9:25 PM I don't believe the Vic ones are even available yet. They have been "out of stock" since they came out. I don't know of one person that has them.

I saw a pair of Vic armrests at my dealer in Alabama on a bike that was in the shop for maintenance a few weeks ago.

sgiacci - 2010-04-27 7:51 PM Good concept, works with the bikes lines, and is simple. This is what I like about new bikes that don't have a huge bolt on market. I think I might just get some metal this weekend and toss it into my vise. My only concern is the potential damage to the seat cover. Have you considered trimming a "Flexible Chopping Mat" and attaching it to the backrest to protect it?

Thanks.......................sgiacci!

My wife has been real pleased with the arm rests and we like the way they look too.

I added a small metal wear plate where the hinged arm rest bracket was touching the vinyl backrest.

If you really take your time bending the flat stock steel into an arm rest you might be able to create an even better fitting bracket.

Tom

victoryvisiontour - 2010-04-27 9:52 PM Lone Ranger, Are they any better looking in person?

Uhh... No.

They still look like refugees from a dentist's chair.   I would MUCH rather have a set like the ones in this thread.  They look great!

jomar - 2012-07-22 8:06 AM Great design, my wife is really wanting something for arm rests. Has anyone started making them that you're aware of? Thanks

Thanks Mark, The homemade passenger arm rests that I designed have been holding up very well.  I don't have the shop set-up or the time to manufacture, my job takes me out of town. I'm thinking JB.Hatch would be a candidate to make them.