Here is how I installed this SW-Motech Side Carrier Kit with a Honda Factory Rack. First I need to see if I can post pictures here. If this works, here are pics of the final results. The cases are Givi Trekkers.
Ok, I can post pics from SmugMug.
This kit requires relocating the turn signals to the license plate area. It comes with the necessary wire and hardware to do that. So I removed the rack, disconnected the turn signal wires from the connectors in the bundle under the tool tray, unthreaded the wires from the retainers so the turn signals could be removed along with the grab rails, and made a note of which color wire was the right side signal (blue) and which was the left side signal (orange). Easy to tell by disconnecting one then working the signals and see which side flashes. Now remove the turn signals from the grab bars and mount them on the supplied fixture. This fixture mounts between the license plate holder and the rear tail light rubber mount. As I found out later, you do not need to modify the license plate holder in any way. You can even leave the reflectors on it, they will clear the turn signals. Here it is positioned between the license plate frame and the tail light rubber piece.
Next you need to feed the wires back to the rear fender area. They suggest running them under the tail light mount, so that is what I did.
Now cut the wires to extend them. Leave enough on the connector so that you can crimp a connection (or use a Positap connector if you prefer). The kit has wire and crimp connectors. The crimp connectors are blue, which is for 14-16 guage wire. The wire in the kit is 16 guage, but the taillight wire is 18 guage, so I used red crimp connectors instead. This extends the wire so that you can feed it back to the bundle. Note: feed the wire through the chrome hold down first, then crimp. See below.
To be continued...
Next, you need to mount the attachment points. Here is the problem with that if you want the rack as well. These attachment points are about 3/16 inch thick but the rack and its spacers are sized to fit snug with the grab rails. To get the 3/16 of an inch space, you could grind the grab rails, grind the rack spacers, grind the rack mounts themselves OR, the option I chose was to remove the grab rails entirely and make spacers to fill the space between the rack parts and the side carrier mounts. I had an old rack whose tubes had the right inside diameter so that I could cut the right length from them and use that as a spacer.
As you can see, I added this spacer and a washer, then the attachment point. I did the same for the other three rack mount points. This got the upper loop attachment points onto the bike. Don't snug these bolts up tight yet, the attachment points need to be able to move a bit.
Now add the lower attachment point to the passenger footpeg support. You will notice that I had to grind the loop mount here since it was not welded at the correct angle on the left mount. If I did not do this the side case would not sit level and mate up. The right side loop was ok.
Using the quarter turn spring loaded fastners, attach the loop to the forward top mount (near the battery) and the passenger peg mount.
Swing the top mount back until it lines up with the loop mount. Raise the loop as high as you can and you will see the next problem, which is that the rack will not let the loop get high enough to mate with the rear top attachment point. I first though I would drill a hole and run a bolt through the pieces, and I started to do that but then I got smarter and thought why not use a piece of steel to just extend the loop mount to the attachment point. I looked around for a piece and spotted an angle bracket that already had holes drilled and they appeared to be the right diameter. So I cut off both ends of the angle bracket and bolted it (loosely) to the loop attachment point. Then I swiveled everything until the other hole lined up with the rack as high as I could position it. Ok so far, but the hole need slots for the quarter turn pin. Also, if the holes had been a bit farther apart on the steel bracket section they would not have lined up so nicely with the edge of the fender. Oh well, lets see if this can work anyway. I took a triangle file and filed notches in the hole until the pin would clear. Result:
Ok, so now it looks like this:
I did the same for the other side.
Next is the link connection for the rear most loop mounts. The instructions show it being bolted to the license plate mount of a NON UNITED STATES bike. It will not bolt to our license plate mount. I cut mine in an attempt to make it work, no need to do that. Even if I could have gotten it to mate up, the loops would be too low for it because of the rear rack. Actually all that needs to happen is for it to be connected to each loop, passing under the license plate mount. It clears the fender by 1/8 inch at least. And, everything is plenty stiff and tight with just the two loops connected by the crossbar.
It will touch the license place mount, I put a small piece of rubber between the 2 parts. If you care to, you could add some rubber to the inside of the crossbar to keep it from scratching the fender if you are not careful when you remove it. Now with both sides in place, tighten everything up tight.
Here is what it looks like with the loop removed.
The next problem was that my top case mount is now too low to work with the side cases attached. I'll continue with my solution to that...