Pillowtop Drivers Backrest

[SoJourner]

I was wondering if anyone has compared both the Diamond R and Utopia Pillowtop drivers backrest and if so what were your pros and cons for each? Also, which did you opt for and why?

 

Looking to buy, but not sure which to go with.

 

Thanks,

Mark

[SaltyDawg]

I was wondering if anyone has compared both the Diamond R and Utopia Pillowtop drivers backrest and if so what were your pros and cons for each? Also, which did you opt for and why?

 

Looking to buy, but not sure which to go with.

 

Thanks,

Mark

 

Why yes I have. I had the Diamond R Pillow Top on my first 99, and the Utopia on my current 99.

 

 

Pros:

Diamond R

 

• Ease of install
  
• Looks as if it were made for the RSV (which it was)
  
• High Quality Back Rest, Great Craftsmanship.
  
• Usually ships within days of ordering
  
• Great people to work with.
  

Utopia

 

• Looks good and matches the bike pretty well.
  
• Very adjustable (will explain later)
  
• Very comfortable
  

Cons

 

Diamond R

 

• For me it pushed me too far forward in the seat and I had to adjust all the way back and still was being pushed forward. I had to put my feet on the highway bars and push back against the back rest to bend the bar back. That pushed farther into the passengers seat so I couldn't push back much further without making the seat look strange, so I was not able to use the adjustment screw. I have a 30 inch inseam if that helps. Weight was 250 at the time.
  

Utopia

 

• Was a real pain in the !@!@!#!# butt to install. You have to drill out two holes and thread supplied bolts through. Took me 45 min to install although others have not had the same bad time that I did.
  
• Bar can sometimes pinch the wires under the seat and cause intermittent audio problems. (can be remedied by making sure the wire bundles don't cross over each other near the back rest)
  
• Ship date. Plain and simple, they don't have them sitting on the shelf so they have to be made for each order. That can put delivery out a month or more.
  

Now both are QUALITY products and have served me well. My preference is the Utopia even though it was a major pain for me to install. Here is why, as mentioned above I had to bend the Diamond R to fit "ME" and that gave me no ability to make front/back adjustments to the seat. So I was unable to wear armored jackets with the back plate in. The Utopia fit like a dream and I have plenty of adjustability in it, so I am able to wear anything I want.

 

Again they both are great back rests and you won't go wrong with either and there are hundreds of folks here who have the Diamond R and love them, I just prefer the Utopia. It was worth the wait to be able to wear my protective gear.