While I was browsing Bill's recent post "Money where my Mouth Is" the first photo made me think about an issue I had that might interest others.

On my K75 I use a battery that is the smaller physical size that fits neatly into the recessed centre section of the standard battery tray, as per Bill's photo below.



Note that the metal hold down plate is now sitting out over the rear edge of the battery. As you all know this plate also holds the coolant overflow bottle in plate.

On one of my "road less travelled" trips a.k.a. very rough road, I noticed that the battery had become dislodged from the centre recess and was leaning towards the rear mudguard. Of course I repositioned it and checked again at every stop until I got home.

My solution was to do away with the standard hold down plate and make a small bracket to hold the coolant bottle independent of the battery. Then I drilled/filed two slots in the battery tray forward and aft of the centre recess that would accommodate a strong webbing strap to hold the battery in place. I used this same method on my R80G/S battery over 10 years ago and have had no trouble with it.

One photo shows the bracket holding the coolant bottle and the other the strap around the centre of the battery.




Cheers

The later coolant overflow bottles (mid-year change in 1993 I think) attach to the two bolts holding the front of the rear fender on.  Not sure if there is room on the older bikes for this, or if something else is in the way.

You're right Beemer about the improved coolant bottle on the later bikes (my K1100 has one) but on the K75 the under seat toolbox takes up that space and I have no rear compartment to use for tools as the ducktail was removed during customising.

Cheers

I'm certain the battery mount and coolant reservoir mount photos will make your post here a useful one for many members, Gaz.

good to see how you did it Gaz

great work mate