Standard seats

mike in idaho

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Looking for a seat for my '78 standard, they seem to be pretty hard to find. What's the difference between the 74-77 seat and the one for the '78? The PO left me with one off a special, it's kinda ugly and doesn't match up the frame.
 
the standard seats all fit just fine. 79 standard has a slight step in the foam/cover but same base as the rest.
79 std seat.jpg
 
20200627_161901.jpg
What's the difference between the 74-77 seat and the one for the '78?
Your question is not just right. See the 77 / 78 seat covers are just a little different than say a 75 / 76 which in my opinion has a tougher nicer cover with a bit more texture and "piping" that appears more flat front and rear.
I prefer a 75/76 seat on my 78 Standard.
-R
 
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Thank you Skull. Those pics should clear up the confusion Mike in Idaho was asking about the 77-78 style seat shape appearance and cover. I know the 77-78 foam shape must be slightly different from the 74-76 model years as the seat pans do have a differently stamped steel pan as well.
-R :thumbsup:
 
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I find the raised rear portion of the seat on my 77d sort of pushes me forward, I’m 6’ 2” and I start to feel cramped after a while, I don’t know if it’s just the shape of the seat or also because the foam in the front is stuffed from being sat on, the rear portion does seam firmer, after a decent ride I can also start to feel the base through the foam, I’ve been thinking about replacing the foam and cover with items meant for the earlier models, would this be likely to fix my problems or do the older ones push you towards the tank as well? sorry if I’m going off topic but it seemed sort of relevant.
 
I find the raised rear portion of the seat on my 77d sort of pushes me forward, I’m 6’ 2” and I start to feel cramped after a while, I don’t know if it’s just the shape of the seat or also because the foam in the front is stuffed from being sat on, the rear portion does seam firmer, after a decent ride I can also start to feel the base through the foam, I’ve been thinking about replacing the foam and cover with items meant for the earlier models, would this be likely to fix my problems or do the older ones push you towards the tank as well? sorry if I’m going off topic but it seemed sort of relevant.

I think this is a giveaway.......thing is you can rebuild the foam to suit yourself.......Being tall would make a difference, your more gggG's height, than me at 5' 10", but then again its the inside leg measurement that counts.

The Xs650 frame kinda dictates the shape of the seat. if you are going to carry a passenger then the extra padding on the rear of the seat compensates for the shape of the frame. i think the early 74-76 seats, due to them being flat, would not be as passenger friendly, as the later ones, on a long ride.

I have only ridden the later special seats, an 80SG, one year only, and an 83SK, 81-84 seats are the same, and i found the 81-84 rise in the seat was to far to steep for me and my tailbone was always riding on the step in the seat..........the 80SG seat, although stepped, is more of a gentle rise and i could slide back and forward without it being uncomfortable..........you know long rides, at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours, there is nothing worse than not being able to shift position.
80SG, XSjohn RIP......................Brochure................................. 81-84
80SG normal_yamaha_sport_fairinXSjohn.jpg 8178_1980-yamaha-650-special-2-submited-images-pic2fly.jpg00B0B_1nvKkTJdRyD_1200x900.jpg s-l1600 b.jpg
 
thanks Skull, I’m not too fussed about riding two up, as long as I’m comfy, I had thought about getting it recovered with a flatter bench type profile and decent foam so I can move around a bit, I just don’t want to end up with a bike that looks like it belongs to some soy latte sipping hipster, I’m more of a cappuccino kind of guy.
 
thanks Skull, I’m not too fussed about riding two up, as long as I’m comfy, I had thought about getting it recovered with a flatter bench type profile and decent foam so I can move around a bit, I just don’t want to end up with a bike that looks like it belongs to some soy latte sipping hipster, I’m more of a cappuccino kind of guy.
First step is to take your cover off to see the foam condition. Go for it ! Seems your seat is uncomfortable to you currently.
Look at gggGarys example too
madness seat.jpg
That is a 75-76 style cover on stuffed later foam apparently. And that look is as good as it gets in my opinion.
-R
 
So, would that make this a '79F seat?


PICT1783.JPG


The '79F seats you show above don't have the strap. The bike supposedly started out as '78ES. I think.

I like the look of the seat and it's comfortable for short trips . . .
 
No Raymond, you have a Special seat there. Note the more pronounced "V" shape the bottom of the pan follows.
 
@Machine I'm not really certain what year that seat is, wuz just riffing. :laughing: I have found differences in the foam some are rock hard others soft but it could be where they have sat for the last half century or so. You made news for me, didn't know there was any differences in pans 74-79.
Top view of 79 This one looks like it's sitting on a 78.....(paint) might have been a part way through the year production change?
79 std stock seat.jpg

Just a file from when I was searching hard for a 79 seat.
 
I've been comparing a side hinged Special seat pan to the Standard(s) that I have here. Upon quick examination it looks like that stepped down 'V' might be the total difference, aside from the latch, and nothing a grinder couldn't fix to convert. Note - the latch from a Special can be reworked for a Standard. The alu base has to be cut, spread and new holes have to be drilled into the pan for attachment......yeah, done that. When I get a round tuitt I'm breaking the grinder out to see, unless something else pops out to say it's undo able.
 
I concure with 5T............78SE/79SF hinged seat has the same profile as yours Raymond.......Looks to have been cut down and reupholstered and a chrome strip added to make it look like a standard seat
163317-0d6b43aa22a67d0ce405d68f0aa72485.jpg
XS650SE_02.jpg Joebuddy 1 Restore.jpg
 
Thank you Skull. Those pics should clear up the confusion Mike in Idaho was asking about the 77-78 style seat shape appearance and cover. I know the 77-78 foam shape must be slightly different from the 74-76 model years as the seat pans do have a differently stamped steel pan as well.
-R :thumbsup:
Actually, I wasn't all that concerned about the style of the cover, I didn't expect a forty-plus year old seat to have a usable cover on it anyway. I was more concerned that the rubber bumpers on the bottom of the pan actually matched up with the standard frame. The bumpers on the special seat pan don't reach the frame, the hinges support all the weight in the front, the back of the seat left up in the air.
 
The PO left me with one off a special, it's kinda ugly and doesn't match up the frame.
:rolleyes: I see the rest of your question now. Yuck lol.. I certainly wouldn't consider put a "Special" seat on a "Standard" motorcycle myself. I don't think that V pan shape will flow with standard side covers at all.
-R
 
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