Modified late model XS650 Special seat(s)

[danno]

Okay, hereby defying all logic, I am considering building the Rodney Dangerfield of all bikes (no respect, I tell ya!!!), a 1981 XS650 Special. Any seat modification pictures would be awesome. I would like to retain the rear grabrail / tailight assembly, but that seat is just, well, not pretty. Kind of hard to work around that clunky grab rail, but surely someone can offer some guidance. Thanks!

 

[Dogger]

Except for the guys keeping their bikes stock, you'll probably notice most of us have chucked the grab rail, rear light and seat. It's hard to make them look real good.

 

[danno]

I am planning on a mild custom bike, no frame cutting or mods that can't be reversed. I have an extra seat to customize, while saving the original seat.

 

[inxs]

- installing a lower profile seat without removing the cast grabrail will only serve to draw the eye to the now out of place rail, earlier specials with flatter seats had chrome tube grabrails that could perhaps be modified if you need to keep one on your bike

 

[danno]

I am not looking to radically alter the seat. In fact, the 1980 650 Special seat is very close to the look I want (except for the pattern embossed into the cover). I just don't care for the abrupt step on the rear of the 1981 and later seats. I have a 1978 Special also, and I love the style of that bike. The earlier grabrail would most likley look like an after thought on the 81 Special. I know that the 1981 Special II also had a chrome tubular grab rail that would be a direct swap, but the challenge here is to make the bike look decent while retaining the aluminum grab rail. I saw a couple mildly modified 1981 seats on the 650rider site,so I know it can be done.

 

[gentlemanjim]

Send it to Sargent give them template of the prfile you want and voila just as you want it.