Seat Transplant

[Wizard of Smiles]

So I have an 83 and I HATE the seat . I bought a GREAT seat for and older year like a 75 or so love it. How should I go about mounting the seat to the frame? Grind off the mounts for the newer seat? Weld on hade ware from older bike? weld the tail end of a older bike on my frame? Thoughts? I want my bike to look more classic and british , this seat does the job!

 

[XSLeo]

Cutting of the seat mounts you have and fabbing up hinges and a latch for the older seat should work, but the lines of the seat won't match the lines of the side covers. The special seat and sidecovers are slanted, the older standards are straight.
Leo

 

[Wizard of Smiles]

I am aware.. I kinda hate my side covers.. I'm thinking'll weld hooks for an older style side cover .. OR go pods and have that clean look. I just HATE that 80's seat.

 

[jamesgs4]

if you go pods, you still have a huge rats nest of wiring to hide. If you go with older sidecovers, it will hide that pretty well. As far as the seat, maybe keep it a lift off style, and add to the old pan to make it fit the frame? I always thought the hinge style was a pain, its easier to work on the bike and just toss the seat on a shelf.

 

[nj1639]

I fought with the seat lines for quite a while and even picked up some standard side covers to help, but then you need to weld tabs and then you need the airboxes and then you need the carbs and then you need the etc.
I met a fellow xs650 rider that has a Standard '78. He loves the slammed rear stance, forward leaning shocks and overall look of my Special and I like the Brit classic overall look of his Standard. Sometimes it helps to see what you have through anothers eyes.....so my Special is now done 'cept for a tank paint job, and I'm saving my pennies for a '77 Standard that's in storage for me. Best of both worlds?

 

[tonyc]

Re-contour yor special seat.

 

[Wizard of Smiles]

I think I want to go old seat and side covers. Fitting the old seat will take some welding and grinding. But i want that look. and the bike runs well.

 

[PHeller]

If I lived closer I'd offer up a trade.

There are some of us that hate cutting the seat hinges and lock but don't care for the big seats.

 

[Wizard of Smiles]

what type of trade? like a frame swap?

 

[PHeller]

Well I'm sure there would be more involved than that. Not everything swaps over, remember.

In either case, I'm not about to go shipping a frame, and your not close to PA to trade anything else.

You may want to check around though, maybe someone local to you feels the same way as I do.

 

[CDNTX650]

why dont you just geat the seat foam reshaped and re-upholstered...that seems alot easier.