Standard seat on a Special

[mikesim]

I have a '78 Special with the king/queen bilevel seat. My tush and the king's position sadly do not coincide. I have tried adjusting the handlebars every which way and I still find that my butt needs to be about 2-3" farther back than the queen position allows. Will the flat seat on a standard of the same vintage directly replace the seat on my special?

Many thanks!

Mike

 

[650Skull]

This thread will help
http://www.xs650.com/threads/standard-vs-special-vs-special-ii-seats.22157/

 

[nj1639]

I'll say that the stock side hinged Special seats for the '78 and '79 model years were the best Special seats, an easy rise in the elevation surpasses the newer Special seats that have a sharp delineation akin to the restrictions of the King/Queen seat.

 

[MrBultaco]

I just put a '78 Special seat on my '77 (Standard). It fits except for the left rubber bumpers don't hit the frame.

 

[Mailman]

I just put a '78 Special seat on my '77 (Standard). It fits except for the left rubber bumpers don't hit the frame.

Did the re foaming experiment not go well on your standard seat?

 

[gggGary]

Yupper removed the latch and rubber bumpers made a spring latch to keep it down.

The gap tween seat and side covers is annoying I checked and side covers from a standard don't really fit right either.

 

[MrBultaco]

The memory foam seat is still in progress. This is another seat with a Saddleman cover I've had for a while...is cut on the bottom edges, but it works for my challenged inseam.

 

[gggGary]

I haven't done it but I believe the lower edges of a special seat could be trimmed up and the foam trimmed a bit to install a standard seat cover on a special seat pan.
I like standard seat on that special have ridden it thousands of miles. On long trips. I also use a sheepskin pad with a small air bladder for day long rides. I have no butt padding.........

 

[GLJ]

If Beer caused beer butts instead of beer guts motorcycle seats would be a lot more comfortable.
Just saying.

 

[mikesim]

This thread will help
http://www.xs650.com/threads/standard-vs-special-vs-special-ii-seats.22157/

Thanks for the reply. The thread helped somewhat but I'm now a bit more confused (nuthin' new there!). The thread refers to Specials and Special II. This is my first encounter with the Special II designation. My VIN indicates that I have an XS-SF which I believe is a "Special" since it doesn't have the Special II nomenclature on the side covers, just "Special" in gold script. The thread refers to seats that are side hinged which is mine, it also refers to lift off seats. Am I correct in assuming that any side hinged seat will work or is there some mysterious Yamaha alchemy that I am overlooking?

Mike

 

[gggGary]

any side hinged seat will work

Yup hinges and latches line up but you may need add some spacers to the hinge and latch brackets on the standard seat. pictures on that other thread show the spacers installed. my pics above are a standard seat on a special.

 

[nj1639]

MrBultacos pic in post #4 shows a '78/'79 Special seat on a Standard bike and Gary's pic shows a Standard seat on a Special bike........they work but like mentioned may have some minor fitment issues (aside from the gapsitis with the sidecovers).
If you find a Special seat for the years '78/'79 it should be a 'plug and play' and will compliment the aesthetic lines of the bike like God and Yamaha intended.......lol

 

[650Skull]

Special II was a spoke wheel version of the Specials.......
78SE

79SF

79SII

In 1980 the SII was the same to look at as the 79 SII
80G/SII

80SG..........totally new visually With a clip on seat and new grab-rail, tailights, and plastic side-covers

Standard and 78SE-79SF/SII-80SII seat comparison
Standard top Special bottom...........toe bottom right

Standard

Special

Standard

Special

 

[Trqmonster]

Yupper removed the latch and rubber bumpers made a spring latch to keep it down.
View attachment 165978 View attachment 165979

The gap tween seat and side covers is annoying I checked and side covers from a standard don't really fit right either.

Where are the rims from?

 

[gggGary]

Where are the rims from?

Both ends WM5x18 Alloy from Italy,
Mike'sXS stainless spokes,
stock front hub,
front rotors from fleabay-
1990-92 Yamaha FJ1200
1989-96 Yamaha FZR600
1992-93 Yamaha TDM850
mounted with custom 7mm-ish spacers.
stock front calipers, master cylinder.
rear hub from a spoke wheel suzuki GS1000
Rear rotor GS500 turned to fit the XS650 caliper
Custom alloy sprocket from Rebel Gears with an offset machined off the center section.
Other than that, they're stock. ;^)
https://www.xs650.com/threads/ggggarys-latest-xs-project-madness.28289/