83 Seat question?

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Yes another one. I'm a newb here so feel free to slap me around a little. So I bought this project a couple of weeks ago 83 xs650. The second thing on the list is the seat, I want to go back to the stock style seat it's an 83. I picked up a seat pan and hardware and that's when I figured out that there's a couple mounting brackets that appear to have been were hacked off the bike. So does anyone have pictures of what I'm missing so I can fab something or pick up a rear section from someone that did a hard tail? Pic's of front and rear attaching mechanisms would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking what the seat attaches to on the frame. Thank you
 

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The '83 seat sucks in that you're pretty well stuck in the saddle. The side hinged '78, '79 and side hinged '80 Special seats are the apex in the Special's seat evolution as it allows some movement fore and aft, imho.
You could be ahead in the game to adapt one to your frame with two hinges and some sort of latch, aside from you having a liftoff seat in hand.......
You might get lucky finding some discarded latch mechanisms from a chop, though it could be a bear to reattach them and make it workable.
Other opinions may vary.
 
If no one beats me to it. I have a stock '83 I can get you info as required. I have a spare frame too, but the PO hacked away part of the mounts. As for the '83 seat, I'm tall and its fine. With the slanted side covers and aluminum grab rail, the stock seat looks best to me. The '80 seat is a very good option if you didn't have one.
 
If no one beats me to it. I have a stock '83 I can get you info as required. I have a spare frame too, but the PO hacked away part of the mounts. As for the '83 seat, I'm tall and its fine. With the slanted side covers and aluminum grab rail, the stock seat looks best to me. The '80 seat is a very good option if you didn't have one.
The '83 seat sucks in that you're pretty well stuck in the saddle. The side hinged '78, '79 and side hinged '80 Special seats are the apex in the Special's seat evolution as it allows some movement fore and aft, imho.
You could be ahead in the game to adapt one to your frame with two hinges and some sort of latch, aside from you having a liftoff seat in hand.......
You might get lucky finding some discarded latch mechanisms from a chop, though it could be a bear to reattach them and make it workable.
Other opinions may vary.
Thank you sir there is a lot of info in your comment, any pics of the lift off frame attachment points would help my endevour.
 
If no one beats me to it. I have a stock '83 I can get you info as required. I have a spare frame too, but the PO hacked away part of the mounts. As for the '83 seat, I'm tall and its fine. With the slanted side covers and aluminum grab rail, the stock seat looks best to me. The '80 seat is a very good option if you didn't have one.
Thank you sir, any pics of the lift off frame attachment points that would help my endevour.
 
80SG Special seat is a one year/model seat that clips on. No changing brackets or hinges.. These do not have the pronounced hump like the 83 seat. It slopes and gives you the opportunity to slide around on the seat. Just as good as the early special side hinged seats.

1980 had 2 types of seats.

80G Special II, has a side hinged seat. Not for your bike unless you can find the brackets and hinges to weld on your frame.

Because your brackets have been cut off this give you the blank canvas to decide what type of seat you want to put on the bike. If you go the hinges route then a standard seat can also be put on a special frame with the hinged seat
Clipboard.jpg


80SG Special has a clip on seat the same as 81-84 but is a different shape foam
80SG normal_yamaha_sport_fairinXSjohn.jpg
z.jpg


81-83/4 seat with the high division between the rider and passenger
4n9_Special  II .jpg


Here is the front bracket that the clip on seat pan slips into. 80SG-83/4
IMG_7859 crop seat bracket copyright resize.jpg
IMG_7858 crop seat bracket copyright resize.jpg
 
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80SG Special seat is a one year/model seat that clips on. No changing brackets or hinges.. These do not have the pronounced hump like the 83 seat. It slopes and gives you the opportunity to slide around on the seat. Just as good as the early special side hinged seats.

1980 had 2 types of seats.

80G Special II, has a side hinged seat. Not for your bike unless you can find the brackets and hinges to weld on your frame.

Because your brackets have been cut off this give you the blank canvas to decide what type of seat you want to put on the bike. If you go the hinges route then a standard seat can also be put on a special frame with the hinged seat
View attachment 203532

80SG Special has a clip on seat the same as 81-84 but is a different shape foam
View attachment 203533 View attachment 203534

81-83/4 seat with the high division between the rider and passenger
View attachment 203535

Here is the front bracket that the clip on seat pan slips into. 80SG-83/4
View attachment 203536 View attachment 203537
This is the answer I was seeking. "Because your brackets have been cut off this give you the blank canvas to decide what type of seat you want to put on the bike. If you go the hinges route then a standard seat can also be put on a special frame with the hinged seat" Thank you Sir.
 
Skull brings up a good point on being able to adapt a Standard seat while the canvas is bare, of course Standard tins would have to go with, and the fabbing to make that work there too. Do some searching on the two different styles.

I believe I have a couple side hinged Special seat pans hanging out in the old goat barn, rough but usable.....mebbe some spare hinges too, though from the seat pans and not the frame. Keep it in mind.
 
74 -79 Standard seat pans are all the same. The foam profile changes on the 77 and then again on the 79.
Look here
https://www.xs650.com/threads/xs650...workshop-manuals-and-other-information.30569/

Here are the seat pans from a standard, 74-79 and the Special hinged seat pan 78/79 and 80G.
P1000888 resize copyright 1.jpg P1000889 resize copyright 1.jpg P1000890 resize copyright 1.jpg P1000891 resize copyright 1.jpg P1000892 resize copyright 1.jpg

A link to 79xs who put a standard seat on a Special 78/79/80G,hinged seat frame. Because the special frame already had the brackets and hinges fixed to the frame the seat had to be slightly modified so the standard latch side would suit the special latch.

description and pics from post #17
https://www.xs650.com/threads/standard-vs-special-vs-special-ii-seats.22157/
 
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74 -79 Standard seat pans are all the same. The foam profile changes on the 77 and then again on the 79.
Look here
https://www.xs650.com/threads/xs650...workshop-manuals-and-other-information.30569/

Here are the seat pans from a standard, 74-79 and the Special hinged seat pan 78/79 and 80G.
View attachment 203541 View attachment 203540 View attachment 203542 View attachment 203543 View attachment 203544

A link to 79xs who put a standard seat on a Special 78/79/80G,hinged seat frame. Because the special frame already had the brackets and hinges fixed to the frame the seat had to be slightly modified so the standard latch side would suit the special latch.

description and pics from post #17
https://www.xs650.com/threads/standard-vs-special-vs-special-ii-seats.22157/
Thanks, my latch and bracket were removed so the pictures are appreciated.
 
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