News:

New Wiki available at http://wiki.gstwins.com -Check it out or contribute today!

Main Menu

Yet another seat question

Started by keith, September 05, 2022, 01:09:37 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

keith

Sorry to all the purists (I'm sure it must rub you the wrong way). So I'm wondering why I've not seen anyone leave the seat bracket in place instead of cutting it off when creating a psuedo cafe seat pan? It looks like it would fall at the deepest part of a seat cowl. You could use the locking mechanism pretty much as is, Or at least this is the dumb solution rattling around in my head.
Thanks for your time and thoughts.

profile_deleted

Assuming I am understanding your question correctly...

It's a very logical idea... but one that I have always found simply didn't work.  :cry: The best answer I can offer is that because the mount for the locking mech sits so high (relative to the frame) I could never find a seat that was deep enough to accommodate it.  It always sits higher than the pan of the seat needs to sit if you want the bottom of your seat flush with the frame. 

I dug up a pic from a previous build to illustrate.  The center strut (with two holes) is where the locking mech was relocated, pretty much flush with the top of the frame (with the lock run to the rear fender in this case).

Hope that helps.

p.s. And to anyone that reads this and says "Hey... that guy is still alive?!?!"  Yes, I am.  I apologize for my lengthy absence.  The protracted illness and eventual passing of my father, as well as some other personal challenges, forced me to re-evaluate my priorities for a few years.  However, I hope to be able to contribute again from time to time.  I think I completed two more builds since I last posted.  I'll try to dig up some pics and post them.   

keith

Cool bike, Bruce and thanks for the response.
I was approaching it as a completely custom built seat so no constraints...other than logic.
If I look at the oem seat on my 2004, if I view the pilion seat as the top of the hypothetical cowl it would seem to be a logical height. Heck, I've thought about using the oem seat and adding a diy cowl.
Maybe I'll sit in photoshop and kinda mock it up. Yah, that's what I'll do. Cheers!

profile_deleted

Quote from: keith on September 05, 2022, 05:58:10 PM
Cool bike, Bruce and thanks for the response.
I was approaching it as a completely custom built seat so no constraints...other than logic.

Thanks and... you are spot-on then in my opinion.  I've always used aftermarket seats but if you're building you own, using what's there makes more sense to me than modding the frame.

Best of luck... post some pics!

B.     

The Buddha

That seat latch is not the worst thing in the world, but the 89-00 seat lock sure is. it destroys keys, gets stuck and prevents the seat from coming off and other assorted nonsense.
But yes you should be able to fabricate around it, and back in the old days you could get a solo seat cowl for the GS from lockhart or someone that used the seat latch mechanism.
Cool.
Buddha.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I run a business based on other people's junk.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

mr72

I replaced the seat lock on my '92 with a cable. I think I just cut the cable that attached it, put it through a length of bicycle brake cable housing with a ferrule on either end, and made a loop and used an aluminum cable coupler crimped on it to keep the loop. So now you just pull the little loop to open the seat.

I had a seat lock that didn't match the other locks' key and didn't want to carry two keys. Plus, why lock the seat down? I guess you're afraid someone's going to steal the battery? Do people actually cram valuables under the seat? I guess that little clippy thing could hold an insurance card.

FYI Bruce I totally agree, use the stock seat pan to make your custom seat. Then it will just fit. I made a seat cover for my Vespa that came out pretty good considering it was my first time using a sewing awl. I will totally make custom seat covers and custom seats myself from now on. I'm not into that cafe look for GS500s, but if you can build it yourself, then you can build whatever suits you. The stock seat pan keeps functionality and factory-designed reliability.

keith

Bruce, Buddha and Mr72,
Thanks for the responses.

So I think I'll track down a spare seat and see what can be done with as little customization as possible. (Famous last words I'm sure.) I was thinking I might be able to keep most everything as the Suzuki gods intended - the splash guard under the seat etc. though I'd like to find out if it's possible to extend the wires for the rectifier and put it under the cowl.

It's unfortunate that the seat is so much wider than the subframe, but I guess it is the lesser of all the evils. Not to mention I'll be sitting on it so it's not like I'll see it much. This of course begs the question why change it at all? Hell if I know! Other than I really hate the wasp butt thing so I'll make it my own kinda ugly. Though I might attempt to hack off the width and...and screw it up totally I'm sure.

The lock swap out for a simple loop or something. Good idea. I'll shamelessly steal that one.

Mr72 - I had a look at your blogpost - thanks for all that effort. Cleared up a thing or two for me. Cheers.

Thanks again.

mr72

Next time I'm in my garage, I'll pop the seat open and take a couple of pictures of the seat cable pull mod, you can see what I'm talking about. I used the cable and maybe even the housing that was on the stock seat lock, just cut it with cable cutters. As a former serious cyclist, I had these tools sitting around. If you don't have cable cutters, it can be more tricky to do.

keith

#8
Quote from: mr72 on September 07, 2022, 03:41:41 AM
Next time I'm in my garage, I'll pop the seat open and take a couple of pictures of the seat cable pull mod, you can see what I'm talking about. I used the cable and maybe even the housing that was on the stock seat lock, just cut it with cable cutters. As a former serious cyclist, I had these tools sitting around. If you don't have cable cutters, it can be more tricky to do.
:thumb:

The Buddha

If you remove the lock itself, the ball end of the cable can be zip tied in place and just pulled to release it. That's how 1/2 my bikes and a whole 80% of the ones I used to work on were. Yea Mr72's loop idea makes it easier of course, but then again it also gets easier for a thief, like any one is attempting to steal a GS.
Cool.
Buddha.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I run a business based on other people's junk.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

keith

Now I'm thinking a tripwire setup with a shotgun primer as a fake release mechanism.
Actually, I live so far in the sticks that it's a pretty low risk. And when the dirtbags do roll through the area, they have a richer pool of things to steal from my neighbors that my little bike probably wouldn't even get a second glance.

Just had an idea...how about the release mechanism is a grenade...pull the pin...pop. Hahahaha

Bluesmudge

Quote from: mr72 on September 06, 2022, 12:46:03 PM
Do people actually cram valuables under the seat?

I definitely keep valuable things under my seat. A mini electric air pump, the "brain" of my 2 camera dash cam, my insurance card, my registration, and the battery as you said. When I travel I might have more under there. I wouldn't want to have any of that stolen so I'm glad to have a seat lock and can understand OP wanting to keep it for a custom build.

profile_deleted

#12
Ok...maybe chalk this up to me being bored at work but... how about this?  My apologies in advance for the horrible mock-up.  I limited to Microsoft Paint and a few images grabbed of off eBay.  lol.

How about putting the mechanical part of the mount on the seat, and the mounting posts on the frame (essentially reversing the hardware)?  That way you could run the release cable to a hidden lever built into the seat and wouldn't have to worry about figuring out where to put it on the frame of a custom build.  It wouldn't be locked, per se, but I use hidden kill switches on most of my builds (no ignition key) and they don't ride away probably because no one is looking for them.  Who is going to look for a seat release on the seat (well... I mean other than anybody that just read this... lol).

I actually almost did something similar to this on my scrambler build, but in the end, opted for the "easy way" and just relocated the key to the fender, which I feel ended up looking like an afterthought... you know, because it was. lol.  Plus, when I thought of this I had already modded the frame and the seat pan and didn't want to do everything twice.

Again... a HORRBILE mock-up, but hopefully you get the idea.   The round part in the middle of the lever is a pivot... you rotate the lever one way so the other half of the lever pulls the cable. Terrible... I know... but I did it in Paint. Give me a pass on that part. lol. 

And please, tell me if this is just weird.  I'm thick skinned. 
     

keith

Yah, that's cool. I wasn't all that pleased with the idea of finding a place for the lock mechanism anyway.  MS Paint is perfect for this kind of thing. Thanks!




FJ1200

Gents, so as you guys seem to know your subject, could I pose the following question please; if the seat bracket with release is being removed from the frame - which is my proposal for my machine, from my aussie counterparts - is there anything I need to be aware of when purchasing a flat seat for my 2006 500F?
I have the measurements and I notice on the various websites, seat size is provided, though is it really just a matter of the right sized seat then affixing four brackets to the frame and attaching the seat??
Thanks in advance, cheers

thatshitcray

I drilled 2 holes on each side of the seat lock mount, cut it off and bolted it through the holes to lower it. I'm using the stock seat cut and moulded to suit.

FJ1200

Copy that... great idea...
It works well then??
Cheers

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk