Seat

cpotts454 · Posted: March 26, 2009, 10:10 pm Post subject: Seat

I've been looking for a seat for a while but I am having a hard time figuring out what would fit on my bike since I have never owned an original seat. I've got a picture of a seat that I want your opinion on if it would fit with my frame. I have a stock 78 standard frame, and this seat is off what the seller says is a 79, but I dont know if its a special or a standard.

Under the cover of these seats is it foam? I want to shave it down to a lower profile and have it recovered.

Also, because I have a custom seat none of the original tabs are on the frame anymore. How do you recommend securely attaching the seat to the frame?

oldbikenut · Posted: March 26, 2009, 11:14 pm Post subject: Re: Seat

I have a 78 special and while doing research to find a seat for mine, as I remember the special seats work on the standard but the standard seats wont work on the specials unless modified. I don't understand this but that what I read in several different posts.

That seat looks to me like a seat off a special.

You could shave this seat down but I've heard they sometimes don't look right as they dip alittle in the middle of the seat on the bottom.

I think you will have to mess with securing it, not really sure.

weekendrider · Posted: March 26, 2009, 11:16 pm Post subject: Re: Seat

The latch on the special seat is a tad too long. So it won't latch down tight.
I found it tended to slide me into the tank vs the flatter standard seat.
On either one you will have to obtain and weld back to the frame the hinges if they have been cut off. How does you current seat latch down?

nj1639 · Posted: March 27, 2009, 7:26 am Post subject: Re: Seat

Hey Potts,
I trimmed a junk seat down to fit inside the top rail. No seat pan, held down with snaps on the cover edge.
I have a battery cover and replaced the old fuse panel with inline fuses so everything lays nice and flat under the foam. It ain't real purty (bike's a work in progress) but it's functional and comfortable.
Seat foam trims real nice using a sharp, small toothed hacksaw blade.
I'm thinking about making a couple more of dfferent lengths and shapes just because.
Link below quote.

cpotts454 · Posted: March 27, 2009, 7:27 am Post subject: Re: Seat

This is all PO stuff here, but it has a little piece of sheet metal that is attached to the tank loop that slides into the front of the seat, and then on the back of the seat to screws with adjoining holes on the frame brace right behind the battery.

xsleo · Posted: March 31, 2009, 4:15 am Post subject: Re: Seat

An electric kitchen knife works well to cut seat foam.

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