Okay... What's up with this seat...

[Anonymous]

I'm working on an '83 GS450, getting things back into good condition. THe bike starts easily and runs just fine (except for a stiff clutch) but there are a lot of little things that I keep finding to work on. I enjoy getting into the nitty-gritty, and I'm finding out lots of cool things about the bike.

But I can't, for the life of me, get the seat open. And no one I've talked to (over the years, the bike has been ridden by three guys I know) can remember what to do.

Help?

[Anonymous]

On my '82 450 there are two bolts, one on each side, that each go though the sissy bar / cargo rack assembly, though a metal spacer about 1" long, through a bracket near the rear end of the seat, and into the rear fender. There's a nut inside the fender that holds it all on. To remove my seat I pull those bolts and lift up the rear end of the seat. The front end of the seat just has a tab that sits under a rectangular bracket. When you lift the rear of the seat the tab slides right out.

I don't know if the sissy bar etc. are stock, but I'm pretty sure there's some sort of frame around the side and back end of the seat.

Dave

[Anonymous]

Which model of 450 do you have? My 81 450 E has just the lock on back. Some of the other models have the key latch at back, a hook at the front, and two lever-operated latches on the sides. On my 1100 you have to stand behind the bike and reach under both sides of the seats to operate the levers. Then you can pull the seat off.

Good Luck

Michael

[Anonymous]

It's a 450T, I think, though all the pictures of Ts that I've seen have spokes, and this bike has alloy wheels.

There are two little latches at the sides, but they don't really seem to be doing most of the work, there's something else holding the seat on. There's no lock, except for the little "insurance/registration box" at the very back and the helmet lock. Maybe it will work if I pull back on the seat, instead of trying to lift it...

I'll look for bolts... I don't have a sissy bar, but there is a rack-type object that sounds similar. Are the bolts going through from the side or the top?

Why aren't things like this covered in my service manual?

[spots25]

Why aren't things like this covered in my service manual?

because its plainly obvious how to do it :roll:

I'll bet once you figure it out, you'll kick yourself for not figuring it out earlier... I've been there

[Doze]

I.I on some bikes like my 1150, the helmet lock works both the seat unlatch and the helmet lock. You turn the key one way for the helmet and the other for the seat. Try that, it might be the answer you're looking for.
Doze.

[Anonymous]

It's been raining pretty hard the last couple of days, so I only looked at the bike for a few minutes the other day and still couldn't see anything much. There are some bolts in the vicinity of the seat, but I haven't tried any of them yet. (they aren't easy to reach.)

I managed to find some fasteners the other day, all I need now is sunshine so I can finish cleaning & polishing. Then I can actually ride it. Sigh....

[Anonymous]

It's a 450T, I think, though all the pictures of Ts that I've seen have spokes, and this bike has alloy wheels.

There are two little latches at the sides, but they don't really seem to be doing most of the work, there's something else holding the seat on. There's no lock, except for the little "insurance/registration box" at the very back and the helmet lock. Maybe it will work if I pull back on the seat, instead of trying to lift it...

I'll look for bolts... I don't have a sissy bar, but there is a rack-type object that sounds similar. Are the bolts going through from the side or the top?

Why aren't things like this covered in my service manual?

My bike is a 450T, and it has the bolts coming in from the sides. It may be a hatchet job, though - one bolt has a hex head, the other an Allen head. (And the spacer on the Allen bolt is a piece of 1/2 inch iron pipe.) But the hole in the fender looks like it's meant to be there - the metal is formed to make a (mostly) vertical surface for the bolt hole. Also, I don't have an insurance/registration box. Maybe it was removed in favor of the cargo rack.

Here's a side view of my bike, an '82. You can't really see them, but the seat bolts are almost directly above the rear axle. They pass though a plate welded to the chrome rail that becomes the sissy bar.

This T has cast alloy wheels, BTW.



Dave

[Anonymous]

an old 450L model I had you undid the helmet lock and pulled back on it as part of the levers.( lever on one side helmet lock on other) this kept it locked down.

[Anonymous]

Got it!

Finally got it, there were two bolts at the back, going up into a bracket from the bottom. I'd noticed them before, but they're so difficult to reach I was sure they were for something else. Live and learn...

THanks for all the help, guys.

[Anonymous]

Re: Got it!

Glad to hear it. Wanna come do mine now? (Grin)

You stay, I go.
No following.

From the Iron Giant, isn't it?

Dave

[Anonymous]

Yes, yes it is.
Best animated movie that has ever been made.

[Anonymous]

I agree. And to think it was made without massive computer trickery. And to think Disney is abandoning hand-drawn animation.

Dave

[Anonymous]

Re: Okay... What's up with this seat...

I'm working on an '83 GS450, getting things back into good condition. THe bike starts easily and runs just fine (except for a stiff clutch) but there are a lot of little things that I keep finding to work on. I enjoy getting into the nitty-gritty, and I'm finding out lots of cool things about the bike.

But I can't, for the life of me, get the seat open. And no one I've talked to (over the years, the bike has been ridden by three guys I know) can remember what to do.

Help?

Originally advertised as "regularly maintained", huh???
:twisted:

Col