2 solo seat questions

[lumper]

I have the same seat on my 99 and it fits perfectly.
I was wondering if maybe something was in the washer slot on the underside of your seat keeping it from seating all the way down but I read that you finaly got it.

Maybe it was warped, I forget which bike is yours lol, but I was wondering if the tank difference was an 800 to 1500 difference or not?
Anyway my thought was something in that space that you might not easliy notice and might be just enough to keep it from sitting all the way on the washer properly.
Lump

[chief]

Yep, that plastic base can warp... looks like there could have been some modification to the seat as well.

[TerryG]

I worked on the seat this weekend and I have it on.  It was a bit of work but seems to be fitting correctly now.
at this point I think it was a warping issue, god only know how long and where it was stored by the previous owner but with some effort it did finally fit.

Many thanks to all who help!

T

[TerryG]

Are you having any luck getting the seat to sit properly? Maybe someone in the membership, who has the same year bike as yours, could take their solo seat off and take some pics for comparison. That would be a big help to you I think, cause I just ran out of ideas

Haven't had time to do anything more since Monday - should have some time tomorrow night to mess with it some more

[annieoakley]

Are you having any luck getting the seat to sit properly? Maybe someone in the membership, who has the same year bike as yours, could take their solo seat off and take some pics for comparison. That would be a big help to you I think, cause I just ran out of ideas

[TerryG]

Well darn it, I went out and pulled my seat again. I have the same seat as yours, same model number too. At least we know it is a drifter seat. Just doesn't make any sense as to why it won't sit properly. I thought I had it figured out and took another pic, but I don't know what year your bike is. If chief says the seat is for an 01-02 model, maybe that is what is making the difference. My bike is an 01, the tank style is different, so I don't know if that is where the problem is. Compare my tank to yours. I can't tell if the mounting points are a little different or not.

my bike is a 2000, the tanks do look different

[chief]

REmove all the saddle bag brackets etc from the rear and try it again.

[1SG CAV]

by the looks of AnneOakley's pictures and yours. The tanks are surely different. Yours has a flange close to the washer. I think the seat even though it belongs to a Drifter. I don't think it was meant for yours. The seat is Identical to the one on my 02 1500 What is the year of yoour Drifter?

[annieoakley]

Well darn it, I went out and pulled my seat again. I have the same seat as yours, same model number too. At least we know it is a drifter seat. Just doesn't make any sense as to why it won't sit properly. I thought I had it figured out and took another pic, but I don't know what year your bike is. If chief says the seat is for an 01-02 model, maybe that is what is making the difference. My bike is an 01, the tank style is different, so I don't know if that is where the problem is. Compare my tank to yours. I can't tell if the mounting points are a little different or not.

[TerryG]

One more pic

[TerryG]

Here's the additional pics.

[annieoakley]

Glad the pics helped! Hope you can remedy the seat issue too!

[chief]

The "1942" on the underside tells me its a drifter seat - 53001-1942 came off a 2001/2002 Drifter. Later 1500 Drifters carried seats 53001-1991 2003 and later.

But with the fit problem... who knows... which is why refitting with a different drifter solo was suggested.

[TerryG]

All,
I appreciate the help! I am not sure that the seat is a drifter seat, I was told when I purchased it that it was but never saw a picture of it installed from the previous owner. I'll take some more pics today of the frame and back of the back of the seat today and try to install it again. Annie thanks for the pics of the solo seat rail, very helpful for the install.
I'm leaning towards it's not a Drifter seat as it shouldn't be this complex. So anyone have a solo seat forsale? 

[1SG CAV]

I agree The shape was the first thing to catch my eye and then the opening on the front of the seat. It doesn't look big enough for the spacer to fit into.  I swap between my two-up and solo seat all the time. The OEM seat just falls into place and I just bolt it down. The 2- up fits tighter at the tank, but still drops into place. I agree try fitting a seat off another drifter.

[annieoakley]

That was my thought too. It just doesn't look quite the same as the one on my bike. Although I am sure there are different styles out there, The shape of the one Terry has, just has me wondering.

[chief]

More pics of the frame (seat area) without the seat...

Make sure there is nothing in the way of the seat sitting properly. Don't try to space the front... put the seat ALL the way onto the washer mount - push it rearward until it won't go anymore. That should hold the front in place... you say the rear is now high and forward... push seat down and to the rear... the front shouldn't be able to move and the seat should flex enough to allow installation.

If that still doesn't work... I strongly suggest you get a seat you know belongs on a drifter and try to install that... even though the one you have appears to be a drifter seat, it may have warped or been cursed by gremlins.

As far as I know, all drifter seats have a skirt in the rear, of some nature. If yours doesn't it may have been modified which might be the problem.

[griz01]

I really can not see the rear of the seat, so i will just put this out there. Are you sure the solo seat is fron a Drifter?

http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/nomadseat.html

[annieoakley]

If you are not installing saddlebag brackets with the seat rail, you will need to add a spacer to make up for the gap between the frame and the rail. I have a set of them around here somewhere if you need them.
Sorry about the picture quality, crappy camera

[annieoakley]

Hi Terry- I went out and took the seat off my bike so you can see how the rail attaches. I also took pics of how the seat is supposed to sit on the bike. Hope these will help.

[TerryG]

Pics of the bottom of the seat & mount point by tank.
I messed with it a bit more after taking the pictures - when I slide it down so it sits what appears to be correct to me (small gap at the tank but not rubbing on the tank) the two rear mount points are to high when I push the back of the seat down to try and align of course the front comes up some and the rear mounts a 1/4 inch to far forward. holding the front of the seat while gently pushing the back of the seat down/around trying to align doesn't resolve this issue.

Thanks!

[chief]

Yeah what troll said...

Take the seat off (take a pic of the bottom while its off)... sit it on the frame back to the rear of the front mount. Press down on the front - may need to raise the rear a bit, and slide it forward as far as you can. You may need to move it around to find the right spot. It should slide onto the front mount and sit flush.

If that doesn't work for you... take a picture of the bottom of the seat and the seat area of the frame, especially the front mount area.

[Troll]

Looks like it's not sitting down on the big washer all the way. Supposed to sit all the way into the slot so the seat nose is down tight on the tank

[TerryG]

Sorry for the delay in posting, I've been slammed at work.

Here's how the site is sitting now, if I move it more toward the tank and rear screws won't go in....

thoughts

T

[chief]

Yeah take 3-4 good pics of top and bottom... maybe 1-2 of it on the bike too. We'll see if we can figure this out.