Gel seat and Mechanical Homerism
Discussion
I ordered a Gel seat for my 99 last saturday, today it arrived and I
picked it up after work. Brilliant you might think, well yes, but I
got a liitle bit too excited and after getting home rushed to fit the
seat.
I took the rear seat off (holding the only ignition key I have in my
left hand...must get a duplicate cut...oh hindsight is such a
wonderful thing
, took the front seat off and tried to fit the new
one. It was a very tight squeeze, necessitating me putting down the
ignition key so as not to damage the new seat as I had to push it on
with two hands. Finally it goes on and I pop the rear seat back on.
Just at the moment it clicks locked I realise that I've subconciously
put the key down on the bikes computer, which as we know is under the
rear seat. Doh!
So I set about devising a way to break into the bikes underseat area
without damaging it and without having to remove the Zega top box.
I found one. Remove the allen bolt to the rear of the seat lock (on
the side panel, then pop out the bottom stud on the panel and swivel
the panel downwards. This exposes the lock which is easily removed as
its only attached with two star bolts. Et voila you now have acces to
the seat lock cable. Give it a pull and off comes the seat. Huzzah!
Job done.
I then set about changing the front brake pads , discovering naturally
that there is always one bolt which wants to be 'the bitch'(tm) and
either gives you a skinned knuckle or a coronary trying to remove it.
Each brake caliper has one, its the little plug that covers the pad
retaing bolt.Grrr. Still, some PlusGas, tea and several cigarettes
later they came off. Managed to do the brakes in 30 mins which for me
is notjing short of a major miracle never having managed it before.
But this time I did cheat, I borrowed a G-clamp from my dad. Live and
learn..
Oh and the seat is great, cheaper than a corbin and 10 times better
than the stock one. Slighty flatter in profile due to the gel and
much firmer. But a bit too 'not black' for my liking. It's kind of
grey. Not sure whether it goes with the rest of bike but who cares
as long as it's comfy..
Err, oops, bit of a rant that better go before every falls asleep ;-p
picked it up after work. Brilliant you might think, well yes, but I
got a liitle bit too excited and after getting home rushed to fit the
seat.
I took the rear seat off (holding the only ignition key I have in my
left hand...must get a duplicate cut...oh hindsight is such a
wonderful thing
, took the front seat off and tried to fit the new one. It was a very tight squeeze, necessitating me putting down the
ignition key so as not to damage the new seat as I had to push it on
with two hands. Finally it goes on and I pop the rear seat back on.
Just at the moment it clicks locked I realise that I've subconciously
put the key down on the bikes computer, which as we know is under the
rear seat. Doh!
So I set about devising a way to break into the bikes underseat area
without damaging it and without having to remove the Zega top box.
I found one. Remove the allen bolt to the rear of the seat lock (on
the side panel, then pop out the bottom stud on the panel and swivel
the panel downwards. This exposes the lock which is easily removed as
its only attached with two star bolts. Et voila you now have acces to
the seat lock cable. Give it a pull and off comes the seat. Huzzah!
Job done.
I then set about changing the front brake pads , discovering naturally
that there is always one bolt which wants to be 'the bitch'(tm) and
either gives you a skinned knuckle or a coronary trying to remove it.
Each brake caliper has one, its the little plug that covers the pad
retaing bolt.Grrr. Still, some PlusGas, tea and several cigarettes
later they came off. Managed to do the brakes in 30 mins which for me
is notjing short of a major miracle never having managed it before.
But this time I did cheat, I borrowed a G-clamp from my dad. Live and
learn..
Oh and the seat is great, cheaper than a corbin and 10 times better
than the stock one. Slighty flatter in profile due to the gel and
much firmer. But a bit too 'not black' for my liking. It's kind of
grey. Not sure whether it goes with the rest of bike but who cares
as long as it's comfy..
Err, oops, bit of a rant that better go before every falls asleep ;-p
This sounds familiar. My double bubble screen arrived finally a couple of days ago, having ordered at Ally Pally. Had to fit it that night, so out with the Haynes manual (which frankly didn't help much) and away we go.
What a total faff! Anyway 2 and bit hours later the screen is on, so are all the relevant bits of fairing and the only thing I broke was a couple of plastic clips that help hold the side sections of the fairing to the front. So I'm well chuffed with it, but on reflection, how sad am I to fit the thing in the dark with only the aid of a torch!
Steve.
What a total faff! Anyway 2 and bit hours later the screen is on, so are all the relevant bits of fairing and the only thing I broke was a couple of plastic clips that help hold the side sections of the fairing to the front. So I'm well chuffed with it, but on reflection, how sad am I to fit the thing in the dark with only the aid of a torch!
Steve.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff