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Message started by Watnys on 08/31/04 at 16:09:21

Title: New seat
Post by Watnys on 08/31/04 at 16:09:21

Finally, my new seat has arrived. It is the new one-piece seat from the S40 lineup. For those of you considering a similar purchase, here are a few pics.

http://www.geocities.com/peterstar@sbcglobal.net/newseat.html

I will have to modify the rear bracket to fit my 2004 savage. I think that if I bend it the other direction and trim it down a bit, it will be able to catch the original rear seat attachment on the fender.

Calling Jon,
since you have the 2005 model, would you describe the way your seat mounts at the rear, please ;D

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Jon on 08/31/04 at 22:20:50

> would you describe the way your seat
> mounts at the rear, please

Like previous LS650s, the S40 one-piece seat has the plastic tongue up front, the two side tabs, and an additional single tab in back to attach to the earlier models pillion bolt hole. It appears to me that the S40 seat should fit the earlier models. I will snap some photos tomorrow and post a link here.

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Greg_650 on 09/01/04 at 02:55:39

Does the S40 seat still accomodate the passenger back rest on the older ones.

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Jon on 09/01/04 at 11:25:37

Here are some pics of the seat:

http://tinyurl.com/632vq

As far as accommodating the backrest, the seat appears to be as wide and as long as the earlier two-piece seat, so I will 'assume' the S40 seat would just bolt on to the older bikes without interference.

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Greg_650 on 09/01/04 at 14:54:13

The link didn't work, but it might be on my end.

Anyway, I can't imagine that too much has changed. I just wondered since the Savage40 doesn't have the backrest

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Jon on 09/01/04 at 15:10:10

Greg_650 wrote:

The link didn't work, but it might be on my end.

Here's the full link. Anyone else having trouble?

http://www.dotphoto.com/GuestViewImage.asp?AID=1758018

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Watnys on 09/01/04 at 17:46:34

Quote:

Does the S40 seat still accomodate the passenger back rest on the older ones.

Yes it does!
I had to remove the backrest pad to install the seat, and then installed it back on with room to spare. I have the pillow-top version, so it is a bit taller then the classic version. Maybe the classic would install without needing to remove the backrest pad ???
I did like the look of the new seat with the the pad off. I may leave it off and extend the bare sissybar.

here are a couple of more pics...

http://www.geocities.com/peterstar@sbcglobal.net/newseatpics.html

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Watnys on 09/01/04 at 17:54:56

Jon, thanks for the picture, it helped a lot!!!
Looks like I can leave the rear tab on the seat just the way it is, then drill a new mounting hole thru the fender and fasten the tab to the fender using a rubber bushing in-between. I assume that the rubber bushing has a metal sleeve within it, like the ones used on the gas tank.
Jon, thanks again.

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Francesco on 09/02/04 at 03:03:02

Hi peter,

I've a 1996 Savage and I'd like to buy your old seat.
Will you be interested in selling it?

If you wish you can contact me at the following adress:
friso@sviluppoitalia.it.

Thank you in advance.

Francesco

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Ed Richard on 09/02/04 at 03:58:52

I have a 2 peice gel seat for sell its 1 month old,I removed it and installed the old one back on when i traded my Savage in for a FXST , paid 194.00 plus shipping ,make me an offer I cant refuse and its yours,, edlr3@aol.com Ed Richard Fort Wayne IN. 46835

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Zuk1 on 09/02/04 at 04:15:40

I do have pictures of seat mounted on bike , can email them if anyone is interested , Thankyou Ed Richard , , edlr3@aol.com

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Watnys on 09/02/04 at 18:13:26

Sorry Francesco, I will not be selling my old seat. I custom made it using the original two-piece seat pans and it still needs some more work. Right now it is not very comfortable, that is why I bought the new seat.
I would hate for you to be stuck with my old problems.
If you have the original seats and would like a one piece seat, let me know and I will forward pictures on how I constructed it. The cost of modifying my old seat was about $50 and was not hard to do. I just picked the wrong type of foam and that is why it is uncomfortable.

Title: Re: New seat
Post by thehoghunter on 09/03/04 at 07:52:44

So the BIG question on the one piece seat - how's the ride on long distance? The old seat sucked and many folks out there were always coming up with tricks to fix it - some worked some didn't. Does the new S40 seat take care of the old problem?

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Jon on 09/03/04 at 10:45:17

> Does the new S40 seat take care of the old problem?

The stock S40 seat is wide and flat and well cushioned, and the step doesn't push you forward.

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Greg_650 on 09/03/04 at 13:00:13

Jon wrote:

> Does the new S40 seat take care of the old problem?

The stock S40 seat is wide and flat and well cushioned, and the step doesn't push you forward.

Have you had the chance to ride your "Savage40" for a long time so that you can rate the 2 seats? No Monkey Butt? I rate the Savage seat at about a 3. How do you rate the S40?

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Jon on 09/03/04 at 14:12:48

> Have you had the chance to ride your "Savage40" for
> a long time so that you can rate the 2 seats?

Yes, three hundred miles the other day. Compared to my previous Savages, the S40 seat is not noticed on long rides, and that is saying a lot. I don't get the fidgets, no discomfort... no monkeybutt.

Title: Re: New seat
Post by jajke on 09/03/04 at 20:01:43

Watnys wrote:

Watnys,

Just to make sure I understand correctly, you did not have to drill any new holes in your bike to accomodate the seat of the S40, is this correct? And you bought the Gel Seat - Pillow?

Thanks!

Jaime

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Watnys on 09/04/04 at 08:52:47

Jaime,
I did not drill any holes yet. I could not wait to test this new seat, so I mounted it only using the two bolts on either side of the bike (where the old single front seat would fasten to). For now the rear tab is floating above the area on the rear fender where the mounting hole should be.

http://www.geocities.com/peterstar@sbcglobal.net/tab.html

I think that I will cut the tab off after all and make some internal tabs (like the old rear seat had) in the reverse direction so that both front and the new rear tabs would engage with one motion (from rear pulling to front). I am only doing this because Suzuki misaligned the seam in the vinyl of the seat with the center of the tab. If the tab wasn’t there, then maybe it won’t be so noticeable. How do you pronounce “Suzuki quality”?
On another note, this seat is a big improvement vs. my old semi-rigid concoction. The gel insert eliminates 99% of the vibrations. There really is no difference in the amount of vibrations cruising @ 60mph with the engine engaged or with the clutch engaged. That sold me. The only beef I have about this seat is that I feel like sitting on a camel’s neck with the hump behind you. Maybe it’s because I am 6’2” tall and up to now I rode on my old seat on the almost rear position. Also for this new seat I have taken off my spacers that lifted the front of the seat at the tank mount (back to “factory” setting). I may have to put those back in.
For anybody under 5’6” this seat is gold. For taller riders, I don’t know - still trying to figure out my opinion. Maybe there are some Savage riders in my area that would like to test my seat to verify or confirm my findings? I am in the DFW area, Texas. I know there is a number of DFW Savage riders, how about a get together for a ride?

Title: Re: New seat
Post by Jon on 09/04/04 at 10:19:54

> The only beef I have about this seat is that I feel like
> sitting on a camel’s neck with the hump behind you.

I bought the optional gel solo for my 96 and could not use it because of the 'hump'. It appeared that the upholsterer had just layered the stock seat form/foam with more foam and the gel pad. The rise/step on the stock seat is xx-inches back from the tank. By covering it the way they did the step was moved forward a couple of inches, effectively shortening the fore/aft depth of the seat area. To do the job right they should have just layered the level part of the seat and avoided covering the step. If you look at the Pillow and other optional gel seat, the seat area is shorter than stock---they continue to do the same upholstery mistake. The relocated rise works for short riders (5'5" and under), but is very uncomfortable for anyone else.

What makes the stock S40 seat so good is that it's flat, not like sitting on a foam baloney, and the step is far enough back to accommodate people with legs.