Seat Removal

[NorthernBoy]

I'm struggling to remove the front seat. The manual seems to suggest that ulike with my 1200GS, you turn the seat clckwise for both the front and the rear seat, but although this works for the rear, it won't take off the front.

Turning it anticlockwise won't either. I've tried turning each way and then lifiting it (while the key is still turned), pressing the back of the seat down and turning the key each way then lifting it, but nothing works.

What am I missing?

 

[Baked Bean]

The rear seat holds the front seat on. Once the back one is off the front should just lift from the back.

 

[Tyzer]

I'm struggling to remove the front seat. The manual seems to suggest that ulike with my 1200GS, you turn the seat clckwise for both the front and the rear seat, but although this works for the rear, it won't take off the front.

Turning it anticlockwise won't either. I've tried turning each way and then lifiting it (while the key is still turned), pressing the back of the seat down and turning the key each way then lifting it, but nothing works.

What am I missing?

Don't forget the connectors if you have heated seats

 

[NorthernBoy]

The rear seat holds the front seat on. Once the back one is off the front should just lift from the back.

Thanks.

What does turning the key anticlockwise do?

 

[NorthernBoy]

I’m still doing something wrong. I’ve taken the rear seat off and the front seat is absolutely not moving. I’ve pulled it as hard as I dare without risking tearing the material.

 

[BrokenPaw]

I’m still doing something wrong. I’ve taken the rear seat off and the front seat is absolutely not moving. I’ve pulled it as hard as I dare without risking tearing the material.

Strange. Don't pull the front seat backwards; just lift the rear up, and the seat will then rotate and lift out of the front securing point.
If the seat is heated, the wire may be caught somewhere, so be careful.
Definitely no force is needed to remove my heated rider's seat.

 

[pbbanks]

Thanks.

What does turning the key anticlockwise do?

It only turns clockwise on the 1300.

 

[Tyzer]

Very odd there's nothing holding the front seat on ?

 

[NorthernBoy]

It only turns clockwise on the 1300.

Not on mine it doesn’t. It turns both ways, with either way allowing me to remove the rear seat.

This is a bit strange. I’ll try to post a video tomorrow.

 

[pbbanks]

Not on mine it doesn’t. It turns both ways, with either way allowing me to remove the rear seat.

This is a bit strange. I’ll try to post a video tomorrow.

Very strange you can't remove your front seat.
Just checked mine it's anticlockwise the key turns but won't turn clockwise.
As others have said, rear seat then lifts off by pulling the back up and sliding it backwards. The front seat is then loose at the back & lifts up and slides backwards out of the front cups.
Only thing holding the front seat on is the rear seat.

 

[Baked Bean]

Not on mine it doesn’t. It turns both ways, with either way allowing me to remove the rear seat.

This is a bit strange. I’ll try to post a video tomorrow.

You haven't got a K1300 have you?

 

[yorkshire whippet]

If its anything like the 1250 its possible that the 2 catches at the rear of the front seat have caught at the wrong side of the seat 'hooks'. This prevents the key from releasing them which ever way you turn it. On the 1250 its just possible to lift the rear of the seat material to get access and ease the catches back. I can't be more specific as it only happened to me once some time ago but it does sound like the same problem.

 

[TaskMule]

1300GS, my seat release key only turns one way, counterclockwise from horizontal to vertical. This releases the back of the rear seat, lifts out easily. Then the front is free to lift at the back and pull back. There's virtually no way for it to get stuck.

 

[BrokenPaw]

I'm struggling to remove the front seat. The manual seems to suggest that ulike with my 1200GS, you turn the seat clckwise for both the front and the rear seat, but although this works for the rear, it won't take off the front.

Turning it anticlockwise won't either. I've tried turning each way and then lifiting it (while the key is still turned), pressing the back of the seat down and turning the key each way then lifting it, but nothing works.

What am I missing?

OK; I'm really curious now, so I had a look at my bike.
Long story this, so be patient.
This is a long shot, and quite bizarre, but worth a try.

First, my key only turns towards the front of the bike, but this is irrelevant here.

Not a lot is known about this, but under the rear seat itself, at the rear, is a lever (black plastic 4cmx1.5cm) that allows the seat to be angled more up at the back, to give a downward slope to the tank. It does this by pushing up the inners of the seat squab.
Next, the lever rotates on a lateral axis, and rests flat against the underside of the seat; towards the rear is standard, towards the front is sloping the seat forward.
Now, if the riders seat is taken off, and then refitted, but the lever is not in one of the two stored positions (flat against the underside of the seat), but left pointing downwards, then when the seat is installed, it may be possible for the lever to hit the bike before it should, and then fold backwards towards it's resting position.
It's also possible that it catches under a black metal crossmember on the bike on the way down.
If all these ifs coincide, the seat will look in the correct position, but will be trapped there by the lever under the crossmember.

To check out this theory:-
Remove pillion seat.
With a mirror and torch, look under the crossmember, and see if you can see this black plastic lever.
If you can, then try to push it downwards away from the crossmember, and at the same time lift the rear or the riders seat - it's a mighty strong spring though! It may not work.

If you cannot see (or feel) this lever, at least you know this isn't the cause.

Finally; yes, a photo from me would be handy, but I cannot attach one1
I really must join!

 

[BrokenPaw]

I'm struggling to remove the front seat. The manual seems to suggest that ulike with my 1200GS, you turn the seat clckwise for both the front and the rear seat, but although this works for the rear, it won't take off the front.

Turning it anticlockwise won't either. I've tried turning each way and then lifiting it (while the key is still turned), pressing the back of the seat down and turning the key each way then lifting it, but nothing works.

What am I missing?

 

[BrokenPaw]

There you go; photos

I'm struggling to remove the front seat. The manual seems to suggest that ulike with my 1200GS, you turn the seat clckwise for both the front and the rear seat, but although this works for the rear, it won't take off the front.

Turning it anticlockwise won't either. I've tried turning each way and then lifiting it (while the key is still turned), pressing the back of the seat down and turning the key each way then lifting it, but nothing works.

What am I missing?

 

[NorthernBoy]

Here’s a video of me trying and failing to remove the seat.
To answer the question above, it’s a brand new R1300GS.

Seat

 

[TaskMule]

Here’s a video of me trying and failing to remove the seat.
To answer the question above, it’s a brand new R1300GS.

Seat

Ok well that's a completely different setup from the comfort seats most are referring to in this post. When you turn the key counterclockwise do not let it go, hold it at its maximum rotation and try. That snap when you turn the key to the left is disconcerting. This seems to be a defective mechanism

 

[NorthernBoy]

Ok well that's a completely different setup from the comfort seats most are referring to in this post. When you turn the key counterclockwise do not let it go, hold it at its maximum rotation and try. That snap when you turn the key to the left is disconcerting. This seems to be a defective mechanism

I’ve tried that, and am not comfortable turning it any further.

The seat is “comfort seat high” on the options list.

 

[TaskMule]

I’ve tried that, and am not comfortable turning it any further.

The seat is “comfort seat high” on the options list.

Does that plastic tray below the rear deck you've just removed come out easily? Looks like it's holding down the tabs at the rear of the seat