rear seat cover stuck

[ghostbiker]

Just got a 1998 vtr1000 today
Tried to take the rear seat cover off and might be doing it wrong lol but I assume you key in the back lock and this releases the cover or maybe whole seat.
Only the lock just keeps turning around. I can feel and hear something flapping around inside I think.
Any way to get it off without the lock?
Btw Haynes manual ordered tonight lol

[darkember]

Sound like the key lock is broke. The key should turn a quarter clockwise and if you let it go it will spring back.

[ghostbiker]

Any way to get in without the lock?

[popkat]

The rear panel bolts at the front then underneath with plastic push screw type things and 2 small bolts under the seat, I can't see you getting in there by undoing what you can see. you could try drilling a small hole next to the lock then try and put a flat screwdriver in to hold the spinning lock. if that does work you'll need someone to help you get the seat off, it doesn't just pop open, it needs wiggling, I find if you wiggle the front of the seat and push it back wards at the same time it will pop off as you turn the key, it's a two handed job even if the lock works.

[MacV2]

Read through this post...

http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=19746

Let us know how yo get on.

[Saintsman27]

Good luck with it M8tey, the VTR seat is problematical .. strange...
can be a pain , but once its set up and the bars/ mechanisms adjusted and well
greased.. no problem.. bad luck on that lock you will be scanning the
horizon for a new one then

[ghostbiker]

Ok found a way to stop lock turning. No help, still locked. But it does turn 1/4 and spring back. So seems to be ok.

Got the cover off with a lot of fiddle and got the tail Section released at front. Now I can gently pull that down and see the lock. No cable attached lol. So that's the problem.
Not knowing which way the cable pulls the bit it sits in is a problem so I'm looking in from riders left. Can see the bit where the cable barrel end fits. Which way do I pull it? Down or towards me?

Hope that makes sense

[darkember]

Ok if the lock is ok you need to turn the key and hold it then firmly with your left hand from the center of the seat push down and firmly and back at the same time and it should pop off backwards. It is all one fluid motion.

[MacV2]

''Not knowing which way the cable pulls the bit it sits in is a problem so I'm looking in from riders left. Can see the bit where the cable barrel end fits. Which way do I pull it? Down or towards me?''

Sideways...Click on the small pic for a stunning low quality vid...



OK so this is upside down just to confuse things but if you top left you can see the back of the lock mech turning, that then pulls the cable which then on the mechat the front pulls the 'latch' sideways... (might help if you stand on your head to view this sorry... )

On yours is the cable attached at the latch end ? If so a long thin screw driver you should be able to either move the latch itself or just catch the end of the cable sleeve.

Heres a right way up pic of closed & open...





Once you have finaly wrestled the seat off...take the bloody hooks off !

[tony.mon]

No, leave the hooks on; they are useful for hanging the bike up when you grease the shock linkages.

Just bend them by tapping with a hammer until the seat releases with a sharp tug backwards, but the seat can't be lifted up in the middle. Otherwise the helmet hook isn't secure, as a thief can lift the centre of the seat up and unhook the helmet.

But anyway, i'd recommend using a cable lock to secure a lid if you're leaving it on the bike, even a thin one will deter lightfingered nasties.

[ghostbiker]

Thank you all SO much!
Taken awhile but seat now off and I didn't snap any plastic

Cable wasn't snapped it just had not been connected on the catch.
Reconnected the cable and seat on / off with ease.
Tip for anyone this happens to.....
Undo 2 front bolts from tail Section.
Gently unclip the seat pod from the sides with a long flat screw driver. Then slide cover off.
Lift seat on left side and gently push down tail Section to get a mag lite in.
I used a length of electrical wire and fed it through the hole where cable fits then grabbed the other end with magnetic telescopic thing.
Once you have both ends of the wire pull towards you and bingo.

Now I have done it once I could likely do it again on my bike in under 10 minutes

Thank god that's over lol.

[MacV2]

No, leave the hooks on; they are useful for hanging the bike up when you grease the shock linkages.

Just bend them by tapping with a hammer until the seat releases with a sharp tug backwards, but the seat can't be lifted up in the middle. Otherwise the helmet hook isn't secure, as a thief can lift the centre of the seat up and unhook the helmet.

But anyway, i'd recommend using a cable lock to secure a lid if you're leaving it on the bike, even a thin one will deter lightfingered nasties.

I mean the hooks under the seat not the loops on the sub frame.

Though I do agree the potential helmet theft issue...easy one to combat...don't use the helmet loop thing...

Oh & well done ghostrider for sorting it out...