Where to buy new seat

[Pep42]

Does anybody know where I can find a new seat for a '79 xs1100?
I would really like one with a backrest/sissy bar for my wife. Also,
does anyone know which models can cross reference for parts and
accesories?

[natemoen]

ebay, motorcycle junkyards... cant buy new anymore

you can always check the parts for sale section of the forum and post a wanted add in the parts wanted section.

Also you can get a separate backrest piece if you want instead of the integrated seat/backrest.

[DGXSER]

As Nate stated, if you get REALLY lucky, you might find someone with a New Old Stock (NOS) seat laying around, but the asking price is bound to be more than you paid for the bike!!

As to the seat, 79 had both Standard and Special models. And the seats were different for each. Only the Special model came with an integrated backrest in the seat. That was the REALLY high back seat. Again, tough to find in decent shape.

Depending on what part or accessory your after, determines what year and model with work with it. Some parts are very year and model specific, some more just model specific, and some work across the board. As to seats, well, that was one of the least compatible parts. If it is a 79 special, that was a one year wonder. The Standard model may work for 78 and 79, but I think that changed in the 80s as well.

[natemoen]

Is this the kind of seat your looking to get?

http://xs11.46.forumer.com/viewtopic...t=623&start=10

I am pretty sure this seat is from a 79 special but he didnt specify in his add, but he has a 79 special frame for sale as well so 2 + 2 usually = 4.

[crazy steve]

Does anybody know where I can find a new seat for a '79 xs1100?
I would really like one with a backrest/sissy bar for my wife. Also,
does anyone know which models can cross reference for parts and
accesories?

Heh heh.... seats. Yep, one of the less available parts for these. It doesn't help that they're notorious for rusting out. One possibility if you have no luck finding anything used is to make your own. If your existing pan is decent, use it as a mold and build a fiberglass seat pan in whatever shape you like, then have it covered. As DG said, the '79 'Special' seat is a one-year-only piece. The 'standard' seat is the same '78-79, but the later seats won't fit unless you relocate the ignition module or bash the seat pan.

Sissy bars are rare for these for some reason, but you can find 'luggage rack/sissy bar' combos a bit easier. The high-back seats do show up from time to time too, so be patient...

To determine what bike you have, look here: http://www.xs11.com/faqs/153-serial-...ry-colors.html. Keep in mind that if the bike has been modified, this may only be semi-helpful...

For checking parts, look here: http://www.benefiscal.co.uk/. Find your bike (or the bike the part came off of if different and/or known), look up the correct 'assembly' (front brakes, headlight, etc), then find the specific part. Click on the part number, and you'll get a list of all the XS models this part was used on. This doesn't always mean you're limited to these parts, as some differences are merely style/color, but will get you in the ballpark.

[James England]

Does anybody know where I can find a new seat for a '79 xs1100?
I would really like one with a backrest/sissy bar for my wife. Also,
does anyone know which models can cross reference for parts and
accesories?

I just bought a brand-new one here in England. £125. They are still made here, brand-new. The quality is absolutely superb; every bit as good as original...identical design to OEM with strap. The seat base is thick glass fibre but you'll need the mounting brackets (on eBay a lot). The seats are quite light and would be easily sent to the US, I'd say.

[natemoen]

I just bought a brand-new one here in England. £125. They are still made here, brand-new. The quality is absolutely superb; every bit as good as original...identical design to OEM with strap. The seat base is thick glass fibre but you'll need the mounting brackets (on eBay a lot). The seats are quite light and would be easily sent to the US, I'd say.

You got a web site or anything for who makes them?

[James England]

Here's the seat I bought. It comes without the seat fairing, grab rail etc. You get the seat, ready made. Glass fibre seat pan and new foam. You also get the front mounting lug already on the pan but you'd need the two brackets that bolts it to the bike. I had to modify the plastic 'feet' slightly which are on the seat, in order to get a really solid fit when the seat is bolted on. I used bits of inner tube, glued to the plastic feet to extend them a bit. The seat is secure on the bike, with no movement or flexing of the seat pan. To be honest, I think it's actually a superior seat to the original. The glass fibre is thick and will not rust. The seat is also lighter (I think...) I'm very pleased indeed with mine. The seller ships to the US, I see.

These seats are available on eBay at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Motorcycle-Com...item27b636571f

[natemoen]

Dang thats a nice looking seat, got a picture of the bottom of it?

[James England]

Dang thats a nice looking seat, got a picture of the bottom of it?

It's a superb item..... The foam is excellent too... not cheap and squishy....it's pleasantly firm but comfortable...just like a seat should be in my opinion. Really comfy and it springs right back into shape once you get off.... no baggy wrinkles or lines....

If you go to that eBay listing I mentioned in my post, you'll see loads of pictures, including the bottom of the seat. Let me know if you find the listing. If not, I'll post photos here....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Motorcycle-Com...item27b636571f

[James England]

By the way, the strap and piping are stitched, not moulded like on cheap seat covers. Also, unlike on the OEM seat, the seat cover is pop-rivetted (and also glued) to the base and not held by those sharp metal prongs that Yamaha used to push through the cover and fold over. They always rusted and tended to tear the seat cover. I've seen a couple of replacement systems for these prongs but basically, it's more of the same... metal prongs tearing a new cover! Personally I think £125 is very good indeed for what I got...... less than some breakers selling 30 year old rubbish!

[natemoen]

Yeah I saw the pics, sometimes I get a little too excited and start typing before looking at everything.

[crazy steve]

That is a very nice looking seat.... and at $200 (current exchange rate) plus shipping, not a bad deal. Hmmm....

[James England]

That is a very nice looking seat.... and at $200 (current exchange rate) plus shipping, not a bad deal. Hmmm....

I think you'll find the shipping rate is for here in the UK. It would cost a bit more to the US (unless he is quoting in his listing for the US, is he?). In the pix I posted, my grabrail came from the US! I removed my slightly worn looking one after finding a NOS one on eBay. I've had loads of parts from the US and sent lots of things the other side of the pond too.

If you buy from anyone here in the UK, ask them to use http://www.parcel2go.com/ This company is a freight consolidator...they use empty space on DHL and Fedex. It's much better than the UK mail system. This company will pick the seat up (for example) from the sender's home or business and deliver tracked service to the USA... it's not expensive either. Many people here in the UK don't know about it. I've send at least 75 packages this way....

[James England]

Yeah I saw the pics, sometimes I get a little too excited and start typing before looking at everything.

Exactly what I do....