New seat and TCI relocation

[Tat2demon]

I want to either buy or make a new seat. when I was removing my carbs a while back I sat on the bare frame and found that was the perfect height for me. I need to either find a seat that sits much lower than the stock seat, or fabricate my own pan. Does anyone know of a good low seat that will fit and be comfortable?

I found the solo seat thread but it doesnt really show how well they fit for width. I want something that will match the tank well. I really dig the look of the second pic down but Im nost sure what it is.

Also, where are people relocating their TCIs when they do this?

[crazy steve]

Those seats appear to be HD 'Dyna' seats, which may not be the best choice if you're retaining the stock sidecovers. The first seat is a OEM unit, these are pretty easily found cheaply as take-offs. The second one is aftermarket, it won't be quite as easy to find (a 'sundowner' and likely more money...). You might look at '86-03 Sportster seats, very similar but with a straighter, flatter bottom. The OEM Harley seats have plastic pans, so are fairly easily modded, aftermarket will be steel or fiberglass.

Easiest place to install the TCI is in place of the tool box....

[Tat2demon]

Ah yeah I hadnt thought about the tool box. Yeah Im sticking with the stock side covers.

[crazy steve]

Any HD seat will be wide enough to cover the XS frame except at the very front; they tend to come to a point, so some of the upper frame tubes will be visible. I'll also note that the Sportster seats come in two different lengths; the '86-95 seats will be about 1 1/4" longer than the later ones as Harley started fitting a larger, longer tank in '96. Either should work, but the early ones may be easier to find...

[paulapalooza]

I am not much help in regards to finding an existing seat, but I have made my own fiberglass pan (twice now actually ) and it is not incredibly difficult albeit slightly time consuming.

I also moved my TCI; I did have to ditch the stock toolbox, but with it gone the TCI is easily mounted to the plastic inner fender. Hope this helps.

[conquest87tsi]

When I replaced a standard rear fender with a special one I relocated the tci right on top of the battery. Perfect fit.

[Tat2demon]

Any tips on making your own seat pan?

[paulapalooza]

Here is the step by step instructions I used to make mine. With this process the pan is a tight enough fit that some heavy duty velco on the bottom of the pan is adequate to fasten the seat.

http://www.customfighters.com/forums...ad.php?t=22549

I have some pics of my own bike during the process, but they are basically the same as the ones on the link. Hope it helps.

[Tat2demon]

EXCELLENT write up! Thanks a lot.