Want an 80 butt-end for my 79sf

[Shuriken]

How hard is it to change out the ugly seat and butt-end on the '79 to match the '80 years?

Do I just get a rear fender assembly and seat from an 80?

Ben

[John]

Ben, I did just the opposite when restored mine 13 years ago. I put a 79 sf seat on my 89 sg before I knew the difference. I just had to eliminate the grab rail/tail light from the 80, and add a tail light from a 650 Special. So you will need to swap out your rear fender, and add the grab rail/tail light from the 80. The 79 fender will have those unsightly tail light mounting holes. Also the area of the seat that is right above the side covers will hit the side covers. The sides of the 80 seat drop down further that the 79. I have a gap in that area.

[John]

You'll also nneed to get the plate light and mount. It bolts to the fender where the 79 tail light is, but I don't think the holes are the same from the 79 to the 80.

[jetmechmarty]

You will have to figure out how to mount side covers for a '80 or '81 to make it look right. I expect there will be some cutting and welding involved.

I think the '79 looks fine the way it is. There are some nice aftermarket tail lights available if you want to be rid of that little block. Mike's XS has a few.

[Shuriken]

Sounds like more problems than it's worth. Perhaps I'll just get another bike in the future, since I'm an XSive addict.

Actually, not to change the subject, but I hope my next bike can be an FZ1.

For now, I'll just look for another 79sf seat and grab bar, because my current seat just does not fit worth beans. If I get on the throttle, the whole seat slides back and unhooks, etc.

Very annoying that I can't get a simple grab bar for this model that fits, or a seat. Right on the front sticker: 3/79. Must keep getting wrong parts.

Ben

[Shuriken]

See, take a look at the aesthetics problems I am dealing with on this bike.

I will post a new pic with my 4-1 pipes. But for now, the most annoying problem is that worthless seat and no grab bar.

I'm taking suggestions right now for this. In an earlier post, someone mentioned that the seat pan looks like it is screwy. I examined it and it looks fine (not bent up or anything). So why doesn't it fit right?

I was using a seat from a 78e on the bike with only slight mods, and it hooked underneath with no problems and the seat didn't slide on me during XSive acceleration.

So, I need the CORRECT:
1) side panels for this bike
2) seat
3) grab bar

Anybody got spares or have any comments? Can't live with XSive ugliness - have to fix that problem since the bike runs well.

Only other issue is trying to get the front brake calipers to line up properly over the discs.....

Ben

[rover]

Looks like you have a standard seat on a special. The special seat is a bit shorter, and there is a recess under the seat to clear the TCI box. Look at the rear underside of the pan. If it is a standard seat, there will be 4 holes to bolt the rear extension to. (The standard had the TCI box mounted behind the seat, under a plastic extension) Check ebay for the seat for your SF, but be careful, most of the parts cannibals do not post if the parts are for a std or spec. All they care about is stripping these old bikes to earn money, and most will not respond when you email that their parts do not fit. DAHIK

[John]

Nothing personal Ben, but that seat is, how do you say...butt ugly? Are you sure it is OEM? That looks nothing like the 79SF seat that I have on my bike. The rear portion has much more rise than mine. You've seen my pics, what do you think? Do they look the same?
Here is the link so you can take another look.
http://community.webshots.com/user/john80sg

[skids]

That seat pan looks to be from a newer model. They were upswept along the bottom.

Originally posted by John
Nothing personal Ben, but that seat is, how do you say...butt ugly? Are you sure it is OEM? That looks nothing like the 79SF seat that I have on my bike. The rear portion has much more rise than mine. You've seen my pics, what do you think? Do they look the same?
Here is the link so you can take another look.
http://community.webshots.com/user/john80sg

[Shuriken]

The bike is in my "other" garage right now, but I'll be able to take a look at the seat on the weekend.

The grab bar I got looks like it is designed to mount to the seat itself, not to the frame. Since it won't affix to the seat I have, that's just one more reason to suspect that I got the wrong seat assy, which by the way was labeled as 79sf. I suspect it's actually from an '80.

I wonder if anyone has a spare 79sf seat.

[John]

Ben, on the 80 SG the back of the seat is open to allow the tail light to tuck up into the opening, and the 79 is enclosed with Yamaha printed on the enclosed area. That is how I found the differences.

[jetmechmarty]

I have an 80. That is not a seat from an XS1100SG unless it has been butchered. See if this link works. I forgot how to post a picture.

http://tinyurl.com/3k48f

[Shuriken]

Ok, heres the deal. Chime in with what you think the model/year the seat is from. Then when I check this weekend, we'll know for sure.

Ben

[rover]

79 XS750 Special

[John]

The seat from the 750 special is hinged on the left side and it is held in place on the right side by a keyed lock/helmet holder, so I don't think that's what it is.