seat height

[yammyyam]

hello everybody,i have a dilemma,i have just bought a yamaha xj600s diversion,and i am worried that the seat is just a little bit big for me,as i only just get my feet on the floor,but im stretching and i dont feel in perfect control of the bike,and i was wondering if there was a way to lower the seat at all,the only way i can think of is to have someone take some foam off of it,but would it make it uncomfortable.please help me all you biker buddies

[TOM M]

there is after market kits available to lower the height of bikes, but wether they make one for an xj600s, i havent got a scooby doo,

You can also buy seats, where they are smaller, but made so that relative compfort is still intact
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Now owner of a 1200 Bandit

[dodsi]

Being 6ft 3 I dont tend to have that problem (more the other way around)

FI do lowering kits for those who are vertically challenged.

[Trixie]

I took my seat to a place who scooped about 1.5-2 inches of foam out and re-covered the seat. As I have plenty of natural padding on my arse, I haven't noticed any less comfort with less foam in the seat!

Saying that, my other half (who isn't a bloater) has ridden the bike and he doesn't think it's any less comfy either.

Try cutting down the seat first - this will work out cheaper in the long run. If you lower the actual bike you may have to get a shortened sidestand too.
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Dead nobodies in company cars...

[mchaggis]

Try to use it for a few weeks before you decide to do anything. It's entirely possible you've just not got used to it yet. If you do decide to do anything to the seat, I'd get a cheap replacement to try it out on, and keep the original to sell with the bike/ in case it gets cocked up.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Trixie]

Mchaggis makes a very good point. I got a cheap replacement seat from eBay and still have my original.

Also, don't try and do the seat yourself. You WILL cock it up!!! Pay a professional to do it.
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Dead nobodies in company cars...

[Walloper]

High Heels?
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Kickstart]

Hi

If you can get both feet on the ground you should be OK.

You can get the seat cut down. We got the one on the Bandit done by P&P Seating near Brum. This was with a gel insert which is a lot thinner than foam but still fairly comfy. Not that cheap though. We did this so that Charlotte could ride the Bandit easily. Worth doing to a spare seat (we picked up a cheap torn seat for £10 from a breakers and got that done) so you can easily return it to standard when you feel like it, and also not have the bike off the road while the seat is done.

You can get lowering kits, but I am a but dubious about those and their effect on the handling when you have seriously screwed up the suspension geometry. Also the Divvy shock bolts directly between the frame and swinging arm so the easy and cheap option of a revised rear shock linkage is not available. Think Hagon sell shorter versions of their shocks to lower the seat height, and you could probably drop the forks down through the yokes at the front to compensate at that end, but expect the handling to be compromised.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Mr C]

Keith is right, screwing with the height of the bike does have an effect on handling and if you lower the rear you will have to lower the front by the same amount

mine is slammed for racing and is a bitch to turn
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187.3bhp = 201mph

[Kickstart]

[yammyyam]

thankyou keith,i will definately go with taking some foam off the seat,as thats what trixie has recommended.once again thanks for your help

[mchaggis]

Something to bear in mind is that taking some height off the seat might well mean that it becomes effectively wider, forcing your legs further apart when sat on it, and not helping at all. This of course is why trailies tend to have seats about 4 inches wide.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Bendy]

Give it time, get used to it and it might not bother you any more.

[lap_time]

Just get the edges of the seat cut down - don't forget that if a sea is very wide it will still restrict the length down to the floor (if that makes sense!). If you take a few centimetres from the side of the seat, your legs will be able to go straight down, rather than having to fit around the seat and then down...

Tell me to shut up if I'm waffling!
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One post Gordons - just here to sell.

[ayfy]

how much would it cost to get a pro to trim the padding of the seat?

I have an SV650s and was considering doing it. Although looking at the seat there isn't much padding round the side, it's mainly on the top, I could be wrong though.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Think the Bandit seat was ~£120 to have cut down, with some reshaping done and a gel insert. Also was recovered at the same time.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing