'81-84 seat on '79?

[AlfromNH]

I'm wondering if anyone knows for a fact if this will work, a '84 seat on a '79 R65. I know the cowl is different as well as the trays, so I'd need those items to match the seat.

I look at the parts fiche, and there is a different rear subframe before and after 9/80.

Anyone tried this?

[Tony Smith]

I'm wondering if anyone knows for a fact if this will work, a '84 seat on a '79 R65. I know the cowl is different as well as the trays, so I'd need those items to match the seat.

Anyone tried this?

I'll let you know next Monday. wife's R65 has a fairly industrial single seat arrangement using a seat and rack from an R80GS. recently she had a significant amount of foam removed from the seat and I can no longer ride it comfortably. This weekend I'm taking her bike for a run and I am going to try and put my 1985 (but still twin shock) R65  seat on it for the occasion. I'll let you know whether the hinges line up of whether I had to take the hinges off and secure with bungee cord.

[AlfromNH]

Thanks for that. I look forward to hearing the results of your experiment.  

[nhmaf]

I *think* that the dimensions will work with either seat - I don't know this for certain, but I will also try to look up some details in my Boxer Bible..

[disco51]

I bought an extra seat off ebay to work on.  Some of my hinges are in the process of falling off and I wanted a spare to work on before I ripped mine up to fix it.  I have a 79 and the seat I got was from a 83' I think.  It fits almost perfectly.  The tool tray from the 79' can get in the way a tad, but the hinges line up just fine.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

The only real difference in the subframes of gen 1 and gen 2 is that the early ones were fastened at the top-front with a standard nut/bolt.
The later ones had a tapered allen-head screw going out from the inside (where the subframe also had tapered receiving holes) and held with nuts on the outside of the frame.

AFAIK - there were never two different lengths to the subframes discussed.

One of the biggest advantages to the later method (that I could see) was that it made removing the battery MUCH less dramatic.

As disco mentioned - the front tool tray will not work with the later seat.
You will need a tray from a 2nd gen.



'79-'80 on left
'81-'84 on right

[AlfromNH]

I bought an extra seat off ebay to work on.  Some of my hinges are in the process of falling off and I wanted a spare to work on before I ripped mine up to fix it.  I have a 79 and the seat I got was from a 83' I think.  It fits almost perfectly.  The tool tray from the 79' can get in the way a tad, but the hinges line up just fine.

Great, thanks. Since I am missing the seat, cowl, and both tool trays I'll find all from the same generation.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I bought an extra seat off ebay to work on.  Some of my hinges are in the process of falling off and I wanted a spare to work on before I ripped mine up to fix it.  I have a 79 and the seat I got was from a 83' I think.  It fits almost perfectly.  The tool tray from the 79' can get in the way a tad, but the hinges line up just fine.

Great, thanks. Since I am missing the seat, cowl, and both tool trays I'll find all from the same generation.

And I highly recommend the later, if only for the rear storage compartment.

[AlfromNH]

Seems like with the later version you gain space in the cowl tray, but lose space in the tool tray.  :-/

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

But the tool tray will still handily hold the OEM tool kit, or one similar, plus a couple of shop rags, etc.

[nhmaf]

I like using the rear storage area for things like a spare inner tube (get the one sized for the front tire and it will also work for the back tire), and other bulky and soft things which I don't want wrenches or screwdriver tips or other pointy metal tooltips poking or rubbing through that I store in the front tooltray.

[Tony Smith]

I regret that I am unable to report whether my 1985 twin shock seat will fit on my wife's 79.

When she had the GS single seat fitted she had ironmongery added to the subframe to mount a luggage rack from an R80 as well. I have never looked closely at it and assumed it was bolted on and that I could remove it to put my seat on and ride her bike.
 
Sadly, it is welded to the subframe. as a future rainy day project I intend to grind off the welds and institute a bolt arragement, but in the short term I can't say more than it looks like it will fit and I *think* the hinges will line up.

[AlfromNH]

I regret that I am unable to report whether my 1985 twin shock seat will fit on my wife's 79.

Thanks for the effort regardless. I think I have a line on an '83 seat and cowl for a good price, I'll probably get it and hope for success

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I regret that I am unable to report whether my 1985 twin shock seat will fit on my wife's 79.

Thanks for the effort regardless. I think I have a line on an '83 seat and cowl for a good price, I'll probably get it and hope for success

I predict a 87% chance of success.

[AlfromNH]

I like those odds!