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Seat Bushings to Raise the Front Higher


Janky59

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Over on that “other forum” for BMW’s someone posted about an eBay seller that had the front seat bushings with an eccentric or offset of the center mounting hole to the external profile. For $8.39 for the pair I wouldn’t be out much if it was a bust. Seats that slant forward towards the tank always bug me, my weight always tugging against my skin.

They came in today so I snapped a couple pics for others to check them out. It might be the weekend before I can try the mod out, for now the garage test is promising. Pic #1 is the stock bushings, pic #2 is with the offset bushings. Search “ 2X Rubber Rider Seat Saddle Lower Kit For BMW R1200 “  on eBay if you want to try them out.  
 

 

 

 

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I did find them on Amazon, just search for it.

Also Wunderlich has them for considerable higher price.

I have not tried them myself, but I have been thinking of getting a set.

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9 hours ago, Bighopper said:

Interesting. Pity they aren't available on another site other-than fleaBay.

Just curious, what is the problem with eBay?

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3 hours ago, AndyS said:

Just curious, what is the problem with eBay?

In Canada there shipping shows that, if I remember correctly they were adding a % to cover Brokerage,Import fees. I also found that most shipers were using UPS/Fedex which also play that game.

I only choose sellers that ship USPS as if it is required to pay Import/GST tax then it is only $9cdn charge to Canada Post.

I also try to find the product from a shop/business that has there own selling online site, and a phone number I can call for any issues.

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I’ve had the Wunderlich bushings for several months now. Having the front of the seat lifted a bit kept me from feeling like I was sliding forward  BUT unfortunately the bushings would rotate while I sat on the bike during a ride. I added some screws to prevent the rotation but need to find screws with a larger flat head. The screw you see in the photo still will end up flexing in the rubber bushing under my weight and allow the bushing to rotate. 
 

if I can stop the rotation (without gluing) I’ll be happy with them. 

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Motorhead1977

I have a set I bought to get my low seat even lower. They work great for that application and as was said, they're down right cheap if you don't order from Wunderlich.

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I also bought a set to lower the front of my Sargent seat. The little bit it goes down does really work, for me.

I cheap experiment that worked, again for me.

 

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15 hours ago, Paul4450 said:

I’ve had the Wunderlich bushings for several months now. Having the front of the seat lifted a bit kept me from feeling like I was sliding forward  BUT unfortunately the bushings would rotate while I sat on the bike during a ride. I added some screws to prevent the rotation but need to find screws with a larger flat head. The screw you see in the photo still will end up flexing in the rubber bushing under my weight and allow the bushing to rotate. 

 

 

I've used screws like these when I need a flat head.  Obviously not on a motorcycle.  But in other applications.

https://www.menards.com/main/hardware/fasteners-connectors/screws/cabinet-screws/grk-reg-8-star-drive-wafer-head-cabinet-screws/96050/p-1444436191453-c-1528204231372.htm?tid=-1&ipos=60

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92Merc,

 

Thanks!  Sucks getting older!  Memory is the first thing to go!!  I’ve used these as well, in longer lengths!  I’ll have to check my supply to see if I have any in 1”. I might add a fender washer if this head isn’t quite enough to lock the bushing in place.  Or even drill  hole through the bracket then into the bushing, assuming there is enough bushing material behind the bracket somewhere. 
 

 

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13 hours ago, Paul4450 said:

92Merc,

 

Thanks!  Sucks getting older!  Memory is the first thing to go!!  I’ve used these as well, in longer lengths!  I’ll have to check my supply to see if I have any in 1”. I might add a fender washer if this head isn’t quite enough to lock the bushing in place.  Or even drill  hole through the bracket then into the bushing, assuming there is enough bushing material behind the bracket somewhere.

 

I'd just screw it in until it came out the other side.  Then take a side cutters and snip the excess off.  But I am a student of Bohemian engineering, as my dad would say.  So it may not be pretty, but it gets the job done.

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For sure had this issue with my Oilhead, but had not noticed it so much on my Wethead.  But that might be more a function of going to a Sargent saddle.  looking at the pictures, another approach might be shaping a u shape out a 1/16, or 1/8" metal sheet stock the fits the grooves.  A bunch more fussy to make that than a screw, but would allow for some additional adjustment on the amount of lift

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On 10/6/2020 at 6:15 PM, Paul4450 said:

I’ve had the Wunderlich bushings for several months now. Having the front of the seat lifted a bit kept me from feeling like I was sliding forward  BUT unfortunately the bushings would rotate while I sat on the bike during a ride. I added some screws to prevent the rotation but need to find screws with a larger flat head. The screw you see in the photo still will end up flexing in the rubber bushing under my weight and allow the bushing to rotate. 
 

if I can stop the rotation (without gluing) I’ll be happy with them. 

 

Afternoon Paul4450

 

That is a difficult area to use to try to stop bushing rotation as it is very close the bushing pivot point & the anti-rotation screw is  in somewhat soft rubber (so the screw just deflects to an angle then will work it's way out) 

 

The best place to try to eliminate the rotation is on the bushing OD (something on the seat side), like some type of anti-rotation pin in the seat pan sockets, or even some stiff plastic or hard rubber tubing in (across) the bushing slots held in place with Zip ties across the bushing (placed to  prevent bushing from turning in seat pockets by contacting seat pocket edges )

 

If you want to use your existing  screw holes in the bushings than you will probably need to  find a way to use a cross pin or cross-rod that goes all the way across  into each side bushing (that will prevent the anti-rotation device from deflecting at an angle).   

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So how did these end up working out? I have a lot of issues with the sliding forward problem on my bike, have the bushings in the highest position but still slide forward just with engine braking or hitting a sharp bump that unweights me - it's driving me crazy.

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Between weather and family stuff I have only gotten 1 short ride on them so far. I got a sense it was an improvement, but I really need an hour or more time on the bike to offer up a legit opinion.

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Cap has it right, the BMWMOA forum.

I got a decent ride in today; I do like the results the bushings provide. There is noticeable reduction in the slope, it’s pretty neutral feeling to me. So it’s certainly worth the $10 they cost. For me, the stock seat is a little too firm and flat, so there is probably a Sargent or Russell in my future, but this is a good interim step on the cheap.

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In looking at the rubber bushing, it is segmented like the stock bushing.  I can see how it might rotate over time and use.  Instead of putting a screw through the rubber bushing, I wonder if glueing a small ridge into the cup portion of the seat pan would keep it from rotating.  I haven't looked under the seat specifically to see if it would work, just thinking about a different way to approach the problem.

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On 10/17/2020 at 5:09 PM, Janky59 said:

Cap has it right, the BMWMOA forum.

I got a decent ride in today; I do like the results the bushings provide. There is noticeable reduction in the slope, it’s pretty neutral feeling to me. So it’s certainly worth the $10 they cost. For me, the stock seat is a little too firm and flat, so there is probably a Sargent or Russell in my future, but this is a good interim step on the cheap.

I founf them on Ebay for $9.00 shipping included so picked up a pair of them. I'll see what I can do to keep them from rotating - I can see how they would work fine when used to lower, but would want to rotate when used to raise the front. I might just drill through the whole thing and pin it, but we'll see.

 

Thanks for the post and the follow up, my seat has really been bugging me but laying out $800 for a friggin seat just seems crazy to me, I like this approach much better lol

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Different view from a shorter guy: I bought the Wunderlich ($$$) item to lower the seat, so I don't have the rotation problem because they are already rotated to the bottom. That, plus a Sargent standard height seat, and lowered footpegs (easier on my old knees), made life a little better for me.

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