BMW R18 Homage seat install

NocGSA said:
View attachment 4747View attachment 4748View attachment 4749Well the mount came in today. I got it figured out pretty well after taking a look at your photos. It made complete sense then.

I mounted the seat to the base with the brackets. Removed the factory seat tongue and installed the block with the two screws. Clipped in the seat wire that goes no where with the plastic clip.

THE worst was bolting in the large bolts to the frame. Those were so stupid. The two smaller screws that hold down the front were easy. I got the two larger bolts started by hand but there is zero room for a socket or anything for that matter. I had a T40 torx Allen key and that won’t fit even. I sacrificed it a little and ground down maybe an 3/32” and it still barely worked. I used a t30 and that fit. Until it got to the last push, not trying to wreck the bolt head. Then got like a - tiny turn with the T40 key.

I didn’t see any other way to get to the bolt or change the sequence. I might head to the hardware store and get some stainless hex head bolts in the bmw bolts place.
Click to expand...
I had same issue. No other way to do it. I put some anti seize in the holes and had hex head screws on hand and used those instead of the torx that came with kit. Did you end up with 2 screws left over and that chrome cover with a screw and black plastic washer ?
Looks great though doesn’t it?
 
46A44CB8-F98F-49AB-B24E-BF93C96527AB.jpegYeah it’s not bad at all. I put 200+ miles on it yesterday with the nice weather. It’s definitely not a day long seat, but it found at about 2 hours bearable. In the morning, with a fresh butt, I rode about 2 hours before I needed to stop for 10 minutes for a quick stretch. After that, about every hour or so. But a quick stretch at a stop sign or light buys more time.

Definitely sits higher now by a good 2-3”. Might need those wunderlich tank pads now. My knees are like perfectly 90 degree’s now to the seat and pegs. So my knees are against the back of the tank. So they might help to prevent scratching.

Yeah those bolts suck. I got mine torqued down, like I mentioned. After the 200 mile day yesterday they were nice and tight yet. But I’ll go to the store today and swap them out with some easier hexhead stainless bolts this weekend. Just in case I want to change the seat back for a better passenger setup..without it taking 20mins to remove 2 bolts. Lol

I used the chrome cover, screw, washer, black spacer to cover up the factory seat insert. I did have two screws left over but I think they were just new ones for that new front block / old tongue mount. I reused the bolts over from the factory mount. Also had two washers but I think they went with the pain in the neck bolts under seat. I had to remove them to buy that 1/8” to get the Allen key in the space.
 
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Thanks all for the info & R&D.I'm gonna stick with my Corbin dual tour for now.Maybe get the Corbin solo later.
Rode to Tombstone yesterday with my daughter visiting from Florida and my wife in the side car.Nobody complained after the 300 mile round trip.Fun time.The bike actually rides and handles better with the added weight of 3 people.
 
Would agree with Nocgsa. Def on the firm side but surprisingly comfortable. Seat is very reminiscent of a Ural tractor seat but better. Rode mine for about an hour. Not too bad to me.
Seat position change worth the price of admission as they say. I will not be going back to a stock seat anytime soon.
A sheepskin cover would go a long way in making it a little more comfortable. Will try that.
 
I agree. The seat position change is awesome. The bike feels so much better for me at least. It definitely has a more old school feel now. I feel a little higher now and and can ,for some reason, feel a little more comfy throwing it into corners now. Then the peg feelers remind me, not too much more.

I agree if it had a tad more padding or even a springer base it’d be a all day long seat. But in the end, I love it. Really makes the bike if anyones going for a old bmw boxer R5 R50 ish kinda feel.
 
Toyboy said:
Hi to all,
My first post here but hopefully some will find it useful. Thought I would post my experience with the install of the factory BMW Homage riders seat and what I think of it overall.

So I ordered the seat a bit ago. It finally showed and upon opening the box, found there is no mounting hardware that goes with it. Separate purchase. So unlike BMW right? lol.

Ok, so I order the mount. Got it in super quick actually and had some time today to install. Well, no instructions....anywhere. Not on line in accessory list etc., not in the box as one would think, nothing. Called dealer and have the parts guy stumped too.

Well being mechanically inclined, I figured it out. Wasn't horrible but with instructions would have been a 1/4 the time if that.

So, oddly enough, the only version of this seat is heated. Oh, good. So where is the bike wire? Took a bit and another call to dealer. Come to find out that the R18 Pure and Classic versions do not have the heated seat option so no factory bike plug. Another shocker right? At least I have heated seat so would be easy enough to make it work with a rheostat type switch and the battery. Maybe in the fall.

Biggest thing I wanted out of the seat was the seat height to be taller and really like the look. I have to say that it is a pretty good improvement seat height wise. I do not have a measurement over stock Classic but will get one if anyone interested. Brought me up a good bit higher in the seated position and closer to the bars and opened up my legs. (29" inseam BTW)

I did take pics of it with passenger seat and without. Looks like you can run it either way. With no passenger seat, there is some hardware in the fender exposed but I suppose one could cover somehow. Kit came with a chrome cover of sorts but no idea where it would fit. Some of the parts bags had Touratech stamped on tags.

Have not had a chance to ride yet. Feels good sitting on it though. Better than I thought. Unfortunately the last snow storm this weekend caused salting of the roads so want to wait. rain Thursday. Will get out Friday I hope.

Will attach some pics to give you all an idea. Will post more after sun goes down if they are too bright. Will also include part numbers if anyone interested.

Cheers all
Click to expand...
where did you order the mount?
 
Seat seems really good, not certain if it making one sit closer to the bars is a good thing or not (I have 30” inseam). Though due to cost I will just have to live with the Weekender or Cross County seat when I go to the dealer to pickup my bike. Sucks bmw gives such a crap seat on the base model. No wonder some are turned off from the bike when they do a test drive maybe.

Or more like it get mad at bmw after they get the bike home and have spent time on that base seat on the base model.
 
NocGSA said:
View attachment 4747View attachment 4748View attachment 4749Well the mount came in today. I got it figured out pretty well after taking a look at your photos. It made complete sense then.

I mounted the seat to the base with the brackets. Removed the factory seat tongue and installed the block with the two screws. Clipped in the seat wire that goes no where with the plastic clip.

THE worst was bolting in the large bolts to the frame. Those were so stupid. The two smaller screws that hold down the front were easy. I got the two larger bolts started by hand but there is zero room for a socket or anything for that matter. I had a T40 torx Allen key and that won’t fit even. I sacrificed it a little and ground down maybe an 3/32” and it still barely worked. I used a t30 and that fit. Until it got to the last push, not trying to wreck the bolt head. Then got like a - tiny turn with the T40 key.

I didn’t see any other way to get to the bolt or change the sequence. I might head to the hardware store and get some stainless hex head bolts in the bmw bolts place.
Click to expand...
Hi, The seat wire that you mention is the suppose to extend the wireless key antenna, This seat also gets used in the bobber config .
 
Kbnr18 said:
Hi, The seat wire that you mention is the suppose to extend the wireless key antenna, This seat also gets used in the bobber config .
Click to expand...
Hum...that sort of makes sense. Was sort of surprised the solo seat was heated to begin with so if it is not and this wire goes eleshwere that is good to know :)
 
NocGSA said:
View attachment 4766Yeah it’s not bad at all. I put 200+ miles on it yesterday with the nice weather. It’s definitely not a day long seat, but it found at about 2 hours bearable. In the morning, with a fresh butt, I rode about 2 hours before I needed to stop for 10 minutes for a quick stretch. After that, about every hour or so. But a quick stretch at a stop sign or light buys more time.

Definitely sits higher now by a good 2-3”. Might need those wunderlich tank pads now. My knees are like perfectly 90 degree’s now to the seat and pegs. So my knees are against the back of the tank. So they might help to prevent scratching.

Yeah those bolts suck. I got mine torqued down, like I mentioned. After the 200 mile day yesterday they were nice and tight yet. But I’ll go to the store today and swap them out with some easier hexhead stainless bolts this weekend. Just in case I want to change the seat back for a better passenger setup..without it taking 20mins to remove 2 bolts. Lol

I used the chrome cover, screw, washer, black spacer to cover up the factory seat insert. I did have two screws left over but I think they were just new ones for that new front block / old tongue mount. I reused the bolts over from the factory mount. Also had two washers but I think they went with the pain in the neck bolts under seat. I had to remove them to buy that 1/8” to get the Allen key in the space.
Click to expand...
How tall are you?
 
NocGSA said:
View attachment 4747View attachment 4748View attachment 4749Well the mount came in today. I got it figured out pretty well after taking a look at your photos. It made complete sense then.

I mounted the seat to the base with the brackets. Removed the factory seat tongue and installed the block with the two screws. Clipped in the seat wire that goes no where with the plastic clip.

THE worst was bolting in the large bolts to the frame. Those were so stupid. The two smaller screws that hold down the front were easy. I got the two larger bolts started by hand but there is zero room for a socket or anything for that matter. I had a T40 torx Allen key and that won’t fit even. I sacrificed it a little and ground down maybe an 3/32” and it still barely worked. I used a t30 and that fit. Until it got to the last push, not trying to wreck the bolt head. Then got like a - tiny turn with the T40 key.

I didn’t see any other way to get to the bolt or change the sequence. I might head to the hardware store and get some stainless hex head bolts in the bmw bolts place.
Click to expand...
Excellent write up. I am about to do the same with my First Edition. I haven't ordered the mount and seat yet. How's comfort factor so far?
 
If I buy the BMW solo seat, how hard is it to change it from the solo seat back into a weekender seat then likewise back into this solo seat every now and then?
 
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