Cannot Get Seat Off!?!

Hello. I am having the strangest problem and I thought someone would be able to help me out. I purchased a 1999 VFR800 Interceptor a few months ago. Wonderful bike! The battery just died. I go to put in a new battery, and I cannot get the seat off! It has a Corbin seat. Also, it has an Ohlins shock and there is a line that runs from the shock to the remote reservoir. This line runs directly under the lever that you pull down behind the helmet lock to release the seat. I thought it might not be letting the lever go down enough to fully disengage so I loosened the screws holding the remote reservoir and got it out of the way. No dice. I pull the lever all the way down and the seat still will not come off. I noticed that I can lift the front of the seat up a bit, regardless of whether the lever is all the way up or down. Does anyone have any suggestions? Am I missing something here? Is there something else that needs to be done to unlock the seat? The manual makes it seem so simple and straightforward. Thanks a lot.

Corbins don't have the best fit, you may have to yank on it a bit, but it should come right off.

If what Seb suggests doesn't work, buy it a few drinks, talk nice to it and then be very gentle at first, but getting firmer and firmer in your application of pressure. Works in some other pursuits! :goofy: BTW, Welcome to the board.

I was worried that if I pulled it too hard it would break. I will give that a shot. Thanks.

Maybe push down on the back of the seat, while releasing the catch, in case it is binding up on the hook.

I know that my bike is a 6th gen and I have a Sargent seat but his video might help...

How to change the seat. :biggrin:

OK. I tried everything. I pulled it and pushed it every which way but no progress. As far as I can tell, the seat lock lever is not releasing the rear seat anchors. There is no change in looseness if the lever is up or down. Has anyone out there ever had trouble getting a Corbin seat off of a 1998-2001 Interceptor? Thanks.

[image: View Post]dbuffo, on Sep 21 2008, 07:55 PM, said:

OK. I tried everything. I pulled it and pushed it every which way but no progress. As far as I can tell, the seat lock lever is not releasing the rear seat anchors. There is no change in looseness if the lever is up or down. Has anyone out there ever had trouble getting a Corbin seat off of a 1998-2001 Interceptor? Thanks.

I have a Corbin and it goes on and off just like it supposed to. Pull the lever lock down and it kinda pops up. Maybe your cable on the lever thing is broke/snapped?

MD

I had a similar thing happen to my 95 some time ago. I was able to releas it by snagging the cable from under the seat faring and pulling on it. It turns out that the single anchor bolt for the seat latch mechanism loosened on me so the cable was not able to unlatch the seat fully even if I pulled on the unlocking lever all the way. Also try to pushing down (put your weight on it) hard at the tail of the seat at the same time pulling down at the latch. Corbins are known to fit kinda tight against the subframe and seat fairing because of the thicker uphoulstery and denser foam, which does not allow the seat latch to release because of too much pressure on the mechanism. You might be able to pop it out that way if nothing is wrong with the latch and cable.
Good Luck!

Beck
95 VFR

I finally took it to the dealer. The seat release cable had come loose from its mount under the seat and the whole cable was moving instead of just the inner wire. They wired it so that would not happen again. I put in a new battery and I am good to go. It is great to be riding again! Thank you all for your suggestions.