Just purchased a pre-owned Rick Meyer seat from an inmate on here. Got the seat in... when locked in, the seat pan is so mis-shaped that it does not align with the tank at all (does not fit flush against the sides or lay on the foam strip in the front). I called Rick Mayer and he mentioned that if the leather was not properly treated, it could have shrunk and pulled at the seat pan. He recommended that I use a heat gun to heat and bend the seat pan. After doing that, The seat pan is now bent properly (sides where knees fall corrected), however when locked in to either position (short or tall) the front is still 1" to 1.5" from resting in its proper location up against the tank. The only way that it is somewhat corrected is if I put the back in the tall position, and the front in the low position. But when doing that... the seat cannot lock in and the passenger pillion does not have space to lock in either. I am at my wits end with this seat but I'd like to not think that I've wasted this chunk of change. Anyone have similar issues? Anyone have any ideas?? This is before the "heat and bend"
I suppose you could treat the leather and see if it relaxes a little bit. All 3 of my GS seats have a 3/4" to 1" gap there so 1-1/2" doesn't seem too bad. If it's comfortable, who cares what it looks like?
Looks exactly like my Russell. I have treated the leather and it is what it is. I use the extra space to tuck my sheepskin cover into. Unfortunately, I live in the desert and do not have a garage so the bike is exposed to the elements. The condition of the leather is good but the pan has warped a little.
It's not about what it looks like. It feels like i'm on a hinge. When I brake, I rock forward until the seat contacts the tank. It isn't a planted feel at all. I'm starting to think that I might just get a seat concepts seat. Try to sell the rear rick mayer seat. Maybe I will try to treat the leather.
My oem seat was that way also. After I recovered it, it has that gap still. Mine doesn't rock though.
You could remove the staples at the front to let it relax a bit, and them staple it a little looser. When the covers are put on they are usually pulled tight enough to pull back the plastic some, since a wrinkle free fit is usually desired.
Just a thought, but that seat looks far enough out of wack with the bike that it makes me think it is not for your bike model! Could it be a 1200 seat on a 1150 bike?? Just seems to far out of marching for warping, I mean it is seriously wider than the bike.
After looking at your pic again, my seat does not have that large a gap. I hope you can get this remedied.
Yeh that was my first thought as well, but I was thinking it may be for an 1150GS Adventure (larger tank). However, I believe that the seat setup on all 1150GS Adventure's is just one seat (passenger and rider). Like I said, I called Rick and the "leather shrinking" was his explanation. Oh well.
If you got the seat used it may have been built on a pan from a early 1100GS. In '95 the bikes had plastic tanks for a short while before BMW switched to metal tanks. The early seats are different to conform to the plastic tank. The gap you see would be due to the different shape of the plastic tank. I have had early seat pans on later metal tanked bikes and the gap is large like you describe. Mike
Hmm. That is interesting. Thanks for the info, now at least if I want to sell it then I know how to market it correctly. Thanks Mike!
I had a vinyl (pleather) Russell with the same issue. I compared it to a stock seat that I had laying around and the part number on the pan was the same. I would think that BMW would change the part number if the pan shape changed. Maybe you should compare the part numbers on your RM to the one on your stock seat. I never did figure out why one seat had a bigger gap than the other but the pleather on my seat in perfect shape and I doubt it was strong enough to bend the pan - I could barely bend it with my hands.
I was looking at the mold date stamps on a seat pan from a 2000 1150 I was repairing and it appears BMW have been using the same mold since 1993 - which means you will probably see the same thing on yours
I just don't understand what the issue is then? That is what I thought when i purchased it: all GS 11XX's had the same exact seat pan (with exception of the 1150 adventure models). Oh well, I guess i'll just list it for cheap on the market here and see if someone wants to deal with it.
PM me - I have acquired several seats in my search for the most comfortable option and may be willing to trade/PX
If you look at BMW's fiche they show a diferent seat for early model R1100GS bikes. The pans seem different too. Had an early one that I had to modify the pan in order for my later model mounting bar to fit. Trust me the seats on the early bikes were different and that is why the gap is there when fitted to a late model bike.
But then the pan part # would be different, wouldn't it? BMW wouldn't have two different parts with the same number.
So Rick makes a seat with out the bike present, eh? Then send it to him and see if it's warped, etc. and can make it right. Not free of course, but worth it instead of selling it?
If you read the above thread it seems that the seat may be built on the wrong pan for this bike, so not a warping issue - based on current thinking. I believe. Maybe.