Doing a refresh on a 1980 GS550e and the original seat pan was bent in a way that made closure awkward/ill-fitting etc… and also needing a seat for a 550 project, was in the market for a nice original seat and to move old seat to project bike.
Ebay and local searches were coming up unsatisfactorily so, decided to roll the dice on a new reproduction seat from an ebay vendor in Vietnam. Chose a earlier style 550 seat as an aesthetic choice because I preferred the smoother lines of the earlier seats but, believe other year styles are available.
It was a bit of a wait but, that was expected & the vendor kept me afoot of the shipping progress and was very pleasant. Packaging was sufficient and the seat arrived in perfect condition. Zero complaints.
The seat: the pan seams to be a type of automotive grade ABS, very sturdy, and the entire seat is significantly lighter than an o.e.m. seat. Surprisingly, the fitment was excellent! Better than any experience with any used seat I have tried on a multitude of bikes in the past. Did have to add about 1/8” steel shims to correct it for my specific bike but, that is entirely expected and the final fitment is exceptional. (may later add another thin set of washers to fine tune)
Also test fit it on my ‘78 550e project bike and again, fantastic fit.
Here are some photos. (Please excuse the rest of the bike and surrounding environment)
Notes: While the fitment is great, the foam is very different, quite firm, not the stock plushness one would expect from a regular seat at all. For me this isn’t an issue as this bike is more of a commuter/fun bite than a long touring machine. I have a daily GS1100g for that. So, if you plan to spent long hours in the saddle or must have plushness, you may want to consider hunting for an original seat.
Anyway, just wanted to post this so folks could see & hear what my experience was before sending $280 off to Vietnam. My experience was unexpectedly good and hope it helps someone considering these seats as an option.
Ebay and local searches were coming up unsatisfactorily so, decided to roll the dice on a new reproduction seat from an ebay vendor in Vietnam. Chose a earlier style 550 seat as an aesthetic choice because I preferred the smoother lines of the earlier seats but, believe other year styles are available.
It was a bit of a wait but, that was expected & the vendor kept me afoot of the shipping progress and was very pleasant. Packaging was sufficient and the seat arrived in perfect condition. Zero complaints.
The seat: the pan seams to be a type of automotive grade ABS, very sturdy, and the entire seat is significantly lighter than an o.e.m. seat. Surprisingly, the fitment was excellent! Better than any experience with any used seat I have tried on a multitude of bikes in the past. Did have to add about 1/8” steel shims to correct it for my specific bike but, that is entirely expected and the final fitment is exceptional. (may later add another thin set of washers to fine tune)
Also test fit it on my ‘78 550e project bike and again, fantastic fit.
Here are some photos. (Please excuse the rest of the bike and surrounding environment)
Notes: While the fitment is great, the foam is very different, quite firm, not the stock plushness one would expect from a regular seat at all. For me this isn’t an issue as this bike is more of a commuter/fun bite than a long touring machine. I have a daily GS1100g for that. So, if you plan to spent long hours in the saddle or must have plushness, you may want to consider hunting for an original seat.
Anyway, just wanted to post this so folks could see & hear what my experience was before sending $280 off to Vietnam. My experience was unexpectedly good and hope it helps someone considering these seats as an option.
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