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Rusty seat pan

  • Thread starter Thread starter avow
  • Start date Start date
A

avow

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So I have an GS1100G with a rusted out seat pan. I cut out a piece of poly milk jug (the 3.87 L 1 gal) and made a shield to cover the battery posts so that they would not cause a bit of welding. Works great.

So I decide to go to the lake its a beautiful summer day. Riding along the highway the engine sort of hesitates or something so I pull over to investigate, then I see smoke coming from my crotch. So I get off take off the seat, and some shards of rust are glowing a bit and soldered to the battery post. I quickly flick them apart to break the circuit and stop the current, and then I see my seat is smoldering a bit and smelling quite bad. Having no water I put it on the ground and stand on it, and its still not going out.

Some kind lady stops and asks if I could use a hand. I say "well I need some water". She drives me to a very close hardware store (I couldn't have stopped at a better location) I get a camping style cooler, duct tape and electrical tape, fill the jug it in the janitors sink and go back to the bike. Its about 15 minutes later, the seat is still smoking.

So I poured water all over the seat and put it out, wrapped it in in duct tape and thought "well I guess I can drive it home now". Instead I opt to continue to the lake and have a nice afternoon there and drive home.

On the same stretch of highway on the way back a few hours later I am in the left hand lane of a 2 lane divided highway, and a truck was weaving between lanes in front of me (I had just merged onto the highway) so I though "I better get out in front of this, I think they are trying to kill me..." so I gave it a twist saw the driver and she was drifting even more, I hit the brakes and pulled over as she was obviously very drunk or pilled up or something (I had only a fraction of a seconds glance). After a few minutes of debriefing with the wife and kids I continued on home. We had stopped within about 100 yards of the spot where my seat had lit up.

My seat still smells funny.
 
Wow!

Some days we just shouldn't get out of bed, but you're still standing and have a funny story to share.

I'd be finding another route around that spot, if possible ;)
 
avow said:
...I cut out a piece of poly milk jug (the 3.87 L 1 gal) and made a shield to cover the battery posts so that they would not cause a bit of welding. Works great.

...some shards of rust are glowing a bit and soldered to the battery post...
Click to expand...

Sounds like your milk jug shield isn't working great.

I've been there and done that, but I have to say I disagree with your decision to "continue to the lake" instead of heading straight home. More than just electrical and fire damage to your bike, it's your life. What if it just dies on the highway? Then you're a sitting duck, with vehicles whizzing by at 100 kph.

I don't think you can ever get out the smell of burnt foam. Make sure your electrics are okay, and replace the seat.

Good luck.
 
Too many times where the bike won't "feel" right or something coming loose has taught me to high-tail it (at a safe speed, of course) home! I've waved my buddies off and hear what a great time they had later. Meanwhile, if the bike breaks down again on the way home, at least I'm that much closer to the house.

I did keep going to the lake one time when my baffle shot out of my header on the highway. Those old Kerker's had the cone just riveted in.
 
Sounds like you had an adventure.

I was thinking that laudry detergent jug or antifreeze jug plastic would be better than milk jug plastic, or better yet, truck tire tub rubber.

Your next adventure will be trying to find a better seat.
Then you can post more than one story a year.

.
 
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For future opportunities like that one, consider using your built-in (built-on?) fire hose.....just pee on it.

FYI

An E seat pan can be made to work, but you would have to have a welder at hand as the G pan is longer. so you have to add a bit of metal and you have to adapt the G front fitting to the new pan.
 
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