Is this normal for the seat?

[eMpTy-Oh7]

Hi All,

I installed the fender eliminator today. It was such a pain. Anyway, when I put the seat back in, it wasn't snug. It looks like there is a gap and the seat area by the tank can easily pull back. Maybe that's how it was all the time but don't quite remember? 
 

IMG-1912

---

Thanks

Edited December 15, 2019 by eMpTy-Oh7
update pics

[bornagainbiker]

I'm not sure if this applies to the newer 07, but on my 2016 model there is a slot on the underside of the seat that is supposed to catch on a metal tab above the battery.  I know from experience that it can be a bit difficult to get the slot to line up with the tab when re-installing the seat.  If it is not lined up properly, the seat will ride up a bit and not be well secured.  Hope this helps.

[cornerslider]

That doesn't look right to me.... Maybe take it off again, and be sure the "tongue" is seated on the tab in front of the battery-

 

 

[eMpTy-Oh7]

2 hours ago, cornerslider said:

That doesn't look right to me.... Maybe take it off again, and be sure the "tongue" is seated on the tab in front of the battery-

 

 

Hmmm I must have spent an hour on it. There is nothing in the front by gas tank area to hold it down. I see some metal thing that sticks up (In front of battery) and it catches the small plastic cover under the seat. I don’t see how the front can be clamped down. It shouldn’t take rocket scientist to put a seat back in. Would you mind pulling your seat to see if its snug? Thanks. 

[sorkyah]

3 minutes ago, eMpTy-Oh7 said:

Hmmm I must have spent an hour on it. There is nothing in the front by gas tank area to hold it down. I see some metal thing that sticks up (In front of battery) and it catches the small plastic cover under the seat. I don’t see how the front can be clamped down. It shouldn’t take rocket scientist to put a seat back in. Would you mind pulling your seat to see if its snug? Thanks. 

That' metal tab is all that holds it in

Kinda have to push down and slide forward when mounting the seat

[eMpTy-Oh7]

1 minute ago, sorkyah said:

That' metal tab is all that holds it in

Kinda have to push down and slide forward when mounting the seat

Hmmm I definitely push down. Even had bike on pitbull and the bike was dragging on the pitbull because I was pushing it. I’ll check again. Thanks. 

[sorkyah]

Is it possible the tab is bent?

Admittedly ive only got experience with the 15-17 model

The seat on the Mt is foreign to me, I'm just looking at schematics on parts website

[eMpTy-Oh7]

1 hour ago, sorkyah said:

Is it possible the tab is bent?

Admittedly ive only got experience with the 15-17 model

The seat on the Mt is foreign to me, I'm just looking at schematics on parts website

Tab looks good. When i slide the seat in it definitely hooks up to the metal tab because i can’t pull the seat up afterward. But that gap and the fact i can easily yank open the seat area by tank is telling me its not fitting properly. 

[eMpTy-Oh7]

The metal tab going into the plastic right? There is nothing else that will hold it.  But how is the corner area by the tank being held down? There is nothing that can hold that area down so shouldn't that wiggle around like my video?

[cornerslider]

5 hours ago, eMpTy-Oh7 said:

Hmmm I must have spent an hour on it. There is nothing in the front by gas tank area to hold it down. I see some metal thing that sticks up (In front of battery) and it catches the small plastic cover under the seat. I don’t see how the front can be clamped down. It shouldn’t take rocket scientist to put a seat back in. Would you mind pulling your seat to see if its snug? Thanks. 

I just checked mine, and it's "snug" (compared to your video). I also checked my factory service manual. Mine is a 2016 "FZ-07", but it looks like they use the same mounting method on the "MT-07"... I think you're doing everything right. As long as the tab is in the groove, I think that's all you can do. Maybe stop by a dealer, and check one of the MT-07's on the show floor compared to yours?  The MT-07 is much wider in front than the FZ-07, and has much more surface area to "flex"...... It might just be the nature of the beast? Let us know how it turns out -

[eMpTy-Oh7]

1 minute ago, cornerslider said:

I just checked mine, and it's "snug" (compared to your video). I also checked my factory service manual. Mine is a 2016 "FZ-07", but it looks like they use the same mounting method on the "MT-07"... I think you're doing everything right. As long as the tab is in the groove, I think that's all you can do. Maybe stop by a dealer, and check one of the MT-07's on the show floor compared to yours?  The MT-07 is much wider in front than the FZ-07, and has much more surface area to "flex"...... It might just be the nature of the beast? Let us know how it turns out -

Thanks man.  Any kind soul with a 2018+ MT-07 can spare 1 minute of your precious time and just try yanking that seat area by the tank and see if it wiggles out like my video? Can certainly save me a trip checking one at the dealer.  

[geophb]

Mine does the same thing and the seat corners pull out like that (2019 MT07).  Kinda bothered me when I first bought the bike but now I just don't pull on it. 

[Beemer]

I have a '15 and it always does that and sometimes I don't even notice that it's done it. It's one of those things where you have to line it up just right and use a little feel to make it seat right. the last time I had to do it it took what felt like about 5 minutes to get it just right. I think sorkyah best explains what I do to get mine on. 

[msb06c]

I’ll check mine this afternoon (2018 version). I’ve missed the middle tab before where you can basically expose the battery while the rear bolts are still attached... but I haven’t noticed the sides being bad like your video. I’ll confirm later today unless someone beats me to it

[eMpTy-Oh7]

58 minutes ago, geophb said:

Mine does the same thing and the seat corners pull out like that (2019 MT07).  Kinda bothered me when I first bought the bike but now I just don't pull on it. 

Thanks.  Glad to hear.   Crappy quality control but glad that's how it is.  I've spent like 2 hours looking at it and couldn't find any way to secure the area by the tank because there is nothing that can hold it.  Thought I was going crazy.

[geophb]

14 minutes ago, eMpTy-Oh7 said:

Thanks.  Glad to hear.   Crappy quality control but glad that's how it is.  I've spent like 2 hours looking at it and couldn't find any way to secure the area by the tank because there is nothing that can hold it.  Thought I was going crazy.

I think its more along the lines of a poor design than quality control because all the 2018 and newer have the same seat, and they all do it (I looked at many bikes).  Those front "tabs" are just not even supported at all.

[klx678]

Does the tab need bent down slightly to pull the front of the seat down tight when installed?

Or

Is the tab definitely going in the slot on the seat?  If not, perhaps the seat got put on with the tab under the seat, not in the slot and has bent down too low to engage the slot.   Then it needs bent up.  It's not a horrible system, been used on many motorcycles over decades.  It all depends on how the seat has been installed when taken off and put back on.

I had that happen on a NIghthawk S with the twin hooks at the back of the seat.   The previous owner had put the seat on with those hooks on top of the slots where they engaged, bent the plastic tabs.  I had to heat them with a heat gun to bend them back down.  Then I had to be careful to make sure they always engaged.   If I see a Nighthawk I can tell in a couple seconds if the seat is installed right, has a gap at the back of the seat between it and the tail section.

[klx678]

Just now, klx678 said:

Does the tab need bent down slightly to pull the front of the seat down tight when installed?  The set up on the XSR is similar but is very snug.  It could be possible to put the seat on and have the tab miss the slot.  If that happens it can bend the tab down leading to the following problem.

Is the tab definitely going in the slot on the seat?  If not, perhaps the seat got put on with the tab under the seat, not in the slot and has bent down too low to engage the slot.   Then it needs bent up.  It's not a horrible system, been used on many motorcycles over decades.  It all depends on how the seat has been installed when taken off and put back on.

I had that happen on a NIghthawk S with the twin hooks at the back of the seat.   The previous owner had put the seat on with those hooks on top of the slots where they engaged, bent the plastic tabs.  I had to heat them with a heat gun to bend them back down.  Then I had to be careful to make sure they always engaged.   If I see a Nighthawk I can tell in a couple seconds if the seat is installed right, has a gap at the back of the seat between it and the tail section.

 

[cornerslider]

Funny story..... I was at my local dealer today picking up some oil. I thought about this post, so I went over to the new 2019 to check the seat. The damn thing wasn't even attached, and when I pulled on it, I flipped it it up and it hit the floor!!!! The sales guy saw me and looked at me like WTF??? 

[eMpTy-Oh7]

43 minutes ago, cornerslider said:

Funny story..... I was at my local dealer today picking up some oil. I thought about this post, so I went over to the new 2019 to check the seat. The damn thing wasn't even attached, and when I pulled on it, I flipped it it up and it hit the floor!!!! The sales guy saw me and looked at me like WTF??? 

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

[geophb]

14 hours ago, klx678 said:

Does the tab need bent down slightly to pull the front of the seat down tight when installed?

Or

Is the tab definitely going in the slot on the seat?  If not, perhaps the seat got put on with the tab under the seat, not in the slot and has bent down too low to engage the slot.   Then it needs bent up.  It's not a horrible system, been used on many motorcycles over decades.  It all depends on how the seat has been installed when taken off and put back on.

I had that happen on a NIghthawk S with the twin hooks at the back of the seat.   The previous owner had put the seat on with those hooks on top of the slots where they engaged, bent the plastic tabs.  I had to heat them with a heat gun to bend them back down.  Then I had to be careful to make sure they always engaged.   If I see a Nighthawk I can tell in a couple seconds if the seat is installed right, has a gap at the back of the seat between it and the tail section.

Its not the tab hook thing to install the seat, its just that the front corners are flexible.  Atleast on mine, which looks just like the  video OP posted above.

[eMpTy-Oh7]

1 hour ago, geophb said:

Its not the tab hook thing to install the seat, its just that the front corners are flexible.  Atleast on mine, which looks just like the  video OP posted above.

Right.  There is no other tabs except that metal thingy that hooks into that plastic square hole.  They need to have tabs in the front to mount down the front area by the tank.  

[klx678]

Okay, got it.  I mentioned it because the seat was lifting on the S and figure it doesn't hurt to mention any possibility, cover all the bases.  No problem though.    I hope you can work it out.  

Just a quick thought stuck with me, could you hit the base lightly with a heat gun to flex the corners of the base down so that they make more solid contact?   Covering all the bases...  

[geophb]

43 minutes ago, klx678 said:

Okay, got it.  I mentioned it because the seat was lifting on the S and figure it doesn't hurt to mention any possibility, cover all the bases.  No problem though.    I hope you can work it out.  

Just a quick thought stuck with me, could you hit the base lightly with a heat gun to flex the corners of the base down so that they make more solid contact?   Covering all the bases...  

Not worth IMO.  They way I see it, my legs hold them in when im riding. And when im not riding I just close the garage door. 

[klx678]

There ya go!   Sometimes it just doesn't matter.