Has anyone modified a stock seat on either a K100RT or K1100LT, to shorten it, possibly by taking out some foam or???  I have a K1100LT and as far as I know their was no short seat option.  I would like to get mine 1" shorter in addition to getting a lower rear shock.   Thanks

While not a K100 I shortened the front lengthened, lowered and changed the foam on my K75. I had the help of a couple of guys from another Brick site, and I used information from a couple of sites. I'm 5'7" and I had previously  used thicker soled boots in conjunction with shoe lifts and I dropped the forks 3/8" through the trees. This allowed me to flat foot on both feet and I probably gained 2" plus in height. A good motorcycle upholsterer should be able to help you, but there is a bit of a black art in working out the foam densities needed. Not too soft not too hard. Since totally rebuilding my seat I can flat foot both feet with slightly bent legs in normal work boots. I used the following sites. http://diymotorcycleseat.com/
https://youtu.be/XZoq_D2kAZA
Regards Martin.

People have low-seated K1100s before but the low seat stuff isn't made for K1100s out of the box.

Shaving foam off of the sides of the rider portion of a seat will help.

You can run a shorter shock and drop the forks a little. (But suspension purists/Nazis won't like you.  )

Just removing some foam will lower your butt, but you will likely be bottoming out onto the plastic base.

I'm fortunate enough to have a local specialist motorcycle seat upholsterer who has re-built the seats on the functioning bikes to be lower. A replacement of denser foam rather than just cutting some of the original foam off gives a better result. He also re-shaped the seat to provide more support, so the outcome is sort of a blend of low seat and comfort seat, and works well for me. The seat cover is replaced by a new one cut and shaped for the adjusted seat profile.
Sadly, while he does seat rebuilds by shipping in and out, from your neck of the woods the freight would be prohibitive. But surely there is someone closer who can do a similar job for you.

Bill

PS I did the shorter rear shock and lower forks in the clamps thing on one of the bikes, which also helped. Not sure about availability of a shorter shock for a K1100.

indian036 wrote:Just removing some foam will lower your butt, but you will likely be bottoming out onto the plastic base.

Notice that I said shaving the SIDES of the rider portion of the seat which makes it easier to get your feet to the ground, not shaving the whole thing.  A friend on mine had this done to his seat and it worked out well for him.

indian036 wrote:PS I did the shorter rear shock and lower forks in the clamps thing on one of the bikes, which also helped. Not sure about availability of a shorter shock for a K1100.

A K100 shock is 30mm shorter

indian036 wrote:PS I did the shorter rear shock and lower forks in the clamps thing on one of the bikes, which also helped. Not sure about availability of a shorter shock for a K1100.

A K100 shock is 30mm shorter

duck wrote:

indian036 wrote:Just removing some foam will lower your butt, but you will likely be bottoming out onto the plastic base.

Notice that I said shaving the SIDES of the rider portion of the seat which makes it easier to get your feet to the ground, not shaving the whole thing.  A friend on mine had this done to his seat and it worked out well for him.

Mick, who did my seats, did shave sides as well as top. The combination, as well as new denser foam worked very well.

I suspect that given the age of the seats, the foam would be well short of its original quality.


Rick G, when I get my 1100 going, I may need to put in a K100 shock! Is it my imagination, or is the K1100 taller than the K100?

Bill

The K1100 swingarm is longer so further between the mounting points and a longer shock is needed.

Hi Rick and Bill, If I remember correctly,. Ed's Smurfette is fitted with a K100 Shock as well as the low seat. The downside of a shorter shock is that the bike is more difficult to pull up on the centre stand.  Cheers Tom

Tom Grabau wrote:The downside of a shorter shock is that the bike is more difficult to pull up on the centre stand.  Cheers Tom

There are spacers between the center stand mounting bracket and transmission on a K1100LT.  Removing those spacers will make it easier to get it up on the center stand if one installs a shorter shock. You can either replace the M10x50 LT mounting bolts with M10x40s or just move the spacer to the underside of the mounting bracket and re-use the M10x50s.

Can the K75 models with the special low seat be converted to a "normal" seat?  I'm anything but vertically challenged.  I'm always troubled by have insufficient distance between the foot pegs and my seat.  My old knees don't do well if they must bend much.

It certainly can be done. Off the top of my head, 

• Change the seat lock for the one that takes the normal seat lock pin
  
• Remove the two hooks on the front face of the ducktail that the back of the seat engage with
  
• Remove the rubber that attaches to the back of the tank, and the 3 thing glued to that tank that it engages with
  
• Remove the latch mechanism from the frame under the front of the seat
  

With the standard seat

• Ensure that it comes with the complete rear hinge unit that attaches to the frame, and the front pivot that engages with the hinge pin on the frame 
  
• Ensure that it comes with the locking pin
  
• Ensure that it comes with the prop that holds the seat up when it is tilted to the side
  

You will also be missing the side covers that the low seat front rubber substitutes for. Not a functional issue, but it won’t look standard. 

Remove the low seat bits carefully, as there will always be the vertically challenged like me who may want to buy a complete kit, or exchange their standard or comfort seat for a low one. 
In fact, that would be a good way to go if you can find a person who wants to do the swap as I did. 

Bill

As Bill said - yes.  

The K75 and K100 seat frame mounting points are the same.  As all the K75s use the '87 onwards seat they should be in abundant supply.  

The K75 uses a slightly different side cover than the K100, although the 75RT uses the K100 (post '87) ones.  

If you keep the complete lower seat kit together, it will be worth money to someone 

TacKler wrote:As Bill said - yes.  

The K75 and K100 seat frame mounting points are the same.  As all the K75s use the '87 onwards seat they should be in abundant supply.  

The K75 uses a slightly different side cover than the K100, although the 75RT uses the K100 (post '87) ones.  

If you keep the complete lower seat kit together, it will be worth money to someone 

For clarification, Tackler, though you likely are aware of the difference...it's from '86 (K100 and then K75) and later that the seats and rear cowls differ from the earliest '83 thru '85, easily noted by the seat-mounted grab handles being the early version whilst the cowl-mounted grab handles are the later type. Not '87 on, is all. More years to choose from. Cheers.

Thanks Daz.

Thank you gentlemen.  
Okay, here's the back story.  I sold my K100RS because it seemed that I was having too many "moments" due to its weight and my aging capabilities.  The rather short bars were also an issue.  It wasn't long after the sale before I was having second thoughts.  I recalled the old girl was a delight on long tours (provided there were no gravel roads on the route).  It occurred to me that a K75 may fit my needs, so I began my search.  That's proven to be a challenge.  There are few on the market in the US, and those that have appeared are either clapped out or going for what seems like a premium.  Well, when I recall what I sold my K100RS for, they seem pretty expensive.  Alternatively, the K-series has begun to appreciate in value among the wise    
Now that I know the low-seat K75 bikes have potential for my needs, the market offerings have increased!