Gotcha, thanks again.
Misc: Everything Else Rapide Seat Lowering
- Thread starter nigsey
- Start date
Yes of course, I hadn’t considered that.
I'd consider that the factory released the seat from the UFM in 1955 and suggest you do the same. First, the seat back moves up and down half of the travel of the suspension. I've often read praise from those who have removed the seat stays and built tubes to connect (technically to the engine to be absolutely correct) to the footrest anchors. Here are a couple of before and after seat mods I have made. Originally I made a totally cantilever set up that replaced the battery carrier and let the plot hang over the rear mudguard. I ran it for years, you can see it in the photo sans seat. Then I cut it apart and ran some down-tubes, but I didn't run them so far forward as to be connected to the engine (as they should be). You can see I constructed a new Rider seat and used the old foam for the rear. I must have lowered the plot a good 2-3 inches. Thus the passenger seat is now higher than the rider giving it the King and Queen of Harley effect, I'm pretty happy with the Rider seat height. To boot, I connected some huge aluminum panniers to the seat frame and ran them for about 15 years. I am now in the process of installing some streamlined fiberglass panniers that are nearly one off's. So sorry I don't have the man's name at hand who made them and passed away thereafter. I'll post the new pannier photo in the spring. My point is, release the seat from the RFM and you'll like the bike a whole lot better and in the process you can lower the seat. I have longer springs and I'm 6' (feet) tall and have found that even I have to stretch to pull in the side stand if I'm atop the bike. That's dangerous, I fell over doing it once. Forget modifying the existing mechanical set up and put the seat stays on a shelf.
Attachments
how i did it while ago, but forgot to take an inch of the seat squab.... but at least the seat is bit lower as the tank, for cosmetic reasons.
After the rear pivot its strong enough to take a topcase.
After the rear pivot its strong enough to take a topcase.
Ni
Nice craftsmanship!
Our C Comet is one of the very last - December 1954. It has a D rear wheel - the 18" rear wheel helps to minimize the seat height. I'm 29" inside leg and can get both feet planted firmly on the ground.
Gerry
Gerry
Gerry, many thanks for that suggestion, it’s not something I would have thought of but it sounds like a great idea.
I should have added that it has a 19" front wheel, which also greatly helps!
Gerry
Gerry
I have a problem understanding this. In the olden days when tyres were round the outer diameter of a 20 x 3.00 tyre was essentially the same as a 19 x 3.50, 26". The same for the rear. 19 x 3.50 or 18 x 4.00. 26" again. I understand that modern tyres are no longer round but how much out of round are they 0.5". 0.75" ? Has anyone actually measured the diameter of a modern tyre on a wheel and how much less than 26" is it?
Slowly entering the world of the terminally confused!!
Slowly entering the world of the terminally confused!!
Craig, have measured my spring boxes with the bike off its stand and they are 170mm which is just shy of 6 3/4”