Triumphrat

00wabbit · 09-01-2004

Just curious if you know?

Will a 1998 Thunderbird Sport seat fit onto a 1998 Thunderbird and use the existing lock mechanism?
The seat on the triumph website is A9708011-##

If this doesnt work what are my options to have a cowl on the bike, but be able to switch easily back to the stock seat.

I am asking becuase I would like to have the single seat and cowl for when I am riding alone, but be able to switch to my stock seat when my wife is riding with me.

I am thinking of doing a few changes to my bike this winter when it gets cold outside.

Thanks
-wabbit

tbsrider2000 · 09-01-2004

Someone may no better that I do... When I get back, I will meet up with my buddy who has a TB and will check this out..

I believe the lock mechanism on both bikes is in the same place. The difference is the hooks on the middle bottom of the seat.. The TBS's are supposedly longer and will not work with the TB and vice versa. However, if you simply remove the hooks, as I have heard people say they have done, the seats should interchange...

denny · 09-01-2004

The latch mechanisms are in different locations. Some seat pans have provisions to move the latching"tang" on the bottom of the seat. I've never seen the underneath side of a cowl seat. I have seen a picture of a TBird with a cowl seat mounted. So there is some way to do it.

hyzer · 09-01-2004

I'm in the process of putting a TBS single seat / cowl on my 2002 TB.

(I have the added problem of having to add a seat lock mechanism to my bike.)

The TBS frame and the TB frame are not the same under the seat. The TBS frame is a bit higher than the TB frame. Therefore the rubber bumpers on the underside of the TBS seat don’t sit on the TB frame.

Underneath I'm using some rubber replacement chair leg tips that I found at Home Depot

(like these http://www.robertbrooke.com/chairgli...chairtips.html )

They slip right over the rubber bumpers on the TBS single seat to make up the difference between the TBS seat and the TB frame.

Also note that Triumph ships the actual cowl separately from the seat. A neat little note accompanies the two parts and says something like “Cowl must be installed by professional Triumph mechanic.” After trying to fit the two parts together I begin to see why – they don’t exactly mate (and overly forcing the plastic cowl to conform to the bolt holes doesn’t seem too wise). I had to drill the rear bolt hole slightly to one side (but it is covered by the top of the hex head bolt) in order to secure the cowl. I did not crank down on any of the bolts, but I'll hit them with some lock-tight.

I’ll try to get some photos done soon of all mods for Triumphrat.net.

glgavin · 09-01-2004

The position of the pin for the lock is different between early TB and TBS. This mod was common for those wanting to put the Corbin TB seat on the TBS. You might want to contact Corbin and get their seat.

Later Triumph did away with the seat lock on the TB while the TBS remained the same.

It can be done, you just have to fiddle with it. Also, back in 98 Triumph made solo seats for the TB. There has got to be some somewhere. The painted cowl is removable so repainting can be accomplished.
:-g