[jwolf]

The Legend has two retaining bolts at the rear of the seat. The left side will no longer hold the bolt in place firmly.
So, now what.
I am hoping for a solution that will not mean enlarging the size of the opening so that I can use my new bonneville extra long bolts.
Has anyone else had to deal with this?

 

[TexasTri]

yep, I had the same issue long ago, but I ended up tapping them out to a slightly larger size. Not what you wanted to hear, so I hope someone else has a good idea for you.

 

[Robroil]

Only way out if you want to use the Bonny bolts is to Helicoil, that is drill out to the correct size for an insert the same thread as your bolts, This insert will have an external thread so you need to drill out and re tap the stripped threaded hole, the new insert is thread locked into this new thread leaving you with an as new threaded hole for your Bonny bolts. Voila, simple as that!

 

[MickMaguire]

+1 on the thread insert, its pretty much the only solution I can think of that keeps the thread the same, other than maybe welding it up, drilling and retapping (messy)

 

[shoggot]

Why is having this screw-in method seen as a plus? I hated it with a passion... I ended up sawing off the tabs which hold the retaining threads, dropping in some stainless steel spacers and screwing 'em in place, and pushbutton detent pins now actually hold the seat in place, sized to the spacers & spacer length.

To remove the seat, I push two buttons, & yank.

 

[musicisinmysoul]

I just used the same size tap to clear the crap out and it worked perfect, Check out the Jack Lilley site in the UK if that does not work, he has alternative fixings,

 

[jwolf]

Why is having this screw-in method seen as a plus? I hated it with a passion... I ended up sawing off the tabs which hold the retaining threads, dropping in some stainless steel spacers and screwing 'em in place, and pushbutton detent pins now actually hold the seat in place, sized to the spacers & spacer length.

To remove the seat, I push two buttons, & yank.

This sounds much better than the setup that the Legend comes with. Has anyone done diagrams or a photo essay on how this mod can be done. What sources for the parts, etc.
Is the Thunderbird setup the same as the Legend.

And by the way, the New Bonneville bolts don't work on my seat. One of the plastic tabs on the seat bottom is slightly less angled than the other, and the longer New Bonneville bolts won't clear vinyl seat bottom. So, I'm back to the original bolts until a better system comes to my attention.
I find removing the seat bolts an extremely tedious task, certainly not a plus.

 

[ssevy]

The design stinks, and that's for sure! I bought one of these for the airbox hose clamps, and they ought to be the ticket for the seat hexes as well. Not expensive, and really great quality. I also got my 12mm hex bit here for taking off the front axle, and it was cheap and very fine quality. I don't have stock in their company, by the way, but I do love quality tools. (I got one of their screwdriver sets on sale
http://www.wihatools.com/special_02.htm
and it came in a great zippered tool case which I am going to use to carry my bike tools with me). Give them a look.

http://www.wihatools.com/300seri/367mm_MRser.htm

 

[CrazyCroc]

Why is having this screw-in method seen as a plus? I hated it with a passion... I ended up sawing off the tabs which hold the retaining threads, dropping in some stainless steel spacers and screwing 'em in place, and pushbutton detent pins now actually hold the seat in place, sized to the spacers & spacer length.

To remove the seat, I push two buttons, & yank.

I concur with shoggot. Lot's of folks here have installed the Triumph quick release seat latch that was standard on other models. I bought a used one from GDL Cycles for $10 or something. The mounting holes are already there on the frame.

 

[shoggot]

I concur with shoggot. Lot's of folks here have installed the Triumph quick release seat latch that was standard on other models. I bought a used one from GDL Cycles for $10 or something. The mounting holes are already there on the frame.

That probably would've been the better option, but didn't realize they were out there to be had...

My route involved two 'kwik-lock' pins from http://www.jergensinc.com , two stainless steel shaft collars from mcmaster-carr, and judicious drilling & a few screws and washers.

Basically: the bit the bolts currently screw into, I ripped out; with the locking pins (and washers) already through the seat tabs, I put the shaft collars on the pins, inserted into the frame, and marked where the shaft collars were inside the tubes; then drilled, and screwed 'em into place.

I originally did this with simple detent pins, but they'd work loose; so the positive locking pins became the better option.

 

[CrazyCroc]

That probably would've been the better option, but didn't realize they were out there to be had...

My route involved two 'kwik-lock' pins from http://www.jergensinc.com , two stainless steel shaft collars from mcmaster-carr, and judicious drilling & a few screws and washers.

Basically: the bit the bolts currently screw into, I ripped out; with the locking pins (and washers) already through the seat tabs, I put the shaft collars on the pins, inserted into the frame, and marked where the shaft collars were inside the tubes; then drilled, and screwed 'em into place.

I originally did this with simple detent pins, but they'd work loose; so the positive locking pins became the better option.

That's actually pretty cool. Before I found the quick release I was trying to dream up something similar. The previous owner had managed to smash one of the tabs that you cut off, so my seat was only attached on one side anyway.

 

[MickMaguire]

Those kwick lock pins look very similar to some that I bought from sargent when I first got my bike - I was going to use them for the seat, but ended up using one on the right hand side cover so I could get to the battery without a wrench

 

[shoggot]

Are the covers different on a TBS? On the TB, they still sit over two vertical pins under the seat pan when you've removed the lower bolt - I've thought of making a set which would just have an L-shaped slot up top, so they could be removed without removing the seat...

(Okay, I lie; if you exert enough pressure, you can get 'em off with the seat in place, something I found out at 15 degrees farenheit when I wanted to jump the bike -right- -then-. But it's not ideal.)

Those kwick lock pins look very similar to some that I bought from sargent when I first got my bike - I was going to use them for the seat, but ended up using one on the right hand side cover so I could get to the battery without a wrench

 

[markbytes]

That probably would've been the better option, but didn't realize they were out there to be had...

My route involved two 'kwik-lock' pins from http://www.jergensinc.com , two stainless steel shaft collars from mcmaster-carr, and judicious drilling & a few screws and washers.

Basically: the bit the bolts currently screw into, I ripped out; with the locking pins (and washers) already through the seat tabs, I put the shaft collars on the pins, inserted into the frame, and marked where the shaft collars were inside the tubes; then drilled, and screwed 'em into place.

I originally did this with simple detent pins, but they'd work loose; so the positive locking pins became the better option.

Just bought Legend and already fed up with Allen Wrench bolts. Like your "pins" idea. Which model/size did you use? would save me a lot of guesswork if you have the old invoice/order laying around....

Many thanks! - Mark [email protected]