R1100R Seat won't unlock

[Jamesakurtz]

My R1100R battery is dead. Tried to remove the seat but turning the key to positon one won't release the lock. Seat is stuck and many attempts failed to get a release. Any advice?

[Boingo]

My R1100R battery is dead. Tried to remove the seat but turning the key to positon one won't release the lock. Seat is stuck and many attempts failed to get a release. Any advice?
Try sitting on the seat, or have someone else sit on it while you turn the key. The key pulls a cable that pulls the latch back, and this gets stuck on mine all the time (especially after installing a Corbin seat).

[jacco]

Try sitting on the seat, or have someone else sit on it while you turn the key. The key pulls a cable that pulls the latch back, and this gets stuck on mine all the time (especially after installing a Corbin seat).

Is the lock stuck, as Boingo implies, or can you turn the key but to no effect? It seems the latter, from what I read. I had the bolt that holds the locking mechanism together fall out at some point. I even posted that here I think, about 6 months ago? I managed to pull at the seat locking mechanism using a bent wire inserted at the center behind the seat. Let me know if this is your problem and I'll try to describe somewhat more extensively what I did.

[PUDGYPAINTGUY]

Did you also try seeing if you can insert something between the frame spaces and gently place tension on the cable to activate it from behind? Never tried it on a beemer but it has worked on a couple of other setups, and works great for car hoods too... ;)

[jacco]

Did you also try seeing if you can insert something between the frame spaces and gently place tension on the cable to activate it from behind? Never tried it on a beemer but it has worked on a couple of other setups, and works great for car hoods too... ;)

It doesn't really have a cable. It's a little plastic arm, I'd guess 4 inches or so long (maybe less, don't remember exactly?), which is attached to a rotating pin to which the lock is attached. In my case the connection between the rotating pin (which runs from left to right below the seat) and the little arm came loose. So the pin would rotate when the key was turned. From the back, between seat and passenger seat, I could hook a bent wire around the arm or through the hole in the arm where the bolt used to be, I don't remember. Pulling it towards the back of the bike unlocked the seat. New bolt with plenty of lock-tite and I was done. took maybe 10 minutes.

You can probably do something similar from the side, but then you'd have to move the mechanism sideways to unlatch it. Matter of personal preference I guess. Or simply not what I thought of first. I held a flashlight next to the rear brake fluid resevoir, shining into the under-seat space, so that I could see something through the crack between the two seat halfs. Jamesakurtz, I hope this helps, otherwise I can make some pics in the morning to show the mechanism. If this actually is the problem you're having...

[PUDGYPAINTGUY]

It doesn't really have a cable. It's a little plastic arm, I'd guess 4 inches or so long (maybe less, don't remember exactly?), which is attached to a rotating pin to which the lock is attached. In my case the connection between the rotating pin (which runs from left to right below the seat) and the little arm came loose. So the pin would rotate when the key was turned. From the back, between seat and passenger seat, I could hook a bent wire around the arm or through the hole in the arm where the bolt used to be, I don't remember. Pulling it towards the back of the bike unlocked the seat. New bolt with plenty of lock-tite and I was done. took maybe 10 minutes.

You can probably do something similar from the side, but then you'd have to move the mechanism sideways to unlatch it. Matter of personal preference I guess. Or simply not what I thought of first. I held a flashlight next to the rear brake fluid resevoir, shining into the under-seat space, so that I could see something through the crack between the two seat halfs. Jamesakurtz, I hope this helps, otherwise I can make some pics in the morning to show the mechanism. If this actually is the problem you're having...


Great info jacco, will keep in mind for the inevitable occurrence in the future,
Thanks again,

[Boingo]

It doesn't really have a cable. It's a little plastic arm, I'd guess 4 inches or so long (maybe less, don't remember exactly?), which is attached to a rotating pin to which the lock is attached.
Opps...you are correct. No cable involved, sorry to mislead. No more desk wrenching for me. Clockwise turn (just checked…really).

Jamesakurtz, don't leave us in the dark. Did you get it off?

[jacco]

Jamesakurtz, don't leave us in the dark. Did you get it off?

I'm going to install a luggage rack on mine tomorrow, so I'll take some under-seat pics just in case. I might need them myself again in the future :)

[jacco]

Here's the first pic:

[jacco]

And the 2nd:

[jacco]

And the last one. In my case the bolt is what fell out. I used a bent wire to pull the vertical metal plate (yellowish, with the spring) towards the back of the bike. The hook on this plate is what grabs into the rectangular plate on the bottom of the seat, holding it down. Hope this helps...

[Jamesakurtz]

Jacco was right. The bolt fell out. I managed to get the seat off by sticking a screw driver between the front and rear seats and pushing the lock back. I couldn't find the bolt so I put a cotter pin where the bolt used to be and it is fine.

Thanks for all the suggestions. :clap