Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: Greenc14 on October 09, 2019, 09:45:32 PM

Title: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: Greenc14 on October 09, 2019, 09:45:32 PM
So I saw another posting on this that was pretty old and I didn’t really see a resolution. I got a 2015 concours that had the stock seat and and the rear latch would be unlatched after a ride I would latch it and pull on it and it seemed good but after riding for a hour or so it would be unlatched I tried bending the lever on the back of the seat a little but that didn’t do anything. I replaced the seat with a Sargent seat and same thing. It seems to go on ok and latch well but after a ride it pops open any ideas ?
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: Boomer on October 10, 2019, 01:17:06 AM
Sometimes if the rubber blocks are missing, the seat can become unlatched.
This applies to the 4 round ones as well as all the rectangular ones.
(https://media.karousell.com/media/photos/products/2018/12/04/kawasaki_gtr_1400_stock_seat_for_sale_1543932530_56c38d27.jpg)

If they are all there, then you may need to check that it is latching correctly.
Once latched you should not be able to pull the rear of the seat up at all.
Some saddles need to be punched down quite hard to latch properly.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: Conrad on October 10, 2019, 06:57:25 AM
Not sure if these blocks would have anything to do with it but make sure that these are also in place.

click for zoom, click details for even more zoom

[smg id=418]
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: Greenc14 on October 10, 2019, 08:41:58 PM
All the pads are there and the seat latches down i have to turn the key to get it to drop down it doesn’t want to just click down but I can hear it latch and pull up on it and it doesn’t come up I also made sure the hooks where under the bar in the middle I never noticed anything weird when I ride but after I get off the bike I notice the back of the seat popped  up it’s just frustrating
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: Boomer on October 11, 2019, 12:55:50 AM
Sounds to me like the latch mechanism could do with a clean. Try hosing it with WD40 or a penetrating oil. If you have to turn the key to be able to latch the seat, there is something wrong with it as it should latch just by pushing down on it.
May also be worth checking the bolts that hold the rear subframe to the main frame, as if that is moving when you put weight on the seat, it would push the subframe rearwards and that could be releasing the latch.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: Michelle on October 11, 2019, 01:52:23 AM
I had a Kawasaki gel seat on my 08 that used to pop open and I could not for the life of me figure out why. Put the stock seat back on and it stayed latched every time.
Now I have a Sargent seat and last week it popped open on two separate occasions. As far as I know it had been staying in place for the few months that I've had it because the 5 or 6 times I had it off it needed the key.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: strum on October 11, 2019, 02:08:30 PM
You guys figger it out please let me know . Mine does the same thing. Ive tried every thing I  can come up with.
 
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: maxtog on October 11, 2019, 03:23:24 PM
I have the exact opposite problem.  It is extremely difficult for me to get the seat to latch or to unlatch (Sargent low).  When I finally do get it latched, it NEVER comes unlatched by accident.

I am not a fan of Kawasaki's latch mechanism.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: kzz1king on October 11, 2019, 04:52:58 PM
When I mounted a ZX seat I had to adjust the height or depth of the rear latch piece that is attached to the seat. Works better than my stock seat ever did.
Wayne
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: lather on October 12, 2019, 07:05:02 AM
The latch mounting holes have a little bit of play so you can move the latch fore and aft about a sixteenth of an inch. One of my seats was comimh unlatch while riding. I adjusted the latch and that cured it.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: VirginiaJim on October 12, 2019, 04:40:29 PM
Gain more weight?
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: MAN OF BLUES on October 12, 2019, 06:53:35 PM
I've become a "double hammer fist pounder" on the seat my  '08 came with, and it has never "unlatched.. "

yeah, some are mal adjusted from factory, and I have tweaked and bent all of the 3 different latching points. It now latches fine, with the double hammer fist blow.

you can actually see the latching, from the side with a flashlight, and see which is the offending one of the 3 points/ I think the rear one needs a tweak still..

Note to add;
I actually screwed up my seat allignment brackets when I tested a crappy backrest, which was a p.o.s., and many years ago reported on it.. it took me a full season to re-adjust the latching to ork well again.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: O.C. on October 13, 2019, 04:18:42 AM
It was necessary for me to 'adjust' the latch mechanism on two of my four GTRs      ;)   
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: Greenc14 on October 13, 2019, 02:30:36 PM
Ok I pulled out the latch it looked pretty clean but dose have a bit of wear on the sloped area where the tab slides down when you push the seat down I worked a little grease into the latch mechanism and put a little on the front of the latch itself and now the seat will push down without having to turn the key. I did notice with the little rear plastic removed behind the seat it will slide back to front about a quarter inch maybe so I worked it back and forth and pulled on it it stayed locked in fine I wonder if it was dry enough before with me on the seat moving around while I rode if it was able to work the latch rearward and then I’d scoot forward and it came un Latched. Anyway I need to test ride still and see if this makes a difference. The little spring in the latch don’t look like much more than a spring in a clicker pen maybe it’s getting week? Anyway if this don’t work I think I’ll just try buying a new latch and see if that works
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: O.C. on October 14, 2019, 01:32:58 AM
Conrads observation could be significant as these blocks have a habit of detaching themselves, they are only secured by double sided tape on early model bikes 
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: strum on October 14, 2019, 11:17:09 AM
Conrads observation could be significant as these blocks have a habit of detaching themselves, they are only secured by double sided tape on early model bikes 

Ive never seen these blocks on either c14 ive owned
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: maxtog on October 14, 2019, 03:12:36 PM
Ive never seen these blocks on either c14 ive owned

I think I have, but tend to remember them being flimsy or not well mounted or something.  Has been a while since I examined them.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: lather on October 14, 2019, 04:01:16 PM
They were on all three of mine. They are easy to dislodge. I have had to glue them back on a few times.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: Conrad on October 15, 2019, 05:48:58 AM
They were on all three of mine. They are easy to dislodge. I have had to glue them back on a few times.

Both of those blocks on my C-14 came loose. I used some 3M super double sided tape to reattach them.
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: O.C. on October 15, 2019, 07:36:36 AM
These blocks have been fitted to all four (I think) of the GTRs (Concourse) I have owned, and frequently became loose, as conrad correctly points out 3M double sided tape is a good method of re-attaching them

The blocks are designed to provide a mounting support to the front of the seat  ;)   
Title: Re: 2015 c14 seat comes unlatched after riding
Post by: strum on October 15, 2019, 02:11:12 PM
So i was wrong. they are there . I had a senior moment I guess. 8)