New bike, what's up with this seat?

Just picked up a mint 1977 kz650c. Trying to figure out what's going on with this seat, as i've seen nothing similar to it online. Have a couple questions:

* Is this a stock seat pan?
* Has the tail of my frame been modified? There's a weld where it begins to curve up in the back. Some frames I see look curved up and other's look flat.
* I'd like to go back to the original seat but not sure what my options are.

That definitely is a home made seat pan. The image below shows the stock 1977 KZ650-C1 seat pan. In the image the seat latch hardware has been temporarily removed. Ed

That seat is aftermarket, look in the picture gallery here for a picture of a stock KZ650, or do a Google image for your bike and you will see the seat is different.

It appears that your frame has NOT been modified (that's a GOOD thing!) Below is an image of the rear frame on my stock 1977 KZ650-C1. You should be able to mount a stock seat (see 2nd image below). Ed

That's a nice aftermarket seat. I'd keep it, looks comfy.
Steve

Aha!
I know that wasn't the intention. But thanks for the help. I too have a non-stock seat pan, and have been playing with fitment using it, and another which was supposed to be for a 650C, tho year was not discussed. I didn't realize how different the 77C and 78C rear frames were until just now, and seeing your pictures.

On the downside, I may not be on the hunt for my 3rd seat/pan, to get one to fit like stock. *sigh*

BTW - Nice score on that '650! Looks really well taken care of. I assume the fork brace isn't stock, but nice to have. It would stick out a little less if painted to match the rest of the bike. My 0.02.

Cheers!

Really cool community, Thanks for the answers guys!

The seat is somewhat comfortable but it's angled funky, like it's always trying to slide me forward, maybe because of my height. Wish I could scoot back a couple inches.

My seat pan looks to have about all the same curves that the stock one does though, so maybe a stock seat foam/cover kit would work? Hmm, I dunno.

C1 & C2 frames should be the same.
C3 and on would get two bolt mounted front pegs.

I recovered a seat I had, made by Cheetah seats.
It has a plastic pan, and the wrong shape for the new Giuliari style cover.
Some reshaping of the foam, and new cover on.
Got the cover here: www.haralds-oldieshop.de/agb.html

Spike strips on ebay UK.

I was worried about comfort, as I had to remove a lot of foam, but it is a comfortable seat for many hours.

Man Nick, I LOVE that new seat cover, the white Z 650 stamped into it just pops and really looks great on the bike! Thanks for sharing.... got me wondering about having something similar for my GPz done to have a "custom" touch

- Brett

I suppose you'd expect the frames to be the same, but I think they are not. Unless it is just a trick of the light, I reckon that the end bit of my frame does not turn up as much as Eds' C1, It lies much flatter, and also the flat bit of metal that forms the mounting bracket for the rear fender on mine is concave, and has a rib on the front and back edge which faces UP.

Now, unless someone went to a lot of trouble to make these very slight modifications, and make the paint (before it went away and got replaced with powdercoat, anyway....) and welding look just exactly like factory, I have to assume that this is stock. Not to be contrary, I've just struggled to find a seat pan that works perfectly on my bike, and didn't really want to make one. It also might explain why the one I have looks like it was pounded in with a hammer a little on the back end. The other seat pan I have doesn't *quite* come low enough for the rear rubber bumper to sit on the above mentioned cross member. It hangs about a half inch or so high. So, either I was sold a '77 seat, which from the look of it, would fit Ed's bike like a charm, or there is something just a little funny about my '78. Dunno.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I will certainly try to buy the next seat in person to assure fitment, that is for sure. Or maybe I will just do the same as the person who modified my current seat, and just take a hammer to the new one until it fits properly. Have to decide when I get back to my shop. Might be a while before that happens, so no worry.

Jon

PS - Anyone have a stock type seat they figure will fit my frame they want to be rid of? :whistle:

Not stock. They don't use pop rivets. If you straighten the flat plate, will the seat fit?
Steve

Interesting. My frame definitely looks like it tilts up more in the rear than yours . Here's another photo from a different angle. Ed