I have owned my bike well over a year and still not sure how to properly take off my stock seat. The manual says remove the seat bolt and reach under and remove the nut, washer and bolt from the seat strap? Then to re-install it says to install the seat, then strap and torque to specific ft lbs. How can you reach under the seat and remove or torque anything? I have always pushed the seat towards the tank and struggled stretching the strap to get my seat out, but I know one of these times I am going to scratch the bike and I will go nuts.

So forgive my ignorance, but how do you properly take the seat off? I do my own work on my bike (exhaust, intake, tuning, etc) so I feel like an idiot for asking such a basic question. I also did a search and did not come up with anything.

 

I don't know the proper way but the easiest is to forget to put the strap back on and then forget where you left it.

 

Yep - when I saw how the stock strap mounted at the dealer when my new seat arrived it took about a half second to know that was NOT going back on - its both fugly and worthless and with a thumb screw type bolt on there it makes removing the seat super easy.

 

I agree completely with all the above posters - practically non-functional grab strap that results in more headaches than benefits for the owner/mechanic.
Options: adjust the strap for a looser fit (strap has extra holes for hold-down screw), or remove strap completely, or replace OEM seat with a custom seat.

~

 

you do not need to undo the strap. Just take the screw out of the back and pull the whole seat back. There should be plenty of slack in the strap to get the front out of the seat unhooked. Than rotate the seat 90 degrees and slip it out of the strap. It should take no more that 30 seconds to remove your seat with the strap still connected. I just had mine off yesterday and did it just like I this..

 

Take off and throw away that crappy seat strap. Problem solved.

 

+11111111111

 

Thanks everyone. I will try the rotating 90 degree option first, otherwise will just take the strap off.

 

+2 it really is a simple 1 minute procedure.after doing it once, it takes about 30 seconds.

 

Just like above, but after you remove the screw grab the back of the seat with your fingers between the mounting bracket and the fender to prevent the bracket from scratching the paint. Then use your other hand and slip your fingers between the front of the seat and the console/tank, then pull the seat back.