Seat latch broken after being in the shop.

[borgatt]

We recently had our 1996 Royal Star 1600 in the shop for an engine tune up and general maintenance. It was starting no problem but had some carb and brake issues due to not being properly maintained and stored (we just built a garage in August so that should change going forward).

 

The problem is when we got it back, the guy said the seat latch/lock was broken. So he just put a zip tie around the latch and sent it home. I was confused, as I have had zero problems with the latch, either to move for cleaning or to take the batter out for winter etc.

 

I don't want to bring the bike back there (I think he broke it, but have no way to prove anything, and am not impressed that we spent $1000 to get the bike fixed up only to pick it up and be told something that wasn't broken is now broken), but I'm not sure how to fix this. The key fits the lock, but the whole assembly turns. I figured I could just take off the left side cover and pop off the panel behind it and tighten it up, thinking that its pretty close to where the lock is, but the hex screw behind the side cover is completely stripped. Looking at a parts manual for that bike it looks like the lock attaches to a bracket, so maybe it just isn't screwed down. I was going to try to get a replacement screw and get an extractor to remove it (it'll have to get done eventually) but am worried what I'm looking for for the seat lock isn't behind there, but rather that Ill need to take the rear wheel off, and then the fender and then the panel at the back of the frame. I dont want to ride without it fixed because 1) if I use a zip tie the seat isnt secured and b)if I don't use the zip tie I can get to the battery.

 

Does anybody have any Ideas about the best way to fix this?

[cowpuc]

Hi Borg,, pleasure to meet you.. About your seat latch issue,, can you provide us with some pictures,,, the more the better IMHO.. Also,, I am assuming you have a 1300 Royal Star and not a 1600,, is this correct? The parts fish I am looking at does not show a 1600cc in that year so I am going to assume we are talking a v-4 yam?

From the parts fish I am looking at found here: https://www.yamahapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/yam/50043ab1f8700209bc78d097/seat

 

Can I assume you are speaking of screw number 25 being stripped? that appears to be a screw for the cover over the latch? The actual latch assembly is held in place by 2 screws and they are part number 13,, do you see them? Are those screws stripped?? Either way,, the easiest way that I have found to remove a stuck, stripped screw like this is to take a center punch, sharpen it to a good point, make a small starter punch mark on the side of the screw or on its remaining face if it is a countersunk screw then hold the punch at the angle you want the screw to move in with the sharpened tip in the punch mark - now rap it sharply.. I have literally removed thousands of small stripped screws using this old school trick.. Another way is to use a hand impact with a bit that fits in the stripped head as tightly as possible.. You could use a dremel tool with a cut off blade in it to carefully cut an X into the screw face and then drive an impact bit into the X before attaching it to the impact.. Now with a good twist on the impact and then smacking it,,, out she'll come.. Are you familiar with the type of impact I am speaking of?? If not, let me know and I will hook you up with a link to a thread where my brother @VentureFar and I discussed them and how to use them..

Get those pics up,, doing so will help when one of guru's read this.. One of them will probably have fixed your exact issue cause they have owned such a bike as yours.. I never have so I am just guessing

 

All the best in your repair!!

Puc

[Marcarl]

Hey Puc,,, he has a Canadian bike, is that any different that what you are describing?

[cowpuc]

Hey Puc,,, he has a Canadian bike, is that any different that what you are describing?

 

No idea @Marcarl.. Is there a Canadian parts fish available to see if that is the case?? Babbitts (YamahaPartshouse),,, the same place I took you to find that stuff for your Spyder, that I used to locate the parts I used in the note to Borg does not show a 1600cc Yam made in 96,, now that you mention it I am sure it is possible that you Kanuckians got something cool before we did here in the states..