help!: can't open seat

[dp.guzzi]

2002 LeMans. I am original owner and it has never been down. 32K miles. Here's the story:

My friend installed this awesome auxiliary taillight/brakelight for me that you can see under the license plate in the photo. It has LEDs and is very bright, and when the brake is applied, it flashes 3 times and then stays on steady. Great light.

After a nice ride today I noticed that the seat was not locked down. I tried to lock it many times. I figured that the "pin" part was not aligned properly. I inserted the pin with the tabs on the front of the seat out (not in place, above where they should be, probably a dumb thing to do). It did lock though. A little trouble unlocking it, but I did. Then I put the seat in normal position and I kept trying and finally got it to lock. Well, you know what happened by the title of the post. I turn the key, but the damn thing won't release. Any ideas as to what I can do? You guys understand: if it was a problem with an arm, a lung or a kidney, I wouldn't be so upset. But this is serious: this is my MOTORCYCLE

[slowkitty]

Press hard on the cowl and turn the key.

[dp.guzzi]

Tried it one more time and it opened. Something is not in proper alignment, I just don't know what. By the way, what did you think of the light? Here is a video clip of it in action:

[dp.guzzi]

Sorry, video clip was too large (even though it was only 5 seconds long)

[fotoguzzi]

I can't remember for sure but the hieght of the latch mechanism might be adjustable.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Slowkitty said "Press hard on the cowl and turn the key"

 

I often have to do this, it takes all the tension off the latch

[docc]

Back in the day   someone suggested the latch spring and the spring on the fast idle cable got mixed up and both work better reversed .  .  .

[Admin Jaap]

+1 to what Docc said.

[mznyc]

PS You are using the correct release lock aren't you? Don't ask me why I ask this,...

[gstallons]

Uhhhh.....that would be a small amen .  Don't ask me either .

[dp.guzzi]

I won't be able to look at it for a couple of weeks because of work / life, but I remember there being two screws that I might be able to adjust or make some other modifications with. I'll let you know when I check it out.

[dp.guzzi]

Happy ending: I finally got around to thinking about it. I realized that I couldn't push the seat down enough to make the lock engage. So I took out the two screws that hold the receiver part of the lock, put two washers on each side to raise the receiver a bit, and put the screws back. Voila! It works perfectly now.

[GuzziMoto]

Make sure there isn't something keeping the seat from going all the way on, like the wiring to the ecu. The seat should only sit on the frame. Watch for other things that it might damage by sitting on.

[dp.guzzi]

Good advice; will check.

[docc]

+1 on GuzziMoto.

 

Often the seat will press down on the battery itself. Some have reattached the battery basket under the subframe for more clearance.