Sargent seat does not latch easily

Right on, I'll give it a shot

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My Sargeant seat was tight when new. My original seat was also tight. I never had a problem when unlatching. Turn the key, you could hear the latch pop, then just lift the seat up from the back above the latch. Perfect! My problem was getting it to latch when putting the seat back on. Both Seats!

First try your key and latch with the seat off the bike. Make sure this works fine! Then take a look at the seat pan and find the points that connect to the bike. On a sixth gen there should be two tabs near the front of the seat that go around two rubber coated holders just behind the tank. Make sure you are getting these tabs around the holders. The next point of attachment is two plastic tabs (On the seat pan) that fit under two black, lets call them wires. on the bike. This is where my problem was. You have to make sure these center tabs are under the wires. If these tabs are left on top of the wires it will be next to impossible to get the seat to latch. If you ride with the tabs on top of the wires they will chew up the tabs.

The last point of attachment is the latch at the rear. This will go in perfectly if everything else is lined up.

Here is what works for me. When attaching the seat I slide the front tabs almost into position and then push down on the center of the seat while slightly lifting up on the rear of the seat. I do this to make sure I get the center tabs under the wires.I slide the whole seat forward into position and just let the rear of the seat settle right into the latch. If it locks right in, I know I have it right. If it doesn't lock right away I know I dont have the other tabs lined up correctly.

Most of the guys at my Honda shop have a hard time putting my seat back on. I have to show them how.

 

I wish you could show me all this in person, lol

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This is not a big deal. Take a couple metal washers and shim the locking mechanism to make it just a bit longer. It doesn't matter what the seat is, Sargent, Corbin or OEM if the latch doesn't grab you have to adjust it. If you have to force it to bite then most likely the latch needs to be longer. Sargent is still the most comfortable seat I have ever sat on.

 

+1 on this reply! Pushing in the center is exactly what I have found to work!

 

Pushing in the center is exactly right! After about 150 miles I can say that the seat is remarkable and a huge improvement. I also installed the lower Knight Designs pegs in about 8 minutes - the combination is incredible. My 6'3" frame is much more comfortable. Amazing what a difference 1.3" makes!

 

My roommate has a Sergent for his 6th gen and IIRC when I was working on it, the seat actually fit a little loose for my liking, though I do recall the locking mechanism requiring some well aligned force to the center of the seat's ridge to click in. I always assumed it has more to do with the shoddy fit of the plastic tailcover over the seat.

It sounds like the Sergents may just be made to looser tolerances than they really ought, so it'll be hit or miss. If that's the case, I'd ask about sending it back for another if the fit is too difficult.

 

Mine needs more of a push down than the stock seat, it's way more comfortable though.

 

You know I've been considering getting one for my 5th gen, I just don't know if it'll really be worth the cost considering my stock seat is more than adequate for sliding my but across when hanging off in the corners, and for the longer trips and daily commute I have an airhawk R, which is so cushy I'd probably put it on top of the Sergent seat, too. Has anyone really seen much of a benefit with the Sergent vs the airhawk?

 

I popped my stock seat off and popped my Sargent on. No fuss no muss. You do have to make sure to line up the seat pan correctly with the body of the bike. Push down and slightly forward and snap. When you sit the seat on the bike it should be almost an inch rearward well, maybe 3/4". You can look under it from the rear when you are installing it until you get used to popping it on/off

As for worth, my ass was sore on stock around 100 miles or so especially in the summer. I can ride 400 miles and not heave to get off the bike even for gassing up on the Sargent no issue.