Removing pillion
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Sewall's Point, Florida
Removing pillion
I bought my Fat Bob from the dealer with a Le Pera Up-Front Bare-Bones seat and a passenger pillion. I don't plan on having a passenger often, if ever, but I figured I could just take it off, and pop it back on as required.
When I took the seat off last night, I discovered that there are four pieces of black rubber that appear to be GLUED to the fender to cushion the pillion. They look like crap.
Can they be taken off without wrecking the paint job? How hard is it to replace them? Is there a better solution?
When I took the seat off last night, I discovered that there are four pieces of black rubber that appear to be GLUED to the fender to cushion the pillion. They look like crap.
Can they be taken off without wrecking the paint job? How hard is it to replace them? Is there a better solution?
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 9
From: Monmouth, OR
I was reading a review on the new HD brown distressed leather setup with the passenger pillion, and the reviewer said the instructions said to stick the black rubber bumpers to the rear fender, but the reviewer recommended attaching the bumpers to the seat instead. I haven't looked at them myself, but if they'll stick, that makes more sense to me.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 4
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Find a very hidden place where you can try this and if it DOESN'T work, you won't
do any visible damage.
Take a soft rag and dampen it with fingernail polish remover, the kind that has
acetone in it.
Lightly dab it on that hidden paint test spot, let it set a minute, then gently wipe
it off with another clean, soft rag. Try this a couple times and if no damage is done
you can precede.
Take a pair of scissors and cut those glued on bumpers down almost to the base.
Dampen that cloth with the nail polish remover and let it soak into the rubber
and the are just around it. Gently try to run the remaining bumper off. If it doesn't
come, try again.
The acetone in nail polish remover is very diluted making it pretty safe, but not
PERFECTLY safe which is why you need to experiment first where if it does mar
the paint, it won't be seen.
FWIW, I'm considering changing my SG two-up seat to a solo / pillion or solo /
fender bib set up so I may need to do the same thing.
do any visible damage.
Take a soft rag and dampen it with fingernail polish remover, the kind that has
acetone in it.
Lightly dab it on that hidden paint test spot, let it set a minute, then gently wipe
it off with another clean, soft rag. Try this a couple times and if no damage is done
you can precede.
Take a pair of scissors and cut those glued on bumpers down almost to the base.
Dampen that cloth with the nail polish remover and let it soak into the rubber
and the are just around it. Gently try to run the remaining bumper off. If it doesn't
come, try again.
The acetone in nail polish remover is very diluted making it pretty safe, but not
PERFECTLY safe which is why you need to experiment first where if it does mar
the paint, it won't be seen.
FWIW, I'm considering changing my SG two-up seat to a solo / pillion or solo /
fender bib set up so I may need to do the same thing.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Sewall's Point, Florida
Seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it? I can hardly believe they did this to my bike. One would think they might suspect I might want to take the pillion off due to the fact that I made a point of ordering a separate seat and pillion.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,960
Likes: 26
From: Sonoma County, CA
Those bumbers will pull right off if you do it carefully. Mine did anyway. You may have to apply some heat but they will start to bend ever so slightly and finally you can get them off. Mine came off with the adhesive still on the bumpers. I then stuck them on the bottom of my stock seat so that when I do want to ride two-up they will support the seat as designed. As a side note, I took my GF out over the weekend and one of the bumpers was gone when I removed my seat later that eve. I guess I'll have to use a secondary adhesive to keep them in place (or I didn't get it back in the right place and it wasn't bearing any load).
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 5
From: Batesville Ga
I'm with Eric. I'd pull the pillion and park the bike out in the direct sun for a while. Might be all you need to soften the adhesive and let you pull them off. Kinda like getting bumper stickers off cars. good luck.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Sewall's Point, Florida
Those bumbers will pull right off if you do it carefully. Mine did anyway. You may have to apply some heat but they will start to bend ever so slightly and finally you can get them off. Mine came off with the adhesive still on the bumpers. I then stuck them on the bottom of my stock seat so that when I do want to ride two-up they will support the seat as designed. As a side note, I took my GF out over the weekend and one of the bumpers was gone when I removed my seat later that eve. I guess I'll have to use a secondary adhesive to keep them in place (or I didn't get it back in the right place and it wasn't bearing any load).
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