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removing heated seat 2005 K1200LT

10K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  rswisher 
#1 ·
OK...I give up.....what do I have to take off to get to the connection for my heated seat so I can change it? Is anybody out there familar with this? My new confort seat came in today and I was all excited about doing a quick switchover and getting it out for a ride in this nice weather...NOT!!! The wire disappears into the abyss somewhere inside the tupperware.....
 
#2 ·
The connector is under the left small plastic panel. In order to get access to the connector you have to remove the lower screws of the left side fairing. Then you have to pull out the lower corner of the fairing out in order to get the rubber fastener to come loose. Under the side fairing there is on more screw holding the front end of the smaller side panel. Try to get it loose and you might be able to reach the heater connector by carefully prying the plastic outwards. If you can not reach it, then take the three allen screws holding the (steel) passenger footpeg panel in place. After that remove two more screws in the rear part of the small plastic panel and it comes completely off.

I hope this helps...
 
#4 ·
That is a HUGE help....thank you very much. I would've started at the wrong end and taken off more than was needed. It doe'snt sound like such a bad job now....
Thanks again... Glenn
 
#5 ·
riderup1 said:
That is a HUGE help....thank you very much. I would've started at the wrong end and taken off more than was needed. It doe'snt sound like such a bad job now....
Thanks again... Glenn
Bad news -- that will get you to the connector, but it will not allow you to remove the seat! The wire goes from the seat to under the left upper side panel, down the leg of the seat frame that straddles the fuel tank, then back to where the connector is plugged into under the side cover. The problem is that the seat wire is zip-tied to the seat frame tube, so the upper left hand panel needs to be removed. In the last week or so, I posted step-by-step instructions for panel removal -- a search on "side" "panel" and "grommet" should turn it up.
 
#7 ·
I've taken dozens of heated seats off in about 5 minutes, and never had to take a panel off to do it.

From a previous post:

You guys are working WAY too hard ;)

A time saving shortcut but not for the faint of heart: If you break something I never told you.

Remove just a few of the fairing fasteners near the seat and jam some rags along the upper edge to allow the plastic fairing to bend out a bit without you holding it.

With a flashlight and a pair of LONG needle nosed pliers (special tool) reach in there and twist the two plastic wire ties that hold the heater wire cable to the frame until they snap. Unclip the connector and you're done. Makes a time consuming job easy IF you have the right tool. Worth $20.00 in my book to save an hour (or probably two if you've never done it before) job.

Whatever you do don't cut the cable in frustration....
 
#8 ·
Done deal....I did it Ron's way before even reading his post. I was'nt about to remove that whole side fairing bucause of two zip ties. Problem now is I see the new seat has some kind of goofy line down the right side...and two of them on the left side. It looks like they did'nt trip the padding under the outside covering properly. Are all the comfort seats like that?
 
#9 ·
I hope you are not putting to much weight that the BMW comfort seat is a great improvement over the stock seat my 05 has the comfort seat and it is by far the worst seat I have ever owned on a bike, Just waiting till the end of the month to send mine out for a custom job..
Glenn
 
#10 ·
I'm only 185 lbs....the comfort seat is definately better than the standard 05 seat was. I was totally happy with the seat on my 00 and did not know they had changed them when I bought the bike.....
 
#11 ·
seduced by the lower heated seat

hello new guy here i have a 99lt great ride great price
got a new lower heated seat from sierra bmw shipped last fall had dealer install for 250.00 rode all winter in r.i. with new seat and wondered what was so great didnt feel a bit of heat
just took bike to dealer for 12 k enema
mentioned how bad seat was
told oh thats because we never wired it in
the 99 lt isnt pre wired only the 99ltc came wired
no wonder my ass was soo cold this past winter
any ideas on how i can get hot dont want to freeze this fall and winter
 
#12 ·
Been there, done that!

I just removed my seat the other day. You will (or should) need to remove the upper tupperware on the left side to cut the cable ties holding the wire to the frame. I wasn't thrilled at first about taking it off but it was no big deal and it ended up being great practice. I wont be affraid to take it off next time and save me sume money when she goes in to the dealer for a checkup.
 
#13 ·
ferggie said:
I just removed my seat the other day. You will (or should) need to remove the upper tupperware on the left side to cut the cable ties holding the wire to the frame. I wasn't thrilled at first about taking it off but it was no big deal and it ended up being great practice. I wont be affraid to take it off next time and save me sume money when she goes in to the dealer for a checkup.
Absolutely no need to remove the tupperware - you may want to read my post above....

(or, if you are really lazy like me just cut the wires and join them again with tiny telephone wire butt connectors and heat shrink tubing you can buy at Radio Shack. Makes for a very quick, durable and water tight connection.)
 
#14 ·
I removed the seat with Rons suggestion. Nice and I didnt have to take side tupperware off. I used a long wire cutter to cut the wire ties. I also put new wire ties in place after removing seat heat cable. Thanks Ron for the pointers.
 
#15 ·
Re: K.I.S.S, (Keep it simple, silly!)

black1200lt said:
Once you get that wire out, you can leave it out and make it as easy as you thought it would be. :)
Or just turn the socket around and clip it back in place. This puts the seat connector towards the inside of the bike instead of hidden up against the body panel.
 
#16 ·
pozo_izquierdo said:
Glenn,

Mark was right with his post. I did not remember the zip tie on the right seat frame as I had throwed that away long time ago. So unfortunately looks like you need need to do more stripping...

Regards
I was able to clip the cable tie with a long handle diagonal cutter. :D
Not easy, but beat taking all of the other piece / parts off.

Next major maintenance I used a new zip tie for the other wire bundle.
 
#17 ·
Re: seduced by the lower heated seat

TRM said:
hello new guy here i have a 99lt great ride great price
got a new lower heated seat from sierra bmw shipped last fall had dealer install for 250.00 rode all winter in r.i. with new seat and wondered what was so great didnt feel a bit of heat
just took bike to dealer for 12 k enema
mentioned how bad seat was
told oh thats because we never wired it in
the 99 lt isnt pre wired only the 99ltc came wired
no wonder my ass was soo cold this past winter
any ideas on how i can get hot dont want to freeze this fall and winter
I also have an early '99 Icon that was not prewired for a heated seat. Not only does it lack the connector, even the fuse box wiring is empty where the switched circuit for seat heater should reside. I bought a used heated seat and then went round and round trying to figure out how to wire it in. As a temporary measure, I made up a connector with a BMW plug, and plugged it into the jack during winter months. Eventually, though, I added a relay equipped auxiliary fuse box (Centech) which powers my heated seat and a couple of other items.

Send me a PM if you want more details. I love my heated seat.
 
#18 ·
RonKMiller said:
(or, if you are really lazy like me just cut the wires and join them again with tiny telephone wire butt connectors and heat shrink tubing you can buy at Radio Shack. Makes for a very quick, durable and water tight connection.)
Ron...count me in as a member of the "lazy" club. Two minutes and it's a done deal.
 
#19 ·
RonKMiller said:
I've taken dozens of heated seats off in about 5 minutes, and never had to take a panel off to do it.

From a previous post:

You guys are working WAY too hard ;)

A time saving shortcut but not for the faint of heart: If you break something I never told you.

Remove just a few of the fairing fasteners near the seat and jam some rags along the upper edge to allow the plastic fairing to bend out a bit without you holding it.

With a flashlight and a pair of LONG needle nosed pliers (special tool) reach in there and twist the two plastic wire ties that hold the heater wire cable to the frame until they snap. Unclip the connector and you're done. Makes a time consuming job easy IF you have the right tool. Worth $20.00 in my book to save an hour (or probably two if you've never done it before) job.

Whatever you do don't cut the cable in frustration....
I know this was an older post, but you are RIGHT ON!!! I just did my '06. Got the seat wire out and even replaced the zip ties on the remaining wires, all without removing the whole right side. I don't think I even came close to breaking anything. GOOD ADVICE...
My only thought now is, the '06 must be slightly different than the '05. I read the instructions, did the job, then came back and read back through this thread and saw earlier about removing a screw on the small panel at the front of it, under the big upper panel. I don't remember removing or replacing a screw from under that panel and I have no parts left over. All I recall is popping the small panel loose from the grommet on the big panel. Maybe I did and just don't remember. Bad case of CRS I guess.

Thanks again
 
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