Hitchcocks Forum

Hello all. I am looking at a second-hand C5 classic. What I would like to know would it be possible to fit a standard duel seat.

The C5 has a big bracket on the frame for the rubber mount of the solo seat that prevents fitting most dual seats, 91435 will. I try-fitted it but personally I didn't like the look of it on the C5. There are more dual seat options for the B5. The C5 does have a good pillion seat option 597447 (colour options). If you want to fight on the bike you definitely need a duel seat.

Hello. Duel, err Dual, much try harder.

If you are prepared to modify the frame and fittings you should be able to fit any seat you like. The big bracket under the C5's solo seat sticks up too far but the top corner is redundant. I lowered by C5 solo seat by removing its springs and fabricating steel brackets, and also taking that top corner off with a hacksaw (and filing neat plus a lick of paint) to get the seat down enough. The rubber bush can still be refitted should I wish, The seat is now fitted at the nose by conventional tongue and by struts down to the frame lugs. I have short legs, the result I find far more comfortable with better feel of the road and without the seat po-going. Sprung seats are for rigid frames, the solo seat springs are there for looks as most of its bounce is provided by the big rubber bush; the bike has good rear shocks on the swinging arm.



The C5 pillion seat option is about 8-in wide, about the same as H's dual seat. Wife complains it is not wide enough. I have a cheap but much wider 'Harley' touring type pad on order that is now overdue delivery, I should be able to fit this to the removable C5 pillion subframe.

The comfort of the C5 seat (or any seat) is a matter of opinion. Not suffering from duck's disease I find the standard one very comfy, especially with my Airhawk. I have relatively long arms (related to a monkey?) and find that the standard C5 setup is one of the most comfortable I have ever had. I don't care about the pillion seat as these days I don't take a pillion with me, though looking at it I doubt her indoors would appreciate sitting on it for long.

My C5 came with a dual seat fitted,the previous owner said he was given the option of either when he bought it new from Haywood's. There must be some available, although I'd not seen one until I viewed my bike.

I'll try to post a picture...

As I have mentioned before, I have duck's disease - long body, short legs, long arms, 5'9", 28" legs, 6'2" span arms like a gorilla, I'm a bit of an odd size. But that's me. I had to lower the front seat to get feet down but then found losing the bouncy springs improved the ride. I found the C5 solo seat more comfortable with the springs and rubber bush removed and replaced with good solid steel brackets (traditional fitting), you could set it any height you like (but do use hefty steel plate to support man weight).

Both the C5 solo seat and its optional pillion are very well made and well padded and look right on the bike which imo the dual seat 91435 does not (I try-fitted it in its bag but did not bolt it down). The dual seat would also place the driver a good bit higher than the solo seat does. Plus it has white piping which is a bit like a sore thumb on a bike without any white paint on it.



My wife insisted the bike have a pillion seat even though I knew she'd rarely get on the back. The cushioning is good but not wide enough for her liking and she's not the first lady to complain about the width of the RE rear seat. My logic is the Airhawk, which is far from cheap, is for hard seats, it does not make them wider; the stock pillion seat is far from hard. The pillion seat option has a good solid frame to which I hope to fit the cheap 11-in wide pad on order when it arrives.



If your pillion is only for occasional use I would go for the option 597447, it looks right and is dead easy to remove, no drilling of mudguard required.

The other point I forgot to mention is that I don't weigh a lot and therefore find that the rear suspension, even on its softest setting, is quite firm. For me, therefore, the fact that the standard solo seat is sprung doesn't produce a wallowing feeling (like I used to get with the similar set-up on a Moto Guzzi New Falcon I used to own. (Now that was slow-revving, with an unbelievably slow tickover afforded by the heavy external flywheel)...

Whereas I'm close to 100kg, a good 15-stone. Comfy rear setting #1 (soft) or #2 (potholes), #5 for pillion (if planned). Carry the C-spanner.



With solid seat brackets I can lean the bike by moving my bum whereas with the seat springs that just makes the bike wobble.

The solo seat isn't really sprung, the springs are there for looks, its bounce is performed mainly by its big rubber bush, but it does move about. If you disconnect the bike end of the springs it doesn't change the seat ride much.