Hello from Northern Ireland

Hello folks. After a lifetime on motorbikes, I have just plumped for my first scooter; a 2002 Silverwing. And I LOVE it. I have to admit my decision to go down the scooter route was somewhat forced on me by a few health problems, but I do wish I'd discovered the joys of the feet-forward life years ago. I've one little problem maybe some of you guys could help me with? The seat will not engage with the latch. Any help you can give me would be much appreciated. G

Welcome Gordy23 to the best SWing site on the Net. I have an 08 SWing and I have to "slam" the seat pretty hard to get it to latch. Also, just a thought, try spraying some WD-40 or reasonable lube spray, on the latch. It might just be a bit sticky and not want to latch properly.

There are lots of people here with lots more knowledge than I have about the SWing so maybe someone else will have a better solution.

Gordy,

Welcome to the site and congrats on your SWing. Like Dale said, you may just need to shut it a bit harder so it latches but you may also want to remove the light bulb in the seat compartment so it doesn't stay on and run down your battery. Also, if you have your seat compartment loaded with stuff and find your seat won't open then just push down on the middle of the seat (the top of the butt rest) hard and then turn the key. Sometimes the seat is 'quirky' until you get to know your bike.

But the SWing is a very nice bike and will take you anywhere you want to go in comfort.

Gordy welcome to the forum. You've found the best place for everything Silverwing.
First I would look at the back latch under the seat and see if it is in the open position, if it's not then turn the key and see if it will open. If it is open then see if you can push it closed, then turn the key and see if it will open. Usually it takes a good push to close the seat. Just put the seat down then push down kind of hard on the back of the seat.
Let me know what you find out after trying some of the things I've suggested. After I hear what you find out and if it's still not working I may still be able to help.      

If you plan on doing your own maintenance you'll find you can do anything you need or want with the service manual and help from this forum. I add the paragraph below for most new members because there's a lot of information in the links and may save you some work.
Here are some links(3 below in blue)that will help you learn a lot about your Silverwing. If you can't find what you need in the links below the search on this forum works good, and if you still need help just ask and someone will do what they can to answer your questions.

Maintenance, Tips and Hints
Maintenance "Pictorials"
Accessories-Modifications

Thanks guys - for the welcome and the advice. The latch is in the open position and i can push it closed. I tried spraying it with WD40 but it was actually already fairly well lubricated and not seized or stubborn. I guess it must just be an alignment problem of some sort. I notice the bulb is already gone; I guess the previous owner has already discovered that issue. Roger; thanks so much for those links - v useful. Much appreciated.

Welcome to the forum Gordy. The links Roger gives are very helpful. You might narrow your search by typing seat latch into the search box on the upper left side of the forum page. There was one that was titled "Seat latch won't lock down" from Skippy that might help with your problem. Hope this helps.

My 11 swing seat locks with difficulty too. I set in in position then press firnly. Even so the seat wants to rattle unless I put a 1/4" pad between the seat and the body.

Hi Gordy & welcome from a somewhat in-frequent poster here. A great and knowledgeable group you have found here. I close my seat then "thump" it with my fist to engage the latch. You can hear it snap. If not engaged the light may stay on and drain the battery.

Where in NI is home? I had a tour of Bangor, Belfast, Porta Ferry, Grey Abbey with visits to Ulster Folk Museum and that great Museum of Transportation. ( How about the scooter collection in that place !!) Daft Eddy's was a fun stop too. The tour of Bushmills Distillery was a bit rushed - we got there for the last tour of the day.

Good luck with the seat latch.
Mike

Mike from NS wrote:

 The tour of Bushmills Distillery was a bit rushed

That's just sinful, of all the places to be rushed Bushmills Distillery shouldn't be one of them.  I'd have to stop at the closest pub and at least ceremonially finished the tour myself.

Daft Eddy's eh? You are a man of discernment Mike! I used to be a regular visitor there after Sunday morning attempts to drown myself in sailing races on Strangford Lough. I must confess, I haven't been in years - but you've given me a good idea for my next outing on the 'Wing; with Spring (just about) springing, a wee spin down to Skettrick Island sounds like just the ticket. I'm from a little village called Richhill, near Armagh, famous for its apple orchards and..... ....errrr.....its apple orchards. Sleepy hardly covers it. Still no joy with the latch I'm afraid although, to be honest, it doesn't cause me much of a problem except, I guess, security for my stuff when I'm parked up.

model28a wrote:

Mike from NS wrote:

 The tour of Bushmills Distillery was a bit rushed

That's just sinful, of all the places to be rushed Bushmills Distillery shouldn't be one of them.  I'd have to stop at the closest pub and at least ceremonially finished the tour myself.

I've been to the Bushmills Distillery a couple of times, I was last there about 5 years ago when I was over in Norn Iron for a few days on my 650 Burgman. I went there simply as a respite from the non stop rain. I didn't bother with the tour as I've been round a couple of distilleries in Scotland, so I had a long lunch and bought a few things in the shop.

Gordy,
If you can't lock the seat down ... the light may remain on ... and this will kill the battery.

A little background on my visit to NI:  It was 1997 and the couple from whom my wife & I were taking ballroom lessons were going home (to Newtonards) on a visit. Eight of their "students" went on the trip (following by a week) as well.  Great time was had for sure.  The teachers were the tour guides.  Stops included several pubs and touristy points of interest.  The troubles in NI were settling down but on the day we were in Belfast we witnessed an Orange-man's Parade complete with following bomb trucks. Other stops were places like; The Stables in Bangor, Carrickfergus Castle, NI, The Giant's Causeway, Betty's of Arundells, Crawfordsburn Inn for lunch. We waited at the Europa Hotel for our ride back to where we stayed (The Shelleven B&B in Bangor near the Marina)  after a play at The Old Opera House in Belfast ....Many many more pub stops along the way that week !  One thing that sticks out in my mind about Daft Eddy's was the tree around which it seems the place was built.  The Bushmills tour was -- we blend stuff here, over there we "cook" the brew (my words - not theirs), at that end we bottle it, through this door is the Queen Mother's keg storage area, and go through this door for your samples ... have a nice day - thanks for coming.  It was a nice gift shop however -- wasn't it Meldrew.

I think we may have gotten as far as Portadown.  Probably not much closer to Richill than that.  The tour guides had arranged a van to drive us around to various spots. The locomotives, jump jet and automobile displays in the Transportation Museum could have easily occupied the entire week.

Roger .. there were many pub stops that made up for the hasty distillery tour !

Good luck with the seat latch Gordy ... have one for me at Daft Eddy's

Mike