Pillion seat latch is stuck!

[maccraith]

I took off the seats and put them back on just a day ago. Today the pillion wont unlatch. The key turns in the lock. I can hear a slight mechanical sound as if a cable is pulling on a mechanism, but the seat will not come off!

I can think of a several possible reasons why - such as a lock gone bad, a broken cable, or something stuck in the latch. But I don't have any idea as to where to begin or what to do.

The bike is a 2003 R1150R with 75,000 + miles on it. The seat is a two piece Sargent World Sport Performance seat made for the R which has given me no trouble whatever in two years of use.

Any suggestions or directions? Surely this has happened to others, but I can't find any reference to it in the search data.

[kirby]

I have the same seat and sometimes in order to get it to unlatch I have to push down on the seat as I turn the key to the right. I have never thought much about how to manualy unlatch but maybe I should. I believe you can get to the cable?

[riceburner]

yeah - sometimes you need to push down to get the actual latch to disengage.

[dandeldesierto]

I was going to suggest exactly what the previous posters recommended. I have a Sargent (front only) in conjunction with a "Rockster rear panel" and it's stiff sometimes (moreso than the stock setup)

[maccraith]

Have tried all the suggestions above; no joy so far. I have removed the seat lock / helmet lock mechanism and have pulled directly on the cable end. It seems to be at the end of its travel. I have pushed down on the pillion, pulled up on the pillion (standing on the passenger pegs), pulled from one side and then the other all while having a helper pull on the cable end. I have beat on the seat, elbowed it, had a helper sit on the seat while pulling the cable then lifting up on the seat - nothing has worked. I am afraid that if I push or pull on anything any harder, I will break the seat. Is it possible to get to the seat lock itself from under the mud guard?

I am out of ideas. Help!