nhchris Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Hey gang, You know that black rubber plug under the seat? The one that's a pain in the ass to remove so you can release the front seat? Does it serve a real purpose or can I toss it in the bin? (It does not appear to support the seat in any meaningful way.) 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650 1971 Norton Commando Roadster 2002 Harley 1200 Sportster 2003 Honda ST 1300 2016 FJ 09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 I've wondered the same thing to be honest.. I left it in, I don't remember why though. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted July 26, 2019 Supporting Member Share Posted July 26, 2019 It’s allegedly a security feature... without the plug in place, the latch for rider’s portion of the seat can supposedly be accessed from outside the bike (thieves, pesky neighbor kids, etc...) without having to use the key to unlatch the rear seat section first. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperT Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 You could toss it, although I think Yamaha put it there so that you can’t unlock the front seat with a really long pick from outside the bike unless the plug is removed. It’s (probably) a theft prevention device, although I don’t know if anyone is ever confirmed that answer. -Skip 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipperT Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 (Sorry Texscottd looks likes you and I were typing at the same time) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chitown Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Many toss it. Like several others, I kept it but made it easier to remove by pushing a tack/screw/etc into the top of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhchris Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 Thanks guys. It definitely is a deterrent to releasing the seat. It takes me 5 minutes to pull it free after I use the key!! The tack idea is cool! 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650 1971 Norton Commando Roadster 2002 Harley 1200 Sportster 2003 Honda ST 1300 2016 FJ 09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmith Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 4 hours ago, skipperT said: You could toss it, although I think Yamaha put it there so that you can’t unlock the front seat with a really long pick from outside the bike unless the plug is removed. It’s (probably) a theft prevention device, although I don’t know if anyone is ever confirmed that answer. -Skip I too find this pesky plug a real PITA - it's now off my bike. I recall a statement here that it is supposed to stop loose 'things' from sliding down into the under-seat part of the bike and possibly interfering with something else. Whatever, it's a crap bit of design and intended function... Riding a fully-farkled 2019 MT-09 Tracer 900 GT from my bayside home in South East Queensland, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBB Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 It's for security, even I, with big hands can unlatch the front seat without unlocking the rear if the plug is out. Quite what a thief would do once the seat is off, I don't know, but perhaps undo the battery to disable a wired alarm? I put a small plastic screw in the top, from a license plate, that sticks up enough to easily grip and remove the rubber. Red 2015 Tracer, UK spec (well, it was until I started messing with it...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raggededge Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 (edited) So if you actually reach your finger under the bracket, you can easily push the plug up and loosen it in no time. Edited July 27, 2019 by raggededge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmark101 Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 They must have tossed this plug when my bike was prepped at the dealership because I have no idea what this is. Anyone care to share a picture?? There is nothing like spending a day riding with friends in the grip of a shared obsession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhchris Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) On 7/27/2019 at 3:51 AM, BBB said: It's for security, even I, with big hands can unlatch the front seat without unlocking the rear if the plug is out. Quite what a thief would do once the seat is off, I don't know, but perhaps undo the battery to disable a wired alarm? I put a small plastic screw in the top, from a license plate, that sticks up enough to easily grip and remove the rubber. Genius!! I just did the same here. Now a thief will have to pick the entire bike up and put in his pickup truck to steal it. HA! For you unlucky owners whose bike did not come equipped with the state-of-the-art feature, it looks like this....... Edited July 28, 2019 by nhchris 1 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650 1971 Norton Commando Roadster 2002 Harley 1200 Sportster 2003 Honda ST 1300 2016 FJ 09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted July 28, 2019 Supporting Member Share Posted July 28, 2019 2 hours ago, johnmark101 said: They must have tossed this plug when my bike was prepped at the dealership because I have no idea what this is. Anyone care to share a picture?? Here you go... as @raggededge mentions, it pops right out if you come at it from underneath the seat bracket... -Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member keithu Posted July 28, 2019 Premium Member Share Posted July 28, 2019 Mine was also missing when I bought my FJ-09 new four years ago. So far nothing has exploded. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chitown Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 Yes, it can be pressed out easily from underneath but mine usually has gunk on it (which ends up on my earplugs lol) so adding a "handle" to the top worked better. I think this is wordsmith's pic from another thread: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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