Need schooled on GT seat pans:

[pearljam724]

I read somewhere on line, on different sites.
That these bikes were notorious for seat pans rusting to rubble. I think I remember reading that it was on early models and that was later corrected. Is that part true ? Was it model specific or all ? Perhaps this reputation started from a lot of individuals that left their ride out in the rain too often ? Which, I could certainly understand that happening. Regardless, of gauge thickness or quality of the pan.

[aussie gt]

Have done two restorations on early seat pans, both very rusty. Still not happy with finished job, have not found good second hand ones. Can you buy new ones. cheers

[pearljam724]

I don't believe they're available anymore. It's either refurbish or make your own. Mine are in good shape, but I'd like to know the truth to it and what to expect out of mine in the future. If I were you. Id just sell those covers and foam. Buy other complete seats with good pans. Ebay usually has many. Pricey, but I would think you could easily fetch $40 a piece for your covers alone. Especially, if they are good and original.

[aussie gt]

I think the problem is, seats sit out in wet weather with splits in the cover then the moisture is held in inside the cover and seat. So if the cover is in good condition the seat should longer. cheers

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Adding a sponge and metal with moisture into any equation will create rust eventually, then add 30 plus years and you might be seeing much of neither. I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did given the bikes sat outside in a wreckers yard etc after being discarded.
Plenty of used seats show up on ebay and if you look carefully you can tell the crusty pans from the decent ones.
Its a myth about the pans just turning to dust, but they all will eventually if left to sit outside with a wet sponge on it.

[jabcb]

NOS GT750 seats show up on eBay every now & then for about $300.

[oldjapanesebikes]

NOS GT750 seats show up on eBay every now & then for about $300.

And that would be because Suzuki still sells them - about $286 new. Some other models (GT550 for example) are still available also. They only really fit the later models properly (L and newer) and do not have the metal trim. As well the cover may not be correct, but if that is important you can change the cover.

The GT500 seat had issues - just a bad mounting design, but others just suffered from what Allan described.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Yes Ian, kinda silly they never designed the T500 seats to open or add the correct pad locations on the later GT500 when they altered the pans a bit.

[pearljam724]

I also remember reading. Supposedly, another part of the problem was the top ( foam side) of the pan was bare metal. Can't verify that, though.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

All of the seat pans I've ever seen had some sort of minor paint coating on the upper facing portion. However one thing that causes a lot of the rust we now see on parts such as the battery box, electrical panel, upper engine mount triangular ears, rear inner fender and the seat pan, is lack of primer.
It appears they only applied glossy black to the bare metal, so no wonder it gets surface rust so aggressively.
Come to think of it the frames do this too, it usually starts from the welds as "rust worms" traveling along the tubes. If you sand the spot to touch it up, there appears to be no primer, just the black paint.

[pearljam724]

I can imagine the primer issue, Allan. But, as far as frames. My 750 original frame paint I would grade it as held up amazingly well. Considering age, lack of maintenance and paints used from this time period are considered poor by professional painters today. Enamels were very hard. But, they also cracked and showed many other cosmetic imperfections shortly after they were applied. You're absolutely correct about the joints.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

You also have to remember where you live plays a big part, low humidity places will allow the unprimed painted piece to look decent for many years.
Move it to a place like southern Florida and what will last for years in Nevada for example, suddenly has serious issues forming under that paint in literally months.
Case in point, the 75 GT750 I got out of Michigan had all original black paint on it and all of those pieces were in trouble, had it been in Calgary all of its life, the paint would look worlds better.

[pearljam724]

Absolutely. As I understand it, my Buffalo roamed in Maine for it's entirety. Low humidity. The frame and many other parts. Were also preserved by crustaceans of oil and other grease. Lol ! Funny thing about these old 2 strokes, had my bike's previous owner and the one prior to him. Cleaned it, prior to it sitting as long and often as it did. It would have rusted to junk. But, the excessive oil from the exhaust stuck to the bike. I'm sure, helped prevent that. These bikes, to an extent. Have a self preservation to them. From the fumes. Lol ! If you notice. The bikes that have moderate rust, most of it appears on the front portion of the bike.

[oldjapanesebikes]

I also remember reading. Supposedly, another part of the problem was the top ( foam side) of the pan was bare metal. Can't verify that, though.

My '68 T500 does not appear to have had paint on the upper side of the seat pan, although the underside was. Of course, what often happens is the paint comes off with the foam making it appear to not have been painted eh ? I'm pretty sure the other I have all were painted both sides, but I'd have to actually go look to confirm.