Buddy Seat for 1965 FLH

[craig (DE)]

Hello,

Looking for a buddy seat for my '65 FLH. I've see a few on Fleebay but not sure of the correct style. Does anyone have a picture of the correct seat for '65? Also looking for the correct ignition switch and part number.
Thanks!

[55tmm]

attachment[1].jpg
Here is the one I have for my '65

[craig (DE)]

So it does have a smooth seat without the cross stitching, correct?

[rbenash]

Should be smooth and have gold piping.

[Steve Little]

Should be smooth and have gold piping.

Hi Ray.
I think the smooth top is correct for 65 but the gold piping may not be a hard fast rule.
Check out page 11 of the thread "65 Panhead book" which shows an original seat with Jan 65 paint stamp with no gold piping.
The factory pictures that Chris posted don't look to have the gold piping either.


I have one of the seats you are referring to, and it has white sides, black smooth top, and gold piping.
It is late now, so I will take a picture of my seat in the morning and I will see if the date stamp is worth a picture as well.

[rbenash]

Fair enough. There are plenty of changes in a '65. But have to say the original all white seat that was on my fathers (which I now own and restored) was smooth top with gold piping. I also had another seat now sold that had the gold piping and smooth top. Both had stamping for late 64. One was Aug 64 the other was Jun or Jul 64. If you have a seat stamped '65 it's either a late year '65 seat or was on a early '66 IMHO. We'll see what others have to say. The gold piping I'm referring to was on all white (sides and top) smooth seats.

[vph-d]

The seat that came with my 65 has a black top with gold piping. It is date stamped October 65, tha same month the bike was built.
VPH-D

[K. Felt]

This is the seat that was on my '65 when I bought it. Pan appears to have been painted so no date code.

[Chris Haynes]

The seat that came with my 65 has a black top with gold piping. It is date stamped October 65, tha same month the bike was built.
VPH-D

October 65 would be a 1966.

[BigLakeBob]

October 65 would be a 1966.

I'd like to comment on the date code and month timing. I believe the Oct '65 is possible for a '65 model year. I have a '62FL with a 12000 serial #, it came with the outside oiler bosses just not drilled and tapped, the date tag on the inside of the cases is 10/62. Chris, you have alot more knowledge than me on serial #'s and factory model info, but my cases are not restamped and the belly #'s match so it is not a replacement case IMO. Is there somewhere carved in stone the exact month and day the factory switched to next years model no matter what, or just a general rule?

[craig (DE)]

This is the seat that was on my '65 when I bought it. Pan appears to have been painted so no date code.

Thanks for the pictures K. Felt. Now the hunt begins to find me a seat.

[rbenash]

I would agree with Chris on this. IMHO with a 10/65 date it would be targeted for '66 model year build from my experience. What is the grain/stitching pattern on the top of the seat. I.E. - is it perfectly smooth? Would like to see a photo of the seat top. Are you sure the vinyl is original and not a recover. I would want to say that at minimum the seat pan with that stamping would have been on a '66 bike. So in the end I would be calling this seat or at minimum the seat pan a '66 model year item.

[K. Felt]

Couldn't they still be making seats late in the year for a particular model? Especially a '65 which was a popular model? I would think they would make more parts if they needed them even if it was late in the year. Who knows if there were delays with parts suppliers etc. I don't know, just asking.

[rbenash]

IMHO maybe for spares stock for over the counter replacement sales but not for new production MC's. And that's a
"loose" guess. Don't even want to expand the conversation into date stamps on seats that were for spares/replacements.

The "true" 1965 all white seat was a smooth top. I have an early production '65. Late year (64) Deluxe Buddy seats as installed on 1965 FLH may have skipped the gold piping, not sure.

It would have a date stamp that showed year 1964. Most every all white installed on production 1965 FLH original seat with smooth top/sides had gold piping. I had the original on
my Fathers bike and a used one. Both had the '64 stamping and had the gold piping.

When 1965 seat discussion goes to black and red seats - It's beyond my experience as I was totally focused on the all white 1965 model year seat for 10 years
before completing my '65 resto.

In the end though I do believe from years of looking the white seats were smooth on all sides - meaning no stitching to create pleats or pattern. There was a really
fine grain to the material used but it was virtually smooth, no stitching heavy grain or pattern on the seat. etc. I've seen NOS 1965 FLH all white seats and they had the
gold piping. If the gold piping is missing I don't think it's a huge deal. Has to be smooth though to be a true '65 white seat look.

Also - if you have the rubber strip around the bottom/rim of the seat or seat pan - it's '65 or later. That rubber strip/method
was used so you could strip the cover easier I beleive. Eitherway that's and indicator of 65 production year and later buddy seats for FLH Shovels.

In my experience the original all white smooth top/sides 1965 buddy seat with gold piping was a year thing and a distinquishing mark for a 1965 FLH with the KOTH grouping or optional deluxe buddy seat.

The true "buddy seat" not the "deluxe buddy seat" was the one that looked like a banana seat. It was also smooth top with gold piping for 1965. I had/have one if it's still in the loft. It also had a '64 year stamp.

The 66 and later shovels had a pleated pattern on the seats with a rubber ring arount the bottom rim, whether white, black or red. On both the Deluxe Buddy Seat or the regular Buddy Seat (banana seat). Also the seat rail on the bannana style buddy seat from 65 models to 66 had a change to the rear hand rail pattern as well. It went from tubular material to cast aluminum.

If you have a '64 seat pan with the stamping and want to do a close as possible match to an all white '65 seat - use Bob & Joes while they are still with us - after LOTS
of research Bob had the right material, the knowledge on how to do the padding and underlining to make the "butt feal" exact - and the gold piping. Look at their
addy in the club rag and you will see an all white buddy seat for a 1965. There's a reason that's there :-)

Chris and the other experts and those that worked for or had their own dealerships will keep me honest. Hanging myself out a bit for some vitriol on this one :-)

The

[vph-d]

Sorry, I meant Oct 64.
VPH-D