1955 KH seat bracket

[TMcC]

I am wanting to get a little more leg room when riding as I feel to cramped so I wondered if I have the correct seat bracket for a single seat. I could do with the seat being moved back about 1 inch. I'm about 5' 11". So not tall but I wonder how other people feel riding these bikes.
It has a part number 51910-52 C1 HXL
Is this the correct bracket for a 1955 KH model.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Tony

[hennesse]

I am wanting to get a little more leg room when riding as I feel to cramped so I wondered if I have the correct seat bracket for a single seat. I could do with the seat being moved back about 1 inch. I'm about 5' 11". So not tall but I wonder how other people feel riding these bikes.
It has a part number 51910-52 C1 HXL
Is this the correct bracket for a 1955 KH model.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Tony

Tony - I think you may have a 1952-1953 seat and tee. These seats/tees are a little shorter than the 1954-later ones. I'm 5'10" and the seating position on my 1954 KH with the correct seat/tee is comfortable. Take a look at this thread and see if that helps.

BTW, the number embossed on the tee - and on any Harley part - is a casting number, not the part number.

[TMcC]

Thank you I really appreciate your reply.
I'm in New Zealand and really thought that those parts were correct.
So would the seat pan that fits this seat tee also be wrong for a 1955 KH.
It measures 6 and 5/16" across the seat pan bolt holes the same as in that other thread you suggested that I look at.

[wz507]

I am wanting to get a little more leg room when riding as I feel to cramped so I wondered if I have the correct seat bracket for a single seat. I could do with the seat being moved back about 1 inch. I'm about 5' 11". So not tall but I wonder how other people feel riding these bikes.

I concur with your observation regarding a longer framed person being cramped on a K Model with a solo seat. To me, a K model is a really small bike. I'm also 5' 11" and find my KHK to be very uncomfortable to ride for long distances fit with a stock solo seat. It is my opinion that when fit with a solo seat Ks would be extremely comfortable for a person about 5' 8", but not a for a 6 footer with long arms. I had an XLCH with a buddy seat on it when i was in my 20's and found that to be extremely comfortable, as the seat allowed me to move rearward as far as needed to achieve a comfortable seating position.

[Ferrous_Head]

OK. Here goes.

(No doubt someone will come along to shoot me down in a minute.)

The first solo seat. 520120-52 is used with Tee 51902-52/ That's the "long solo seat"

The 52010-54 seat is used with a 51902-54 Tee. It's the "short solo seat".

From memory, the "short seat" is 13 inches by 13 inches and the long is 13 x 16 inches.

The bikes from 1954 on could have either seat fitted - optional choice by the purchaser. I suspect the shorter seat MAY have been aimed at the KR racing models.

I am 6 foot tall and the seating position is "awkward". Mostly because you sit too far forward and there isn't really enough leg space, Having said that I've only ridden bikes with the short solo seat. I don't know that the "long" version is going to be a lot better. But it might.

[hennesse]

The previous owners of both my 54 KH and 62 XLCH are tall - 6+ feet. The 54 had the original horse-hide buddy seat on it. The 62 had the original Dual Seat. Both said they were uncomfortable with the solo saddle. I replaced them both with solo saddles.

Check out this page: https://www.harleykmodel.com/technical/seats-buddy/index.html It was supposed to replace the current Technical:Seats article, but it failed to make it to the index. I don't know why. Click on the illustrations on that page.

If you need more room, your 1955 could have the version 2 buddy seat shown. These are a little hard to find, but they are out there. There's a repro (V-twin?) solo saddle being sold that appears longer than the stock saddle, possibly more like the 52000-40 saddle used on 1965-1969 XLCH. I've never investigated that one.

All the seat tees will fit on all the 1952-1969 bikes. BUT, the 52-53 seat only fits on the 1952-1953 tee. The 1954-1964 seat only fits on the 1954-1964 tee. And I think the 1965-1969 seat only fits on the oddball tee (51901-52R ?) tee.

Mr. Iron(II) - isn't the 1952-1953 seat a little shorter than the 1954-1964, and it has a "cupped" shape that gives the back of your butt a little extra support? You know, the awesome power of the 750 cc Ks would blast you right off the seat!

TMcC - 1955 KH, NZ, did you ever meet Michael Broad?

[Ferrous_Head]

I had a lot of trouble sorting out seats years ago.

I had the longer seat, (from memory 16 inches) and wanted to convert to the shorter seat. But then discovered the shorter seat wouldn't fit on the seat tee I had. So I had to find the 50902-54 tee.

Again, from memory, the spacing for the mounting holes at the rear of the seat were different between the two seats. It's a key point for getting any seat to fit any tee.

There are a lot of Hummer seats out there as well. They look very similar but won't fit the tee. But I worked out the drain holes are a different pattern and that makes them easy to spot.

Apart from the position the sprung seat isn't needed with rear suspension and makes the ride feel "vintage" at best.

Well, of course that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

[TMcC]

Dave
Yes Michael Broad was a very good friend of mine and this is his old bike. He thought the world of it and in 1955 sent to the factory asking for a KH brochure
Back in about 1993 I did all the main work on restoring the bike assembling and polishing but sent the engine out to be overhauled and had it painted by a professional painter .
Once it was on the road Michael sorted out some teething problems. Michael was very grateful to be part of this forum and especially to have had the help and friendship of Stan Diener
Over all the years I still looked after the bike and Michael offered me the chance to buy it before he died in 2020. I never bought it home until he went into a rest home just before he died. I just wanted him to know it was still there.
He was a small man and the seat fitted him perfectly and I want to make it more comfortably and enjoyable for me. I have always had a great passion for this bike and carry that on.
I always think of my dear friend when riding or working on the bike and feel he is still around.
Tony McCarthy
New Zealand