K1300GT Seat heating element

[alaskier]

I wonder whether anyone on the forum can help.

My heated seat is now only lukewarm even when on two bars so time I think for a replacement. Does anyone know where I could lay my hands on a replacement heating element? Presumably it is a Bosch product. Does any one know the part number?

I look forward to hearing from you with interest. I don't want to replace the whole seat as it is nearly £350 which is a lot just to keep my pert little botty warm and snug during Winter's cold embrace ... 

[raesewell]

The heating element is a simple affair of wire on a mat with a plug on the end. Check the plug and give it a clean with contact cleaner. If there is a break in the wire it wouldn't work at all.

[alaskier]

Thanks Rae. I will give it a try but I don't hold much hope. I have not got any contact cleaner but I do have a can of brake cleaner so I will give it a squirt of that.

I will report back when I next ride the bike - Saturday if it's not too wet.

Cheers,
Tony

[flatfour]

The heated seat on my K1300GT doesn't get very warm, after around 20 minutes it is quite enough to feel heat, however unlike the seats in the car, there is no sensation of being burning hot.

Some months ago the dealer tested it (measuring warm - up time and temperature) and pronounced it fine.

He did say (quite sensibly I think) that in heavy motorcycle clothing, nothing is going to feel very hot, and it also loses lots of its heat to the air rushing by.

[raesewell]

I only tried my heated seats once or twice. When you are on the bike the warmest bit of your body is your bum even without the heated seats. My wife positively hated the heated seats.
Halfords contact cleaner is cheap and effective.

[Matt]

I'm glad to hear they're pants and need to remember this if I ever get to the stage of wanting to waste loads of money on this bike!

[TomL]

It might be worth checking across the terminals of the heating element to make sure that they are not open circuit.

If there is not a break in the heating element then it could be a switch gear fault.

[alaskier]

I'm glad to hear they're pants and need to remember this if I ever get to the stage of wanting to waste loads of money on this bike!

My bike is not for sale so you have nothing to worry about

[alaskier]

To let you all know I liberally sprayed both parts of the plug with brake cleaner but it has not made any appreciable difference. The heated seat still works but not very well. If I come down with the dreaded blue bum disease next winter I will make the decision as to whether or not I shell out £350 for a new seat. If I buy second hand the chances are it will not be any better than my current seat.

Thank you all for your advice on this matter.

Tony

[raesewell]

If it's getting power then the heating element cannot be broken. Could be switch connection or faulty/dirty switch gear.

[Matt]

Got a multimeter knocking about?

[alaskier]

I have what I think is a multimeter but It's well over 20 years old and the probes (if that is the right word) will not fit into the plug. I tried using bits of old copper wire a couple of weeks ago and connecting them to the probes but that didn't seem to work either. I will ask my dealer to check it out next time I take it in for a service, probably around Christmas.

[raesewell]

Multimeters are as cheap as chips and available on every street corner (almost) I have about five. No, sorry four, I gave one away.

[Phmode]

I have what I think is a multimeter

 

[corkboy]

You may have already thought of it,


But try measuring the temp. with a normal thermometer. Then swap the plugs from the passengers seat to the riders, and measure the temp. of the passengers one. (Obviously while in the garage/driveway).

It gives you another data point.

Also, use the passengers plug to see if it's the plug/connector at fault.