View Full Version : Seat cowl - installation and replacement rubber grommet


ninjablk08
March 24th, 2009, 06:51 PM
heres what i find to replace rear cowl rubber grommet and its a better fit ,tighter even, got it at Lowe's for $1.20

watcanido
March 24th, 2009, 08:52 PM
lol.. can you take a pic of the actual grommet? all I see is the ripped open packaging? also can you still lift up the rear of the cowl? and when you take off the cowl does the grommet come off as well? thanks for sharing. :D

ninjablk08
March 24th, 2009, 09:23 PM
ill take pic of it tomorrow ,cause it a tight fit both on cowl and metal bar

Small Ninja
March 24th, 2009, 11:45 PM
Ha i was thinking the same thing wheres it at?

HKr1
March 25th, 2009, 05:00 AM
lol.. can you take a pic of the actual grommet? all I see is the ripped open packaging?

Was kinda funny with a pic of the open package. If it was a pic of just the grommet, Iam sure somebody would of been saying... Thats nice, but what kind.. what the p/n. < what isle is it on :D

Some good info none the less :)

ninjablk08
March 25th, 2009, 06:22 PM
here r the new pics of rubber grommet and install on bracket ,its a tight fit u can hear it snap in place when u push the back side down, its on the isle where the bolts and washer are, its in a draw mark rubber grommets, you can even see the shape of the post from the cowl,and when i remove cowl rubber stays on the bracket,i think it works well

M-Oorb
March 26th, 2009, 07:41 AM
Does the rear cowl seem like it has a flusher fit? This is one of my main issues with the cowl and if they makes a better fit I'd lov to get it...cheap fix :)
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ninjablk08
March 26th, 2009, 06:33 PM
Does the rear cowl seem like it has a flusher fit? This is one of my main issues with the cowl and if they makes a better fit I'd lov to get it...cheap fix :)
Posted via Mobile Device

here r before and after[ATTACH] i used the two small rubber stops from rear seat added small cushion to ea one ,left the two back rear cowl rubber stops on , took off locking bar off bent it with long socket slightly,done

Visus
April 3rd, 2009, 09:44 PM
Awww, yeah!

1267

hieuster
April 3rd, 2009, 10:24 PM
I'll take it, Thanks! :p Looking real nicee! :thumbup: I wish I had the money to cough up for one. Just spent my life savings on a yoshi slip on this week. :(

Sound Wave
April 3rd, 2009, 11:21 PM
Just spent my life savings on a yoshi slip on this week. :(
oh you poor thing. you only have an exhaust. :D man, i wish i could afford an exhaust for my bike. i would much rather have an exhaust than a cowl seat.

as finances would have it, i can only afford the cowl seat also. :( mine should hopefully come in sometime early next week.

looking good todd! :thumbup:

M-Oorb
April 4th, 2009, 12:01 PM
Shoulda saved for a full system:o

rceezy
April 4th, 2009, 05:47 PM
Yum... I can't wait to get one! Where did you purchase it from?

Visus
April 4th, 2009, 07:03 PM
Yum... I can't wait to get one! Where did you purchase it from?

eBay has your cowling needs.

voodoomaster
April 4th, 2009, 07:12 PM
Yum... I can't wait to get one! Where did you purchase it from?

I got mine from a dealer on Ebay for about $100 bucks. I can't decide if that cowl looks better than the OEM seat or not :bangdesk:

Buffalony
April 5th, 2009, 04:39 AM
yeah me too. Something is just a little funny about it.

ninjabrewer
April 5th, 2009, 05:12 PM
Looking good Todd, I have one on mine also, the only drawback is if you see a really gorgeous lady hitch hiking, not place for her to ride.

nb

HKr1
April 5th, 2009, 07:34 PM
Now you gotta lift your leg higher :)

rceezy
April 5th, 2009, 07:54 PM
Looking good Todd, I have one on mine also, the only drawback is if you see a really gorgeous lady hitch hiking, not place for her to ride.

nb

hehe, She'll have to get her own baby then! :p

Jiu Jitsu Player
April 5th, 2009, 08:13 PM
yeah me too. Something is just a little funny about it.

I noticed this too. I think it has something to do with the additional space that comes with the passenger seat strap. When I put the cowl on or the rear seat (now strapless thanks to custom seat creations) it just looks a bit off and there is a noticeable gap from where the strap was.

Visus
April 6th, 2009, 01:10 AM
Looking good Todd, I have one on mine also, the only drawback is if you see a really gorgeous lady hitch hiking, not place for her to ride.

nb

Hey, if Bond can do it handcuffed....

http://blog.mctimages.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/04/01/tomorrowneverdiesm04.jpg

paterick4o8
April 6th, 2009, 01:38 AM
looks likes it's sticking up a little on the right side, or is it just me?

another drawback is that you can't hook a helmet to the trunk anymore with this on :/

Sound Wave
April 6th, 2009, 01:48 AM
from what i understand, if you don't adjust them, they pretty much all have that gap up in the front.

Visus
April 6th, 2009, 03:25 AM
Yes, apparently, they don't fit seamlessly to the tail, but it still looks cool so all of your arguments shall be ignored. ;)

miks
April 6th, 2009, 04:39 AM
:eek: :eek:

Bond is a :squid:

Sound Wave
April 6th, 2009, 06:26 AM
Yes, apparently, they don't fit seamlessly to the tail, but it still looks cool so all of your arguments shall be ignored. ;)
up to you. lol.

M-Oorb
April 6th, 2009, 08:35 AM
I had this problem with the fitment of my cowl as well. I dunno what kawi was thinking when they designed this thing but they should hav done a better job with the gap in the front. Yet I've seen other peoples and its not that bad...seems to be a hit or miss thing unfortunatly. If you have this big gap in front...remember to pop on the rear seat when washing your bike cause water seems to love going under there with the cowl on.
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Shift250R
April 6th, 2009, 09:21 AM
looks likes it's sticking up a little on the right side, or is it just me?

another drawback is that you can't hook a helmet to the trunk anymore with this on :/

It comes with a little indention on the left side so you can still use the hook for your helmet strap. I never use it but ive tried it with my cowl and it works. Im not sure if its just me but I think when you first put it on its really high and then after a while it goes down a bit.

paterick4o8
April 6th, 2009, 09:25 AM
It comes with a little indention on the left side so you can still use the hook for your helmet strap. I never use it but ive tried it with my cowl and it works. Im not sure if its just me but I think when you first put it on its really high and then after a while it goes down a bit.

hmm ok. someone with the cowl told me you can't put the helmet on. if it does work like you say, sounds good if you're riding solo if you can hook it when parked, but won't make sense to use if you go 2up.

maybe i'll consider getting one now

Buffalony
April 6th, 2009, 10:40 AM
hmm ok. someone with the cowl told me you can't put the helmet on. if it does work like you say, sounds good if you're riding solo if you can hook it when parked, but won't make sense to use if you go 2up.

maybe i'll consider getting one now

Yeah an older version of the cowl didnt have openings for the helmet strap. All newer makes have this now.

paterick4o8
April 6th, 2009, 10:42 AM
Yeah an older version of the cowl didnt have openings for the helmet strap. All newer makes have this now.

good to know. thanks for the info

Jiu Jitsu Player
April 6th, 2009, 05:16 PM
I'm more concerned with the gap in front if anything. I don't have mine yet but tried one on my bike just to check it out and the gap is almost a 1/4 inch. Not to mention the thing doesnt really secure all the way so it can possibly be lifted up by anyone walking by.

Im not too concerned with the whole helmet issue since I never leave mine on the bike..trust no one. Does anyone who has had the cowl for a while have problems with either the lifting issue or the gap in front?
Also- some of those cowls on ebay seem to be aftermarket ones and not the authentic Kawi versions. Anyone notice a real difference between the two?

sometimesido
April 6th, 2009, 05:23 PM
so, where is the picture of this "gap?"
My buddy's gxr cowl has a huge gap...

Visus
April 6th, 2009, 05:25 PM
I'm more concerned with the gap in front if anything. I don't have mine yet but tried one on my bike just to check it out and the gap is almost a 1/4 inch. Not to mention the thing doesnt really secure all the way so it can possibly be lifted up by anyone walking by.

Im not too concerned with the whole helmet issue since I never leave mine on the bike..trust no one. Does anyone who has had the cowl for a while have problems with either the lifting issue or the gap in front?
Also- some of those cowls on ebay seem to be aftermarket ones and not the authentic Kawi versions. Anyone notice a real difference between the two?

Make sure the bracket which has the notch that secures the cowl is on the right way. When I first put it on, the notch was on the wrong way and would not catch. Rotated the bracket so the notch was inline with the locking mechanism and it's secure now.

kkim
April 6th, 2009, 05:30 PM
this is what a proper fitting cowl should look like. it is a picture from kawasaki PR. Is this the gap you guys are bitching about?

http://www.rubbermag.com/news/0710/imgs/071001_kawa250a.jpg

SF-Dug
April 6th, 2009, 05:49 PM
I just got mine today and the rear rubber grommet is driving me nuts. I figured out how to lock the front by pushing down on it so that the latch catches. The rear portion though just lifts up way to easily and the rubber grommet dislodges as well. I hope the break in period as some have suggested happens quickly. I might have to head to a hardware store to see if they have a rubber grommet that can work as a better replacement then the stock one that came with the seat cowl.

Jiu Jitsu Player
April 6th, 2009, 05:55 PM
this is what a proper fitting cowl should look like. it is a picture from kawasaki PR. Is this the gap you guys are bitching about?



Nope. Actually the one you posted is perfect Kelly. What I'm talking about is more in line with the pic in the very first post. That's about the size gap I had on the one I tried on. Granted I didn't try reversing the grommmet or whatever someone had suggested, I was just curious about the gap. If yours looks like your picture though, then I have no worries....other than someone being able to lift my cowl and jack whatever is underneath. but visually- no worries!;)

kkim
April 6th, 2009, 06:00 PM
yeah, the front and rear rubber standoffs that you install into the cowl when you buy it can easily be reversed. In the instructions they warn you about using the correct ones in the proper places. check to see if yours are reversed. I can't remember offhand where the bigger ones go... front or back.

Jiu Jitsu Player
April 6th, 2009, 06:14 PM
Kkim, wise beyond belief you are!

kkim
April 6th, 2009, 06:23 PM
nah... just seen other with those standoffs reversed. :p

voodoomaster
April 7th, 2009, 04:43 PM
I had this problem with the fitment of my cowl as well. I dunno what kawi was thinking when they designed this thing but they should hav done a better job with the gap in the front. Yet I've seen other peoples and its not that bad...seems to be a hit or miss thing unfortunatly. If you have this big gap in front...remember to pop on the rear seat when washing your bike cause water seems to love going under there with the cowl on.
Posted via Mobile Device

ahhhh...good point about the wash job and water intrusion.:mad:

voodoomaster
April 7th, 2009, 04:45 PM
Awww, yeah!

1267

Todd...you need some kewl knji on that tail bone! :cool:

voodoomaster
April 7th, 2009, 04:50 PM
I'm more concerned with the gap in front if anything. I don't have mine yet but tried one on my bike just to check it out and the gap is almost a 1/4 inch. Not to mention the thing doesnt really secure all the way so it can possibly be lifted up by anyone walking by.

Im not too concerned with the whole helmet issue since I never leave mine on the bike..trust no one. Does anyone who has had the cowl for a while have problems with either the lifting issue or the gap in front?
Also- some of those cowls on ebay seem to be aftermarket ones and not the authentic Kawi versions. Anyone notice a real difference between the two?

The one I got has a perfect paint job, but I had to file down the plastic hook that sticks into the rubber grommit in ordr for it to seat down far enough so as to not pull off by just lifting he back end. Fits correct now. :thumbup:

M-Oorb
April 7th, 2009, 05:03 PM
I made a thread a couple months back about this gap in the cowl cover. Tried every...switching things around...nothings seemed to work. I can stick 2 fingers in between the bike and the cowl no problem :mad:. I've given up and just accepted kawasaki made a crapy piece. I wish my gap was like the picture that Kelly put up. Mine just sucks...Chris(since it seems like you have the same problem as me) if you or anyone else figure out how to eliminate this gap hook a brotha up!

Jiu Jitsu Player
April 7th, 2009, 05:31 PM
Sorry bro. I don't exactly have that problem since mine hasn't come in yet! But a freind who works at the dealership let me try one on my bike just to get a visual and it had the exact gap problem we've been talking about. I actually ordered one off of ebay so Im hoping it doesnt have that problem. The stealership wanted $130 for the damn cowling!
Here's the link to the one that I ordered:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190292986873&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

Hard to tell if it is OEM or aftermarket though. I just hope it fits like Kelly's pic.

M-Oorb
April 7th, 2009, 05:49 PM
I ordered mine from ebay too...but from a dealership and it still didnt fit right:(

sometimesido
April 7th, 2009, 06:06 PM
even with the standoffs switched?

Buffalony
April 8th, 2009, 07:51 AM
"HEY YOU GUYS" I have the same problem. The fix was posted before (kkim...ur slackin).
The fix to this is.....The metal bracket that comes with it has a defect...It has to be bent.
If you take a straight edge to it, it will not line up. it needs to be bent straight for the cowl to fit as desired.

tinng321
April 8th, 2009, 04:47 PM
is the cowling a dealer accessory or an aftermarket part?
i'm new to all this.
thanks,
tin

Sound Wave
April 8th, 2009, 07:11 PM
they are factory accessories but i have also seen, what i assume are, aftermarket knock-off ones that don't have the back pad.

M-Oorb
April 8th, 2009, 08:20 PM
"HEY YOU GUYS" I have the same problem. The fix was posted before (kkim...ur slackin).
The fix to this is.....The metal bracket that comes with it has a defect...It has to be bent.
If you take a straight edge to it, it will not line up. it needs to be bent straight for the cowl to fit as desired.

I believe this is the fix you are talking about?
http://www.kawiforums.com/showthread.php?t=103877&highlight=seat+cowl

I don't know about everyone else but this doesnt solve the problem I have been stating. This mod fixes a locking problem that some people have had with their cowl. The problem I...and others...have stated is an overly large gap in the front. The front clicks in and locks fine thats not the issue...the issue is the big gap in the front.

kkim
April 8th, 2009, 08:21 PM
picture?

M-Oorb
April 8th, 2009, 08:23 PM
of the gap? I believe I posted a pic of it on another thread a while back when I first got it and it was part of my winter break project...just take a look at the first post in this thread though...gaps just like that on mine. I'll try to search the forum and find my exact picture

M-Oorb
April 8th, 2009, 08:25 PM
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=231&d=1229908964

This is the picture of my exact cowling. The gap was big enough to EASILY stick 2 fingers underneath. Seems to me the newer seat cowls...the one with the little gap in it to fit a helmet...are the ones that dont fit on that well. In the same thread that that picture is posted in is yours(Kelly) and Alex's and those are the older models and seem to fit fine.

kkim
April 8th, 2009, 08:31 PM
can you link the thread so I can reread what we discussed?

another shot of mine...

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_geC920GCq38/SUbX7PKXlmI/AAAAAAAAB6w/-rweCIZCA3s/s640/DSC04833-1.JPG

M-Oorb
April 8th, 2009, 08:33 PM
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10975&highlight=winter+break+project

There ya go...on the first page a couple posts down

kkim
April 8th, 2009, 08:43 PM
I must admit your cowl does look a bit higher than mine. I know you said you checked, but are you sure the rubber standoffs are in their proper location? Did you try switching them around just to confirm?



http://www.ninjette.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=298&d=1230501020

SF-Dug
April 8th, 2009, 10:08 PM
The one I got has a perfect paint job, but I had to file down the plastic hook that sticks into the rubber grommit in ordr for it to seat down far enough so as to not pull off by just lifting he back end. Fits correct now. :thumbup:

I just replaced the rubber grommet with one from a hardware store today and if fits perfectly now. The grommet that Kawi sent was just garbage IMHO. Maybe it needed time to set but the one from the hardware store I got just fit better and tighter from the moment I stuck it on the bracket in the rear tail section.

M-Oorb
April 9th, 2009, 05:34 AM
Yup tried them every which way Kelly :(...Doug you mean sharing where and what kinda grommets you got? A before and after picture would be great ;). and maybe a picture of the new grommets themselves

voodoomaster
April 9th, 2009, 05:59 AM
"HEY YOU GUYS" I have the same problem. The fix was posted before (kkim...ur slackin).
The fix to this is.....The metal bracket that comes with it has a defect...It has to be bent.
If you take a straight edge to it, it will not line up. it needs to be bent straight for the cowl to fit as desired.

CRAP! I was cheated....mine didn't come with any stinkin' bend in the bracket!:mad: WTF...over. Did have to file down the nipple at the back though in order to get it to sink in low enough to catch the bottom of the rubber grommit. It just kept pulling out by just lifting the cowling from the back end. Works as specified now.

VDM:thumbup:

M-Oorb
April 9th, 2009, 07:23 AM
Opps...I meant would you MIND sharing btw haha...but I'm serious...SHARE :)
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SF-Dug
April 9th, 2009, 10:19 AM
Yup tried them every which way Kelly :(...Doug you mean sharing where and what kinda grommets you got? A before and after picture would be great ;). and maybe a picture of the new grommets themselves

The grommet in this post is the basically the same one I got from a True Value Hardware store. I took the original along with me for comparison when selecting the proper grommet because there was a broad selection. I just made sure that the grommet was about the same size and that the hole in the middle was roughly the same size. I spent 58 cents on the thing and with the receipt still in hand I tested it outside since I rode down there on my motorcycle.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=36707&postcount=6

M-Oorb
April 9th, 2009, 10:27 AM
So changing that grommet just fixed the lock-in in the back correct? I didn't change the fitment in the front of the cowling did it ? :/

Buffalony
April 9th, 2009, 09:54 PM
I believe this is the fix you are talking about?
http://www.kawiforums.com/showthread.php?t=103877&highlight=seat+cowl

I don't know about everyone else but this doesnt solve the problem I have been stating. This mod fixes a locking problem that some people have had with their cowl. The problem I...and others...have stated is an overly large gap in the front. The front clicks in and locks fine thats not the issue...the issue is the big gap in the front.

When I installed my cowl it locked fine and had a gap that looked just like yours, until I bent the bracket. At first the front pads were not touching properly either. After I bent the bracket it was better. Then I took a couple mm off the pads and now it sits like kkims.

kkim
April 9th, 2009, 10:29 PM
just for clarification, I didn't do anything to my cowl. it's the way it came from the factory.

Sound Wave
April 9th, 2009, 10:43 PM
well, i got my cowl today and yup... i had the huge gap like the one in the first pic. i fixed it and it is basically gone now. i adjusted it as much as i could and still have the lock catch the pin. i am happy with the way it looks. just gotta wait for my carbon fiber print from custom seat covers for that rubber piece.

man, kelly you lucked out huh? seems like yours was the exception to the norm.

Buffalony
April 9th, 2009, 10:57 PM
just for clarification, I didn't do anything to my cowl. it's the way it came from the factory.

Cause you were lucky or you just deserved it.:D

kkim
April 9th, 2009, 11:02 PM
yeah, like like everything else on this bike, quality control (or lack of it) seems to extend to their accessories as well. :rolleyes:

dyeclan
April 10th, 2009, 06:24 AM
Must be the green ones, my red one snapped right on...just goes to show the tighter tolerances, and therefore, higher speed, that the reds have.... :D

dyeclan
April 10th, 2009, 06:31 AM
"HEY YOU GUYS" I have the same problem. The fix was posted before (kkim...ur slackin).
The fix to this is.....The metal bracket that comes with it has a defect...It has to be bent.
If you take a straight edge to it, it will not line up. it needs to be bent straight for the cowl to fit as desired.

http://www.kapowgifts.com/acatalog/sloth-pitate_sticker.jpg

M-Oorb
April 10th, 2009, 07:22 AM
Buffalony...I'll give the bend a try...if it works then I owe you :thumbup:. And I dont think it was that Kelly got lucky(sorry haha) I think it was just when he ordered his. Kelly got the "older edition". If you look at his cowl he doesnt have the little notch in it on the side that the newer ones do to lock a helmet. It seems like all the old skool ones fit perfectly...thats why when you look at all the ones on the kawasaki website they are showing the ones they previously sold and not the ones that they sell now...bastards:headshake:

Buffalony
April 10th, 2009, 07:39 AM
I'm sure you'll be able to get it flush one way or another:)

JaeL
April 16th, 2009, 01:52 PM
When I installed my cowl it locked fine and had a gap that looked just like yours, until I bent the bracket. At first the front pads were not touching properly either. After I bent the bracket it was better. Then I took a couple mm off the pads and now it sits like kkims.


So we're bending the bracket? Pulling it down away from the cowl?

Sound Wave
April 16th, 2009, 03:11 PM
So we're bending the bracket? Pulling it down away from the cowl?

no. up towards the cowl. the pin section will end up closer to the cowl... which will help the cowl seat more flush to the rear fairing. put a long socket over the pin and just whack the socket a few times. may take a few tries to get it just right. basically what you are trying to do is to bend the bracket as much as you can while still allowing the pin to catch in the lock. also, you gotta change out the pads. you could file the ones in the kit down, but it was taking too long for me and it wasn't coming out nice. i just went to the hardware store and bought some rubber pads.

JaeL
April 18th, 2009, 11:08 AM
no. up towards the cowl. the pin section will end up closer to the cowl... which will help the cowl seat more flush to the rear fairing. put a long socket over the pin and just whack the socket a few times. may take a few tries to get it just right. basically what you are trying to do is to bend the bracket as much as you can while still allowing the pin to catch in the lock. also, you gotta change out the pads. you could file the ones in the kit down, but it was taking too long for me and it wasn't coming out nice. i just went to the hardware store and bought some rubber pads.

Sir, yes sir! I followed your instructions and used the pad from the seat. So now I have small pads in the front and in the rear sir! Here is the final result!

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c300/Jreal10/Fence004.jpg

Shift250R
April 18th, 2009, 11:21 AM
Jael, is it solid or can you move it up and down on the sides?

Sound Wave
April 18th, 2009, 12:07 PM
Jael, is it solid or can you move it up and down on the sides?

yeah, try wobbling it side to side. if it can still move, then you have to modify the pads still.

JaeL
April 18th, 2009, 12:29 PM
yeah, try wobbling it side to side. if it can still move, then you have to modify the pads still.

Yes is does a lil bit, it's still not perfect. I need to replace the rubber piece in the back still as well.

Sound Wave
April 18th, 2009, 12:31 PM
i gotta change out the rear piece too. i can't believe how hard it is to find that dumb rubber gasket in the back.

Sound Wave
April 19th, 2009, 05:42 PM
ok, changed out the rear rubber grommet. here are a couple pics of the rear cowl. i am pretty satisfied with the gap in the front. i also got the custom seat creations cover for the cowl. it is shinier than the corbin seat, but the pattern is very close if not the same. i know my bike is dirty, but all those tiny dots are not dirt. those are the sparkles from the metallic paint.

ninjabrewer
April 19th, 2009, 05:56 PM
ok, changed out the rear rubber grommet. here are a couple pics of the rear cowl. i am pretty satisfied with the gap in the front. i also got the custom seat creations cover for the cowl. it is shinier than the corbin seat, but the pattern is very close if not the same. i know my bike is dirty, but all those tiny dots are not dirt. those are the sparkles from the metallic paint.

I may have to try that, Gary, good to see that you got yours to fit closer. :thumbup:

nb

TnNinjaGirl
April 19th, 2009, 06:01 PM
Does anyone have a part number on the stand offs and grommets that work? I managed to lose one of my front ones. Good news is that it fits better now. Go figure.

JaeL
April 19th, 2009, 06:05 PM
looks good to me sound wave

Sound Wave
April 19th, 2009, 06:05 PM
the rear grommet is hillman part number 139377. it is a 31/32" outer diameter and a 1/2" inner diameter. found it at lowes in the nuts and bolts section in the drawers.

for me, i just used some rubber caster looking thingys in the front. i stacked 3 of them up on each side. i will try to find my packaging.

edit: thanks guys.

edit again: corey beth.. yeah it fits better because the stock ones are too high. i bet it wobbles now though, huh? so you gotta bend the bracket as much as you can and have it still catch the lock, and you gotta put as little rubber stopper as you can without it wobbling. kind of a balancing act.

Buffalony
April 20th, 2009, 06:02 AM
I'd like to add...the stock ones are supposed to eventually settle in. It should come out fine without modding them.

Small Ninja
April 21st, 2009, 11:41 PM
i know this is off subject but where would you find those net type things people strap to the passenger seat if they dont have a cowl to haul things around?

Buffalony
April 22nd, 2009, 06:34 AM
http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=39079

Dont know how to use it on the 250. Sure youd figure something out.

TnNinjaGirl
April 22nd, 2009, 07:31 AM
Ended up making my own little stand offs. Got some bumpers from Home Depot and used JB Weld to put them in their place. Seems to be doing a great job and they don't pop off like the OE ones do.

Small Ninja
April 22nd, 2009, 10:08 AM
http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=39079

Dont know how to use it on the 250. Sure youd figure something out.

i guess ill have to figure it out

JaeL
April 22nd, 2009, 05:21 PM
Ended up making my own little stand offs. Got some bumpers from Home Depot and used JB Weld to put them in their place. Seems to be doing a great job and they don't pop off like the OE ones do.

I couldn't find any at homedepot!!!!!!

Sound Wave
April 22nd, 2009, 09:36 PM
home depot didn't have the rear grommet. i got the rear grommet at lowes.

for the front bumper, i went to a local hardware store and looked in the section where they sold casters and felt pads for table legs and stuff. the rubber pads i got are meant to be placed under table legs, chair legs, etc. i just brought the stock bumper and found one that was the same diameter. i had to stack up 3 per side.

B2FiNiTY
April 23rd, 2009, 12:27 AM
I just got in my new rear cowl and the front of it fits HORRIBLE. wow that gap is tremendous.

kkim
April 23rd, 2009, 12:31 AM
you sure you have the rubber bumpers installed in their correct locations?

Sound Wave
April 23rd, 2009, 12:36 AM
do the fix and you will be fine... but yeah, it is shocking how huge the stock gap is.

Buffalony
April 23rd, 2009, 08:13 AM
I wonder if they even know theres a problem?
It does suck it has to be bent. Oh well it not that hard of a fix.

B2FiNiTY
April 24th, 2009, 11:35 PM
you sure you have the rubber bumpers installed in their correct locations?

I triple checked the install paperwork and it is on correctly.

The larger fatter ones go near the front of the bike while the smaller ones are near the rear tail light.

I'll take some pics in the daytime soon.

As far as this thing goes, I think I'm going to leave it as is. It's something that I don't want to mess with further unless it really ends up bothering me.

Buffalony
April 24th, 2009, 11:38 PM
I triple checked the install paperwork and it is on correctly.

The larger fatter ones go near the front of the bike while the smaller ones are near the rear tail light.

I'll take some pics in the daytime soon.

As far as this thing goes, I think I'm going to leave it as is. It's something that I don't want to mess with further unless it really ends up bothering me.

Is the bracket straight? check against a flat surface.
Does the front move from side to side at all when installed?
Guess if your fine with it, just leave it :)

Sound Wave
April 24th, 2009, 11:52 PM
d, yeah installed properly as shipped, there will be the huge gap. i am pretty sure you did it right.

py2e
April 25th, 2009, 05:13 AM
same here, at least i can use the helmet hook now.

Buffalony
April 25th, 2009, 08:12 AM
same here, at least i can use the helmet hook now.
:D


Me thinks the flusher the better:)...Is flusher a word?

Honey...the flushers broke...:D

ninjabrewer
April 25th, 2009, 05:21 PM
:D


Me thinks the flusher the better:)...Is flusher a word?

Honey...the flushers broke...:D

That sounds like another word for the toilet. :p

nb

voodoomaster
April 25th, 2009, 05:33 PM
That sounds like another word for the toilet. :p

nb

No no no...that's the crapper. The flusher is some kind of think that scares quail out from the bushes right before you gonna shoot em'. Now thats a flusher. ;)

ninjabrewer
April 25th, 2009, 05:41 PM
No no no...that's the crapper. The flusher is some kind of think that scares quail out from the bushes right before you gonna shoot em'. Now thats a flusher. ;)

Wouldn't that be the same bird dog that pointed them out, after he/she is given the command to flush?
Or do you just walk up into the middle of them?

nb

voodoomaster
April 25th, 2009, 07:21 PM
Wouldn't that be the same bird dog that pointed them out, after he/she is given the command to flush?
Or do you just walk up into the middle of them?

nb


Yup...reckon so...sounds like the same.:thumbup:

TnNinjaGirl
April 26th, 2009, 08:02 PM
My JB welded bumpers are working great. As for the rear grommet, not so much. The rear end keeps popping out. Any suggestions?

Wade
April 27th, 2009, 12:56 AM
where did you get it from? and do they sell black?

Sound Wave
April 27th, 2009, 01:29 AM
where did you get it from? and do they sell black?

are you talking about the cowl itself? i got mine from e-bay. they had black.

voodoomaster
April 27th, 2009, 04:01 PM
My JB welded bumpers are working great. As for the rear grommet, not so much. The rear end keeps popping out. Any suggestions?

Take a round file and file down the indent about 1/16 inch and try again. You will see that as the plastic comes off, the post stays in better to the point that you really have to pull to get it out.....the intension by design :cool:.

TnNinjaGirl
April 27th, 2009, 04:02 PM
Thanks Dave!! I'll get right on that... tomorrow. lol. It makes sense that it would work the way you described it.

Sound Wave
April 28th, 2009, 12:45 AM
Take a round file and file down the indent about 1/16 inch and try again. You will see that as the plastic comes off, the post stays in better to the point that you really have to pull to get it out.....the intension by design :cool:.

hmm.... good idea. gotta try this too.

Buffalony
April 28th, 2009, 12:16 PM
Good idea. I did notice the rear post was alittle off from the mold.

voodoomaster
April 28th, 2009, 07:37 PM
Good idea. I did notice the rear post was alittle off from the mold.


All. I had to file away several times, a little bit at a time until it fit correctly. I used the supplied rubbers that came with it, and did not bend the bracket. I'm happy enough with the fitment, although it could be a little flatter. The gap between the bike and the cowl is thin enough for me. Once the cowl seated into the grommet correctly, the gap reduced naturally. :D

gizmogamez
May 4th, 2009, 11:12 AM
I bought an OEM cowl cover for my sexy green beast and it fits very well. very slight gap but nothing i'd call bad or a problem, it looks just as big as my friends gsxr cover does. I do with the cover was a little tougher to remove, its not going to fall off or anything, but if someone really wanted to steal it they could stuck a key or a knife blade in the gap and with a little leverage it does pop off from the back....thinking of it now though I never did try and see if it would come out of the front locking part...so maybe i'm wrong....lol.
i know I told Nemy i'd take some pics of the bike with the cowl on for him to see, i'll try and rememebr to take pics of the gap so you can compair....maybe it's just the cheep ebay knock offs?
my OEM was only $100 +tax

Only thing that my friend commented on is that i do have to use a fair amount of force when pushing the cowl back down so that it clicks and locks.

Cochese
May 8th, 2009, 01:16 PM
I had a PITA time with mine too when I installed it. Turns out the guy I bought it from but the rear grommets where the fronts were supposed to go. Easy fix for me. Mine never comes off. I never use the rear seat.

I bought my cowl new and uninstalled from a guy on eBay who sold his bike. I think I paid $55 IIRC.

B2FiNiTY
May 9th, 2009, 09:34 PM
I need another rear o ring that fits better. The original one got lost somewhere and my replacement also got lost. Ugh. Any recomendations?
Posted via Mobile Device

Sound Wave
May 10th, 2009, 01:20 AM
I need another rear o ring that fits better. The original one got lost somewhere and my replacement also got lost. Ugh. Any recomendations?
Posted via Mobile Device

the rear grommet is hillman part number 139377. it is a 31/32" outer diameter and a 1/2" inner diameter. found it at lowes in the nuts and bolts section in the drawers.


btw that was posted in this thread. :)

that has been working great for me. ninjablk08 originally posted about it. http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15861&highlight=grommet

B2FiNiTY
May 10th, 2009, 02:02 AM
lowes here I come.

Thanks for so much help today Gary :)

Sound Wave
May 10th, 2009, 02:24 AM
np. that is what the forum is for. :thumbup:

i know i received my fair share of help from this forum too.

B2FiNiTY
May 15th, 2009, 01:12 PM
I picked up 2 more from lowes. The fit is very good.

Unfortunately, I lost another one. That makes the total count of lost rubber grommets to 3 now haha. Luckily I have the back up...

JaeL
May 15th, 2009, 01:23 PM
I picked up 2 more from lowes. The fit is very good.

Unfortunately, I lost another one. That makes the total count of lost rubber grommets to 3 now haha. Luckily I have the back up...


Just lost mines as well...

B2FiNiTY
May 18th, 2009, 09:49 PM
The rubber grommet issue is really pissing me off!

I've lost over 5 grommets already, totaling over $10 in these suckers alone. That is within 2 weeks too. I'm either going to have to stop taking off my seat cowl or super glue these suckers on!!!

time to go to lowes to get 3 more...

kkim
May 18th, 2009, 09:51 PM
use something like armorall on the cowl "pin" that slips into the rubber grommet. that way when you take off the cowl, it will slip easily out of the grommet instead of pulling it out from the frame.

B2FiNiTY
May 18th, 2009, 09:59 PM
I'll try that out, thanks. I'll lube the grommet itself too for some of that slip and slide dual action.

Buffalony
May 18th, 2009, 10:16 PM
The rubber grommet issue is really pissing me off!

I've lost over 5 grommets already, totaling over $10 in these suckers alone. That is within 2 weeks too. I'm either going to have to stop taking off my seat cowl or super glue these suckers on!!!

time to go to lowes to get 3 more...

Stinkin money pit...LOL

kkim
May 18th, 2009, 10:24 PM
I'll try that out, thanks. I'll lube the grommet itself too for some of that slip and slide dual action.

just don't lube the grommet portion that holds it too the frame. that's where you want it to be sticky. :)

Buffalony
May 18th, 2009, 10:50 PM
just don't lube the grommet portion that holds it too the frame. that's where you want it to be sticky. :)

:happy120:

Jiu Jitsu Player
May 25th, 2009, 09:54 PM
Finally got my cowl on and the fit is just garbage. Yes I quadruple checked the placement of the rubber bumpers. I guess I'll just need to try some of the fixes in this thread. The front bumpers just seem way too high.

Tomcrane
May 26th, 2009, 12:15 AM
Odd - I have had no fitment issues with my OEM seat cowl .. install was a breeze and i dont notice any real gap either .. I did nothing but follow the directions on the paper

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n54/tomcranecivic/kdk_0058.jpg
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n54/tomcranecivic/kdk_0057.jpg

Sound Wave
May 26th, 2009, 01:05 AM
Odd - I have had no fitment issues with my OEM seat cowl .. install was a breeze and i dont notice any real gap either .. I did nothing but follow the directions on the paper


seems like you are in the lucky 1%, because out of the box, most of ours seem to fit like crap.

Tomcrane
May 26th, 2009, 01:24 AM
seems like you are in the lucky 1%, because out of the box, most of ours seem to fit like crap.



ill consider my self lucky then :) ... i love the rear cowl .. totally changes the way the bike looks .. and i got it free from the dealer when i bought the bike .. so I cant complain :)

Frog
May 27th, 2009, 06:02 AM
Does the increase storage? Or does it have a bottom like the seat? if it does increase storage I would like to see if I can fit an Autocom Pro Avi and radio for bike to bike communications.
Posted via Mobile Device

Sound Wave
May 27th, 2009, 09:17 AM
it increases the amount of storage. save for brackets, the cowl is hollow. but you would have to be careful when removing the cowl, so that your stuff won't fall out.

Jiu Jitsu Player
May 27th, 2009, 03:56 PM
I got this sucker to fit pretty good with minimal mods. All I did was use the smaller rubber bumpers for the front instead of the rear. For the rear I used some adhesive vinyl bumpers (used for the bottoms of table or chair legs) which I put over the holes. The fit is perfect and it doesn't seem to want to come loose when I shake it around.
It may have been posted here already but I also notice the rubber grommet in the rear that holds the peg in place must be in a certain way. If its upside down it will always come out when you remove the cowl, however if it is in correctly it will stay in no matter how many times you remove the cowl.

Zero260
June 5th, 2009, 04:22 PM
I just got my Cowl in today. I had a case of da GAP but it was fixed in 2 minutes.
I used the shorter stand offs it came with plus the short stand offs from the original seat. I slightly bent the bracket to push the pin up towords the top of the cowl. Fits perfect to gap, no side to side movement. I'll get pics later tonight.

M-Oorb
July 29th, 2009, 09:00 AM
Just fixed my gap...finally. All that was needed was bending the bracket slightly and replacing the front HUGE grommets with the smaller ones off of the rear seat and it works perfectly. No money needed...best kinda mod :thumbup:

ScorpionNinja
August 23rd, 2009, 03:40 PM
Take a round file and file down the indent about 1/16 inch and try again. You will see that as the plastic comes off, the post stays in better to the point that you really have to pull to get it out.....the intension by design :cool:.

Hey could you please post a PIC of what area of the TIP you are talking about filing down? I got my cowl and running into the same problem with the BACK popping up very easy!

ScorpionNinja
August 23rd, 2009, 04:01 PM
seems like you are in the lucky 1%, because out of the box, most of ours seem to fit like crap.

Ive worked in A few plastic factories over the years. Let me tell you, plastic no matter what, will Warp like most man-made things! Plastic injection molding isnt perfect. If some of the OEM cowls sit for a long time, due to too much weight being pushed down onto through the boxes 'strenght' and pushes down on the Cowl/Part itself alil bit... over time it Warps things even further! (in case of final products Boxed and sealed, stacked till shipped) Some of these mightve been sitting for afew Months, also these OEMs could've been Made (like most cases) before the first 250R (2008-2009) was even built, and wasnt really Test-fitted. Manufacturing parts ahead of time without 'making sure its perfect fitting' happens more times then we'd like to think. Its plastic molding, theres alot more 'room for error' in the correct size, vs a CNC Machine Shop with steel,stainless-steel Molds and Parts that have 'tight' tollerences.


anyhow im just pissed we spend our hard earned money on something that once you get it outta its box, like a 8yr old on X-mas morning all excited and such, your Quite bummed with the results of your find! :mad:

ScorpionNinja
August 23rd, 2009, 04:06 PM
I just got my Cowl in today. I had a case of da GAP but it was fixed in 2 minutes.
I used the shorter stand offs it came with plus the short stand offs from the original seat. I slightly bent the bracket to push the pin up towords the top of the cowl. Fits perfect to gap, no side to side movement. I'll get pics later tonight.

with all the fuze over the Gap, of you guys that have gotten your cowl to fit Like a 'Snuggie' have you tried using the Helmet strap Loop? How does your helmet and cowl Fit, or Does it? heh

voodoomaster
August 23rd, 2009, 05:02 PM
Hey could you please post a PIC of what area of the TIP you are talking about filing down? I got my cowl and running into the same problem with the BACK popping up very easy!

Too simple for a pix. The nipple that gets inserted into the rubber grommet at the rear of the cowl has an indent, correct? With my unit, this indent did not "grab" the grommet quite deep enough after I pushed it on. SO, with a thin round wood file I removed plastic out of that indent until the nipple/post seated deeper into the rubber grommet and thus stayed put. :thumbup:

dm

ScorpionNinja
August 25th, 2009, 02:28 PM
Oh hey, does anyone Else have this problem? When you put on your Passenger Rear Seat back on, does that rear rubber grommet MAKE the PRS* harder to put back on and Off? it Hell sure does on mine! :mad:
I thought about cutting the rubb grommet so its shaped like a 'D' so the PRS* slides back into position easier, thou im afraid of screwing up being able to switch out both RS's and such! lol




I have taken alot of PICs of my rear seat cowl (OEM) i bought off Ebay $89 shipped. But ill post them later on tonite or tomorrow. ATM i gtg get ready to met up with DJBeerz for a cruise!


Note: I havent done anything to my Cowl, but im able to pull up the rear of it... thou im not sure if its 'easy' enuff to be of concern atm.
So How much Force is needed to PULL off the rear Cowls, Rear... to much, as needed to MOD it?

Mine fits ok i guess, but im not 100% comfy with riding with it 'as is' and coming off!

ScorpionNinja
August 25th, 2009, 07:47 PM
Ok, almost time for Bed, heres my Pics of the seat cowl etc!

How does my fit compare to yours?
3680

3681

3682

3683

3684

3685

3686
So where on nipple would i have to shave down? sorry :eek:

3687Use this pic to repost and Mark what area i shave down! (i dont have adobe photoshop,etc) :(


Thanks in advanced,Dave!:thumbup:

zev42
August 26th, 2009, 01:18 PM
I got mine from a dealer on Ebay for about $100 bucks. I can't decide if that cowl looks better than the OEM seat or not :bangdesk:

Hey Voodoomaster, where did you get your white stripes from?

Sound Wave
August 26th, 2009, 02:27 PM
scorpion ninja, your front gap isn't as bad as i have seen, but it is larger than mine was after i adjusted it. i had it almost completely flush. anymore and the front pin wouldn't catch. i never tried taking a picture specifically of the gap, but here is the best one i could find.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o8/sound_wavez/DSC_0016-1.jpg

ScorpionNinja
August 26th, 2009, 04:55 PM
Nice bike S-wave! :thumbup:

Yea i havent messed with my Cowl at all yet! Im not really concerned about the 'gap' as much as some ppl are here, but im Most concerned with the Gap in the front leading too Air gettin under the Cowl and popping the Rear part off... it then Flappin' in the Wind down I-94! :eek:

Yes it would be Great too be able to get the GAP flush enuff, yet allow useage of the stock LEFTSIDE, Helmet holder Hook! :D

Ill post PICs & feedback tomorrow afterwork with my Helmet being Hooked on the LEFTSIDE & Cowl in place, to form a Starting Point on this Fitment Mod!:p

Oh... i didnt make a Pic, but ive noticed that the RIGHTSIDE corner(front) seems pretty Flush as can be... its Just the LEFTSIDE corner(front) that is pretty HUGE!

Bending Bracket alil bit at work (i dont have a Vice at home) & or just Shaving the front LEFTSIDE Large rubber Pad, may be all thats needed! Well see...

ttyl :lock1:

Sound Wave
August 26th, 2009, 08:18 PM
Nice bike S-wave! :thumbup:

Bending Bracket alil bit at work (i dont have a Vice at home) & or just Shaving the front LEFTSIDE Large rubber Pad, may be all thats needed! Well see...

ttyl :lock1:

thanks, i sold it a bit back. that bike belongs to isthreefitty now. no telling what condition it is in anymore. i just pray he didn't put any autobot stickers like he was thinking. :p

no need for a vice. you just gotta build up the two ends of the bracket a bit. then just put a long socket over the pin... then just whack it a few times with a hammer.

i kept playing with it until the lock wouldn't catch anymore, then i bent it straighter very slightly. i was still able to utilize the helmet hook under the cowl.

yeah, i am one of those that the gap really bothered. i can't stand stuff like that. drives me nuts. if your concern is the air lifting it off the bike, i think you are ok the way it is in the pics.

ScorpionNinja
August 26th, 2009, 08:31 PM
thanks, i sold it a bit back. that bike belongs to isthreefitty now. no telling what condition it is in anymore. i just pray he didn't put any autobot stickers like he was thinking. :p

no need for a vice. you just gotta build up the two ends of the bracket a bit. then just put a long socket over the pin... then just whack it a few times with a hammer.

i kept playing with it until the lock wouldn't catch anymore, then i bent it straighter very slightly. i was still able to utilize the helmet hook under the cowl.

yeah, i am one of those that the gap really bothered. i can't stand stuff like that. drives me nuts. if your concern is the air lifting it off the bike, i think you are ok the way it is in the pics.

Off to bed :yawn:

but before i do... Hmmm ok, i was thinking that if i Played with the Gap alil bit... once i get it just right, wouldnt it Make the Rear Nipple fit better and tighter (causing it to rub/push more on the edges of the rubber grommet Hole)??? Also like i mentioned earlier, that rubber rear grommet the Pin fits through. How was the fit when you would put your passenger rear seat back on, as you slide the rear part onto the back Tab plate? Mine is tight as hell and taking the rear passenger seat OFF can be pretty hard, Lots of HEMAN force needed to pull it off/back! :mad:

I was thinking of cutting that rubber grommet alil bit, into a " D " like shape, to give the rear passenger seat Tab, more room to 'slide' backwards into place! What do you guys think? (before i go Hack-Saw,Jim Duggan' on it)

HOOOOOOEEEEEE!!!!!!:thumbup: :lol:

dimeified
August 26th, 2009, 09:03 PM
i also bent bracket and shaved left rubber bumper

Cochese
August 29th, 2009, 12:14 AM
Well, I almost lost my seat cowl last week riding to a pistol match on the Interstate. I had to stop at a motorcycle dealership and they were kind enough to loan me a screw, loctite and a nut driver.

Whew!

Almost had to put the seat back on!

welcome2thedawn
September 28th, 2009, 07:29 PM
I got mine from a dealer on Ebay for about $100 bucks. I can't decide if that cowl looks better than the OEM seat or not :bangdesk:

the cowl looks waaaayy better...i got mine on ebay too :)

CZroe
October 2nd, 2009, 11:32 PM
I got this sucker to fit pretty good with minimal mods. All I did was use the smaller rubber bumpers for the front instead of the rear. For the rear I used some adhesive vinyl bumpers (used for the bottoms of table or chair legs) which I put over the holes. The fit is perfect and it doesn't seem to want to come loose when I shake it around.
It may have been posted here already but I also notice the rubber grommet in the rear that holds the peg in place must be in a certain way. If its upside down it will always come out when you remove the cowl, however if it is in correctly it will stay in no matter how many times you remove the cowl.

My factory passenger seat lost both rubber bushings withing three days of owning the bike. I replaced them under warranty and didn't even add glue (originally there was a little bit visible from the factory) and they stayed on for 10K miles with no sign of ever coming off... and I lift my seat at every stop! I actually use my helmet hooks, you see.

kobachi
March 17th, 2010, 05:29 PM
I lost the rubber grommet that goes around the rear post on my solo seat cowl within about a week of getting my bike, and then also managed to lose one of the damper 'feet' last week. Sigh.

After doing a little searching, I found that this was a pretty common problem (poor design Kawi!) and at the suggestion of several different threads, stopped by both Home Depot and Loews, hoping to find a grommet suitable to replace it. No dice. I found some grommets, but none of them fit right.

So yesterday I stopped by the local Kawi shop and had him special-order some new feet for me, along with ten of the grommets. Figured I'd try to save the effort for anyone else who has lost this part...plus I'll probably lose lots more in the future! :rolleyes: If anyone else has lost this grommet and would like a replacement, send me a PM. I'm willing to send a few out for $5/piece (to cover part + postage).

(The part I'm talking about is the grommet in the top-left of this image (http://kawasakiya.net/pic-labo/llimg/MS99996-1356_02.jpg).)

CZroe
March 17th, 2010, 06:57 PM
My experience with the passenger seat tells me that if you insert them fully they will not come back out. Basically, Kawi didn't install them right. I lost BOTH of them on my seat within a week of owning the bike. There was adhesive around them that was clearly meant to secure them as a secondary measure. When the dealer replaced them under warranty I twisted and twisted until cone pieces snapped fully into the holes on the passenger seat. Then, I drove 12,000 miles, using the helmet hooks under the seat up to several times a day and never had a problem since. I didn't even add more adhesive. It was pretty hard to get them all the way in. It even seems like it's impossible to fit them but I assure you that it is. The rubber cone pieces just seem too fat to fit and the stem seems like it compresses too easily to force it. IIRC, I just smashed it down HARD and repeatedly twisted.

I even asked on Kawi forums and many people never realized that there was supposed to be rubber dampers there. :)

kobachi
March 17th, 2010, 07:00 PM
Thanks! Will keep that in mind when I install my new one. Meantime, my offer stands for anyone else lacking one of these =D

adri99an
March 27th, 2010, 10:54 PM
Kobachi-

I may take you up on that offer.....my seat cowl blows....I still have my grommets but that thing does not fit correctly....I'm going to try and get ti stay somehow....

Momaru
March 28th, 2010, 12:34 AM
My experience with the passenger seat tells me that if you insert them fully they will not come back out. Basically, Kawi didn't install them right. I lost BOTH of them on my seat within a week of owning the bike. There was adhesive around them that was clearly meant to secure them as a secondary measure. When the dealer replaced them under warranty I twisted and twisted until cone pieces snapped fully into the holes on the passenger seat. Then, I drove 12,000 miles, using the helmet hooks under the seat up to several times a day and never had a problem since. I didn't even add more adhesive. It was pretty hard to get them all the way in. It even seems like it's impossible to fit them but I assure you that it is. The rubber cone pieces just seem too fat to fit and the stem seems like it compresses too easily to force it. IIRC, I just smashed it down HARD and repeatedly twisted.

Same here. Lost one seat foot almost immediately because I didn't really look at it until I noticed it was loose. When I got the replacement I sat down and leaned/twisted on 'em til the cones popped in. No issues in the last 7,000mi.

TrueFaith
March 28th, 2010, 08:30 AM
Those grommets fall out ALL the time. I usually find mine have slipped down into the innards of the bike since the "luggage" space has no bottom to it (something to keep in mind if you keep your registration in there.)
I finally used car weatherstripping glue to keep them where they're supposed to be at all times.

adri99an
March 28th, 2010, 09:28 AM
Same here. Lost one grommet almost immediately because I didn't really look at it until I noticed it was loose. When I got the replacement I sat down and leaned/twisted on 'em til the cones popped in. No issues in the last 7,000mi.


Do you have a pic of that?

adri99an
March 28th, 2010, 09:29 AM
Those grommets fall out ALL the time. I usually find mine have slipped down into the innards of the bike since the "luggage" space has no bottom to it (something to keep in mind if you keep your registration in there.)
I finally used car weatherstripping glue to keep them where they're supposed to be at all times.

Do you have a pic of that?

Momaru
March 28th, 2010, 09:29 PM
Do you have a pic of that?

My bad, I lost a foot on the seat, not the grommet. Fixed my first post.

addy126
March 29th, 2010, 06:43 AM
Grommet for my seat cowl kept getting pushed out of the receiving bracket every time I pushed the cowl down into place. Went to Lowes recently and picked up one of their grommets and now the cowl seats itself perfectly and securely.... the stock grommet sent with cowl is way to thin and flimsy to secure the cowl at all. No problems with the "feet" rubbers yet.

TrueFaith
March 29th, 2010, 07:36 AM
Do you have a pic of that?

You can buy it at any car accessory store or Walmart. Just smear some in the groves and the gromets stay stuck where they're supposed to be and stay pliable.

kobachi
April 11th, 2010, 01:09 PM
Kobachi-

I may take you up on that offer.....my seat cowl blows....I still have my grommets but that thing does not fit correctly....I'm going to try and get ti stay somehow....

Just shoot me a PM :thumbup:

kobachi
April 12th, 2010, 12:07 PM
You can buy it at any car accessory store or Walmart. Just smear some in the groves and the gromets stay stuck where they're supposed to be and stay pliable.

Are the grommets still removable for installing the rear seat, or does this essentially glue them in permanently?

lunerkid
April 12th, 2010, 08:42 PM
For the grommets I went to lowes.
I assume it is much cheaper than dealer parts.

I remember I got this info somewhere on the forum.
Can't remember. But I did save the info of the grommet.
hillman part number 139377. it is a 31/32" outer diameter and a 1/2" inner diameter
Can be found just in the nuts and bolts section of lowes.

Lowes website says it is $1.27 a part. And the fit is exactly the same as the grommet they give when you get the cowl.

joyinc
April 12th, 2010, 09:21 PM
this is so good to know... i've only removed my seat a couple times and i keep having to make sure the grommet is still there.

the solo seat doesnt really feel secure on the bike like the passenger seat

kobachi
April 12th, 2010, 10:28 PM
For the grommets I went to lowes.
I assume it is much cheaper than dealer parts.

I remember I got this info somewhere on the forum.
Can't remember. But I did save the info of the grommet.
hillman part number 139377. it is a 31/32" outer diameter and a 1/2" inner diameter
Can be found just in the nuts and bolts section of lowes.

Lowes website says it is $1.27 a part. And the fit is exactly the same as the grommet they give when you get the cowl.

Yeah, I tried two Home Depots and two Lowes and wasn't able to find anything nearly the right size, which is why I ended up ordering dealer parts. Glad you were able to find something easier than I did!

c717905
July 17th, 2010, 03:51 PM
I know this is a zombie thread, but I must say that the grommet he recommends works very very well. The picture he has is kind of hard to read but it is a Hillman 0.71 mm 31/32OD x 1/2ID grommet. The item number is 08236 71652 for anyone that needs one. I discovered that mine was missing and luckily I happened upon this thread.

Thanks for the recommendation ninjablk08. Much appreciated.

illrational
July 20th, 2010, 08:50 PM
I just lost my grommet last night, perfect timinhg thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

CZroe
July 28th, 2010, 12:40 AM
here r the new pics of rubber grommet and install on bracket ,its a tight fit u can hear it snap in place when u push the back side down, its on the isle where the bolts and washer are, its in a draw mark rubber grommets, you can even see the shape of the post from the cowl,and when i remove cowl rubber stays on the bracket,i think it works well

here r before and after[ATTACH] i used the two small rubber stops from rear seat added small cushion to ea one ,left the two back rear cowl rubber stops on , took off locking bar off bent it with long socket slightly,done

Was there something there to begin with? I never saw it. My two rubber dampers from the seat went missing in the first week of ownership. I made sure to insert the replacements FULLY and I've never had a problem since with contant use of the helmet hooks, so they simply weren't installed correctly from the factory. Your wording makes it appear that you removed them yourself.

Guinss
July 28th, 2010, 03:53 AM
I have noticed that although the rubber grommet looks like it's similar on both sides, my rear cowl will stay perfectly good in place with the grommet the right way. If you turn it upside down it will fall through the frame when your put on the seat cowl, and if it does not fall off, it will within a few miles of driving.

I've put 2 safety velcro incase the cowl falls off, but 2k miles and so far it hasnt loosened at all. So no need for replacement grommet.

superlife
July 28th, 2010, 04:00 AM
can you please share the link of this part, as this part no. is not avialable on thier web address

pathfinder
July 28th, 2010, 07:01 AM
can you please share the link of this part, as this part no. is not avialable on thier web address

Another way is to go to cheapcycleparts.com and click on their OEM parts link. The grommet is part number 92071-056 and damper is 92075-1876.

dubojr1
July 28th, 2010, 07:15 AM
can you please share the link of this part, as this part no. is not avialable on thier web address

Yeah I have looked too with no luck! Anyone have the web link?

kamikaze
July 29th, 2010, 08:20 PM
i wonder if this will be available in the canadian lowes...

adri99an
August 1st, 2010, 06:01 PM
Here's what I did so I don't lose that valuable grommet as one day I noticed my cowl just hanging there--I almost lost it and have read about many that have lost their entire cowl because Kawi didn't make them so great--although they are so pretty!

I think I saw someone on this forum do this as well......if you've got some zip ties...you won't lose your grommet or your cowl...

dubojr1
September 27th, 2010, 12:25 PM
OK, I think I may have figured why some of us are having fit issues. Can someone post a pdf of the instructions. I'd like to see how they are illustrating some of the parts to be installed.

kamikaze
September 28th, 2010, 07:18 AM
just a heads up for anyone with a 2010 bike and cowl, the little rubber bumpers at the front of the cowling fall out easily, and are a different part than the 08-09. The fisch numbers haven't been updated, but finally after talking to Kawi Canada they got me the right part number, which is 92161-0860. i lost one after about 3 weeks, and it's taken me almost double that to source replacements. I finally called Kawi Canada to complain, and they said they'd pull some from a 2010 cowl kit and mail them to me and then just replace them when there's stock. I plan to drill a couple holes in the new ones and wire them in place in case they fall out in the future.

it's the ones in this pic, but these are the 08-09 dampers. the 2010 ones are taller and smaller around.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3686&d=1251254825

dubojr1
September 29th, 2010, 09:47 AM
OK, I think I may have figured why some of us are having fit issues. Can someone post a pdf of the instructions. I'd like to see how they are illustrating some of the parts to be installed.

No one have the install instructions?

Blackwidow
September 29th, 2010, 01:04 PM
this thread is great. I was planning on getting a solo seat cowl, and considering the issues people are having, i think i may just wait on it.

dubojr1
September 29th, 2010, 01:45 PM
this thread is great. I was planning on getting a solo seat cowl, and considering the issues people are having, i think i may just wait on it.

I'm thinking some of the issues are installation error. I'll be posting up some pics of what I'm talking about shortly.

dubojr1
September 30th, 2010, 08:05 AM
Ok guys here's my theory. I recently purchased a used cowl on the forum and after attempting to install I noticed a poor fit that others had claimed. After closer inspection, here is what I found...

After I corrected these issues, I found that I have a reasonable fit. I may make some additional adjustment to achieve the fit I am looking for.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=395&pictureid=4269
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=395&pictureid=4270

scotty
September 30th, 2010, 08:21 AM
But you cant flip that, it looks as the rubber things are welded to that bracket.?.?

scotty
September 30th, 2010, 08:23 AM
Wait, I think im looking at it wrong. lol.. Gonna go get 5 cups of coffee and be back. Still to early in the day.

dubojr1
September 30th, 2010, 08:24 AM
But you cant flip that, it looks as the rubber things are welded to that bracket.?.?

You have to flip the mounting clips below that bracket, not the bracket itself. :p

scotty
September 30th, 2010, 08:30 AM
You have to flip the mounting clips below that bracket, not the bracket itself. :p

Haha, yeah I saw that after I made my post. :rolleyes: lol That would make perfect sence!

Cuongism
April 7th, 2011, 12:33 PM
So I've tried replacemet grommets from Lowe's and Ace and neither one worked well for me (grommet would push through or not lock tight enough). I was in O'Reilly's today and saw this by the Vacuum Tee section.

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy304/cuongism/DSC00198.jpg

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy304/cuongism/DSC00199.jpg

It's a nice tight fit and doesn't look like it'll go anywhere. BTW, couldn't find a 4 way 3/16 tee (they only had 3 way). Know anywhere else to look?

DR1300R
April 7th, 2011, 01:07 PM
Another way is to go to cheapcycleparts.com and click on their OEM parts link. The grommet is part number 92071-056 and damper is 92075-1876.

$30.49 for the three of them.. :eek:

I'll be looking at lowes or my local hrdware before I pay them prices.. ;)

c717905
April 7th, 2011, 01:37 PM
The funny thing is that just a few days ago I tore apart the tail of my bike to install an integrated tail light and I found my original grommett wedged in-between a couple of the support struts. I'm going to keep using the Lowe's grommett though since it fits so much tighter and seems significantly more secure.

glitch
April 10th, 2011, 05:17 PM
... it is a Hillman 0.71 mm 31/32OD x 1/2ID grommet. The item number is 08236 71652 for anyone that needs one.

+1 for the Lowes 31/32OD x 1/2ID as a tight fitting replacement. :thumbup:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_139377-37672-881261_0__?

CZroe
April 10th, 2011, 06:33 PM
Is this grommet included with the cowl or is it already supposed to be there? Never saw it on mine but I don't have a solo seat cowl. OTOH, I did lose the two rubber dampers on the passenger seat within three days of owning the bike. They looked like they were fully inserted but there was a bit of glue around them, which means that Kawi knew there was a problem with them falling out. I realized when fitting the replacements that they could appear fully inserted even when they weren't and, thus, they must have been leaving the assembly line that way. I didn't glue my replacements and they have lasted thousands of times longer (years) without issue despite daily use of the under-seat helmet lock.

ladyninja08
June 4th, 2011, 06:59 PM
Got my seat cowl to fit with no gap but feels a little loose side to side. Any ideas to fix that? should I try to bend the bracket I already trimmed the rubber feet it sits on:confused:

Sound Wave
June 4th, 2011, 07:08 PM
ladyninja08, it seems you may have shaved off too much of the rubber feet thingys then. you may have to build it up again a bit.

Sound Wave
June 4th, 2011, 07:15 PM
i ended up pulling those stuff off and using something similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Waxman-4738495N-Round-Gripper-2-Inch/dp/B001WAK6FQ/ref=pd_sim_ac_13

i kept adding disks and until there was no side-to-side rocking anymore.

in your case, you could probably just add these disks on top of your existing rubber stopper thingys.

ladyninja08
June 4th, 2011, 07:16 PM
Thanks thats what I was thinking.:( I ll try again tomorrow to build it back up with something . Do you think velcro tabs would work? Thanks Soundwave I will head out to the hardware to get that

Sound Wave
June 4th, 2011, 07:20 PM
personally i wouldn't use velcro tabs. i would stick with the self-adhesive foam disks.

if you have the velcro handy, i guess it wouldn't hurt to try using that first. i can't imagine it would work as well though.

ladyninja08
June 4th, 2011, 07:22 PM
Thanks I will get what you suggested I am attempting to install vinyl wheel stripes tomorrow any hints for that install?:D

Sound Wave
June 4th, 2011, 07:38 PM
i kind of wrote what i did in this thread on post 137. i think what i did was take off the rubber feet from the front (you didn't shave the rear rubber stoppers did you?)

then i took a long socket over the front pin. i hit the socket a few times to bend the bracket it sits on. i kept test fitting it. i was trying to bend it down until it wouldn't catch anymore. then i slightly bent the bar back up until it was JUST able to catch the latch. after that, i started building up the rubber disks on both sides until there was no more rocking. the disks are a kind-of-sort-of soft rubber, so i made it so that i had to push down to squish the rubber a little bit to get the latch to catch.

but yeah, i tossed those stock rubber thingys and used only those disks. it looked a little ghetto but it worked great. besides how often is anyone going to see those rubber thingys? but yeah, you can try to just build up on top of it.

hope i was able to explain myself clearly. that putting the long socket over the pin wasn't my idea. i came across a thread way back somewhere. good luck.

CZroe
June 4th, 2011, 07:54 PM
You have to flip the mounting clips below that bracket, not the bracket itself. :p

They call it a "U-clip" at Harbor Freight.

ladyninja08
June 5th, 2011, 06:24 PM
Well I used the felt pads and the fit is excellent. Also installed the rim stripes it all came out good:D posted pics in my album but cant get it on the avatar:confused: Thanks for all the input

Sound Wave
June 5th, 2011, 07:31 PM
glad to hear it all worked out :thumbup:

blink
June 6th, 2011, 09:51 AM
Well I have a perfect condition green solo seat cowel that I don't use, and haven't ever used it.

Anyone who would like a picture or to make a possible offer please reply!

It is for New gen!

Alex
June 6th, 2011, 09:38 PM
Alex - why don't you post it up in the marketplace; all of our for sale type threads are in there.

blink
June 7th, 2011, 09:52 AM
Thank you, I'll go do that! =]

Chefdota
June 9th, 2011, 12:39 PM
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KAWASAKI-SINGLE-SEAT-COVER-BLK-EX250-99996-1360-H8-/320708423625?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4aabb62fc9
i found this on ebay im bidding on it now im just wondering why they are so cheap and is the black gonna match my 09 black 99996-1360-H8 part number

Sound Wave
June 9th, 2011, 03:14 PM
chefdota, it would be easier if you ask the seller. in the pic, it is missing the pad that faces the rider's back. maybe the seller has it, but didn't take a pic of it? again probably easier if you ask him/her.

MikeCG23
June 9th, 2011, 03:32 PM
I replaced the POS grommet that continued to fall out no matter what I did with Velcro. Problem solved:)

ratlab
June 9th, 2011, 07:52 PM
i have a 2010 cowl has no gap and grommet stays in -maybe they fixed it

Jerkson
June 27th, 2011, 12:34 PM
i have a 2010 cowl has no gap and grommet stays in -maybe they fixed it

I have a 2010 and there is a huge gap and I lost the rubber grommet on the 2nd day :(

Buffalony
June 27th, 2011, 02:40 PM
I don't understand what problem you guys are having with the cowl fitment.
I didnt have to shave bumpers, swap this and buy that.

If a side is high when on the bike, put that end of the bracket only into a vise and tap it in the same direction you want the cowl to go.

Gently tighten the two front bolts and secure with Loc-tite.

Vampyre
June 27th, 2011, 04:27 PM
I got mine pretty flush. I did a combination of slightly bending the front bracket on the cowl. To get the pin to lock I also had to shave the rubber bumpers on the cowl. On the back side I had to bend the bracket on the bike that holds the grommet a little bit and shave the bumpers on that side. Then I had to muck with the seat tab on the back bracket on the bike to get the seat to be usable. I think it looks so much better.

http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq271/Vampyre976/Vehicles/IMAG0028.jpg

From this view you can also see my fly guitar pick washers because the bolts in my led license frame were a little too small for the tag bracket I made.

Jerkson
June 27th, 2011, 05:55 PM
Further to my post earlier I made some "adjustments" to my solo cowl to bring it flush with my slightly droopy hotbodies undertail. I had to lower the rear of the cowl further than the rear seat bracket would permit. This involved cutting the rear plastic pokey part and lowering it as well as reinforcing the two side tabs. Ultra-high-temp hot glue FTW. I also lowered the front by bending the bracket and shaving the helmet-lock side rubber grommet

vergel376
June 27th, 2011, 06:33 PM
I just got mine today and the rear rubber grommet is driving me nuts. I figured out how to lock the front by pushing down on it so that the latch catches. The rear portion though just lifts up way to easily and the rubber grommet dislodges as well. I hope the break in period as some have suggested happens quickly. I might have to head to a hardware store to see if they have a rubber grommet that can work as a better replacement then the stock one that came with the seat cowl.

I find out if you push lock the rear section first with the rubber grommet before the front latch, it doesnt lifts up easily give it a shot. You might have to re adjust a few times. :thumbup:

Buffalony
June 27th, 2011, 10:23 PM
Further to my post earlier I made some "adjustments" to my solo cowl to bring it flush with my slightly droopy hotbodies undertail. I had to lower the rear of the cowl further than the rear seat bracket would permit. This involved cutting the rear plastic pokey part and lowering it as well as reinforcing the two side tabs. Ultra-high-temp hot glue FTW. I also lowered the front by bending the bracket and shaving the helmet-lock side rubber grommet



This sucks when someone spends their hard earned money on something to only get stuck with more work to make it look right. Is this common for these undertails to be "droopy"? Looks great btw

Jerkson
June 28th, 2011, 05:18 AM
This sucks when someone spends their hard earned money on something to only get stuck with more work to make it look right. Is this common for these undertails to be "droopy"? Looks great btw

Thanks :)

Many people find it sags due to the fact that it is no longer bolted to the frame of the bike. Some choose to add two bolts just behind the turn signals to bolt it up and reduce the sag. I used the pipe insulation stuff around the frame to hold up the side farings a little higher to compensate some...but there was still an extra gap in addition to the gap many experience with the solo cowl in the first place.

greatwhiteninja
June 29th, 2011, 08:02 PM
ill have mine in a few days.. cant wait to see how it fits..loL!

SaintJPN
July 7th, 2011, 05:12 PM
I'm more concerned with the gap in front if anything. I don't have mine yet but tried one on my bike just to check it out and the gap is almost a 1/4 inch. Not to mention the thing doesnt really secure all the way so it can possibly be lifted up by anyone walking by.

Im not too concerned with the whole helmet issue since I never leave mine on the bike..trust no one. Does anyone who has had the cowl for a while have problems with either the lifting issue or the gap in front?
Also- some of those cowls on ebay seem to be aftermarket ones and not the authentic Kawi versions. Anyone notice a real difference between the two?

I finally picked one up used online only because the price was good. First thing I thought about it when I put it on was "F#%K!n& POS!" The front secures ok but with a giant wobble and of course the gap and the rear just sits in the hole in the back mounting bracket LOOOOSE-flap flap flap flap rattle rattle. We as consumers are WAAAY too used to settling for manufactured crap. Right now, mine is held down in the rear by 2 large neon file rubber bands. Trust me, it's temporary until I can fabricate a rear latch mechanism like the stock seat has. I've got two OEM seats...I might just switch out the guts and with a little modding might work. I refuse to settle for..."well it looks ok I guess".

nah.uhh
July 7th, 2011, 07:39 PM
I finally picked one up used online only because the price was good. First thing I thought about it when I put it on was "F#%K!n& POS!" The front secures ok but with a giant wobble and of course the gap and the rear just sits in the hole in the back mounting bracket LOOOOSE-flap flap flap flap rattle rattle. We as consumers are WAAAY too used to settling for manufactured crap. Right now, mine is held down in the rear by 2 large neon file rubber bands. Trust me, it's temporary until I can fabricate a rear latch mechanism like the stock seat has. I've got two OEM seats...I might just switch out the guts and with a little modding might work. I refuse to settle for..."well it looks ok I guess".

If you read the thread b4 hand.. Anyway your missing the grommet (rubber neck for the way to loose rattle rattle flap flap) available at lowes, part # in this thread
Right?

Edit: youre in japan so no lowes (ithink..), the measurement of the grommet might also be in this thread,

SaintJPN
July 7th, 2011, 09:25 PM
I'm not missing anything. 09 in Japan doesn't come with a rear grommet. Even if it did...it's still a horrible product design :p . I've place the front grommets for the old one onto the new one blah blah blah...end result same. Long story short. I'll make something that will work and looks professional. Having to do this to make a product worthwhile is WORTHLESS. Oh and BTW, nice job on pointing out that I should have read the thread beforehand nah... (my you burn so brightly) Anyway, you missed the point. Bigger sin than missing a grommet.

CZroe
July 9th, 2011, 07:50 PM
I'm not missing anything. 09 in Japan doesn't come with a rear grommet. Even if it did...it's still a horrible product design :p . I've place the front grommets for the old one onto the new one blah blah blah...end result same. Long story short. I'll make something that will work and looks professional. Having to do this to make a product worthwhile is WORTHLESS. Oh and BTW, nice job on pointing out that I should have read the thread beforehand nah... (my you burn so brightly) Anyway, you missed the point. Bigger sin than missing a grommet.

Most people don't think thier bike comes with them here either because they are always missing before anyone takes a look! I don't remember ever seeing mine. I did, however, see the two rubber dampers under the passenger seat at the dealer before I rode it 600 miles home and left it at the local dealer for the first service. When I got it back the rubber dampers had fallen out and were gone. I remembered seeing glue around one of them and now I know why: Kawi had not been fully inserting them and they knew they were falling out. Indeed, I could not tell that my replacements weren't fully inserted until I began spinning them while pushing and they eventually popped in and would suddenly spin more freely. I've used my helmet lock under the seat daily for three years and 24,000 miles and the replacements never fell out even without glue.

nah.uhh
July 9th, 2011, 08:09 PM
I'm not missing anything. 09 in Japan doesn't come with a rear grommet. Even if it did...it's still a horrible product design :p . I've place the front grommets for the old one onto the new one blah blah blah...end result same. Long story short. I'll make something that will work and looks professional. Having to do this to make a product worthwhile is WORTHLESS. Oh and BTW, nice job on pointing out that I should have read the thread beforehand nah... (my you burn so brightly) Anyway, you missed the point. Bigger sin than missing a grommet.

"and the rear just sits in the hole in the back mounting bracket LOOOOSE-flap flap flap flap rattle rattle. We as consumers are WAAAY too used to settling for manufactured crap. Right now, mine is held down in the rear by 2 large neon file rubber bands." - saintJPN

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=42878&postcount=54
which links to
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=36707&postcount=6

sure id rather the cowl secure ie the stock pillon but i sure as hell dont have a rattle rattle flap flap
FYI the grommet doesnt come with the bike, it comes with the cowl. which you bought used
... and like czroe said the DAMPERS on the seat do come loose and fall off easily if not properly inserted

the gap on the front of the cowl is by design, and the rattle flap is you not having a grommet in the rear hole
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=36707&postcount=6
correct me if im wrong.........

greatwhiteninja
July 9th, 2011, 09:00 PM
I got mine to fit best by using no rubber grometts on the actual seat cowl itself, 4 of them.. the seat cowl did come with a rubber gromett for the rear connection, on the bike .. basically I had to bend down the rear tab on the bike just a little bit with a hammer and putting a towel over it not to scratch it all up.. then I bent the locking tab front bracket on the seat cowl itself in a little .. fits nice now with hardly any gap and perfect and tight .. no play at all in it.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c220/supergenesis/IMG_1237.jpg

SaintJPN
July 10th, 2011, 07:01 PM
Like I said before, I'll make something work. I took 15 minutes out of my schedule over the weekend and looked into my rear seat cowl. I've owned 2 brand new 2009's and both did not have this infamous rear grommet here in Japan and my cowl didn't come with one either. I'm sure that my cowl is different from many other people's cowls in how it is made also..BUT! That does not matter because grommets do not lock. FYI-if you're into small little rubber holes, you're into something entirely different than rear solo seat cowls. It does involve the word "solo".

:smile-injar: I had two options that I was toying around with in my head. The first was to fabricate a sleeve for the rear tab to slide into and the second was to use the guts of an extra rear seat I had (from my first 2009). I wanted to do this without using a lot of money because I believe that I've already paid enough just purchasing the seat cowl.

:soapbox: I went with gutting the extra rear seat. Turned out to be pretty simple and almost everything aligns with a little slight modding here and there. There was a little cutting, shaving, and a couple of holes had to be made. I'll post pictures and provide step by step what I did. The end results: A rear cowl that locks into place without any rattling or movement and no one can walk by and lift up on your cowl to get at whatever is under your seat. There is a small gap all the way around but it is uniform and looks good. Out of pocket expense was only $1.00 for a small pack of bolts (I think M5). Tools I used as a saw, knife or a drill (to make the two holes), extra rear seat, two short and small bolts with 2 washers each, and some electrical tape (any color ok because it won't be visible).

Can't promise exactlly when the pictures will be posted (I've already taken them) due to some really important things I've got to take care of before that will happen. Should be in a few days I think.

Buffalony
July 13th, 2011, 01:41 PM
:dizzy:

Hitting the bike with hammers, shaving, filing and shimming!! Even losing the rear grommet before getting the cowl:confused:

When receiving the cowl you should have received a grommet. Put the grommet in the frame hole and check that the bottom of it is as flush as the top. Stick your pinky finger in there and press around the inside of the grommet.

When assembling the cowl, the bracket only goes on one way. Pay attention to the location of the pin in the cowl plastic and the receiving end of the bracket.

When installing the cowl, place the rear pin in the grommet. It will be noticeable when it seats in there properly. Make sure it actually seats itself in there with a slight push, pull. It will feel snug with very little but also noticeable play.

Then push down the front of the cowl plastic right above the bumper with the base of your palm until you hear the lock click.


I refuse to believe any of the major modifications being made in this thread are necessary to get the cowl to fit unless there is a non-OEM part involved.
Kawasaki’s QC is much better than what this thread is saying.

The only major problem with the cowl is the bracket. It is what causes the cowl to fit funny. It was designed and manufactured with the right dimensions. However, it comes bent in the middle. This deformation is from the pin weld cooling and can be fixed very easily.

If one or both sides are too high or low for your liking, take the bracket off and put the side you want to adjust into a vise. With a hammer, gently tap the opposite side of the bracket to adjust the side in the jaws. I.e. tap the top of the opposite side on the top if you want to lower the side in the vise jaws. Test the fit often until you’re satisfied. You'll notice that the closer to perpendicular you get the pin, the better the cowl will fit.


Except for the modification to the helmet lock slots, all OEM cowls are identical. There is a possibility for there to be some warpage of the frame brackets from welding. If your stock passenger seat fit fine, the cowl will too.

vnranger
September 16th, 2011, 12:11 AM
Terrible gaps before mod:

14818148191482014821



1. Remove the front OEM bracket and two OEM metal clips from the seat cowl:

1482314824



2.Use Dremel tool to cut the bracket at both ends so it can fit underneath the plastic part of the seat cowl:

148251482614827



3. Use Dremel to cut on one side of the plastic part of the seat cowl so the bracket can slide in:

14828



4.Slide the bracket in:

148291483014831



5.Tighten the bracket to the plastic part using 2 OEM M6 bolts and 2 6mm nuts:

1483214833



6. Patch the cutting place on plastic part using 15min Epoxy:

14841



7. use 2 washers under the lock ASSY to raise it up:

14834



8. Install the seat cowl and look at the gap now :D

148351483614837

vnranger
September 16th, 2011, 12:39 AM
I lost two of these rubber grommet already :mad:. So now I 'm using paper clip part to keep them stay in place :p

148381483914840

CZroe
October 15th, 2011, 10:22 PM
the rear grommet is hillman part number 139377. it is a 31/32" outer diameter and a 1/2" inner diameter. found it at lowes in the nuts and bolts section in the drawers.

for me, i just used some rubber caster looking thingys in the front. i stacked 3 of them up on each side. i will try to find my packaging...

I'll have to pick me up one of these in the morning. :thumbup:

CZroe
October 19th, 2011, 06:10 AM
It's actually the LOWES part number. The Hillman part number is H# 881261. Now, I know I have the right part: The bin said "Lowes: 139377 H#: 881261" and it is labeled "32/32OD x 1/2ID H# 881261" on the sealed package.

I test-fitted it in the store and it just falls right off of the nipple but I found that it tightens up perfectly when I get it in the bike.

Now, regarding fitment, mine is a used cowl that seems to fit perfectly fine. The bracket appears straight and unmodified and the gap is minimal (didn't really notice even until I took the picture).

Question: Why does the nipple have a ridge around only half of it? I see others in this thread exactly the same way.

Ive worked in A few plastic factories over the years. Let me tell you, plastic no matter what, will Warp like most man-made things! Plastic injection molding isnt perfect. If some of the OEM cowls sit for a long time, due to too much weight being pushed down onto through the boxes 'strenght' and pushes down on the Cowl/Part itself alil bit... over time it Warps things even further! (in case of final products Boxed and sealed, stacked till shipped) Some of these mightve been sitting for afew Months, also these OEMs could've been Made (like most cases) before the first 250R (2008-2009) was even built, and wasnt really Test-fitted. Manufacturing parts ahead of time without 'making sure its perfect fitting' happens more times then we'd like to think. Its plastic molding, theres alot more 'room for error' in the correct size, vs a CNC Machine Shop with steel,stainless-steel Molds and Parts that have 'tight' tollerences.


anyhow im just pissed we spend our hard earned money on something that once you get it outta its box, like a 8yr old on X-mas morning all excited and such, your Quite bummed with the results of your find! :mad:
I doubt this is the case. Mine has no notch for the helmet so it is clearly the earliest made. I think this issue is a combination of people mounting the U-clips upside down, the mounting bracket backwards, and the slight bend on the mounting bracket from the TIG weld of the latching pin. My bracket was straight, the hardware was secured correctly, and I didn't have to do a thing to the rubber bits and neither did the previous owner.

Now, I will be putting my contact info on the inside somewhere and using Loctite though I myself have not personally experienced it coming off (haven't ridden with it yet). ;)

greatwhiteninja
October 19th, 2011, 08:03 AM
the only rubber pc i am using on mine is the back one that inserts into the bike, i actually superglued it on so it wouldnt keep falling out when i would remove the cowl.. but the 4 rubber pcs on the seat cowl itself i have removed, i dont have any issues with it, fits nice and flush and doesnt move around or anything.. its all in bending the front bracket.. the rear i slightly had to bend after installing the hotbodies undertail , but otherwise it was all just the front bracket on the cowl..

CZroe
October 21st, 2011, 11:25 PM
Here's what I did so I don't lose that valuable grommet as one day I noticed my cowl just hanging there--I almost lost it and have read about many that have lost their entire cowl because Kawi didn't make them so great--although they are so pretty!

I think I saw someone on this forum do this as well......if you've got some zip ties...you won't lose your grommet or your cowl...

I was already planning to make a tether like this but it fell in gravel and on pavement three times in a single day before I could get to it (while I was still working on the grommet). :(

Without a place to put it while you secure or retrieve your helmet, it clearly wasn't designed to be taken on and off regularly. That's why the grommet is as likely to push through when mounting the cowl as it is to fit correctly.

dragonboy
October 26th, 2011, 08:43 PM
Awesome thread, Lowe's gasket :thumbup: Now can someone post a pic of the bent bar and how to properly do it. Thanks!

killamuf
December 14th, 2011, 11:37 PM
Thanks, this thread helped a lot. Gonna pay a visit to Lowe's tomorrow. A+ for you.! :D

CZroe
March 3rd, 2012, 04:03 AM
My experience with the passenger seat tells me that if you insert them fully they will not come back out. Basically, Kawi didn't install them right. I lost BOTH of them on my seat within a week of owning the bike. There was adhesive around them that was clearly meant to secure them as a secondary measure. When the dealer replaced them under warranty I twisted and twisted until cone pieces snapped fully into the holes on the passenger seat. Then, I drove 12,000 miles, using the helmet hooks under the seat up to several times a day and never had a problem since. I didn't even add more adhesive. It was pretty hard to get them all the way in. It even seems like it's impossible to fit them but I assure you that it is. The rubber cone pieces just seem too fat to fit and the stem seems like it compresses too easily to force it. IIRC, I just smashed it down HARD and repeatedly twisted.

I even asked on Kawi forums and many people never realized that there was supposed to be rubber dampers there. :)

Well, when I finally got my solo seat cowl I realized that they were twisted all the way in because there was even a bit of slack on the opposite side of the bracket, unlike the seat dampers where you couldn't observe any slack even if there were some. That means that they were fully installed. I lost one of my cowl dampers in under two weeks anyway. That means that, unlike the seat where we only need to make sure that they are truly fully installed (mine were glued from the factory but not fully installed; impossible to check visually), we do need to take precautions with these. When I get my replacement, I'll use the adhesive mentioned in this thread (http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=152007&postcount=11) along with the clip mentioned in another thread (http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=371398&postcount=187) and, finally, the grommet zip-tie mentioned in yet another (http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=195552&postcount=17) (Paging Alex: Merge threads?).

Grommet for my seat cowl kept getting pushed out of the receiving bracket every time I pushed the cowl down into place. Went to Lowes recently and picked up one of their grommets and now the cowl seats itself perfectly and securely.... the stock grommet sent with cowl is way to thin and flimsy to secure the cowl at all. No problems with the "feet" rubbers yet.

I was told that it came with the bike and not the cowl, though I don't remember ever seeing mine.

Buffalony
March 11th, 2012, 12:57 AM
vnranger. Epoxy, cutting oem design, paper clamp, f-ing LATEX GLOVES!!!!

Do you realize that all you had to do was use just that vise you have and put the bracket into it, tap both ends of the bracket to bend towards the direction of the lock post, and it would have achieved the same... exact... effect. Wow!! yes your cowl looks great now, but "You went full retard" ~ Robert Downey Jr.

reabo
January 21st, 2013, 06:03 AM
heres what i find to replace rear cowl rubber grommet and its a better fit ,tighter even, got it at Lowe's for $1.20

Sorry to bring up an old thread but your seemed most reliant.

I live in the uk and we dont have lowe. Do you know anywhere I can get this in the uk or if i was looking what the part is actually called?

ty

CZroe
January 21st, 2013, 09:42 AM
Sorry to bring up an old thread but your seemed most reliant.

I live in the uk and we dont have lowe. Do you know anywhere I can get this in the uk or if i was looking what the part is actually called?

ty

Lowe's is a US "home improvement store" that sells tools, fixtures, wood, electrical wiring, finishing materials, lawn equipment, and hardware. It was in the hardware section with the nuts and bolts. I'm sure you have home improvement stores that carry hardware. If they have any rubber grommets take your cowl in with you and size them up. The correct size will seem a bit too large but when it goes in the hole on the bike it will tighten up.

reabo
January 21st, 2013, 09:45 AM
Lowe's is a US "home improvement store" that sells tools, fixtures, wood, electrical wiring, finishing materials, lawn equipment, and hardware. It was in the hardware section with the nuts and bolts. I'm sure you have home improvement stores that carry hardware. If they have any rubber grommets take your cowl in with you ant size them up. The correct size will seem a bit too large but when it goes in the hole on the bike it will tighten up.

ty for the reply :) We have something called bnq. i'll have a look there. much appreciated :)

Aggrotech
June 19th, 2013, 08:04 PM
Rise old thread!


I just bought a cowl from a link in the marketplace section with teh Ebay bot.

Came with 4 little rubber dampers and no instruction. took off my seat, put the bigger dampers in front, installed seat cowl, didnt move left/right, but the rear end i could completely lift up..took it off, double checked and i seemed to have lost my grommet.

been waiting a good 5 days to get one in from Partzilla, they offered a tracking number but it still has not updated, lame.

reabo
June 20th, 2013, 01:13 AM
I found my old one a month ago under my caravan. Must of falled off when i changed to my seat.

Aggrotech
June 20th, 2013, 04:01 PM
If anyone is still curious after all these pages. I bought this grommet from Partzilla (#KP-92071-056 92071-056 GROMMET) Fits perfectly. Put some glue on the inside all around it, installed with no problems.

Installed my rear cowl, getting the wobbles to the left/right, swapped out the rear cowl rubber feet with the 2 rubber feet of the OEM seat and its more flush but the wobble is there. Dont want to really fck with any brackets so im not quite sure what imma do

Xorro
July 1st, 2013, 08:10 AM
ty for the reply :) We have something called bnq. i'll have a look there. much appreciated :)

Did you find one in B&Q?

The only (UK) grommet I can find is this one: http://www.kawasakitripleparts.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=72 thanks to Aggrotech posting the part number.

reabo
July 1st, 2013, 08:12 AM
I did :) Just brought in my cowl and my mate sorted me out.

Xorro
July 1st, 2013, 08:18 AM
Don't suppose you have a part number?

reabo
July 1st, 2013, 08:20 AM
Im sorry I don't. It was to long ago now. :/

If you end up getting one, please post it up here so other can know :) I should of done that, toally forgot about the thread until someone posted the other week

7OHTWO
April 11th, 2014, 06:03 PM
This helped me out and I got my cowl on, thanks!

CZroe
September 21st, 2022, 01:38 PM
So, the reason some people get the cowl without hardware is because the parts catalog has the cowl available as an assembly and as individual replacement parts. The catalog descriptions are too abstract to know exactly what you ordered without referencing the diagram. Sometimes the full kit is cheaper than the plastic alone and sometimes the price difference is extreme enough in the other direction that you might actually want to piece it together yourself.

The replicas online have the same security flaw as the original, which Kawasaki fixed for the 300’s solo seat cowl by giving it an L-shaped bracket that can’t be turned when you lift the back. It makes me wonder why they didn’t revise the solo cowl with a similar fix for the 250 years earlier. The thing is, they could have fixed it on both bikes even easier by making the locking pin have a ring groove instead of a notch. You could then turn it all the way around without retracting the spring-loaded locking lug/striker.