Forum bmwbike.com

I like to get a Pagusa solo seat, rather than a Denfeld for my 1958 R69 but I'm not sure if it will be correct for my bike. From my understanding, Pagusa solos were used for bikes of 55'/56' & below.

Moreover, would it be incorrect to up a swinging pillion rear seat for my model bike? Was that strictly for R68 modes only?

Thank you!

On page 133 of Slabon's restoration book, it says:
"Up to 1955, most BMW twins were fitted with Pagusa brand-name rubber tops, and an absolutely correct restoration should have a Pagusa saddle".

On page 136, the book shows a 1950-1954 seat having a Y-frame and coil spring suspension, and a 1955-1969 seat having a T-frame and rubber block suspension. The coil spring requires an attachment point on the bike's frame, shown on page 133, which all the singles have but only the post-1955 twins have.

I think maybe only the T-frame with rubber block will fit your 1958 bike, which is probably the seat frame that Huggett sells. The Pagusa and Denfeld covers are identical and interchangeable, so you could order either:
52 51 7 002 011 Denfeld drivers saddle
52 51 7 002 011.1 Pagusa drivers saddle
But the Denfeld brand on the cover would be correct for your 1958 year.

The swinging pillion seat was for all the twins. The front of the swinging pillion attaches to the frame of the solo seat, and the pillion swngs up and down with the solo seat.

I think the swinging pillion seat was an accessory, perhaps not furnished by BMW, and the reproductions today are rather expensive. Bobs BMW sells it for $360 and warns that it was designed to allow the rider to slide back into a sport position, and is not designed to support the weight of a passenger. This refers to the fact that much of the passenger's weight is carried by the rider's seat.

The fender or rack mounted passenger seats would be better, but I must advise that I had one and my passenger felt very insecure. She was bothered by the up and down motion of the seat, the soft rubber grip that offered no support, and the distance from the rider who she could not hold onto.

I think the best seat for the passenger is the bench seat, especially the wide bench which is not available new. Old wide benches can be restored with new covers, but the padding must be made by the upholsterer and nobody seems to be able to make the completed seats look like the originals.

Hello, My understanding is that the linked swinging pillion seat was original equipment on R68 & R69 models. Regards to all. Geoff.