695 seat latch is crap, and has always been crap. Need an alternative.

[jsanford]

My seat will not stay latched.   

When I bought my M695 in 2008 I rode it home with the Touring Seat option.  The stock seat killed my back. Not long after, I was leaning the bike in traffic and felt the seat slide a bit.

The dealer tried adjusting it, changing the mechanism, oiling it, cleaning it out, putting in spacers, removing spacers...since then I've learned how Ducati doesn't always think through putting stock and accessory parts together.

I gave up and rode with a pillon bag that straps to the rear frame.  Luggage space, seat stays put, problem solved.  [moto]

Until the zipper broke and the bag (now a discontinued model) is off getting repaired. Monster stays inside in the meantime. 

The latch looks like a simple-enough wire-spring key latch mechanism. Perhaps I could retrofit the newer 696 design?

Anyone else have this problem, and find a solution that works for more than one or two rides?  Maybe I should get a Corbin--I needed a screwdriver to get that off my other bike. 

[Speeddog]

When you put the seat on, and it's latched, does it rattle up and down?

With the seat on, and it's latched, look in from the sides where the seat sits on the frame.
Is it sitting on the frame at the back, but a gap in the middle?

Can you post a pic of the bottom of this touring seat?

In my experience, the latch system is pretty reliable.

[ducpainter]

Put a washer between the latch and the frame at each bolt location.

[Scotzman]

Put a washer between the latch and the frame at each bolt location.

+1. This seems to be a common "mod" people have to do with the aftermarket seat.

[booger]

+2 I had the touring seat as well and had to use a couple of washers underneath the latch mechanism at both bolts to shim the latch up a little so it would interlock with the locking post under the seat correctly. You stated the dealer already tried putting in spacers. I kinda doubt it because if he had the problem would have been solved. Next time you're in the garage take 5 minutes to deal with this yourself and don't bother the dealer with it since it's obviously beyond the guy's scope of ability.

[DarkStaR]

+3, +4, & +5.  Had to do the same washer trick on a couple bikes.