2010 RT Pillion Seat Release Lock

In doing my winter maintenance, one other item I noticed was how crunchy the lock mechanism that releases the pillion seat is every year. Removal of the tail light lens shows a LOT of road crud in there, due to a 1/2" (approx) gap between the fender liner and rear tail section. The gap allows road spray, dirt, etc to enter a small gap in the body work and end up in the tail section. No wonder its always so crunchy. Giving thought to a piece of rubber tube or similar to close that gap. Has anyone filled in that section to prevent crud from flying up? Pics? I'll be looking at this tonight, and will post any pics of my solution.

Marlen - To help Forum respondents, I think it would be helpful to know where you're riding and in what kind of conditions.

I had a 2008 RT and spent a lot of time riding in the rain from MA to Texas, Florida Panhandle, and in 2012 to CA and back. It's all anecdotal, but I don't recall any accumulation in 50K miles of riding. Perhaps all the rain washed it away.

Pillion Seat Release Lock

Good Point. I'm in Edmonton, Canada. Primarily dry weather, but spring time roads are gritty with dirt, and spring time rain has a tendency to kick up lots of that dirt. Last year was a busy one, rode 2-up from Edmonton to Seattle to LA to Vegas, back into Oregon, British Columbia, and back home. Annual trips into British Columbia (similar environment to Alberta, just a bit warmer). The lock was feeling a bit gritty last year too, but this year, I have a solution in mind to keep grit and water out of the tail section. I'll post photos as I develop it.

Pillion Seat Release Lock "guard"

I forgot to take pics, not that taking pics of my solution was going to be very pretty anyway. I figured out a low-tech solution to stopping road crud from flying up from the rear wheel between the fender liner and tail section. I cut a section of an old bicycle tube (about 12" long), sliced the edge of it and rolled it up. It filled the gap between the two body panels nicely and won't be falling out, I hope. Worst comes to worst and it does want to depart, no big deal, its just a little piece of rubber. Will monitor and see if it stays put.