So, I seem to be one of the rare ones who hates modern bike seats. I was first introduced to the dilemma when I bought my Suzuki Bandit, so overjoyed with the power on the shortish test ride I didn't give the seat a second thought, until:
Riding the bike home, a 75k ride, my arse was yelling at me after 10 Ks. When I got home I couldn't walk. How could Suzuki be so masochistic, was this their attempt at a joke. I spent about $450 on that seat, but it was never any good. In the end I made a bodged up 2 piece seat out of plywood and foam, while it looked awful it was the most comfort I ever had on that bike. When I sold the bike I obviously put the real seat back on and kept my marvelous custom creation, you never know right.
Well now I have the 14 and while the seat is nothing like the bandit I find I can't live with it either, IMO seats should be level with the ground just like the old bikes, seats that are on a lean, as the 14 is just makes you end up sitting on your nuts, stretching the old sack beyond it's limits, real comfortable that is, again, I seem to be the only one complaining.
So today I took the seat to a trusted motor trimmer that I've used a number of times starting way back in the 70s, the original guy did my last Triumph sprint seat about 2 years ago but he has had to retire due to his hands having arthro, his son works the business now.
I've asked him to reshape the front bit so it's level with the ground, flat, and put a slight 25mil rise at the front of the pillion section to keep er indoors happy.
He can't start on it next week, maybe the week after but once the foam is done he wants me to put the seat back on the bike to check his work before he makes the new cover.
This means the seat will be out of action for some time.
Not to be thwarted and without my newly acquired wonder, enter the Bandit hack seat, see pics, there is a metal reinforced tongue that goes under the tank and the rest of the seat is held on by the oky strap.
The seat, as ordinary as it looks, is level with the ground, a bit high but very comfortable and stable enough to allow me to ride until the real seat returns.
I'd be interested in what others think of riding on their sacks and or if it doesn't bother them.
Blow torch anyone, if I may be allowed a small pun :whistling:
Naturally I'll post pics of the new seat when it's done. :cheers:
That's ghetto alright - but at least you used a blue strap so its matchy matchy.
The seat I have has been redone for arse comfort but the front still leans forward similar to standard.
I'm in a long term relationship, what would I need my nuts for.... :lol:
Nic, great little temp seat. Agree about stock seat. Rider always sliding fwd and pillion also. Mine redone yrs ago and just recently had top foam replaced, cost a whole $50. Best seat ever had. For really long trips i have two sheepskins. Double layer for Wife. Fit on in 5 mins, just elastic straps underneath seat. Totally no sliding, warm in winter, cool in summer. Spray with Scotchguard and water runs away.
Totally agree. Sliding forward all the time for both rider and passenger.
hence why I did this to my spare seat. Re-shaped it. though it is slightly different from the pics on my thread as I added more foam on to then re-shape it some more,
https://gsx1400owners.org/forum/index.php?topic=4148.60
I'll be seeing the local upholsterer next week (he should be back from WSBK at Phillip island by then) and getting it re-covered..
Quote from: grog on Thursday, 05 March 2020, 06:04 PM
Nic, great little temp seat. Agree about stock seat. Rider always sliding fwd and pillion also. Mine redone yrs ago and just recently had top foam replaced, cost a whole $50. Best seat ever had. For really long trips i have two sheepskins. Double layer for Wife. Fit on in 5 mins, just elastic straps underneath seat. Totally no sliding, warm in winter, cool in summer. Spray with Scotchguard and water runs away.
There you go, now that's what I'm talkin bout, flat and level seat, looks great, the front looks exactly like I've asked my man to do. Thanks for sharing.
Quote from: VladTepes on Thursday, 05 March 2020, 05:46 PM
That's ghetto alright - but at least you used a blue strap so its matchy matchy.
I'm in a long term relationship, what would I need my nuts for.... :lol:
:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:
Perhaps its your arse that need reshaping? a few lads in the Welsh valleys would sort that on a Saturday night !! :bugga:
I had same problem, always sliding forward. Last year I reshaped it myself and upholstery shop made custom cover. Happy since that! :cheers:
Totally agree with you Nic, modern bike seats are crap as not only do they slope down at the front they also get narrower, this is so that short arses can get their feel on the floor when they buy a bike that's too big for them. I am in the process of building another seat with a much higher and wider front section with a flat middle. I did the same on my tiger sport and I replaced my BMW seat with a flat sorts version.
Nobody has a right to complain about how bad a factory seat can be until they've ridden a stock DR650.
THE WORST !!!!!
Quote from: mlivkovich on Thursday, 05 March 2020, 07:35 PM
I had same problem, always sliding forward. Last year I reshaped it myself and upholstery shop made custom cover. Happy since that! :cheers:
Seat looks great.
Couldn`t agree more about the Bandit `12 seat. I couldn`t even get through a tankful without the need to seek an A&E.
My only complaint about the `14 seat is that i find it a bit low, though its not a big enough issue for me to consider modifying it.
That's it im getting my seat redone. Without sounding weird, i realky like grog's seat profile.
Any chance of posting some close up photos of your bike seat please grog?
(No matter how i put it it sounds weird) :lol: :doh:
Quote from: Notty on Thursday, 05 March 2020, 06:51 PM
Perhaps its your arse that need reshaping? a few lads in the Welsh valleys would sort that on a Saturday night !! :bugga:
From what i read... the stuffing turn gooey pretty quick and it may run out ... all over the bike
:whatever:
Eric, found a couple of old pics, bike not with me today. Seat still almost same.
(https://i.imgur.com/99KCnak.jpg)
Mine was on its way out the door if I hadn`t been able to sort the seat out, I had it raised by 50 mm at the front and 30 mm at the back with all done in the highest density foam and recovered in grippy vinyl, totally transformed the bike.
Quote from: grog on Friday, 06 March 2020, 07:09 AM
Eric, found a couple of old pics, bike not with me today. Seat still almost same.
Thanks mate, will take my seat and your photos to a local marine and automotive trimmer and see what they can do.
Well after much ado and lost in the post, the seat is finally done. Mick at MJM in Goulburn did the job after I had left it with another bloke who couldn't be bothered, so I took it to Mick. I had intended to ride to Goulburn to pick it up but the Gestapo put an end to that, Mick was more than happy to post it, Goulburn is only 100 Kays from me and as I said, it got lost in the mail. It came yesterday, haven't been on a ride but do intend to slither out on the back roads very soon.
Looks good Nic, nice job. Youll notice the difference. If you still want better, long trips, hot days. Get a sheepskin. Sew a couple straps on, on/off in 3 minutes. Totally stops me &pillion sliding. Just an added luxury to a good seat. Scotchguard spray keeps water off if caught.
Looks very plush Nic. :clapping: :clapping:
The bum on seat test is the next stage but who knows when :whatever: :whatever: :whatever:
That looks great, let us all know how it 'performs' over a long run.
Being a fat-shortarse, I had a go at making my own, as you can see i'm no seamstress, but its really comfy, it was an old duff seat off a scrapper, the original is plastic-wrapped, in the garage.
@lawrie can we see the rest of your bike please :whistling: :whistling: