Replacement seat covers

[newrider1949]

The ones I bought:
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/273675980046

After taking off the top ripped section, (saddle padding is in two sections; the moulded foam squab and the top "cover") I could see that to re-upholster this top section would be a nightmare as the vinyl is heat formed as well as being a complete unit, i.e. the top section has a base as well as a top - it's a sealed part that sits on top of the moulded section. If your base squab is still in good shape, as mine was, then the top section "cover" from Bankok will work just fine. The kit doesn't include the base foam squab but the top cover is complete with foam fill. It looks heat moulded and identical to OEM in the pics, (it hasn't arrived yet) but I'm pretty confident it's good quality and the seller has excellent feedback. Plus he ships it free from Thailand, DHL courier.

I'll update when it arrives.

Larry

[newrider1949]

Seat covers arrived today, look like a very close match to original and material seems good quality. I tried my old faithful Bostich staple gun but no go on the hard plastic bases so tomorrow I'll try with my mates air stapler and jack up the pressure!

[SgtSlag]

I had my Honda's seat re-sculpted and recovered, professionally. I asked him to make it into a King/Queen seat. We discussed it, but he did not fully understand what I was after. He came close, but not the full concept. I got to choose the stitch and the piping colors, along with the stitch pattern he did. Here is the result. The new seat cover really blended well with the bike's color scheme.

After we had the seat re-done, we rode that 1979 Honda 750 around Lake Superior, two-up, alone, in 2009... Trip of a lifetime, and our first, real bike tour. We were sooo green... It was a baptism by fire and water, but the seat was great, and the passenger position really was boosted up from the OEM seat design, giving better visibility.

My guy used boat-grade vinyl, the heaviest available, I believe. I had that bike, with the new seat, for a few years before I sold it, after I got my Voyager. If I ever have my Voyager's seats re-done, I will look him up again, as he did really fine work.

I investigated how to re-cover a motorcycle seat, myself, but I just don't feel up to the task, as I could never achieve the superb results that my professional guy did. But, that is me. Looking forward to photos of your finished work. Cheers!

[Nails]

I rolled my own, and it turned out exactly what I wanted -- okay, after cutting and re-welding the backrest supports a half-dozen times. The backrest snugs up to my lower back for a perfect reach to the bars. (These days, I use an AirHawk rather than the sheepskin.)

[triton28]

Bike looks very nice Nails.
I like the contrast between the white and the black.
Dave

[Nails]

Thanks, but in the flesh it's a bit rough. However, I don't see most of that when I'm riding it.

[newrider1949]

here's the result, will give review later ...not an easy job .

[triton28]

I imagine the hard part is the stretching of the vinyl around the edges of the plastic seat forms and then stapling them when you have them stretched.

[SgtSlag]

It looks pretty good. That type of vinyl is quite strong. I imagine stretching it taut while stapling it, is not terribly easy, especially considering the complex shapes involved. Like I said previously, I relied upon an experienced professional to recover my Honda's seat.

I wish you the very best with your project. Cheers!

[newrider1949]

Ahem yes well stapling into 37 year old plastic wasn't the easiest of jobs and the air stapler we had didn't cut it, or rather did cut it (the material that is) as the staples that fit this gun were only 1/8" across the bridge and looked like they could tear (or were tearing) the fabric. So we ditched it and went with small (1/2") self tapping screws instead. The screws had a low profile Philips head with a sort of built in "washer" that formed a 3/8" seat to secure the fabric. Worked great, but definitely a 2 person job. On the main saddle, we added another strip of vinyl between the screws and the fabric just to give it a bit more strength.
In the few places where the screw points might compromise or poke through the material, we added another plastic backing plate to reduce the depth of the screw.
The buttoning was also a bit of a challenge, I tried tying the loop and slipping it over the tit on the back of the seat base, but that was a no go, very difficult getting the right tension also getting them all evenly squished. After I broke one button string stretching it over the retainer, we ditched the cords and substituted some strong thin wire -and- after getting the right depth/tension on the button we put in a screw right next to the tit and did a couple of wraps around the screw before tightening it down.

Larry

[newrider1949]

One thing that I'm missing is the velcroed vinyl cover that goes over(under) the LH passenger armrest that shrouds the cabling coming up from the back of the passenger seat area. I'm guessing this is just a flat piece of vinyl that rolls up into a tube and then secured by velcro? Should be easy enough to make up, anyone happen to have the dimensions?

Appreciate it!

Thanks -and Happy New Year to all

Larry