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Refurbishing my seat...should I choose leather or vinyl?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
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Anonymous

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Wondering which would be better..especially if it got wet...a leather or vinyl covering.

Thanks! :-)

Rudi
 
Re: Refurbishing my seat...should I choose leather or vinyl?

Rudi said:
Wondering which would be better..especially if it got wet...a leather or vinyl covering.

Thanks! :-)

Rudi
Click to expand...

Funny, a co-worker and I talked about this the other day. He had a custom seat covered in leather and said he wouldn't do it again. His opinion was vinyl was better. I personally have only had vinyl covers on bikes...
 
recover

recover

I would go with marine grade vinyl as leather will not stand up to rain or sun.
 
Vinyl is probably the better choice for long-term durability, but not the thin crap that was original. I went with leather about a year and a half ago. I put some conditioner on it every now and then. It's held up great, but a year and a half is nothing. It does feel really nice and your butt won't get as hot as with vinyl.

$125 and if it lasts five years, it's $25 a year.

That said, vinyl is a more pragmatic choice.
 
Marine grade vinyl? Sounds good. Yeah, I kinda figured that vinyl would be the better choice. Leather sounds good...but what happens if you get into a rain storm?

BTW, is the marine grade vinyl thicker than the crappy original? Thanks!

Rudi
 
Rudi said:
Marine grade vinyl? Sounds good. Yeah, I kinda figured that vinyl would be the better choice. Leather sounds good...but what happens if you get into a rain storm?

BTW, is the marine grade vinyl thicker than the crappy original? Thanks!

Rudi
Click to expand...

The leather hasn't been a problem in rain (and I've been in a lot of rain), but I do put conditioner on it quite a bit.

Marine-grade vinyl, or really any vinyl upholstery material, at a decent upholstery shop will surprise you. Much thicker, better feeling and definitely more durable than the old stock crap. And for a motorcycle seat, it makes no sense to use anything but the best they have - the price difference won't be much and labor will be the same.
 
Bert Patterson said:
Rudi said:
Marine grade vinyl? Sounds good. Yeah, I kinda figured that vinyl would be the better choice. Leather sounds good...but what happens if you get into a rain storm?

BTW, is the marine grade vinyl thicker than the crappy original? Thanks!

Rudi
Click to expand...

The leather hasn't been a problem in rain (and I've been in a lot of rain), but I do put conditioner on it quite a bit.

Marine-grade vinyl, or really any vinyl upholstery material, at a decent upholstery shop will surprise you. Much thicker, better feeling and definitely more durable than the old stock crap. And for a motorcycle seat, it makes no sense to use anything but the best they have - the price difference won't be much and labor will be the same.
Click to expand...

Bert, will ANY upholstery shop be able to re-cover a motorcycle seat? Or do I need to take it to a speciality shop specializing in this?

Thanks!
Rudi
 
Rudi said:
Bert, will ANY upholstery shop be able to re-cover a motorcycle seat? Or do I need to take it to a speciality shop specializing in this?

Thanks!
Rudi
Click to expand...

I really think that any decent auto upholstery shop can do it, especially if you have your pan and foam intact. I went to an auto place and they did a great job. They do a lot of custom in old '50s and '60s cars.

I wish I'd had them put a gel pad in under the drivers part of the seat. Not so much of an issue with you - your butt's a lot younger than mine.
 
Rudi,
With marine grade vinyl it's a simple do it yourself job. Marine vinyl has more stretch in one direction than the other and the stretchy direction is well suited for going around the more contoured parts of the seat. Just staple it under the seat pan. I've had mine done at upholstery shops before and I ended up doing it better myself than they did. In fact, it's time to do it again afer about 10 years. The marine grade vinyl stands up to the elements better than regular vinyl.
 
Billy Ricks said:
Rudi,
With marine grade vinyl it's a simple do it yourself job. Marine vinyl has more stretch in one direction than the other and the stretchy direction is well suited for going around the more contoured parts of the seat. Just staple it under the seat pan. I've had mine done at upholstery shops before and I ended up doing it better myself than they did. In fact, it's time to do it again afer about 10 years. The marine grade vinyl stands up to the elements better than regular vinyl.
Click to expand...

How would I staple it? The seat pan is metal, isn't it?

Rudi
 
Mine is plastic, if yours is metal there are usually tabs that you bend over to hold the cover.
 
Billy Ricks said:
Mine is plastic, if yours is metal there are usually tabs that you bend over to hold the cover.
Click to expand...

Oh! I'll have to look into this. Where can you buy marine grade vinyl, anyway?

Thanks!
Rudi
 
Billy Ricks said:
I get mine at a fabric shop.
Click to expand...

A fabric shop? Great!

But I just thought of something...what if I want to get the same "look" of my original seat. This would mean having the stitch patterns the same.
Starting to sound like I'd have to send this off to be done professionally, doesn't it?

Rudi
 
If you can get it to stretch around everything without wrinkling you're better off without seams. That keeps water from getting to the foam underneath. My seat has pretty radical turns and marine grade goes around it fine. Looks better without seams anyway. There are some pictures of my bike here so you can see just how well the marine grade turns, http://groups.msn.com/SuzukiGSGarage/texashillcountryride.msnw?Page=1.
 
Yeah, I see that! It does look better without seems. Looks like I need to head to the nearest fabric shop! :-)

Thanks for another tip, Billy!

Rudi :wink:
 
I used really short self tapping screws and cup washers to hold the mgv on my seat cover.
S.
 
I was just thinking about the vinyl vs. leather issue. And while Marine Grade Vinyl may stand up to the elements better...I can't help but think Leather would be more comfortable in the long run.

My uncle, who previously owned this bike and put over 89,000 miles on it, said that he couldn't STAND the vinyl seat. So he bought a sheep-skin covering and was in heaven. I can't help wondering if the seat had been leather, would the bike be more comforable on a long trip?

Any thoughts?

Rudi
1980 GS1100E
 
I find the mgv very comfortable. There is the 'stickiness factor' in the heat...but I don't ride nekkid. Top of the line saddles are now made of composition materials rather than leather...easier to clean and no problems in the rain. It tends to be what's under the covering that gives a seat it's comfort...it has to conform to your butt without collapsing. Hence high density foam and gel pads. Putting a sheepskin pad on the seat will definitely improve the feel of ...um...things.
S
 
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