seat softening

[60ratrod]

so as some may remember, a couple months back i had asked about how to make the seat on spock softer. so after reading the link that someone posted a while back, diymotorcycleseat.com, i decided to have a go at it myself. after looking at the "other ideas" tab, i decided to try out the gel insert route.

what i decided to do was get a gel pad that had the foam cast into it from ebay that came with some smoothing foam:



once i removed the staples and peeled the seat cover back, i traced out where i was going to put the pad and used 3m's paint stripper drill attachment to hog out the foam to insert the gel pad:





after i put the pad in i decided to take it for a spin to see how much better i made the seat. i found that i hadn't improved it, i actually made it worse, after a couple miles i was sitting on pins and needles, instead of it taking 25 miles for the pins and needles to show up. come to find out i did take out enough foam in the back where the foam curves up. after getting down to almost the seat pan(i actually did in one spot) and adding some pick-n-pluck foam for the nose, it maded a big difference, but went from pins and needles, to making my bootie and tailbone go numb, mostly on the tail bone. so i cut a tailbone channel which helped(i ended up having to cut all the way down to the original foam), reducing the numbing factor to just the ischium, as evidenced by the cold sensation in my bootie cheeks:


so after riding to and from work several times, i had to think of how to make the seat even better, realizing i needed better, firmer, higher density foam for the nose and some to build up the sides to cup and cradle the bootie. i came to this realization after thinking about the more ergonomical solid chairs you find at like libraries, schools, restaurants and coffee shops, as opposed to the flat straight chairs you would find at events that have steel folding chairs. so yesterday i went scouting to try to find some curb couches that i could potentially scavenge the cushions off of and remembered that there was a classic car dealer that opened up not too long ago and stopped in to ask them if they did their seats in house or out sourced. as it turned out, they out sourced to a place just across the river. so i stopped in to the shop they out source to, and they didn't have any scraps that i could scavenge, but invited me back next week to see if they had any. so i continued my quest and came across another upholstery shop by pure accident, on my way to the next town to search for curb couches. so i took the chance and stopped in to see if they had any scraps i could get. and oh boy did they. since the do more than just auto stuff, mostly furniture, the had some used and other large scraps that they gave me for free.99. really awesome of them! so i took what i foresaw me using and what i could fit into spock's saddle bags:


so i headed back to the home base and ripped back into the seat, and not a moment too soon since there was a heavy rain storm coming in. i started by removing the pick-n-pluck foam i added to build the nose and cut 3 pieces of the thicker stuff and glued them together so i could build the nose better. don't judge me too hard, i shaped it with an xacto:

 

[60ratrod]

once that was done i thought about how to get the cradle for my hiney and tried this on both sides. it actually worked out better than i imagined:




so after a nice t&e (test & evaluation) ride with a friend up one of the more popular riding roads here in my corner of Washington, Chuckanut, i now have this final product, with maybe one more totally covering layer of smoothing foam just to clean up the seat. i had little to no discomfort, 0 numbing sensations, just a nice and pleasant 3 hour ride with material left to do another seat:

 

[76_Mike_82]

I keep thinking about doing something like this but my fear is I won't like any of the changes and will not be able to return to stock. Great write up.

 

[Steve]

I am chuckling because most of the guys on this forum will find a 'new' bike that has a custom, "touring" seat and scrmble to get rid of that "ugly" seat, and here you are, making your own. :encouragement:

You are correct in searching for a contoured shape for comfort. Old-time tractors used to have contoured STEEL seats that could be sat on all day while working the fields. A little bit of padding makes the contour that much better.

My Wing is obviously set up for comfort from the get-go, but so are our GSes.

Hers:

Mine:

.

 

[60ratrod]

I also looked at the one size fits most aspect. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a seat that might possibly be equally as uncomfortable or pay someone a couple hundred to not do the seat right and have to go through the process of having to take it back until it is when i can do it myself and spend the time to make it just right for myself. I had read the reviews on some of the seats i was looking at and was seeing that they weren't that much of an upgrade as far as comfort was concerned and once the link to diymotorcycleseat.com was posted that's when i decided to go for it. All in all it took me a month to get the ergonomics of the seat figured out. Now i think the next time i have to do a seat, it isn't going to take me as long

 

[Jamesp]

The last 1100L I bought had a wing seat on it that the PO had altered to fit. It is more comfortable for long rides, mostly due to the back rest.

 

[Guest]

Are you still recommending 1/4" smoothing foam on the seat for my Daughter's new Honda, after this experience, or do you think 1/2" would be better or too much? It's shipping in to the dealer today, don't know if it will be in time for her to get a look at it. They closed at the insurance company just as they got the Vin # so probably can't get it processed until Monday anyway. From the looks of it that gunmetal grey carbon fiber textured seat top material looks about as stiff as the cover on your saddle.

 

[60ratrod]

I was recommending 1/4" smoothing foam cause i thought you were going to stick with the stock seat skin. But since it sounds like you are going to have a new skin made for the seat, 1/2" would probably be better. And to help, have them build up the nose slightly like i did. It helps to get you off your sitting bones, believe me

 

[Guest]

It looks like I could still do that and have it match closer to where the tank starts rising. I should be able to pick it up Monday, I never got the call yesterday so it's probably still in the shipping crate.

 

[60ratrod]

Read this link. This is what i used for the seat modding:

http://www.diymotorcycleseat.com/modify_2.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks, that's just about exactly how it would look on The Honda in the tank pictures on the top.

 

[Guest]

Got the bike today. The seat is truly abysmal. The plans with the 1/2" softening foam on top and jell underneath should work with a raised front. The back pad on the passengers seat needs to be moved back and the back of the seat slightly extended. It's a larger job than I thought , but the bike will be worthless without it.

 

[60ratrod]

Also have them raise the sides a bit. In my thread, you saw how i added back some firmer foam to increase the height of the outside of my buns. That's what really did the trick.

Side note, i think there's a conspiracy between bike mfr's and aftermarket seat companies with how horrid seats on new bikes are

 

[Spyder]

Nice vape! Is that a Sigelei 150 watt?

Oh, and nice job on the seat too, lol...

 

[Guest]

Got it, raise front and sides a bit. How much would you suggest (height and width from edge toward seat ctr.) You have been spot on so far with all the upholstery shop recommendations. they say everything, so far, is within original quote. A little high but an excellent shop. $275.00. (I know, I don't have the time with everything else going on in my life). The red stitching to tie it into the red paint will work. Saw a bike at the shop with red stitching on the saddle. It will help tie the colors together.

 

[60ratrod]

I couldn't tell you exactly. It all depends on you and your daughter. The nose should be built up probably an inch to an inch and a half, but the sides really depend on the two of you and how wide your pelvises are. On Spock, the sides came up about a half inch above the original foam or so. Also have them make a valley or groove for your tail bones.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help. I did not have a clue. After riding it for a while I realize the seat is really a little too small to do all you suggest, but most. One inch gel underneath the stock pad. Maybe an inch rise up front and a half inch rise on the side edges angling toward center seat at seat level in a four inch span in original type foam glued to stock. One half inch smoothing foam on top. That should also accommodate the tail bone for a small saddle. I'm not sure it matters because for me the handlebar position is slightly foreword and I have to scootch (not a real word) all the way back to be comfortable with the foot pegs and saddle. I'm slightly under six foot tall about 185 lbs. That should be a good compromise for all riding it. If I can get slight room back on the end pad of the passenger pad it would help but there is not much latitude with that seat pan front. Thanks again.

 

[60ratrod]

The raise on the edges really just need to be on the out side curve on the glutes. It doesn't need to be all the way on the edges. My hips on my vulcan reach the edges of the seat, but the raised edges sit right next to my glutes. The problem with sport seats is they tend to be way too narrow

 

[Guest]

This one is ok in back, and narrows to an hour glass shape toward the front to shape with the bike contour below the seat. I think I'll drop plans for the sides and put rubber knee pads on the tank like the Triumphs have. The back of the seat is better anyway and that would keep you positioned there naturally because the tank shape lends to gripping with the knees. I have to quit thinking long distance with this bike like I do with the GS and that seat is ok for me from the start. It would be nice if they designed naked bikes today to ride instead of being considered a weekend sports activity.

 

[60ratrod]

I can't wait to see what the shop does for you.