Page last modified: 08/24/08

John F. House, who has been out on his GS for many a mile thought it was time to update or replace his existing saddle. He was looking for a way not to shell out the bucks and found himself another method....

This guidance from John House is  for those of us with smaller "GS-classics" and budgets:

I ride a 1982 GS650E, bought used 10 years or so back from a sailor who had put only 2000 miles on it, but had left it parked in the Florida sun for many months so that the original seat (the classic UJM flat bench) had cracked and peeled and been duct-taped repeatedly.

What finer points lead me to look for a newer seat?

One, that one looked ugly;  two, water in the foam had led to strange odors and mildew;  three, my spousal unit could see nothing ahead of us two-up except for my back, riding on the flat bench.

What did I do next?

• Step one: read catalogs such as Corbin.

• Step two, feel ill at the prices.

• Step three, take the seat off, carry it to an automotive upholstery place, and talk to them about it.

Not only could the upholstery shop rebuild and recover the seat on the original saddle-frame, they could change it. So I had them put a step of about an inch and a half right behind where I sit; they put a strap across at that point which helps keep the shape of the step, and adds a bit of decoration. My "navigator" has been riding happily ever after, able to see over my shoulders; and the seat still is comfortable and looks "like new". On long or twisty rides, the small bit of support behind me has proved a valuable addition for comfort and control. And the price, circa late '80s, was about forty dollars. Probably more now, but still a tiny fraction of the price of an aftermarket saddle, and looks good on (and under) the seats of old cruisers!

I'd do the same again in a heartbeat, with one change; after reading Fred Rau's comments on waterproofing seat interiors in Motorcycle Consumer News recently, I'd have the foam innards double-wrapped in plastic kitchen wrap or plastic sheeting before they stitch on the outer cover, as it would save having to get upset discovering how you need to pony up another fistful of money to buy a rain cover for that aftermarket expensive seat in case the seams leak ...

John. F. House - circa 1998