Travelcade Seat Covers

[Anonymous]

Could somebody add a review and photo please? I'm looking at getting one for my GS1100EX and my main concern is that it fits the pan snugly. My old cover is cracking rapidly and the material on the edges is rubbing through the paint on the tops of my sidecovers.

Thanks, Steve

[Hoomgar]

Steve, there is one on this bike that I just picked up that he just put on.

I'll get some pics in the daylight for you. I don't know how well he did putting it on but the top looks nice and the fit at the rear is sloppy.

[Rico]

Sorry, no pics.
I put one of thier covers on my 78 1000e and love it.

Was just a bit of work but worth it. First i need to say that I reworked the foam on the seat so that may have added to the job. (I don't think so)

My pan has the "shark teeth" tabs that push threw the cover and bend over to secure. The cover had a draw string to pull it tight around the pan AND there is a piece of body molding that trims out the bottem of the seat.

I heated the cover, a few minutes in the dryer, so it was workable. Stretched it over the seat, got it right were I wanted it and drew the string tight. I then let that sit for a few hours to take form. After that I released the string, working from the center of each side out, and worked it onto the teeth. The whole time making sure it's tight AND knowing if it's to tight that when I bend the teeth over I'll rip the cover.

After I got it pinned down I trimmed and added body trim (held on buy BRAND NEW push nuts) And "VIOLA" it looks great.
All my buddies were asking were I got it done.

simple enough, I just took my time
Rico

[dpep]

I have spare stock seats for both my 850 and 1100 and they both have the Trevelcade covers on them. I think the 1100 one I got from Whitney; the 850 one was on the seat when I bought it. I took the 1100 to an upholstery shop and had them put it on; it was $30 I think for the work. Whatever it was it sure beat me trying to do it. Neither of them are perfectly centered, but it has to be on purpose if you notice. Otherwise they look great and if your foam is in reasonable shape they are definitely the way to go. The Travelcade is lined with a thin layer of foam that covers minor gouges in the seat foam.

I had a Sargent seat done for my 850 and it sure is pretty, but is sits like vinyl covered pine. The GK has a bucket type seat which my long legs find uncomfortable. Those stock GS flat seats cannot be beat for comfort.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys! I went down to order one today and Motovan has them backordered for 4 months. The last time they had a backorder that long it ended up being two months so I will have one made. I got a few local contacts for competent seat upholsterers (both autoglass places) so things should turn out okay.

Steve

[Anonymous]

I replaced the covers on my GS850 and on a KZ440 LTD (with a stepped seat) with Travelcade's Saddle Skin covers. Both turned out really well and look very much like the factory originals. They fit well over the foam after you remove the old cover.

Warming them first helps, because they are a snug fit. I also tried covering the foam with Saran Wrap and find that this helps the cover to slide over the foam when you're stretching it to fit. As a bonus, the wrap helps to keep the water out of the foam when it rains.

Sure beats the price of a new seat or have the work down in most cases. I got one on eBay and the other from J.C. Whitney.

[Hoomgar]

Here is that pic I promised Steve that shows the back. It isn't really bad and I think the issue was the application.

[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0SwCfAtYVPi6hR*hmUSxpP0JSRDc1MOW*tTIhUHbvsmIBKIvW6 8y8VCk6!mvifldsMrWDlRFW!s7w69Ie6cM7lJku8sh6H07iLOv 3MIqWqZIFY!2J65Ngzw/DCP_7164.jpg[/img]

[bwringer]

Here's the whole process on Jethro's 1100E:

http://bwringer.com/gs/seatcover.html

Looks EXTREMELY nice to me!

[dpep]

Thanks guys! I went down to order one today and Motovan has them backordered for 4 months. The last time they had a backorder that long it ended up being two months so I will have one made. I got a few local contacts for competent seat upholsterers (both autoglass places) so things should turn out okay.

Steve

I could not get one the first place I tried either. It was no problem with Whitney. $49.95. I can't post the link to the actual page at whitney because the URL is two pages wide. You can go to the top page below and plug in the sku for my seat which isZX060624A and manuver from there.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/StoreCatalogDisplay/c-10111/s-10101

Of course, if you can get a good deal from a local upholstery shop, go for that.

[Hoomgar]

I got mine done at a local shop in 2003 and they did a good job for 60 bucks. But I made one mistake I want to warn you about. When he asked me what grade vinyl I wanted to use I told him to use some good thick stuff so it would last. The stock seat cover was much more comfortable as this one is like sitting on a bench now

It is only soft when it has been sitting in the sun long enough to fry your nads off when you get on it.

I am going to have to do it over again, it is just too stiff. It is a pretty simplistic job too and doesn't really look that great if you ask me?

You can see it here:

[Anonymous]

What do you guys think about putting the textured Sargent seat cover on a stock '81 GS1100EX? I'm not sure if it would look proper or not. It definately looks good on the '83 pictured above but the '81 is an entirely different animal.

Steve