Plywood seat base

[Flaggo60]

Personally I could use a plank-type seat, as they are commercially available, but I wanted something that integrates the rear cowling of the GS650G into the design-also, I too fear back and butt injury with the nominal flat pads that seem to be part of the cafe design. I was thinking more along the lines of a samll one-up seat that BMW sold years ago with its R100RS bike, a large well-upholstered single seat (I don't ride two-up).

See sketch here:

[Flaggo60]

Sorry, thats "small one-up seat", not "samll one-up seat".

[Flaggo60]

i usuallyl use cardboard to get my shape, then i glass over it and make a solid piece out of it.

That's an interesting idea.

[skidMarkNZ]

I do ride the only horse-drawn black Suzuki in Eastern Ontario... and bless you for noticing.

Isn't that how all harleys get anywhere?

[rudy]

I know a lot of guys use plywood, but I'd just as soon stay away from it. It's wood. Nothing against it, but I don't think it belongs on a bike. And there's the whole issue about weight and rotting. Plywood is heavy if you get stuff that's sufficiently strong, and even more so if you start making layers of it, then coat with resin and paint.

If you're going through all the trouble, make a fiberglass seat. Not much more work, and it's gonna turn out better. I even put a bit of aluminum sheet in my cafe seat to make it more rigid. If you'd like the whole process, let me know. I used the closed cell kneeling pad foam as well. Works great, and cheap as chips.

There's nothing like a seat you've made to exactly fit your bike, not just ordered off ebay for a universally crappy fit.


Made a pink foam buck first, covered with paper mache' to make a cheap reverse mold.



Mounting studs are threaded through the aluminum sheet.



Total cost with paint and supplies, about $100.



Full custom LED tail lights baby! You won't find these on ebay.

[posplayr]

Very nice work Rudy

Top quality and looks "butt" compfy as well.

Good Job.

Pos

[STANDIGGITY]

Full custom LED tail lights baby! You won't find these on ebay.

Those taillights are awesome. You make them yourself or have a hookup?

[OhioEric]

Rudy:

you said:

"If you're going through all the trouble, make a fiberglass seat. Not much more work, and it's gonna turn out better. I even put a bit of aluminum sheet in my cafe seat to make it more rigid. If you'd like the whole process, let me know."

how about some more photos! (or link to more photos)

i've been watching ebay for a seat and most are shyte cause of the metal pan being rusty...and they are well over $100.

[spyug]

Like Rudy, I don't think wood belongs on a bike. F'glass and aluminum or steel only.

The easiest way to make a rigid seat is the f'glass over foam. make the base as Rudy has done in pink fiberglass. Use lightweight glass cloth and cover the whole thing using 2 part epoxy resin. Polyester resin found in most fiberglass kits won't work because it eats the foam.

Epoxy resin is more expensive b ut this method produces a very rigid seat (as I previously mentioned and my toochie can tell you) quicker than the traditional buck/female form method.

Some guys have done it this way but first covered the foam in tape and f'glassed over that with regular polyester resin to keep the cost down. Never done it myself so can't comment.

With the foam as a core, no aluminum or steel pans are needed, just put a second layer of cloth on the underside and reinforce around any mounting points or studs.

Easy enough to do and with a bit of care, produces a nice seat.

Give it a whirl.

Cheers,
Spyug

[Flaggo60]

I know a lot of guys use plywood, but I'd just as soon stay away from it. It's wood. Nothing against it, but I don't think it belongs on a bike. And there's the whole issue about weight and rotting. Plywood is heavy if you get stuff that's sufficiently strong, and even more so if you start making layers of it, then coat with resin and paint.

If you're going through all the trouble, make a fiberglass seat. Not much more work, and it's gonna turn out better. I even put a bit of aluminum sheet in my cafe seat to make it more rigid. If you'd like the whole process, let me know. I used the closed cell kneeling pad foam as well. Works great, and cheap as chips.

There's nothing like a seat you've made to exactly fit your bike, not just ordered off ebay for a universally crappy fit.


Made a pink foam buck first, covered with paper mache' to make a cheap reverse mold.



Mounting studs are threaded through the aluminum sheet.



Total cost with paint and supplies, about $100.



Full custom LED tail lights baby! You won't find these on ebay.

Rudy,

Lets see pictures of the whole bike-what you've showed us looks great!