How to Recover the Seat???

[Gimpdiggity]

Hi everyone.

I just got a "new" seat in the mail today, and it needs to be recovered. That' fine, I knew it had to be. It is replacing my old "king-queen" style seat that I really didn't like.

My question is...how the heck do you recover one of these things?? I've done several other seats before, but they always had plastic pans so you just stapled the vinyl/leather into the pan with a nice stapler. I've never done the metal one before. Is it best to just use rivets?? Or should I try to use the clamp pieces that are on the seat now?? They're kinda rusty, so I don't know if I should trust them or not.

Thanks!
Jeff

[hampshirehog]

You can often reuse those original 'teeth'. If they snap you have the option of using pop rivets or contact glue.

It's tricky to make a real smart job - the key points are:

1. Make sure the new vinyl is warm - it'll stretch when you put it on and shrink back a bit, giving you a better chance of getting it nice and taut.

2.Pull the cover over the front part of the seat and then pull like mad to stretch it to the back. Line it up for central and then pull it over the teeth.

3. Working from the front to the back work the sides on together i.e. stretch it evenly on each side and pull it on the teeth two at a time (one on each side).

If you've got a bit of rust on your pan clean it off and give it a coat of paint first. Plus make sure that you have no sharp edges on the seat - if you have file them off and maybe cover with a small bit of carpte tape to remove the risk of slicing through your new cover.

[Gimpdiggity]

You can often reuse those original 'teeth'. If they snap you have the option of using pop rivets or contact glue.

It's tricky to make a real smart job - the key points are:

1. Make sure the new vinyl is warm - it'll stretch when you put it on and shrink back a bit, giving you a better chance of getting it nice and taut.

2.Pull the cover over the front part of the seat and then pull like mad to stretch it to the back. Line it up for central and then pull it over the teeth.

3. Working from the front to the back work the sides on together i.e. stretch it evenly on each side and pull it on the teeth two at a time (one on each side).

If you've got a bit of rust on your pan clean it off and give it a coat of paint first. Plus make sure that you have no sharp edges on the seat - if you have file them off and maybe cover with a small bit of carpte tape to remove the risk of slicing through your new cover.

Cool.

Is this a project that can be done with just a straight piece of vinyl?? Or would I be better off actually looking for another cover for the seat that's made specifically for it??

I have quite a bit of vinyl laying around...so if it is easy enough to do with just straight vinyl, I'll just do it that way. I don't need any designs in the vinyl or anything...

[bonanzadave]

You might get some tips at Cliffs web site. He recovered his seat and his pan had the metal prongs.

Look for seat cover replacement

[marvinsc]

Order a cover from these folks, it will fit well and look great for years.

http://www.motorcycleseatcovers.com/

These are pics of My 1980 GS850G after I installed the new cover. Took less than an hour.

[GQROD]

Cool.

Is this a project that can be done with just a straight piece of vinyl?? Or would I be better off actually looking for another cover for the seat that's made specifically for it??

I have quite a bit of vinyl laying around...so if it is easy enough to do with just straight vinyl, I'll just do it that way. I don't need any designs in the vinyl or anything...

If it's not marine grade or made specifically for motorcycles don't use it, it can mold and will definetly not survive aginst UV radiation from the sun and will fade.

Also if it's not specifically stretch vinyl you may tear it with all the pulling needed to recover a seat.

Plus there is also the fire hazard of non automotive grade vinyl it will go up in flames REAL FAST while auto grade vinyl merely burns a hole and doesn't flare up as fast.

Normally you would make a pattern from the old seat cover then sew it and finally using contact cement and staples etc you mount it.

You can use regular vinyl just remember it won't last as long and can tear quickly.

[Gimpdiggity]

Order a cover from these folks, it will fit well and look great for years.

http://www.motorcycleseatcovers.com/

These are pics of My 1980 GS850G after I installed the new cover. Took less than an hour.

EXCELLENT!!!!

I'll be ordering one of those up this coming weekend when I get paid!!!!


Thanks for the help everyone!!

[Gimpdiggity]

Ordered a seat cover from these guys today.

I went with a slightly different color than stock...instead of black I got the black/brown look seat cover.

I think it will go well with the ultimate plan that I have for the bike.

I'll get some pics up when it gets here and I get it on.

[Gimpdiggity]

So I ordered this part on February 25th...today is March 14th and I still don't have the order in hand.

I've sent three different e-mails. The first response told me to expect the cover within two weeks. The second two have apparently been ignored.

This bike is really beginning to aggravate me. Literally all of the parts that I order just don't arrive in a timely fashion. It's ridiculous.

[Zook]

JC Whitney sells repop seat covers and they are made by Travelcade. Nice pieces.

[BassCliff]

Hi Mr. Gimpdiggity,

Like Mr. bonanzadave said, I documented my seat cover replacement on my website. Click below to download the PDF file.

Seat Cover Replacement


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[tas850g]

i just recovered my seat using basscliff's document and the instructions that came with the seat. Really was a great help. the only part i didn't like was using the teeth clips. You end up, or i did anyway, poking holes in the cover when you bend down the clips to anchor the cover to the pan. Although the original seat cover was done the same way in comparison.

Now that i have done one i would do a better job if/when it needs to be done again.

[850 Combat]

I have installed 2 Daddlemen seat covers, one on a 1000G, the other on an 850G. They came from Dennis Kirk.

Pretty easy. Both mine are a bit crooked, and I don't want to adjust them once the metal teeth have poked holes.

Oh well...

Nobody notices but me...

[bwringer]

So I ordered this part on February 25th...today is March 14th and I still don't have the order in hand.

I've sent three different e-mails. The first response told me to expect the cover within two weeks. The second two have apparently been ignored.

This bike is really beginning to aggravate me. Literally all of the parts that I order just don't arrive in a timely fashion. It's ridiculous.

So call them: 817-280-9370.

Be nice. Very nice. The first nice person they've talked to all day. They're extremely busy right now, and they're literally a mom-n-pop shop, and they're obviously getting way behind.

I can understand that they're buried, but that's no excuse for crappy service or lying to customers. Despite that, they're the world's only known source for seat covers for many models (other than a good local upholstery shop), although I believe yours happens to be available from Travelcade.

With the GS seats, you have to have a sewn cover made -- the shape has "squared" corners so you can't just stretch a piece of vinyl to fit like many modern bikes.

[mighty13d]

With the GS seats, you have to have a sewn cover made -- the shape has "squared" corners so you can't just stretch a piece of vinyl to fit like many modern bikes.

you can if you want to have a seam