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Message started by njrmahoney on 08/31/13 at 09:15:02

Title: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 08/31/13 at 09:15:02

I came across a custom seat on craigslist, metal pan nice simple bench style.
I would like to mount this to the bike as simply as possible and am looking for some ideas. I dont mind leaving the rear fender, and actually think i can use the regulator mounting holes to mount a bracket. Maybee another simple bracket using the front mounting holes. I would fill in the gap under the seat with something.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by ToesNose on 08/31/13 at 12:04:16

If it has a metal pan just cut and bend some metal stock strips that will line up with the original mounting holes and mount them on the metal pan ;)

Nice looking seat BTW!
:D

Title: Re: Seat
Post by engineer on 08/31/13 at 17:54:29

First of all that really is a great looking seat and it is the right size for the bike. Looks like it will provide more room for a passenger than the stock seat. Do you know what make and model bike it came from?

I just mounted a new seat on a bike and discovered it was easy. You need to accomplish only two things with brackets and mounts, carry the weight and keep it in place.

The weight can be carried by blocks of almost any material attached to the bottom of the seat. A rubber block or maybe a piece of wood with a piece of inner tube glued to it will carry a lot of weight, use these at about five or six locations. Some of these blocks if properly located might also serve the keep the seat from sliding fore-aft or sideways.

Use brackets to hold it in place. You could bend some scrap steel and drill some holes and have a mount as ToseNose suggested. If you have no scrap buy some thin bar stock at a hardware store. The support blocks will take the greatest load, the other brackets will just keep it all aligned so they don't have to be elaborate.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 08/31/13 at 19:24:50

The seat was custom made for a Yamaha 650 by a local guy. He did not like it, so sold it and made another. The metal base is not rigid enough to support me. I have an old skateboard, that is very stiff, and cut down matches the profile of the seat. I think I can get some longer bolts and bolt through the rear tank mount, and one bolt through the fender.
Once the wood is secured to the frame, the seat can be held in place with some heavy duty Velcro. I like the fact that I can mount this without a lot of fuss.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by misterbbq on 09/03/13 at 05:24:09

precisely what i want to do and i like your bars as well. actually, i'd like to lower the front end with the 2" reduction mod and then put a seat exactly like this on. this gets me thinking....

Title: Re: Seat
Post by uigiroux on 09/04/13 at 23:53:11

I was just about to make a posting asking how I can install a seat EXACTLY like the one you have shown in your pictures. Do you think you could provide me with some more information as to how I can get the proper mounts so I can put a seat just like yours on mine. I've always loved the look of the Triumph Bonneville and this is just that! Beautiful!

Title: Re: Seat
Post by Arnold on 09/05/13 at 07:56:09

Hey, a banana seat from the 70s.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/08/13 at 07:40:49

The seat is not mounted yet, I have been scratching my head on that one,. I removed the rear fender, then put it back on. Your mention of the Bonneville, got me thinking. I have a Bonneville seat and it actually looks pretty good. what do you think? I am torn between the two looks.
The triumph seat is a tad long, so i had to un-bolt the tail light and slide it back a bit. its just resting on the fender now. The custom seat looks good also, but might take a bit more working to mount.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/08/13 at 07:42:55

494D57504156464655240 wrote:

precisely what i want to do and i like your bars as well. actually, i'd like to lower the front end with the 2" reduction mod and then put a seat exactly like this on. this gets me thinking....

The front is lowered, Ryca style and the bars are from Ryca also.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/08/13 at 07:46:22

15090709120F1518600 wrote:

In order to install the custom seat in the first photos, I think the rear fender would have to be removed or cutout. the rear of the sea is to high. Maybe the high spot in the fender could be pounded down like the way knee dents are pounded into some cafe gas tanks.
I have an old skateboard that is the same profile as the seat, so I was going to bolt that to the old mounts and Velcro the seat to that. Heavy duty Velcro. I have seen it done before.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/08/13 at 08:01:05

Here is another shot with the Bonneville seat

Title: Re: Seat
Post by engineer on 09/08/13 at 09:42:43

That Bonneville seat looks even better on that bike, that's the way I would go.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by misterbbq on 09/09/13 at 06:17:30

like the bonnie seat. it's perfect. and i'm not sure i mind if it sits a bit higher. i need to be back and up a little to be more comfortable on the bike. 6' 1" 270bs.....so as long as me sliding back a bit doesn't negative impact the rear structure of the bike.....i might need to start hitting up the ebay!

Title: Re: Seat
Post by strang on 09/09/13 at 07:12:39

Yeh that bonneville seat looks great!
Is the only thing making it stick up a little bit at the back the mounts for the sissy bar? Or is there some other snag making it rise up?
I think I'm hitting the bay as well ;)

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/09/13 at 07:14:06

I ordered another Bonneville seat from eBay, one without the dip in front. When i figure which one works better, I will sell the one i dont need.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by misterbbq on 09/09/13 at 10:24:13

and speaking of 'banana seats'....has anyone tried the bitwell banana seat designed for a sportster?

http://www.biltwellinc.com/images/products/detail_128_Seat_Banana_Dmnd_Front_1.jpg

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/09/13 at 16:48:51

343335262920470 wrote:

The seat has a bit of plastic under it that can be ground off, that would make it sit a bit lower. Might have to pound down the crown of the fender a bit also. I am reluctant to cut away any of the fender because if I have a passenger I don't want to compromise the strength.
Pounding it down just a bit will help. I might also switch out the chrome sides for the s$) ones, the ones without the backrest.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by misterbbq on 09/10/13 at 04:33:35

would you mind taking measurements of the seats you have? particularly the length? i don't have a good local source that i know of for different seats, etc. so i have to play the internet guessing game.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/17/13 at 04:20:54

I think this is what I am going with for now. I will take some measurements and pics today. I am trying to keep it simple.
Eventually I would like to go with a better fender, but I dont want to mess with the lights right now.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by Jiggyfly on 09/18/13 at 23:28:18

possibly the best looking/simplest mod I've seen on a savage!
KUDOS!!!

I love it.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/19/13 at 03:50:36

Thanks,
Its not finished yet. I have the seat supported with angle aluminum, debating switching to angle steel then fabricating side covers. I had to cut out a section of the top of the fender. It still seems pretty strong.
You can see the support in this photo

Title: Re: Seat
Post by misterbbq on 09/19/13 at 14:43:14

any way you could host your photos somewhere else and we can see the full-res version of them?

i like imgur.com

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/19/13 at 15:09:23

I am not sure what you mean. If you click on the paper clip to the top right of the photo, it opens full screen in a new window. At least it does on my computer. Let me know if that is what you mean.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by misterbbq on 09/19/13 at 16:02:23

so sorry...didn't notice that until you mentioned it! color me stupid.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by Boogieman on 09/20/13 at 21:19:23

This is how i roll

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/23/13 at 03:04:02

I like the perf metal as a cover, I am going to look for that

Title: Re: Seat
Post by misterbbq on 09/24/13 at 08:19:41

well....for grins and giggles i bought a 1981 'bench' style seat from an xs650 with a metal seat pan. will see if i can fab up some way to fit it to the existing structure there without cutting the frame or fender, etc. also ordered some shocks off a vs800 intruder for $25 to see how i like those.

will work on that, lowering the front a bit and maybe change the bars to something with a little sweep.

why? because why not.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by uigiroux on 09/29/13 at 00:24:02

Out of curiosity, are you going to be selling that Bonneville seat??? Very interested...

Title: Re: Seat
Post by njrmahoney on 09/29/13 at 04:53:10

Yes, I have two for sale, one with the dip, the one in the photo, and another similar but w/o the dip. The one with the dip is practically brand new.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by jimmygibson1 on 10/07/13 at 12:23:13

Were you able to mount the bonnie seat to the stock brackets?

Title: Re: Seat
Post by dustystranger on 07/03/15 at 20:38:03

I took a chunk of foam board and sculpted it to raise the seat to the level of the pillion pad. Then I strapped on a atv seat cover from Wal Mart. Cost about $20. I am 6ft 2in. that along with Routy controls and I have the most comfortable bike I have ever owned.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by Sonny on 07/04/15 at 08:38:45

I am thinking about taking my stock Savage seat to my auto upholstery guy and having him add some stiff foam to bring it level and take out the dip, then re-cover it... so the rider seat is about the same height as the P pad. Has anybody done that?

Title: Re: Seat
Post by KennyG on 07/04/15 at 10:00:17

Sonny,

I haven't done what you are talking about, but I have been thinking about it.

I would like to remove about half of the foam height from the passenger seat and add foam to the driver's seat to level them out and then have a new cover made. I would like the rolled upholstery for the 1970's banana seat look.

Kenny G

Title: Re: Seat
Post by Art Webb on 07/04/15 at 10:10:50

6C7D7B7C717B7C7A69666F6D7A080 wrote:

Pics, man, we want pics
foam bord? you mean like styrofoam?

Title: Re: Seat
Post by Art Webb on 07/04/15 at 10:11:52

312D2C212D2E420 wrote:

Sonny someone has, I can't recall the name, but it was posted within this year
He even re used the stock cover

Title: Re: Seat
Post by HovisPresley on 07/04/15 at 18:58:56

But if you want to be more creative...
https://www.tandyleather.eu/en-gbp/home/home.aspx?countryid=1032

Title: Re: Seat
Post by dontwannapickle on 07/05/15 at 08:04:38

Its easy to reshape and recover the front seat--http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1426284842/0#0

Those Triumph seats... 8-)

Title: Re: Seat
Post by Sonny on 07/05/15 at 08:16:14

Oh, thank you Huntsville. What you did there is exactly what I had in mind. I'll post a photo once I get it done. Great.

My old '87 vinyl might not take the stretching but if it tears up I have a good upholstery guy who will do me right.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/05/15 at 11:40:59

You might be ahead to take what you have and show it to him, before you risk wrecking what he could have used as a pattern. And if the cover crushes the added padding, how is it shaped differently?

Title: Re: Seat
Post by dustystranger on 07/14/15 at 14:28:12

I use the atv pad bought mine at wal mart for about $20. I have it on four of my bikes. The main reason I like it is because you can experiment with a variety of things under the pad to get the fit just right. Just having your seat redone is no guarantee that it will be "just right" for your butt. Soft foam, hard foam, all kinds of stuff can be used to build up the seat. And the good thing is that you can unstrap it all and you are back to stock! I generally use double sided tape to hold the padding to the top of the stock seat. Keep messing around and sooner or later it will be just right.

Title: Re: Seat
Post by CZU on 02/08/16 at 10:29:34

I like very much the Boneville seat option.
Did you need to do any modification to the frame or fender adjustment was just enough?
Do you have any pictures how the seat was mounted to the frame?