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restoring the seat

Started by calipanda, October 08, 2012, 02:02:05 PM

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calipanda

hey guys,

I wanted to see what you guys thought of restoring the seat. It is gettin old and faded and ripping. Is there a somewhat-easy and cheap way to fix this? If not, anyone got a seat for sale? :)

Jimustanguitar

I haven't done it to the vision seat yet, but I was able to stretch a solid piece of faux leather over the seat on my seca. I used 1/4" arrow staples (like a construction stapler for tar paper or insulation paper). If you pull it tight enough, you can work out all the wrinkles and recover a seat for about $10.

I do like the multi-piece look though. Maybe I'll try that on the vision. I like the seat that YellowJacket posted of KiaWrench's custom seat (this thread: http://ridersofvision.net/rovforum/index.php?topic=14419.0 ). Pretty slick.

Jimustanguitar

That is the absolute cheapest way to do it though. You can buy professionally made NOS and aftermarket seat covers that are form fitted instead of pulled taught in a garage after a few beers :)

calipanda

ok and where would i find faux leather?

Jimustanguitar

It's just vinyl with a leather like texture on it. You can buy it by the yard at most fabric stores.

fret not

How about carefully removing the original cover and use it as a pattern to make a new one from good material?
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

Rick G

#6
The seat on my VX was recovered by a friend who owns a Body /Upholstery shop. I needed to reshape it , so I cut the foam  with electric carving knife . Then they recovered it with  marine vinyl  . It has  one seam  , across  the seat from side to side , just behind the rider.  It cost me 40.00 parts and labour. retail would have been around 70.00

I've seen seats that were done with the "stretch some Naugahyde across it and staple it" school, but they look amateurish and don't sit well. You can probably still get a seat cover from Dennis Kirk or JC Whitney.
Rick G
Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there in lurks the skid demon
'82.5 Yamaha XZ550 RJ  Vision,
'90 Suzuki VX800, 1990 Suzuki DR350.
'74  XL350   Honda , 77 XL350 Honda, 78 XL350 Honda, '82 XT 200 Yamaha, '67 Yamaha YG1TK, 80cc trail bike

admin


Rick is right, it's not terribly expensive.
I did one of my seats a few years back, the replacement cover was about 45 bucks from
travelcade I think.
it was already stock shaped, you could either pull your stock one off or just go over the stocker
with the new cover.  you need a decent staple gun, a warm place to do it and some patience
to do it right. meaning don't rush it.
If you search back through the forum you will find pretty much everything you need.


http://www.saddlemen.com/





Rikugun

#8
One of my brothers used a Saddleman replacement seat cover for a Honda Nighthawk 650. I was impressed with the quality and how faithfull  to the original it was. I'm not sure if  they used to carry an XZ cover but don't see one listed now.

Here's a Pit Replica from an Ebay seller for $80:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-VISION-XZ550-1982-1983-SEAT-COVER-YTPP-/180763859386
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

Hartless

When I did mine I went to fabric depot and picked up some black diamond shad marine grade vinyl, and stretched that over the stock foam plus I added 2.5 inches
Of high density foam that I cut and glued! So comfy. My dad was a roofer so I just stole some staples he had laying around
Ride Hartless or stay home


"strive for perfection , settle for excellence"