Seat question

Disaster Area · Jan 27, 2015

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had 'made' their own seat? I find the stock seat on my 1100 to be uncomfortable after a couple of hours so I'd like to do something about it. Mrs DA suggested wearing padded cycling shorts, but I fear I'd look like I was wearing an adult nappy.

I can't really afford to have a custom seat made and I don't want to use something like an Airhawk if it increases my height as I already get wind blast above the screen. I have got a small Thermorest which I fastened to the seat, but this raises my head into the slipstream and increases buffeting.

What I'm thinking is that if someone could recommend a specific type of foam (like 'memory foam') or some type of gel insert then I could remove the existing foam and re-cover the seat in some nicer material than the vinyl.

Suggestions, opinions and mickey taking welcome!

MattW · Jan 27, 2015

My mate wears cycling shorts and swears by them.
Mind you he's probably incontinent and finds the extra absorbency beneficial too...

I went for the traditional sheepskin with a barely inflated putnams stadium seat underneath. Massively increased the comfort of my worn out 1100 seat to the point where 7 hour, 500 mile days were bearable (as opposed to crippling). Don't recall it increasing the seat height appreciably but I did have an MRA screen so buffeting wasn't really a problem. It is of course an 'individual' look but all those with good taste agree that it enhances the rugged good looks of the 1100...

uncle dick · Jan 27, 2015

Airhawk R

JohnnyBoxer · Jan 27, 2015

Airhawk or Sargent/Corbin

MarkShelley · Jan 27, 2015

Send to Tony Archer. He will re=shape and post it back to you. Mine cost £85 including his postage late last year.

Ian J Hartley · Jan 27, 2015

The Airhawk should not increase your seat height if you have it set up right. It's a slight misconception that people think it is an air cushion. That is not how it is supposed to be used. It is used to relieve the pressure points. So you let nearly all the air out of it until you arse is in contact with your seat. You have a convex seat profile and your arse is convex. The airhawk fills the gap between the two spreading the load.

I have an aftermarket concave seat profile, but for really long journeys, I still use the airhawk.

MattW · Jan 27, 2015

MarkShelley said:
Send to Tony Archer. He will re=shape and post it back to you. Mine cost £85 including his postage late last year.

Postage to and from New Zealand might be a bit steep though...

Slipperyeel · Jan 27, 2015

Depending on how involved you want to get, it's not so difficult to adjust your own seat during which you can add foam of your choice. I adjusted the seat on my previous GS and it was actually quite straight forward. My top would be to add some firmer foam, topped with something thin to smooth it all over.

Here's the link to what I did:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/325673-Want-a-new-seat-Do-it-yourself!

Principle would be the same for the dual seat you have. Plenty of decent tailored seat covers out there to finish it off :thumby:

ahutcheon · Jan 28, 2015

Disaster Area said:
Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had 'made' their own seat? I find the stock seat on my 1100 to be uncomfortable after a couple of hours so I'd like to do something about it. Mrs DA suggested wearing padded cycling shorts, but I fear I'd look like I was wearing an adult nappy.

Padded cycling shorts don't really show under most bike gear, but the padding isn't really that extensive given the big GS seat. I have some Nike Lycra running shorts, like unpadded cycling shorts. They help on long rides, maybe fewer pressure points from seams?

Wreford Miles · Jan 28, 2015

I had a touratech rally seat on my 1150 - fantastic very comfortable

It's not about the padding it's the shape and how it positions you that counts

Timolgra · Jan 30, 2015

Disaster Area said:
What I'm thinking is that if someone could recommend a specific type of foam (like 'memory foam') or some type of gel insert then I could remove the existing foam and re-cover the seat in some nicer material than the vinyl.

Yes, I did the same to an 1100 a couple of years ago.
Found some denser foam (which had been used to pack wine bottles!!) took the cover off and carefully cut out the top section of foam then shaped the new piece to fit before re stapling.

You now have the opportunity to change the shape of the seat, perhaps making it slightly wider and the denser foam will change shape less when you park your butt on it.

To hide and irregularities where where the new foam joins, use some thin upholstery felt and consider waterproofing the seat with polythene before restapling.

It transformed my 1100 and the cost was zero.

Disaster Area · Jan 30, 2015

So is the advice to go for harder foam?
I reckon I can shape it ok and was considering seeing if I could find some suede to re-cover it.

I'm back at work now so it will go onto the back burner, I'll just keep an eye out for the foam and get it if I see it.

Slipperyeel · Jan 30, 2015

You want a combination of foam in different layers. I recommend going to an upholsterer. They should have just what you're looking for. As mentioned above, it works best to finish off whatever you've done with a thin layer (10-12mm) as the finish layer. Density should be a tad firmer than what's underneath. It'll smooth it all over.

One tip. Depending on how you are for inside leg measurement, if it's on the shorter side of convenient for the GS, then making the area that's between the legs, when at a standstill, narrower will solve the problem.

~Stef~ · Feb 11, 2015

Electric carving knife is the tool for shaping foam. Reshapped a few seats over the years was going to do my 1100GS seat but found a cheap Sargent seat on ebay.

Seat question

Disaster Area

Well-known member

MattW

Well-known member

uncle dick

Well-known member

JohnnyBoxer

Well-known member

MarkShelley

Very similar to Paolo Maldini

Ian J Hartley

Well-known member

MattW

Well-known member

Slipperyeel

Well-known member

ahutcheon

Registered user

Wreford Miles

Well-known member

Timolgra

reformed

Disaster Area

Well-known member

Slipperyeel

Well-known member

~Stef~

Registered user

Similar threads