Check these out

http://www.exoticsportbike.com/gs500e_gs500f_(89-04).htm

That's pretty cool but.. I could buy like 4 replacement seats for $80... I bet if you were half way handy w/ vinyl (or knew someone who was) you could recover your own seat for less than 1/4 of that.

trey

Would that really work on an older GS?  

I think it looks good!

Yea, not for me, I have a CBR solo seat about to be installed.

Some people may interested though.

Quote from: tdan553527Yea, not for me, I have a CBR solo seat about to be installed.

Some people may interested though.

Yeah, it will work on older GS's or Yeah would could make your own?

See, I just don't know if the seat on an '04 (which the skin seems to be made for) will work on an '89.

01+ for sure, not sure about the older bikes. I know the plastics are different, but what about the seat.

Yeah, the seat is very different, upon further inspection.

And the seat skin for the '89-01 is just black.

Damn.  Screwed again!!!!  

Srinath, I heard you are making cool multi-colored seat skins these days.

I have an industrial sewing machine.  I have been thinking about whipping some out...but using a bit more contemporary vinyls, probably textured.  If there is a demand for them I'll start making them.  I'll be heading to the vinyl store in the next week or so here so I'll look for something good...I'm coincidentially helping my friend reupholster an old dental chair that he'll be using for tattooing.  I was thinking of something in maybe gray and black so it'll match any bike.

Dom... you do upholstery??

I have my own home shop (upholstery and boat canvas..) ....I use a Consew 206rb...what are you "driving"?

Make sure you get marine grade vinyl ( same as most automotive- except a mildew resistant backing is used..). And I'd use the Poly thread ( 92 is heavy enough...but I stick with the 138 for most everything...).

Remember sewn seams allow water in...and out... think of your seat as a sponge... get it wet... sit on it and your hind quarters will be wet.

I've made a few solo seats for various bikes (like a corbin gunfighter). I add foam to the stock seat and shape it-make a new sewn cover for it etc... Pm me for a pic or two if you want.

I will have to check the brand...not sure... I'm getting one from a friend who owns a textile shop...they make backpacks for REI... should have said I have plans to buy one very soon...like in the next week.. but he's giving me an excellent deal on it...like 400 bucks...he has about a dozen if anyone else is interested...he says they'll sew thru a Sunday paper.

I have sewn quite a bit in the past but used a friends...maybe a Bernita or something...can't remember.

That sucks about the sewn seams...is there any way to seal them?  There must be...maybe a tape or silicone sealant...I would hate to offer a seat cover that isn't totally user friendly.

Wait a minute...why don't YOU make the seat covers?   :mrgreen:

Why don't I make them...
I only like making them if I can install them...otherwise who gets the blame when the seat doesn't come out looking great?

I could certainly whip out some covers...problem is no two people will like the same thing...Vinyl isn't free (not to mention thread and labor ) and nobody wants to spend any money to begin with.

Sealing the seams... there are some products ( tho I've never used them) that help seal seams a little...There's alledgedly a brand of thread that is coated that I've heard of...(doubt that it works well). I think there are kinds of seam tape that may help. I just try to lay the seams out where you wont be sitting directly on them.....Keeping the bike out of the rain will also help...but not everyone has a garage.

Vinyl stretches so sealing the seams will probably not happen easily or effectively.

On the sewing machine...it's a compound walking foot machine?...If It will sew through a sunday paper it sounds pretty heavy duty ( mine will handle about a  half inch of webbing at once..). Probably a comparable machine...Does it have reverse?   find out what it is ... That 400$ includes the powerstand (table it sits in..)?

jared send me the pics to my email.  i'll host them and put them up.  if u would make some solo seat/skins  im sure the 89-00 guys would eat them up!  weaselnoze@verizon.net

Yeah walking foot for sure.  Reverse definitely.  And table included.  I was going to call today and ask what it was but I was slammed at work...He's letting me rent to own it.  Like $50/month...pretty cool, eh?  I'll call Monday.

I guess it's not that unusual to cover the seat with a plastic sac or something.  The part I would be worried about is while road tripping and riding into a squall.   I guess I could make a giant shower cap and throw it on in such an instance...better than nothing and having a great looking seat is worth it.  I think I'll keep another stock seat for if I try to eventually sell the bike.

think you could make some snazzy ones for the SV's??....I'd be willing to part with my seat for a while.....color coordinated would friggin rock....

OK 89-00 Gs seat is a flat sheet of vinyl ... so you wnat to make it look snappy and match to the plastic ... here it what you do ... get masking tape and mask off the parts you want to star the black color ... get vinyl dye and spray it on the part you want to change color ... 5 mins later ... bingo ... new color ... and repeat for different colors ...
Cool.
Srinath.

It's not just the color I'd like to change, it's the texture.  I'm kind of sick of the faux leather look.

Yeah you could paint them.... they have some decent vinyl paints... You clean the1 seat with thinner and a rag..(opens the vinyl up to accept the paint/dye).
It will wear off somewhat.....but the colors hold up ok.

The seam/wet thing is really just an issue when the seam will be say under your leg or butt when you're riding... Plastic under the vinyl doesn't do alot.. I've seen it under upholstery here and there...it's to speed up installation more than anything...won't do alot to keep water out  - (no more than it will do to keep it in too ).

I sent Weazlenose the pic I had handy... (Damn free hosting place went pay and wiped my files out...The rest were on my last- now dead computer...but I should have some here I can scan...SOMEWHERE....).

here it is