Modified seat (Close Shave)

[bhppy101]

I picked up my GZ last week for my girl friend to start riding. I felt as if the seat had a little too much bulk to it so I decided to shave it down and re-upholster it with smoother vinyl.

The first step was to remove all the staples holding the stock vinyl. I used a flat screwdriver to pry them loose then went back and pulled them with some needle nose pliers.


http://upload3.postimage.org/408906/Picture001.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/408906/photo_hosting.html)

http://upload3.postimage.org/408910/Picture002.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/408910/photo_hosting.html)

http://upload3.postimage.org/408916/Picture004.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/408916/photo_hosting.html)

http://upload3.postimage.org/408920/Picture006.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/408920/photo_hosting.html)

[bhppy101]

After pulling all the staples and the stock vinyl, I marked a line of where the foam really stops underneat. If you don't make a reference point you might end up cutting all the way though the foam.

I dre my approximate area that I wanted to cut down. I ued a serrated knife to cut it close to my markings......after I cut the excess foam to my liking....I smoothe all of my cut marks down with a disc sander using 80 grit discs.
http://upload3.postimage.org/408894/Picture009.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/408894/photo_hosting.html)


http://upload3.postimage.org/408898/Picture010.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/408898/photo_hosting.html)


http://upload3.postimage.org/408903/Picture011.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/408903/photo_hosting.html)

[bhppy101]

Now that I have it shaved to my liking..... I cut out some vinyl (Marine Vinyl bought from a fabric store). Start with thw widest part first. I used a contact spray adhesive only on the curve of the base to help keep the vinyl put.

I streched the vinyl and I used a pneumatic stapler to staple the fabric to the seat pan.
Take your time to strech out the vinyl.

http://upload3.postimage.org/408978/Picture012.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/408978/photo_hosting.html)

[bhppy101]

I shaved down a little bit of the rear seat and recovered it to match the front seat and trimmed the excess fabric off the bottom

[bhppy101]

With the seat cut down....the is no more tendance to slide back....think of it as a butt stop....lol :2tup:

[jonathan180iq]

Nice work. Good Write-up.

[bhppy101]

Nice work. Good Write-up.

Thanks!

[jonathan180iq]

The moderatora may want to conisder moving this into the how-to section.

[Dupo]

Yep, going to move it to the How-To section. Great write up!!

[bhppy101]

Yep, going to move it to the How-To section. Great write up!!

Thanks Dupo!

Heres a better pic of it installed on the bike w/ the passeenger seat....No more buttons! Just a smooth seat.


http://www.postimage.org/aVpjwdS.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVpjwdS)


http://www.postimage.org/aVpjBd9.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVpjBd9)

I will be polishing the forks as well....so stay tuned for a how to:

[bhppy101]

Forgot to mention that I filled the holes that where left by the buttons with the left over cut out foam from the main seat. I just cut out 2 thick squares...then trimmed them to the approx size (about 1/4" bigger around) and used scissors to taper it at the bottom to make a cone shaped plug....kind of like a cork. I then sprayed both plugs and the seat holes with 3M contact adhesive (buy it at any Walmart or Home Depot).....let it dry...than pushed the plug into the seat holes leaving about 1/4" of the plug over the seat surface. I then took my disk sander with an 80 grit sanding disc and smoothed out the top surface as I thinned out the whole passenger seat. It came out perfectly smooth like 1 piece.

Just a note when using a disc sander for shaping: Barely touch the seat with the sander and remove small layers at a time by making multiple passes over the seat. If you put any pressure on the sander to the seat....it can get away from you and the next thing you know....it sanded down way too deep....so work slowly until you get your desired shape. :tup:

[Badbob]

It looks good and it gets rid of those damn water collecting buttons. However I would guess that a seat modified like this would cripple me on a long trip. The stock seat damn near did.

On a GZ250 seat the foam compresses so bad that after about 30 minutes you are practically sitting on the seat pan. If your going to go to the trouble to do this mod I would suggest replacing the foam with something better while your at it. Unless of course your not planing to ride it more than 10 or 20 miles at a time.