Single seat conversion...

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:48 am

Hey felix can you make a cowl that goes right over the top without carving up the seat?

My understanding is you have to make it so no one can sit on it not destroy it.

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:12 pm

Well I am hoping to do one better. ER seat not really conduicive to a cowl over the top. I just got myself an electric staple gun so I have just been playing with that. I will have a look soon and see what my options are for hard-points. Anything I do will be able to be un-done...even if it involves pop rivets and nailing strap!

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:48 pm

speaking of a pop rivet gun you could make the cowl out of the bottom of a budgie cage and it would pass doesnt need to be designed by nasa or particulary funtional except that it makes the bit of seat the pillion sits on disapear, could paint it black with some spray paint fo added bling.

Have hun with the electric staple gun.

Yankee · Post by **Yankee** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 3:49 pm

i've just done this to my bike, and i am going to go get it "certified" :roll:

for an actual "single seat" by some stupid local bike shop (hhmmm, yup, you don't have a pillion seat or pillion pegs anymore..... $60 bucks thanks) :evil:

anyhoo... how dumb is it, that this "conversion" will save me 1/2 on rego.....
queensland, the stupid state.
:wink:

MadFab · Post by **MadFab** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 3:53 pm

the money saved is by not having to pay third party , for the pillion

fab

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 3:55 pm

Yankee you swine! SHUT UP! They might hear you and then we'd lose our cheap rego!!! Then I'd have bought an electric staple gun for noth..oh, no...I can entertain myself for hours with this thing...<KLAK!>...<KLAK!>...

I'll have to look into getting a vinyl welder and sewing machine...this is all coming back to me...ah, the mammories...

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:49 am

mate...why dont u go to a wrecker & get another seat, and fuk round wit hthat...that way if u fuk one up..u still got a good one??..or just take seat off, and use a "race" style seat...

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:01 am

A secondhand seat is $150. Me not working, and the XJ killed what I had left of my, err, buffer...

So anyhow, I actually used to do upholstery once upon a time...if there was enough market for fiddling with bike seats, I'd probably consider doing this a bit more seriously...

My conclusions thus far, are that adding hard-points, while attractive from a design and functional point of view, is not exactly practical in my current circumstances. I don't have access to a welder, and the only person I trust to do this the way I want (dad) doesn't have one either. Apart from that it is a top idea, and I probably will end up doing it this way at some point, if only to prove a point.

So, to pass the conversion, I think a fibre-glass shell over the rearmost section of foam will suffice. Perhaps with a bit of steel reinforcement to that I can carry my saddlebags with impunity. Hmm...and some bi-directional weave glass...I know just the place to get some offcuts.

I can remove the foam, and cut a hole in the plastic section of the seat, which should allow me enough room to store my wets and/or a bunch of other crap. Importantly, I will not have to do anything to the vinyl cover, which means the whole process is reversible if I change my mind later on.

The only real issue with making a new pattern for the cover is I don't have access to a vinyl welder to ensure the covering remains water tight. I am looking at getting one, and a guy in japan just told me they nearly gave some second hand ones away :evil:

Dang it!

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:48 pm

ok..well good luck with it either way....

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:05 pm

the fibreglass option is probably the best bet Felix, a mate of mine did one on a CB400Four many years ago, and used velcro ( hook and loop) along the base and rear of the original seat to attach it. Doesn't sound very strong, but actually worked out pretty well - it never blew off

be nice to be able to cut your rego in 1/2 by cutting the seat length in half.....

Neka - did you see that NSW rego co$t !!! :shock:

700 bucks ferchristsake :shock:

in ACT the 3rd party costs are a monopoly run by NRMA - no-one else gets a look-in. Thank gawd fer that.....

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:16 pm

I know I went against my own advice here, but I did buy a cheapo electric staple gun for this project - big mistake. It jammed a lot, and was frustrating to use. I took it back to Bunnies, and after a bit of mucking around, they did let me exchange it, and I bought a Bosch. Much nicer machine, and it actually works!

The best part is, I saw the Bosch at M10 for $182 - so Bunnies gave it to me for $163!!! I had a win!

Anyhow, my seat is back to original, while I wait to head north where my resin is...

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 9:38 pm

Felix wrote:I know I went against my own advice here, but I did buy a cheapo electric staple gun for this project - big mistake. It jammed a lot, and was frustrating to use. I took it back to Bunnies, and after a bit of mucking around, they did let me exchange it, and I bought a Bosch. Much nicer machine, and it actually works!

The best part is, I saw the Bosch at M10 for $182 - so Bunnies gave it to me for $163!!! I had a win!

Anyhow, my seat is back to original, while I wait to head north where my resin is...

bummer dude..as i deal with Bosch i can get MOST bosch product cheap as buggery..as in cost....too late now i kno, but if ne1 sees nething bosch they want...let me kno ok ...

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 11:06 pm

You'll be sorry you said that! I have a thing for Bosch...

Gnome · Post by **Gnome** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 9:18 am

DON'T CUT YOUR SEAT!!!!!! I now a guy that will comply it without cutting as it sounds like your seat is "part of the structure" as mine is. $100 is a bit more than at a bike shop, but he comes to you. Mine passed no worries, $200 rego and my seat profile retained.

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:54 pm

Yep, the ER5 seat is similar to the ZZR seat - it is one seat for pillion and rider. But no, I wont be cutting it in half...yet.

I have a couple of ideas for this, to make the rearmost section either hollow with a glass shell, or to make it a hinged boot with a lock. It depends on how fancy I get/am feeling at the time. Actually if I pull of the lockable hinged boot idea, I will leave it at that.

Hmm...Monday I will be off to see the vinyl supplier down the road, and then off to a place I used to work to try and get some glass offcuts.

Here is a dodgy sketch of what I have in mind: Plan

A few details to figure out, but that is what I would like to do...