bike logo and tribal flames on the seat

[Don101]

well im jumping in at the deep end, my work college came around yesterday with the bike, we decided to go with the theme on the bike and do the bike logo and tribal flames on the seat, i tried to talk him into something along the lines of the fantastique seats that are displayed here, (i love the pin up art,) but he wasnt having it,

so the first question to the experts is, he wants to rip of the foam padding and use the original hard seat thats made out of some sort of hard plastique and cover it with a thinner foam and then leather so that the seat is lower, is that a good idea or does it have to be a metall seat?

second question what thickness leather would you guys and ladys recomend, as im not sure if its to thick that it would be uncomfortable or not?

any way ive got a week or so because he wants to go to a few biker meets and doesnt want to give me the seat just yet, ive worked out a rough desighn, let me know what you think. Don

[Cowboy Crafts Online]

I just want too ask, does he just want a thinner seat, is that why he wants the foam taken off and then have you put on thinner foam. If he just wants a thinner seat I would just remove the unwanted thickness with a die grinder. there is no need to take the old foam off and put on new foam, if you can just shape it down to what he wants. second does he want the design tooled in leather or just embossed. it he wants it tooled I would go with 5 - 7 oz carving leather, if he wants it underlayed (dont know proper term) I would use 3 -4 oz upolstry hide.

Ashley

[David Genadek]

I'm curiouse looking at all the bike seats I notice they are all laced. Is there a reason not to do a welted seam?

David Genadek

[Don101]

@ snakehorse, he wanted fast to no foam in the seat so ive got some thin pvc foam that wont absorve water from where i work and will keep it to a minimum of thickness, thankks for the thickness guide im going to use about a 9oz for the backing and as you sugest 5-7 for the front as it will be carved,

@ David ive noticed this as well and i can only think its to go with alot of the biker leathers as there is also on waistcoats and so on lacing, and its a lot less work to lace around the seat that to aline and stitch

[Don101]

UPDATE : well ive made the template and cut and formed the backing of the seat and rivited it, the next stage is to shape and fit the foam then ill cut out the front and carve it dye it and stitch it together then im finished, thanks for the responce and tips so far, Don

[Roger]

sorry i didn't see this already!

i have been use 5-6oz leather for the seat top.

that is an aftermarket seat and you should be able to re-shape it rather that replace it. that stuff is generally moulded right to the pan. keep in mind that you need to maintain the roundness up into the back area of the seat if you do re-foam it. it will be rather uncomfortable if you don't

[Roger]

I'm curiouse looking at all the bike seats I notice they are all laced. Is there a reason not to do a welted seam?

David Genadek

to be honest i'm not sure what a welted seam is.

i guess it's "the look" that everyone wants thier seats are either laced or saddle stitched

[Don101]

to be honest i'm not sure what a welted seam is.

i guess it's "the look" that everyone wants thier seats are either laced or saddle stitched

a welted seam is when you have two pieces of leather and put another in between (piping) and stitch the now three pieces together like on a gusset of a bag or boots and so on, Don

[Roger]

sounds like that would be too bulky for a motorcycle seat

[Art]

You do welting more with upholstery leather, you would have a helluva lump if you welted 5/6oz.

Pix attached where the top of seat meets the boxing there is a welted seam, around speakers etc and on edges of seats. On box cushons usually all around the box.

Art

sounds like that would be too bulky for a motorcycle seat