albertacountrygirl Report post Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) I have a cruiser bike (Boulevard C50T) that I have shown successfully. The bike is blue/white and of course seat, back seat, backrest and bags are black. I want to make "show covers" in white leather for them that I can put on for shows and remove for regular riding. So, this was my idea - make a cover out of white lambskin leather and make it with elastic underneath. This way I could just pop it on or off. This 'cover' is not meant to be used for actual riding so I think garment leather would be ok and easy to work with. I would have the seams for the edges, etc. as they are on the stock seat and back rest so they won't look like shower caps that are just popped over! I also would do some insetting or appliques of exotic leather in some sort of pattern to fancy it up. Another problem is that my stock seat & back rest have studs - how in the heck would I work around those with a 'show cover'? I have no idea how I would do anything with the stock saddlebags! I thought of just building some from scratch that I would just put on for shows. But again, I want white leather - maybe somehow make them out of upholstery leather? What I'm wondering is - do you think this idea would work or does anyone else have any other good ideas? Also - any help on figuring out how to do this would be greatly appreciated, such as how to make patterns because I didn't really want to take apart my stock seat and back rest. I have done leather tooling for many years but have never made anything for a motorcycle before so don't even know where to start. Maybe my whole idea here is just crazy and I should just buy a second seat & backrest and simply recover them? I hope some of you can offer some advice please and thank you! Edited February 27, 2012 by albertacountrygirl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chancey77 Report post Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) It is ok to make just a show cover, but think about this if you can find some leather to match the blue. And make the seats 2 toned as well. The Tops white and the sides Blue, that way there is a contrast from the tank and the seat, it is opposite and may make it POP. I don't think elastic will work well, it might not stretch it tight enough not to look cheesy, but maybe just some small eyelets and put some lace through the eyes so you can make it tight...maybe the same blue in lace you could just hand cut that from the blue leftovers leave them long and put some white beads on the endds, and that could add a little more drama..... Don't worry about the studs, I don't think that will be a factor. Or you could always line the inside,sides with a 8-9 oz veg tan to give a ridged side structure so the studs for sure won't stick out. Just use contact cement to glue them in to the inside sides. That is my 2 cents.... Edited February 27, 2012 by chancey77 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
albertacountrygirl Report post Posted February 27, 2012 Some good ideas there Chancey77. Thanks a bunch. I think you are correct with the idea of losing the elastic and using eyelets. I'm having a real hard job finding any leather that matches the blue in the bike. I think that 2 tone would be awesome but as I said, blue leather is tough to find. I'm even prowling the second hand clothing stores for garments that I could cut up! I have also thought about somehow incorporating tooling leather somehow (with a nice tooled eagle or something) - maybe a nice shaped piece in the center of the 2 seats and the back rest. Don't quite know how that would look but it's another idea. Beads on the laces would look great too. I also thought of using leather lacing in blue to lace the top and side pieces together with. Anyone else with ideas or thoughts would be appreciated. And especially any ideas on what the heck to do with the saddlebags! I think I'll have to make "dummy" ones for shows. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
