Seat ideas

craigo · January 15, 2013, 10:09:25 AM

Hey all,

I'm ready to pull the trigger on a pan up seat restoration and am looking for ideas. So if you could, please post pics of you seats, cost to do it and why it works better than stock. Most important is the comfort of the passenger part and maintaining the seat height for me. Nothing low like the Corbin works for me as my legs are too damn long.

Any and all suggestions will be helpful and most appreciated,

CraigO

rktmanfj · January 15, 2013, 10:19:37 AM

If you otherwise like the Corbin, they will build it with extra height. You just have to ask them to do it.

markmartin · January 15, 2013, 11:18:40 AM

Quote from: craigo on January 15, 2013, 10:09:25 AM
Most important is the comfort of the passenger part and maintaining the seat height for me.

I was looking for the same, and ended up going with this company. http://www.day-long.com/

I had an extra corbin seat pan and backrest, so I sent that along and they are building us a new seat. It is expensive as hell, but a hell of a lot cheaper than a Gold Wing. We can't afford 2 bikes right now and my wife loves to ride so it's an option that should keep us both happy. Happy wife, happy life.

I'll post pictures when I get it back.

rktmanfj · January 15, 2013, 11:31:44 AM

Quote from: markmartin on January 15, 2013, 11:18:40 AM
Quote from: craigo on January 15, 2013, 10:09:25 AM
Most important is the comfort of the passenger part and maintaining the seat height for me.

I was looking for the same, and ended up going with this company. http://www.day-long.com/

I had an extra corbin seat pan and backrest, so I sent that along and they are building us a new seat. It is expensive as hell, but a hell of a lot cheaper than a Gold Wing. We can't afford 2 bikes right now and my wife loves to ride so it's an option that should keep us both happy. Happy wife, happy life.

I'll post pictures when I get it back.

Yeah, I got that part. I read it as "wanting to maintain the OEM seat height", not the lower height that Corbin usually builds them at.

Did you happen to weigh the Day-Long seat? Wondering if it's the Corbin's fiberglass pan that weighs so much... those things are heavy.

markmartin · January 15, 2013, 11:44:31 AM

Quote from: not a lib on January 15, 2013, 11:31:44 AM

Did you happen to weigh the Day-Long seat? Wondering if it's the Corbin's fiberglass pan that weighs so much... those things are heavy.

I don't know how much the seat will weigh. It's with 'Daylong' right now. I can weigh it when I get it back and compare it to the other Corbin I have. I don't have the stock seat anymore so perhaps someone else can chime in. They (Daylong) refoam and recover the corbin pan. There is more foam in their designs, but I can't imagine I'd weigh that much more.

FJ1100mjk · January 15, 2013, 12:30:02 PM

Stock seat: 5.2 lb.

Corbin w/ fiberglass seat pan: 9.1 lb.

aviationfred · January 15, 2013, 02:28:50 PM

When I bought my bike it had a modified seat that was hideous. I found a guy in Poland that makes seat covers for FJ's. They are for stock seats and once I received it I was very impresssed with the quality and fit. I thought it looked great on my bike. The only issue I had, was that it still had the stock seat under it. Too soft for me, so I found a Corbin and sold the seat.

This was immediately after I was finished putting the cover on. The slight creases and wrinkles went away after about 3 days.

I am not currently seeing any available on EBay UK.

craigo · January 15, 2013, 11:29:36 PM

Thanks Fred,

This is what I was looking for. I spoke today with a local shop that quoted $80 for a pan up restoration. Of course it helped that he just did our jeep's interior and I remembered his name.

I really like the looks of this and am going to give it to the shop to use as a template.

Thanks again,

CraigO

baldy3853 · January 16, 2013, 04:38:15 AM

Craig
Look around I had mine done quite a few yrs ago and they used the original base so it didn't weigh anywhere near as much as the other seats on the market, the important thing is make sure they use high density foam and fill in all the little spaces on the seat, the next time I go out to my mates place I'll take a pic of his seat as he used the same guy to do his seat and that was 8 0r 9 yrs ago and still looks brand new

craigo · January 17, 2013, 08:03:15 AM

Thanks for the tip Baldy.

Yeah, the seat goes in today and will have it by this afternoon. I will take a pic or 2 and post it when done, if it's anything to write home about. I really like the layout & stitch-work on Fred's seat. I printed it out and am taking it in with the seat to see if they can reproduce it.

Dense foam, got it,

CraigO

baldy3853 · January 17, 2013, 05:55:42 PM

Quote from: craigo on January 17, 2013, 08:03:15 AM
Thanks for the tip Baldy.

Dense foam, got it,

CraigO

Hi Density!!!!

craigo · January 17, 2013, 07:24:22 PM

Ok, got the seat back today and I have a few things to say about it. First off, it only cost $80 to have this done. That being said, lets look at it both functionally and aesthetically. As far as function, I give it a 9, aesthetically a 6. Lets go to the pics:

this is how it came back from the shop. It's puffy and bulging on the sides. So it's appearance is a 6.

I only got to ride it around the block so the seat isn't even broke in yet. However it is wide and very comfortable. Also, it's about an inch taller and my legs are not as cramped as they were. So functionally, I give it a 9.

All in all, it's a lot better than what I had, it feels comfortable and it's only $80 out of pocket. And yes Baldy, high density...

CraigO

FJmonkey · January 17, 2013, 07:29:42 PM

Quote from: craigo on January 17, 2013, 07:24:22 PM
All in all, it's a lot better than what I had, it feels comfortable and it's only $80 out of pocket. And yes Baldy, high density...
CraigO

Seems to be missing the Kookaloo retaining shape. That vertical wall behind the rider's ass that prevents one's owns ass from slipping off when using the FJ for its proper purpose... But your seat looks way better than mine right now... Good job....

fj11.5 · January 17, 2013, 07:56:58 PM

for $80 and same day service, thats a bargain, i paid $100 but mine was leveled at the front and had the kookaloo retaining device added in, about 2" , but waited months for it, as the company is always busy,

craigo · January 18, 2013, 09:28:27 AM

Yeah, the kookaloo retaining device is there, but not as pronounced as I would have liked. It's wider and very comfortable. I can't wait to take her out on a real ride. Then I will know what I got, other than an overstuffed seat. Sure didn't come out like Fred's, which is what I was hoping for. I have a puffy seat that looks like a thumb hit by a hammer...

And for $80, same day service I really can't complain at all.

CraigO

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Seat ideas