Interstate Seat Option

My roadster project had a seat with a metal pan that due to sitting in wet conditions for a lot of years is pretty well crap. So I decided to experiment on it and shorten it to fit the Interstate tank on my 750.

First I cut the front of the pan off. The distance was determined by measuring from the seat mounts forward. The picture is kind of lousy but I am learning a new camera. Sorry! You can see however that the edge of the pan is pretty decayed.



Then I cut the foam back to match using the original angle on the front to match to the tank.



Here is the mocked up seat. Duct tape was used to hold the cover on to the pan but no animals were harmed.



Now, back in my crowded little motorcycle shop here is how the seat looks on the bike. My apologies for not rolling the bike outside for a decent photo, but I have both ends torn down!



I cut about 4 inches off the front of the seat so it is considerabley shorter. It still lands on the fender where a roadster seat typically ends. You can see from the grab bar how much shorter it is than the intersate seat. Now that I have seen this mocked up I plan to do this for real. If I need the big seat for two I can swap it out easily.

Russ

Nice rvich ... I like it !!!

Every time I think I've been into every part of a Commando I see someone digging in deeper than me and braver to tackle a tricky job. Inspiring to see. I need to lenghten my fat back seat to close the IS tank gap, but adding a bit of foam ain't same scale. Its still a mystery to me how the cover is fastened on, especially where the fastening area ain't no more.

I did something similar for a custom build on a friend's bobber. I cut down the BACK end of the seat to the length of a solo, then had my upholsterer re-stitch the cover like it was done at the factory. Looked like a factory option. I'm trying to talk him out of it, as he's since converted the bike back to a bobber; I think the solo seat would be perfect for a street tracker Commando.

rvich said:

Here is the mocked up seat. Duck tape was used to hold the cover on to the pan but no animals were harmed.

Russ

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Russ
how did you skin that duck to get the tape with hurting it :lol: :lol:

A picture full on from the side to get a real peak at the looks of the entire bike with the short seat? Looks interesting and possibly better than the stock interstate brick seat.

britbike220 said:

A picture full on from the side to get a real peak at the looks of the entire bike with the short seat? Looks interesting and possibly better than the stock interstate brick seat.

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I won't be able to get a proper picture of the bike with this seat until I get both ends put back together and it quits snowing. My shop is too small to get any view of it where it sits.

rvich said:

and it quits snowing. My shop is too small to get any view of it where it sits.

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Boy I can relate to that.

I'm snow bound too for at least next two days and out of mechanical parts to advance Peel project, but do have foam stuffing with seat inside warmed up, so you all have given me my next task to try to fill in the seat tank gap - ugh -
on a Old Brit's purpose made solo IS seat, that still has inch+ gap, even with the tank moved back 3/4" from factory.

Just had knee deep snow adventure in 4wd PU to see if pet food was delivered 1/2 mile away at mail box. It was, after skewed light brakings, a few almost side slides to trees and then getting stuck on hesitating at end of drives up slope, 4 wd spin is twice the let down of 2 wd, backed up and out of bit small ditch then plowed back up missing what ever hung me the first time, then headed back on a short cut across a downhill pasture the tires didn't touch bottom for Commando-ish flying carpet sensation. Lesion - able to go about anywhere anytime but some conditions don't any slack attention or play at all. Similar state on cycles nearing edges of control. Soft seat gives a better bite : )

That looks really nice.. Good work!

i did essentially the same thing - took a roadster pan and laided it on the frame and marked where the interstate tank came to it and cut it about 1" shorter

got roadster foam - but i cut it down about 1 1/2 inches closer to the tank w/ remaining foam at level about 12 inches back for the hump - works great as puts me a little lower on the bike so feels like your more part of the bike rather than perched on it - and the hump is a decent butt stop for acceleration

OH yum Mike, makes me want to hop on and ride a long ways.

hobot said:

OH yum Mike, makes me want to hop on and ride a long ways.

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long rides on cafe style bikes are for the stout of heart - and frame. I've replaced my tomaselli adjustable condors and previous club man style bars for the laverda jota style bars - they have the basic look but bring you up 2-3 inches - not much but can mean a comfortable 45 minutes vs. 1.5 hrs

i would of punched myself in the head a few years ago for thinking cafe's weren't comfy - to many spill's and hittin the mid 40's now - won't be long before i enviously look at MKIII's - yikes

mikegray660 said:

i would of punched myself in the head a few years ago for thinking cafe's weren't comfy - to many spill's and hittin the mid 40's now - won't be long before i enviously look at MKIII's - yikes

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wait till you get to mid 50's :cry:

Mike,
Nice job on the seat! Did you sew the cover yourself? I think I am going to stick with the Roadster style so that it is a bit deceptive when you look at it as to whether or not it is stock. But I like the idea of being a little lower in the saddle and leaving more fender exposed. It makes the bike look longer.

As for the comfort thing. Heck I will probably be shoping for highrider handle bars and a girdle if I'm not careful!

Russ

I'm a spinal Dr. and its the strain put on neck that matters most then magnifies what ever the arms and wrist should otherwise put up with. Best bars I'm enjoyed were Triumph 140 bars, fairly hi rise and swept back, but allowed upright, tucked down or full standing on pegs all day long. My factory Combat as low factory bars and I feel it in shoulders wrists or back in about 1/2 hour. Sexy is one thing but there's a song about making and ugly woman you wife to be happy the rest of your life : ) I'm 59 and feeling fine, best in life, and mention to keep in mind the neck re-growing methods to reverse and stave off old age effects of wear and tear and reserves to take new one motorcycle fates throw at us all. That and enough mineral complex to get ahead of life and diets suck down and not shrink and shrivel up. Flipping the mirrors under taller bar goes a long ways of trimming down the too tall profile and work better too, as long as don't strike tank.

rvich said:

Mike,
Nice job on the seat! Did you sew the cover yourself?
Russ

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Russ
no i cut the pan, then powdercoated it , then cut down the foam of a roadster seat - i then called a few upholstery shops and found one familiar w/ motorbike seats

if your in the east coast of the US - i can supply the name of the guy - he does a lot of mail orders and does good work - he sends pics etc of the work in process it to make sure it is right w/ you

mike

+ another on the seat Mike. It's just like what I have been envisioning trying when I mount the Prody/Dunstall tank I will be using soon. (I hope) I like that you made the back flat so it can be used, even if just to strap on a bag. It just looks better then the round Corbin type to me.

Flat-ish back seat is very practical handy place besides another bottom. I bungee my appointment book on factory brick and go but no way to keep it sliding off the cafe-race contour of sleeker seats. I've put some hours in on Corbin and now only appreciate them to view on others rides. I like the Corbin on my SV better than stock, sits lower and a bit softer, so not biased on one, except on Cdo's.
The back sloped seats are almost impossible to stay on even hanging on to pilot or hands on grab bar. I like my factory Combat seat with fiber base but its hangers have about dissolved the fiber glass so this spring get to pretend I'm fixing a boat in Fla. again. Edges still intact thank goodness.

I followed through on putting a new cover on this seat. I repaired the seat pan and bought the cover from Old Britts, then shortened it to fit.

I didn't realize until after I downloaded these photos how bad they are but for the purposes of this thread I guess they will work. There is also a small pucker where the seam disappears under the molding that looks much worse in these photos than it really is. I figure I will let the cover settle into place a bit and then pull it out by using some contact cement on the underside of the seat. The last photo shows the grab rail in place just to see how it might look.







Russ