Build a motorcycle seat

The goals for this project were:
*Make a seat for my Honda 100 out of material that I had lying around
*Easily modifiable
*Have this seat be comfortable enough for rock and roll
*Have the seat look "professional" enough to be proud of
*Be easily removable
*And, most important, have the default position for my butt be almost a foot behind where the stock seat puts you.

I succeeded in these goals. At this point, this is an interim seat while I finish customizing the bike. I suspect that I will want to add more padding at some point (simply a matter of cutting the tape, laying a couple more layers of pad, and retaping). When I put a more classic tank on the bike, things will look less... jury-rigged. As it is, I kind of fancy it a "junior streetfighter" look without the side covers. I also enjoy not burning my leg, so the covers get put back.

If you like it, don't forget to cast your vote in the Craft Skills contest!

Step 1: Remove your old seat

Don't do this during a short break in a rainstorm. You might think the rain is over, but it will start up again at the most inopportune time and you'll have to ride your bike back to the shed, in the soaking rain, with no seat. Not only is this unpopular with your tailbone, but I can assure you that you will slide off the slick framerails at least once. Fun.

Okay, got your bike out of the shed and into your workspace? Go get your socket set and an extension. A perisope attachment for your neck will also come in handy.

All the fasteners you will be cussing at measure 10mm for a Honda 100.

See those bolts? Yes, those, ungodly far from any human access? Remove them. These hold your back fender on. Removal of the fender isn't required, but it helps later, trust me.

Comments

[gofast845]

okay the stock seat had you sit forward beacause your supposed to be forward you should be pretty much on the gas tank and dont tell me im wrong i race and have been racing for quite a while. you manuver better, prevent bringing up the front wheel up, and provides a smoother ride due to both shocks being used and not just the rear where you are sitting

[Pink_wolf]

Im sorry but that seat is....wow....fail.... What was so wrong with the original?

[Vinsu]

It's supposed to be little bit more "offroad" now, I think... I would have just covered the original seat but thats just my opinion.

[ongara_01]

THAT BIKE VERY NICE...................BEFORE MODIFICATION

[djr6789]

nice bike, well its better than my suzuki jr50 lol i needed a new seat 4 it so thanks for the ible! P.S whats ur bikes top speed ?

[Rishnai]

Thanks man! Well, I've never wound it all the way out. I hear tell that this model will do 45 miles an hour, but I don't have space to spend much time out of the first two gears.

[bigpinecone]

yeah 45 is about right. fun bike but too small for anyone taller than 5'5''.

[ajs1313]

If you used a thinner plywood and soaked it in hot water, you could have molded it to the underside of the original seat pan with clamps. then a thin layer of padding over the entire thing with build ups in the proper seat area would have created a fully custom seat while covering the entire exposed bike. Also consider a Vinal fabric cover instead of the duct tape for a more professional finish. gREAT JOB

[scwirral]

Thanks for putting the time in to write this, but can you explain what the advantage of this seat is over the standard one? I could understand if it was missing, but why ditch what looks like a serviceable original seat? Cheers

[Rishnai]

The fact that I'm extremely short, and didn't get along with the geomoetry of the stock seat. I figured I'd tackle the challenge rather than go to the junkyard and grab a different seat. Plus, if someone actually has a missing seat, now they'll know what to do (and what not to do).

[chalky]

im not been funny but if you need to brake sharp in an emergency you will rip your knackers to bits on that bit on the tank where the seats meant to go buddy!

[Rishnai]

I've been informed. I've gotten in the habit of standing up a bit on the pegs to avoid any encounter with that screw, but I really ought to add some kind of plate to go over it.

[chalky]

You should be proud of the finished job mate it looks brilliant,but its also good that you took my comment on board as positive criticism. There's people on here lately who put up an Instructable and then as soon as someone says something about it that they don't agree with they let rip and start typing insults in BLOCK CAPITALS lol:) I was just having visions of you ripping off your 'crown jewels' therefore ruining your future plans to make a posse of dopplegangers of your self:)

[Rishnai]

LIKE THIS? Yes, I'd prefer if everything stayed intact, thank you very much. I stuffed the bike into a pole today. I jumped off before impact, but I still nearly did the splits into the dang thing! Wouldn't that be ironic, all this fuss over a screw and it's a pole that does the deed...

[Rishnai]

Update for today: just spent five hours in the saddle, and my rear end is still attached!

[skunkbait]

Hey, not bad! I've ridden a few too many miles on similar seats. Another good approach to the upholstery is to swipe some leather/vinyl from an old couch that's being thrown out. Staple it on the underside of the plywood pan, or rivet it to the bottom of a metal pan. The denser the foam, the longer it will retain its' basic shape. Nice ible!

[Rishnai]

Thanks! All the couches thrown out around here have been fabric recently, or I'd have a proper cover. I seriously considered denim for a little while, but I'm not sure how long that would last.

[carpespasm]

You could go for a thrift store jacket if you can spare a few bucks. Just make sure you get one that has some style to it no one would want to wear ever again.

[skunkbait]

Canvas would probably be ok, but I'm afraid denim wouldn't wear well.

[Rishnai]

Given the fact that it would probably be coming from half-worn-out pants already... best stay away from the denim.

[klee27x]

Hey. The extra room for your nuts might seem like a nice idea, but I hope for your future childrens' sake that you don't get into a frontal collision. :)

[skunkbait]

Do you remember the old British bikes with "storage racks" on the tanks? We used to call them "ball-snaggers"!