Custom Covers on Metal Seat Pans?

[bwringer]

How do you make and attach a custom seat cover on a metal seat pan, when you can't use staples like you can on a nylon pan?

My ancient, damaged knees are no longer compatible with the somewhat lowered seating position on my '83 GS850G -- note how the front on the '82-'83 G models is scooped out a lot more than the earlier models:

Stock shape and cover:

Cover off, insert with supercell foam on front section, but shape is unchanged.

Stock shape with an aftermarket cover:

I'm using a seat cushion from Amazon in order to gain a bit of height and make it possible to ride to work and such, but I need more height in order to ride long distances. And of course the cushion won't stay in place during vigorous riding where I need to be able to slide left and right.

I've recontoured seats, and installed and made seat covers several times for other bikes with plastic pans, and an important part of the process is stretching the marine vinyl into place and holding it with short staples.

Anyway, I can build up and shape a seat that works for me, but I don't know how to proceed with making a cover on a metal pan.

The stock and aftermarket seats are tailored and sewn into their final shape, and the edges contain a wire bead that clips into little metal teeth on the underside of the pan. But they're based solely on the stock shape.

Any thoughts?

And if someone knows of a good shop that can do this, I'm all ears.

 

[Don R]

There is a metal strip that can be pop riveted to the pan, it's called shark teeth. Stretch the vinyl over and let the teeth bite in, then tap it flat. Or short pop rivets through the vinyl directly.

 

[rphillips]

Been a long time, but thought those "shark teeth" were cut into the pan, from the factory. Don't remember the strip with them.

 

[bwringer]

Yeah, the pan has shark teeth, but not very many, and frankly several are looking pretty weak.

Not sure what to Google to find, er, "auxiliary shark teeth". Perhaps a modified carpet transition strip?

From what I've found, pop rivets with washers every few inches are the usual way. I have a pneumatic riveter, so that would be easy enough.

Or perhaps 4mm rivnuts...? That would be reversible, which could be a significant benefit.

 

[rphillips]

You know anybody or a local auto upholstery business in area?

 

[Cipher]

Yeah, the pan has shark teeth, but not very many, and frankly several are looking pretty weak.

Not sure what to Google to find, er, "auxiliary shark teeth". Perhaps a modified carpet transition strip?

From what I've found, pop rivets with washers every few inches are the usual way. I have a pneumatic riveter, so that would be easy enough.

Or perhaps 4mm rivnuts...? That would be reversible, which could be a significant benefit.

Maybe spot weld a tack strip in place.https://fsyanyang.en.made-in-china....Strong-Premium-Flexible-Metal-Tack-Strip.html

 

[Grimly]

There's a UK stockist of the shark teeth strips, but there must be one in the US, surely.

https://www.pandkclassicbikes.co.uk/original-spike-strip

 

[bwringer]

There's a UK stockist of the shark teeth strips, but there must be one in the US, surely.

https://www.pandkclassicbikes.co.uk/original-spike-strip

Now that I have a search term to base the search on, I found "alligator strips" from a shop in Nebraska.
https://hvccycle.net/alligator-strip/



Honestly, I'd love to find a more-or-less local shop to handle the cover, and perhaps even reconfiguring the foam. I'll need to poke around. I could get a usable result on my own, but a pro could make it look nice.

I do live about 20 minutes from Cycle Recycle II, so I guess they would know if anyone would.

 

[rphillips]

I was uncomfortable doing my "83" GS1100E seat cover myself. Found a local shop that did auto and boat seats to do mine. Luck to ya.

 

[LAB3]

When I replaced the seat cover on my 450 I bought it from this eBay seller and was quite happy with it. The upholstery shop that put it on charged me double what the cover cost me and commented that they could have made one from better material so I asked them "Could you do it for $30? Cuz that's what I paid!"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324188341308

 

[bwringer]

When I replaced the seat cover on my 450 I bought it from this eBay seller and was quite happy with it. The upholstery shop that put it on charged me double what the cover cost me and commented that they could have made one from better material so I asked them "Could you do it for $30? Cuz that's what I paid!"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324188341308

You know, I have a very similar-looking new stock shape seat cover in inventory, and maybe even bought it from the same seller on fleaBay. It seems quite serviceable; the foam layer is pretty thick to smooth over whatever lumps and bumps are in the ancient foam.

However, I need to re-shape the seat significantly to ease my repeatedly damaged skeleton, so a stock shape won't fit.

I'll poke around for a seat shop. There's one in northern Indiana called "Astech" (get it?), about halfway between Indy and Fort Wayne. Surely there's someone around Indy somewhere. I'd be happy to invest a few bucks so I can be comfy on my GS once again.

I've also considered snaffling the foam from an earlier model GS850G or GS1000G seat, which has less of a scoop in the pilot's quarters. However, the pans have some differences in shape (could probably work around them; they're not far off) and the added height is probably not enough.