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New Seat for XJ700 trike

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by sam_g, Apr 9, 2011.

  1. sam_g

    sam_g Member

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    Hi all....

    my Xj 700 trike's seat was getting a bit ropey... splitting along the seams and generally looking rough, so I decided to take apart the cover and use it as a template for a leather seat cover which can be seen in the pics. Before I took the old cover off, I used blue masking tape to pull together all the open seams and then to cover the whole seat. This was then waxed and a fibre glass skin taken from it. I strenthened this with heavyweight woven roving, then split it down the centre to widen it as a rear seat for the trike.

    The part way stage can be seen in the pics... the steel brackets are all bolted in, and it's had one layer of woven roving applied to fill the gap. This will be beefed up over the next few days, sanded smooth, then a couple of layers of thin foam (the first one with cutouts for the bolt heads) then a leather cover based on the original seat but widened to suit. The back of the seat will be filled with a bonded in piece of waterproof ply, and similar ply will be bonded around the inner edges to give me something to staple the leather into. Hopefully I should end up with a rear seat that matches the front, but has the extra width to suit the wide rear of the trike.
     

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    sam_g, Apr 9, 2011
    #1
  2. cutlass79500

    cutlass79500 Well-Known Member

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    Nice job you could really get a big set of buns on that seat. would love to see more pics of the bike i have always had interest in the custom trikes and how everything works in the rear
     
    cutlass79500, Apr 9, 2011
    #2
  3. sam_g

    sam_g Member

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    Some more pics... finished the seat and also made a sissy bar pad... they just need polishing to match the front seat.
     

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    sam_g, Apr 18, 2011
    #3
  4. mlew

    mlew Well-Known Member

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    Nice work, can't tell a difference.
    When are you visiting the US? I have some motorcycle seats that need new upholestry.
     
    mlew, Apr 18, 2011
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  5. sam_g

    sam_g Member

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    Cheers... to be honest the leather wasn't that hard to sew... I got the upholstery leather from an old 3 seater that a friend asked me to drop off at the local dump! I just used a standard machine fitted with a leather needle and strong thread. I had to buy the leather covered buttons... they're a right pain to do yourself and only cost a couple of pounds for half a dozen on Ebay. The front seat has been polished with dubbin to keep it soft but waterproof... I'll do the rear and the sissy pad when the leather has completely dried.
     
    sam_g, Apr 18, 2011
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  6. sam_g

    sam_g Member

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    If anyone can use the original panels as templates, thety are welcome to them for the cost of postage... or I can draw around them and send paper templates.... just to save anyone tearing into their original seats
     

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    sam_g, Apr 19, 2011
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