Seats in Australia

[Oldnick]

I have just sat on the pillion seat of my Valk trike. Hmmm. I refuse to subject anyone to that for more then a few minutes. It seems to be all too common to place horrid little jelly beans for the passenger. 

I have contacted Australian Comfy Seats about either making or modding for more passenger comfort, as I could not find much else on offer. I would not be surprised if just a passinger seat goes well North of $1000, to get anything with back rest and armrests.

Are there any alternatives in Oz? Fit GoldWing seats? Fit another rider's seat? Other ready-made stuff? Anything? I can cut, bend and weld metal reasonably, if mounts are needed.

Thanks for any help.

Nick

[Bighead]

If it is a stock seat you have and mounts are stock there is Ultimate seats , mustang and Corbin ready made to fit. Russel day long will mod the seat you have.

[Oldnick]

..but no easy to find in Australia Russell would be out for me.m They use my seat and that would mean mailing it across then paying freight back. Lotsa lost money.

Even just freight _from_ the Us would be pricy.

Nick

[MarkT]

Re: your concern on the cost of shipping:  You could buy seat pans remotely here, from say ebay or even the VRCC classifieds, and have them sent to Russell.  That eliminates half the shipping cost. You could then put your seats up for sale down under on ebay or whatever online service you have there.

If price is not an object, the best you can get is Russell Daylong seats.  Made to fit you, your weight, your inseam.  They even require pictures of you on the bike, in 2 positions.  The seats are shaped like a tractor seat - concave with "wings" that have suspension springs inside, of the right tension for your weight. I have never heard of anyone, who had the seat made to fit them, not love the seat.  I have had several others.  Finally bit the bullet and had them make a set for me.  I also designated the colors, materials, stitching pattern, and also provided them the embroidery files for the embroidery machine.  I don't know if they support out-of-country business but I'd bet they do.  To me, not a big deal to ship down under, I've done it several times.  Cost - I paid $1200 for the 4 piece set made to my order.  Of course I provided the 2 seat pans and the pillion backrest.  Stock Valk seats can be found easily and cheaply here, in this community and on ebay.

BTW, these images stitched on my seats are to honor the Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae, 400 BC.  There's more to it of course, has to do with the Second Amendment.  Molon Labe has become a battle cry, like "Remember the Alamo".  Sorry, only have a reference germaine to this culture.

[Jess from VA]

If a new seat is tough to come by, these Airhawk seat cushions can make any seat much better.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=airhawk+large+pillion&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=27053647923&hvpos=1t3&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16600483866062462082&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_6tnnr4zggm_b

http://www.amazon.com/Airhawk-Comfort-Pillion-Cushion-CRUISERPILLIONL/dp/B000M6S0JK

The company.
http://www.airhawk.net/airhawk-products.aspx

I've heard you folks have some sheep down there.  You could get a cover made to fit, dyed black, and could even stretch an inch or more of memory foam over the seat, under the cover.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sheepskin+motorcycle+seat+cover&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjO6q3ihLDJAhVDRCYKHcP2CMMQ_AUICCgC&biw=1432&bih=644 

Sometimes you can find a decent upholstery shop to rebuild the seat with new foam and vinyl/leather cover.

[Oldnick]

Re: your concern on the cost of shipping:  You could buy seat pans remotely here, from say ebay or even the VRCC classifieds, and have them sent to Russell.  That eliminates half the shipping cost. You could then put your seats up for sale down under on ebay or whatever online service you have there.

If price is not an object, the best you can get is Russell Daylong seats.  Made to fit you, your weight, your inseam.  They even require pictures of you on the bike, in 2 positions.  The seats are shaped like a tractor seat - concave with "wings" that have suspension springs inside, of the right tension for your weight. I have never heard of anyone, who had the seat made to fit them, not love the seat.  I have had several others.  Finally bit the bullet and had them make a set for me.  I also designated the colors, materials, stitching pattern, and also provided them the embroidery files for the embroidery machine.  I don't know if they support out-of-country business but I'd bet they do.  To me, not a big deal to ship down under, I've done it several times.  Cost - I paid $1200 for the 4 piece set made to my order.  Of course I provided the 2 seat pans and the pillion backrest.  Stock Valk seats can be found easily and cheaply here, in this community and on ebay.

BTW, these images stitched on my seats are to honor the Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae, 400 BC.  There's more to it of course, has to do with the Second Amendment.  Molon Labe has become a battle cry, like "Remember the Alamo".  Sorry, only have a reference germaine to this culture.

Hmmm..cost no option alright. I would be looking at AUD $2000+ freighted I reckon, if you paid US $1200. I was going to buy some tyre no-flat from the US and the freight on a 4 litre bottle of that was round US$100. Alotdepoends on whom the vendor chooses to freight with and many of them insist on the costly option. That would require a lot of deep thought, before I could justify that.

[Oldnick]

If a new seat is tough to come by, these Airhawk seat cushions can make any seat much better.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=airhawk+large+pillion&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=27053647923&hvpos=1t3&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16600483866062462082&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_6tnnr4zggm_b

http://www.amazon.com/Airhawk-Comfort-Pillion-Cushion-CRUISERPILLIONL/dp/B000M6S0JK

The company.
http://www.airhawk.net/airhawk-products.aspx

I've heard you folks have some sheep down there.  You could get a cover made to fit, dyed black, and could even stretch an inch or more of memory foam over the seat, under the cover.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sheepskin+motorcycle+seat+cover&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjO6q3ihLDJAhVDRCYKHcP2CMMQ_AUICCgC&biw=1432&bih=644  

Sometimes you can find a decent upholstery shop to rebuild the seat with new foam and vinyl/leather cover.

Yeah I wondered about padding, but I would like to make the seat substantially wider, as that would feel a bit more secure; on a trike you dan't have the lean to help press you in or stop you going sideways.

If I am going to ask anybody to sit for a longish time, I would like something reasonable

[Oldnick]

Actually the Ultimate stuff gets some good comments and they are reasonably priced, with the Cdn$ being almost on parity with the Aud$.

[Oldnick]

Damn! The guy that reviewed the Ultimate stuff said he bought from Canada, but I am pretty sure their prices are in USD.

[Gryphon Rider]

My wife preferred my stock 2000 Tourer passenger seat to the Ultimate we demo'd at Inzane XIV.  She likes to sit up straighter by sliding back in the seat, and the ridge at the back of the Ultimate passenger seat prevents this.

[rocketray]

2 thumbs up on the Airhawk partly inflated and  a sheepskin

[vanagon40]

I don't know about a trike, but I modified a couple of front seats for passenger seats.

Here is my first attempt.  Sits just a little high.  Made from a pre 2001 seat.



Here is my second try.  The nose looks a little odd, but the seat is a little lower and reportedly more comfortable.  Made from a 2001 or later seat.



I am not an upholsterer and had no experience prior to modifying the first seat.  I did a modification for my 82 SilverWing in between two seats above.

[Oldnick]

I don't know about a trike, but I modified a couple of front seats for passenger seats.

Here is my first attempt.  Sits just a little high.  Made from a pre 2001 seat.


Here is my second try.  The nose looks a little odd, but the seat is a little lower and reportedly more comfortable.  Made from a 2001 or later seat.

[ width=800 height=600]http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb215/vanagon40/Valkyrie%20Rear%20Seat/IMG_1262_zpsjl84qojb.jpg[/img]

I am not an upholsterer and had no experience prior to modifying the first seat.  I did a modification for my 82 SilverWing in between two seats above.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb215/vanagon40/005.jpg[/]

OK.Interesting and shows it can be done with a good result. Thanks.

[Oldnick]

My wife preferred my stock 2000 Tourer passenger seat to the Ultimate we demo'd at Inzane XIV.  She likes to sit up straighter by sliding back in the seat, and the ridge at the back of the Ultimate passenger seat prevents this.

[width=600 height=450]http://ultimateseats.ca/image/cache/data/valksbb_2p-600x450.jpg[/img]
 width=800 height=600]http://i1280.photobucket.com/albums/a488/Gryphon_Rider/Various%20Valkyrie/C7BEA6E2-C55B-419E-996B-1DEFF4FB42C5_zps4uxmmb0h.jpg[/img]

OK. I just felt when I sat that there was no _forward_ support under braking.

What I have found is that for reasons of their own the guys who triked the Valk led the fuel line fromng the Auxiliary tank at the rear so that it fouls the mountings for the backrest. They tilted the backrest forward and of course that oushes the pillion forward on the seat. Dumb.

[Oldnick]

Well, that's 2 fer Airhawk. They have a branch in Oz too and the prices are very good considering the exchange rate with the US.Certainly worth a look, being adjusttable and all.

[MarkT]

Since you are looking for a comfy seat w/o a lot of shipping, take a look at my Rood Saddle Mod I wrote up some years ago.  It was a very comfy seat, with design by a doctor.  It was the best of 4 I have had, before I got the Russell.  And I would put it close to the Russell in comfort.  For WAY less money.  You could apply the same methods to a pillion seat.

http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/Rood_Saddle_Mod/rood_saddle_mod.html

[Oldnick]

Thanks for that. The only trouble is I am looking for a better pillion. But.... I am interested in the idea of modding a pilot's seat foer a pillion, so then I may look at the ideas you have linked, both for me and the pill.

[Oldnick]

I will add to my last post which sounds a bit dismissive, sorry. My trouble with the pillion seat is that with its current shape, there is NOTHING that could be done to make it long-term comfortable IMO. _More_ comfortable I am sure,but not comfortable.

 Even a pushbike has the advantage that you are moving your legs and pumping blood!

But(T ? ) modding a driver's seat with the Rood idea may be a way to go.

Apart from being a cheapskate I like the idea of a bit of home-built stuff and mods. Not good for resale etc, but satisfying....and I_never_ think of resale in my buys. I am hopeless at selling stuff, whatever the condition, and always have been.

[Oldnick]

OK. Bought a rider's seatand acouple of AirHog cushions....one ball-reliever for me and the Medium for the female at the rear

That's the way I am going to go.

I appreicate all the input and it shjowed me a wide range of alternatives that I doubt I would have found any other way. As I said I am cheapskate and I love delving in, where I can.

[Oss]

Nick remember with the Airhawk you dont inflate it all the way

The way it works is you just partially inflate it, you will figure it out pretty quick

I had one but got the Russell and never looked back

Hope the airhawk works for you and the mrs

[Oldnick]

HAH yeah! Peopole often comment maybe my back's too short, so my butt  will teach my brain pretty fast

[Oldnick]

I bought a couple of AH cushions, and here are my thoughts. Bear in mind that I am on a trike.

I firstly probably had mine over-inflated and it was not good. So I deflated it a fair bit and went for a ride. It felt insecure adn "slippy" or "rolly". So I pretty much sat on the cushion and opened the valve, so that there was pretty much nothing in there. But in corners, it still felt less secure than the stock seat.

I actually rode the same windy road with and without the cushion, and I felt a lot better without.

My feeling is that on a bike these would be fine, because even in a corner, the pressure of your bum tends to be even, left to right. On a trike, with no bank, you are sliding sideways and the layers of the cushion move, making it feel insecure.

[Jess from VA]

The rubber bottom on the cover is pretty secure on my vinyl seats (I never Armor All those seats making them slippery).  So much so that I never tied mine down... but the cover is capable of being tied down so it cannot move, if that would make you feel more secure.  The cushions are generally best inflated around 1/3 to 2/5 full.  I understand what you say about a trike staying upright in the corners.

[Oldnick]

The rubber bottom on the cover is pretty secure on my vinyl seats (I never Armor All those seats making them slippery).  So much so that I never tied mine down... but the cover is capable of being tied down so it cannot move, if that would make you feel more secure.  The cushions are generally best inflated around 1/3 to 2/5 full.  I understand what you say about a trike staying upright in the corners.

Yeah it's not moving on the seat AFAIK, it's the bubbles allowing movement and also  that as I move , it "helps" me move. Just feels that bit slippery.

[Jess from VA]

That sounds too full of air.

[Oldnick]

That sounds too full of air.

I do not think so.As I said I sat on it and just opened the valve. There was virtually no air in there at all. Any less and I can't see the point.

[Oldnick]

Just as a thanks for all the replies and advice. I have stuck with the Airhawk and on each ride I get more used to it and respect its comfort. It seriously smooths out the bumps for my poor old skinny bum!