2007 ST1300 Seat refurbish?

Marcomalo

Marcomalo

Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
151
Location
Louisville, KY
Bike
2007 ST1300
My seat is getting a bit hard to take. I generally do not like the aftermarket seat because I think it impacts the ergonomics designed into the bike, but I need to do something. Does anybody have a recommendation for rebuilding a stock seat or a suggestion of an aftermarket product that does not screw up the intended handing of the bike?
 
You will have to be more specific about what you mean your 'seat is hard to take'. Maybe post a picture? That said, building a seat is not rocket science. You can carefully pull the staples and remove the cover. The foam can be removed from the seat pan, new foam glued in place and then the seat sculpted with a serrated knife (electric carving knives work well). Sand the seat smooth using 100 grit sandpaper (or drywall sanding sponges). Then replace the cover or use it as a pattern to cut leather or vinyl for a new one. Several trial fits might be necessary to get the old cover to fit the new foam.

My off the cuff description ignores the skill acquired in making several (dozens) seats. If your cover is worn and damaged, making patterns and sewing a new cover requires a different skill. I once took a MotoGuzzi seat to an auto reupholster shop, he took off the old cover, used it for patterns and recovered the old foam. It was a pretty good job, but nowhere as tight a fit as the OEM product. Other problems you might run into in a DIY project will be choosing different density foams to support and provide comfort. Spencer - a long retired member who altered the stock 1300 seats touted cutting down the seat and replacing some of the foam with a honey cell type foam. This is where the experience and skill comes in.

I would never try to dissuade you from doing all this yourself. Different folks have different skills and pull off some amazing feats. Just be aware of some of the aspects of this job that will require some research and care.

Many guys here have gone the aftermarket route, and unless you are racing your bike, I don't know how they 'screw up the intended handling of the bike'. Increasing the comfort and enabling longer rides without pain certainly does not fall under your comment. Having seen (and chased) some of our better riders on their aftermarket seats leads me to believe it is the rider and not the seat that is the limiting factor. You should try out some of the options available before ruling them out, given the amount of work involved in building your own seat to oem specs. Sign up for one or several of our STOC events and borrow some of the custom and notso custom seats for a quick spin. Just understand that a seat built for a very big guy will not necessarily be perfect for a smaller guy. The sheer number of seat builders and options out there suggest that you might be in the minority thinking all of the commercial seats significantly change the handling of the bike.
 
I had my seat refurbished by mail-order here in the UK, they can also bespoke it for you (add padding, piping, gel inserts, heating element etc) - I'm sure there's places Stateside who can help but if you're interested, let me know.
 
Marcomalo said:
My seat is getting a bit hard to take. I generally do not like the aftermarket seat because I think it impacts the ergonomics designed into the bike, but I need to do something. Does anybody have a recommendation for rebuilding a stock seat or a suggestion of an aftermarket product that does not screw up the intended handing of the bike?
Click to expand...
Diana's Leather in Asheville NC did mine and I do mostly IBA rides on my ST!!!!
 
Kind of looks like Ashville may not be there anymore, we stayed there before and recognized some of the places we had been. And did not recognize some of the other places we had been to.
Too bad you live so far away, Riches out here will spend a lot of time making a seat to fit you, making the final seat is the least of the process, the fitment is the most time spent, No "one size fits all"
 
motornut said:
Kind of looks like Ashville may not be there anymore, we stayed there before and recognized some of the places we had been. And did not recognize some of the other places we had been to.
Too bad you live so far away, Riches out here will spend a lot of time making a seat to fit you, making the final seat is the least of the process, the fitment is the most time spent, No "one size fits all"
Click to expand...
I live south of Asheville....looks like a war zone. This is a storm like we have never had. 1 in a 1000!!!! Out of power for 11 days!!!
 
SMSW said:
You will have to be more specific about what you mean your 'seat is hard to take'. Maybe post a picture? That said, building a seat is not rocket science. You can carefully pull the staples and remove the cover. The foam can be removed from the seat pan, new foam glued in place and then the seat sculpted with a serrated knife (electric carving knives work well). Sand the seat smooth using 100 grit sandpaper (or drywall sanding sponges). Then replace the cover or use it as a pattern to cut leather or vinyl for a new one. Several trial fits might be necessary to get the old cover to fit the new foam.

My off the cuff description ignores the skill acquired in making several (dozens) seats. If your cover is worn and damaged, making patterns and sewing a new cover requires a different skill. I once took a MotoGuzzi seat to an auto reupholster shop, he took off the old cover, used it for patterns and recovered the old foam. It was a pretty good job, but nowhere as tight a fit as the OEM product. Other problems you might run into in a DIY project will be choosing different density foams to support and provide comfort. Spencer - a long retired member who altered the stock 1300 seats touted cutting down the seat and replacing some of the foam with a honey cell type foam. This is where the experience and skill comes in.

I would never try to dissuade you from doing all this yourself. Different folks have different skills and pull off some amazing feats. Just be aware of some of the aspects of this job that will require some research and care.

Many guys here have gone the aftermarket route, and unless you are racing your bike, I don't know how they 'screw up the intended handling of the bike'. Increasing the comfort and enabling longer rides without pain certainly does not fall under your comment. Having seen (and chased) some of our better riders on their aftermarket seats leads me to believe it is the rider and not the seat that is the limiting factor. You should try out some of the options available before ruling them out, given the amount of work involved in building your own seat to oem specs. Sign up for one or several of our STOC events and borrow some of the custom and notso custom seats for a quick spin. Just understand that a seat built for a very big guy will not necessarily be perfect for a smaller guy. The sheer number of seat builders and options out there suggest that you might be in the minority thinking all of the commercial seats significantly change the handling of the bike.
Click to expand...
What I meant by hard to take is the comfort. I hesitate to change to an aftermarket seat due to buying a Corbin seat for another type bike years back. The seat itself was high quality, but the seating position definitely affected the ergonomics. The way I look at it, Honda spent a lot of time and money figuring that part out and I want to keep that aspect intact. I think I will look into having the seal rebuilt with some added foam or gel. Thanks for the comment, however.
 
And... there are members on this forum (and perhaps other sources) that sell the OEM seat(s), it seems that will be choice 1...
 
Marcomalo said:
What I meant by hard to take is the comfort.
Click to expand...
Do you mean your stock seat is ageing and not as comfortable as it once was, or your fundament simply doesn't like the OEM seat? A lot of guys here were not comfortable on Honda's saddle, and explored other options. If you want a stock seat, @draser nailed it - OEM seats come up for sale now and then to offset the purchase of say, an RDL or other aftermarket seat.

Something else, as WE age, our bottoms lose or gain fat changing our comfort level. Have you tried a sheepskin cover, beadrider, or other solutions?
 
SMSW said:
Do you mean your stock seat is ageing and not as comfortable as it once was, or your fundament simply doesn't like the OEM seat? A lot of guys here were not comfortable on Honda's saddle, and explored other options. If you want a stock seat, @draser nailed it - OEM seats come up for sale now and then to offset the purchase of say, an RDL or other aftermarket seat.

Something else, as WE age, our bottoms lose or gain fat changing our comfort level. Have you tried a sheepskin cover, beadrider, or other solutions?
Click to expand...
Just looking for more comfort at advanced age. Thanks. I'll look around.
 
I would highly recommend you look into a Russell seat. Not cheap, but worth every penny IMHO.
I did mine several years ago, and never regret it.

Short of that, a lot of my friends use Beadrider cushions, maybe that's worth a try.

Another tip, buy a pair of LD comfort riding shorts. They really help, especially on long rides:

ldcomfort.com

Men's Shorts - LDComfort

THE ANSWER TO RIDING COMFORTSuperior moisture wicking. Common sense design. Seamless seating area.Temperature regulation. Extremely durable undergarment! USA made.
ldcomfort.com ldcomfort.com

(I believe there's a discount on these for forum members)
 
larryg said:
I would highly recommend you look into a Russell seat. Not cheap, but worth every penny IMHO.
I did mine several years ago, and never regret it.

Short of that, a lot of my friends use Beadrider cushions, maybe that's worth a try.

Another tip, buy a pair of LD comfort riding shorts. They really help, especially on long rides:

ldcomfort.com

Men's Shorts - LDComfort

THE ANSWER TO RIDING COMFORTSuperior moisture wicking. Common sense design. Seamless seating area.Temperature regulation. Extremely durable undergarment! USA made.
ldcomfort.com ldcomfort.com

(I believe there's a discount on these for forum members)
Click to expand...
Thanks. I was thinking about a cushion for the seat before I jump into a replacement seat. Do you have any suggestions other than the bead type?
 
It is unsettling to recognize what is left as someplace you have been to and enjoyed your stay. We went to Black Mountain when we were there. How did they do?
Clayshooter08 said:
I live south of Asheville....looks like a war zone. This is a storm like we have never had. 1 in a 1000!!!! Out of power for 11 days!
Click to expand...
 
I have a pad that I got at a Harley dealer that worked when I rode to the east coast, it worked ok. But I pulled back the vinyl on my seat and added foam to it (because I am to cheap to buy gel) which worked okay.
But now that somebody else brought up shorts, that is the number one help I have had on long times in the saddle.
 
Marcomalo said:
Thanks. I was thinking about a cushion for the seat before I jump into a replacement seat. Do you have any suggestions other than the bead type?
Click to expand...
I've tried an Alaskan sheepskin and a Beadrider on the ST1300 rentals I have used overseas.
The Beadrider was better IMHO.
There is also the AIRHAWK seat cushion option and generic gel pads on Fleabay and Amazon.
I'm a Russell Daylong fan myself (4 of them - one for each ST1100 I ride) as I just had a new one built this summer and an old one refurbed.


If you plan on keeping the bike a long time, the Russell is well worth it.
And if you can work it in, doing the 'ride in' will get the seat just the way you want it the first time. ;)
 
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