Step 11) Using 3-M spray adhesive, give 3 generous overlapping coats to the underside of the insert. Make sure to have good ventilation.

Step 12) Apply the insert to your base foam.

Step 13) Go to the store and pick up a $10 carving knife. No, do not use your wife's! She already hates you as it is from breaking wind and scratching yourself.

Step 14) Have at it! Cut a little at a time. This joker cuts foam like a hot knife through butter. Just take your time and trim where you want to trim. Occasionally place the seat on the bike to get a better look at what you are hacking off.

Step 15) Now comes the messy part. Once you are satisfied with the rough shaping, fine tune everything with a sanding block wrapped in 80 grit paper. Yep, you can sand foam. Take your time.

Step 16) Clean up your mess already! Use a shop vac to remove the mess you just made. Break out your staple gun and some 1/4" staples and go to it. I used 3/8" since that's what I had on hand, but they don't always fully seat at that length. 1/4" is better.

Start at the back of the seat and line up where the previous staples were through the cover and the pan. Put 3 or 4 staples across the rear. Put a couple staples in the front in the same place as well. Now start in the middle and put a couple on each side, stretching the cover taut. You will be surprised to find that the holes almost line up with the existing ones where staples were.

Now you will see how good your sanding was. Mine wasn't perfect and the seat cover is showing me where. So, take your time on the shaping portion of your project.

Step 17) Go test out your creation. If you don't like it, cry to your wife until she lets you order a Sargent. Remember, she is pretending to like you.

Here is my finished seat. I spent zero because I had everything on hand. I have more leg room to the pegs and my rear end is much happier.

Total time invested including this write-up? A little over 3 hours. Most of us watch more T.V. a day than that. So, turn off the idiot box and go make something!

I hope you enjoyed my silly write-up.

- Kirk

 

I enjoyed it very much. Good job.

I am considering something similar only for me I would cut out and replace some of the existing foam so I would not add to the overall seat height. Basically just replacing the existing foam with some memory foam or something a little more comfy.

But, your steps are completely transferable to this, so thanks for that!

 

Source for gel and very high quality foam:
http://www.kemmlerproducts.com/products1.html

7 pound rebond foam from a local supplier (if you can get a small enough piece) also does a good job, maybe use the gel in addition in a routed-out pocket.

Covering the foam after sanding with some polyfill material smooths the appearance under the cover.

 

Thanks for the write up. That's a perfect example of how easy it is to DIY, but you don't have to stop there. I've redone mine a dozen times trying different foams, shapes, heights, etc.
One thing I might add is if you're just modifying the driver portion of the seat, that's all that needs exposing. Makes it easier stapling the cover back on.
Here's my latest configuration with the wally waffle pad.

 

Great post,.

I've done a similar mod and will concur with Ozart on exposing just the front part of the seat.

Also, I test sat and made a bunch of adjustments before I glued anything in place. This was very helpful in getting the hip support I sought.

 

I would like to shave down the passenger rear so it's the same heigth as the front so there is no dish out and I can slide back on the seat. Think that would work??
By the way, my wife doesn't hate me because I pass gas and scratch myself. She just hates me because I'm a male perperpitrator.

 

Thanks, DTP!

PTR, www.foamforyou.com is also a good source. This was a scrap piece I had from about 5 years ago when making chopper seats.

oz. - I removed the entire cover because I didn't want to risk damaging it. It's easy enough to remove and reinstall. My only addition will be the alaskan sheepskin cover. Since I don't have any of them roaming around in my yard, I will actually have to break down and let the moths out of my wallet. :mrgreen:

stromb. - Yes, there is enough foam to level the seat. The only issue would be that there will be extra material in the peak in the center of the cover. You may not be able to stretch that out completely.

I saw that awesome seat comparison between the Sargent, Stock, and Suzi. gel, and decided to mimic the gel in shape. I didn't have any comfort issues to resort to gel. I just wanted a little less of a concave shape. Plus, I wanted to go up for more leg room. I like being on my tiptoes like on my KLR. My legs feel scrunched up on the DL, and an extra inch will help. Plus, I didn't want to drop my pegs.

Some will say "why didn't you just put a DL1000 stocker on there?" Well, anyone could do that. Ha Ha! Plus, that costs money that could go toward something else - windscreen, bags, etc.

 

Hey Ozart; Can you let us know how that works out with the licorice waffle stuffed in under the cover. I was thinking I might try that but thought it might somehow defeat the gains it made in comfort.

 

Will do, early indications on short rides are pretty good. I'll know alot more after my next all day'r.

 

Thanks; I will probably strip the back portion too and stuff a waffle in there for my wife if it works out for you.

 

Lowering the rear portion of the seat

I have removed the hump in my seat, one simply take the foam off the seat pan, cuts out the offending square hump, puts some abs back in to smooth out the hole, cut out the extra foam and recover the seat. Now my rear end and tail bone are a lot more comfortable. simpe and easy. Kieth

Here is a link to the mods: http://kieth.smugmug.com/Electronics/V-Strom-Mods/6473359_gufgn#416310652_JFdVc

 

didn't somebody on here say that they were trying to use those shock absorbing foam work mats? what else has been tried and failed?

 

Very nice job, including the write-up.

I traded my 650 seat for a stock DL1000 seat and have been pretty happy with that.