I am going to make a seat with a leather craftsman I work with and thought I would ask a simple question? Would any of you buy a seat like this and how much would you pay? I am just trying to decide if there is a market for these. I hate the boring sportster solo seats so I am gonna take a stock pillow seat which I just bought and convert it into something unique like this. Just looking for oppinions. I know the seat I chose as an example is nice so just let me know if you sporty owners out there would want a product like this. And no, I am not selling seats. Not yet anyway, just trying to see if it is worthwhile. http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3100/7525evil6.jpg

if it would slip over my mustang solo some how!

Or something like this. A little more personal. http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3100/3134heck01.jpg

I like the concept, but I'm not sure about the design. I'd be a little nervous with that gaping mouth and horns so close to ripping me a new one...ouch!

What's would that like on your A? Is that design tooled in or is just a graphic on leather?

Yup, I like the second one better, I can tell now it's tooled. Pesonally I don't think I'd buy one 'cause I usally go for long rides and I'd worry about getting a sore bum, but I think it's cool and I'll bet some would go for it.

I am going to make mine on my corbin gunfighter seat base. I am going to cut the fiberglass base and reshape the back a little so it looks like it belongs on my bike. I will then use the left over piece of seat pan to make a matching pillion pad. I am not planning to make my seat uncomfortable. Don't assume because it looks good that it won't be functional. I expect my seat to really comfy when I am done.

Sounds good, it'll be great to see yours. What kind of design are you going to put in it?

Ralph,
I like and have a stitched seat! I prefer a subtle design as opposed to something aggressive or over colored. I have a wildfire stitch, but no solid coloring. An over done seat can draw the eyes to the seat and away from the bike. I'm sure there is a market for riders who are more daring than I, when accessorizing their bikes.

Billy

I am going to die mine green and red and have a dif. image of the joker on it. He will have a crap eating grin on it. I have the drawing on my other comp. It is already done in my head. I will use red lacing on mine. Cillins, my paint is obnoxiously bright and a bright ostentatious seat will look great on it. I have to make it my own now. I have had my bike nice before but this time it is all about me.

To the seats, I imagine that everyone has a dif. idea about whats nice. I just know that most of the solo seats are overly bulky and really unimaginative in their look.

I like the concept Ralph and the custom seats look real nice. Combine style and comfort and folks will pay for it.

On the comfort note, one reason I like my 3.3 gal. tank (other that it looks nice) is that is about as long as I can go on any bike no matter how comfortable the seat is. 150 miles on a bike at one stretch is just about my limit.

Ralph, those seats are deffinetely bad ass!! I don't think I'd put one on my Sporty though. Not unless EVERYTHING else was done first. I think a custom seat like that is almost a finishing touch. It reminds me of something that Indian Larry (RIP) or Jesse James would use. Something that belongs on a sick custom bike.

Hey daddy, don't forget that your sporty can be anything you want it to be. It is a collection of stylistic details. Too many people give up on the sporty before they test the limits. My bike needs the seat to complete it. Other people might need the seat to get the inspiration to get started. I just think most sporty solo seats look like crap. Thinner and more interesting seat is gonna make any bike look better. I need and want my seat. I have a one of a kind of seat but it is not right for me.

I'd sure be interested in one.

Well, I started beating on a piece of leather today to see how hard it would be to get a nice image on the seat. I was surprised at how much fun it was and how quickly I realized I will need a few more drifts(punchs) or whatever they are called before I will be satisfied. I will start the seat cover next week after my wiring is done and a trip to the local Tandy Leather store. I need a good hide now and the assorted dyes for the colors. I am psyched. Here is the first pic after about two hours of playing. Remember, I have never tried this before so go easy. I read a how to with pics from the guy who does the seats for gasolene alley. He makes some nice seats. I think my seat is gonna be red with the green and white joke in the middle. I want to work with the image a little and make it look a little less mean and a bit more devious. Has to have a sh*(& eating grin since I will be sitting on it. http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/bike_241.jpg

Looks good but I personally would not put it on my bike. I like my vehicles to look good but not demanding attention.

Ralph, if you like it, go for it. Get a pic of Saddam engraved on there so that he can kiss an American's ass. :D
:sporty:

Ralph that looks great!!! I did some leather work back in 7th grade. Used to sell arm bands to the other kids in school. You're making my want to take a trip to Tandy myself and buy a swivel knife and some bevels.

Gazza

I was wondering what the tools were called. I need some other tools so I can get in the little cracks and really perfect what I want. I am also going to make some leather covers for my grips with a joker image as well. I will look for another one for that as well. I am torn between matching the one on my tail section to the seat or going with this image. I like the snide sort of smart ass look it has. I like the smartass theme.

Hd1200r, I painted my bike lime green for god sake. I don't think a red and green seat is gonna draw any more attention than that. My bike is so bright I have to hand out glasses to those that look to keep from getting sued for eye damage.

Rottenralph,

I think you're a natural for this kind of work, very good result for a couple of hours "playing". Good luck with the final version.
By the way... I think the tools are called dies.

Guess I might not know what to ask for when I get to Tandy. I know the tool for shaping the edges must come in different sizes. It looks like a square that is beveled to give a tapered effect.

Hd1200r, I painted my bike lime green for god sake. I don't think a red and green seat is gonna draw any more attention than that. My bike is so bright I have to hand out glasses to those that look to keep from getting sued for eye damage.

LOL. true. Also, I didn't see the joker one that your working on. That one I do like a lot!

Idea... What if you were to modify the seat pan some so that it would look like a spade? That would be interesting to see but have no idea on what the comfort level would be.

Ralph, you've got skills man, I like it alot. Pound away Dude!

Hd1200R, I have a stretched tank and the seats really don't fit the recess cut into the tank. I am going to sacrifice my old gunfighter. It is the perfect fit for the tank. I am going to cut the seat pan and make it into the perfect solo seat. I could do something in a special shape but I am to new to this and don't want that seat pan from the gunfighter weakened by cutting it down to a narrow section in the back. I was going to try flames at the back of the seat at first but then I would not be able to use the rest of the gunfighter for the pillion. I will however make the pillion cover into a card with a joker in the middle thanks to your idea. I wanted something special and now thanks to you I have the perfect idea. Keep the idea coming.

Hd1200R, I have a stretched tank and the seats really don't fit the recess cut into the tank. I am going to sacrifice my old gunfighter. It is the perfect fit for the tank. I am going to cut the seat pan and make it into the perfect solo seat. I could do something in a special shape but I am to new to this and don't want that seat pan from the gunfighter weakened by cutting it down to a narrow section in the back. I was going to try flames at the back of the seat at first but then I would not be able to use the rest of the gunfighter for the pillion. I will however make the pillion cover into a card with a joker in the middle thanks to your idea. I wanted something special and now thanks to you I have the perfect idea. Keep the idea coming.

Cool! My idea with the spade was to have the top of it pointing at the tank and then widening out for the seat with the base in the back. The card idea is pretty cool too and would probably work with the spade. Do you have a pic of the seat on the bike? Like a birds eye view of the seat? I wanna see if I can sketch and photochop it some to see what it'll look like.

Ralph

Nice Work!! I Like it, Sure got me thinking!!!! :D

Let me know if your going to do more?? I might be interested in getting something done to my Corbin Solo!! :D

hd1200r. I don't have top view. I just know the gunfighter is perfectly shaped to go into my tank. I had to trim my gurrent seat to make it fit. It is a really nice seat but it is not special. The spade is a nice idea but I can't see it on my bike. I know how this seat is gonna look in the end already, I just have to make it first. I will take more time thinking about the p-pad though. I am not set on a shape or style for my passenger. I can easily make ten dif. seat pans for that section because they are all basically flat. Not gonna do a spade for my seat up front. I can't see it on my bike but I know I won't like it. That is now too much for me. Antiqued red with the colored image in the center is what I want to see in that spot.

TXsporty, I bought a solo pillow seat I am going to do after mine to see if the market is there and to see what is possible with stock seat cushioning and base. I know these seats will be a lot lower and I will pull the covers tight so they don't look ugly like the stock seats.

Some nice lookin solo seats, Nothin beats the look and feel of leather.
Im not a leather craftman, but I did manage to make this seat (inch thick cow hide), I also engraved HD and an eagle at the ass end will send a photo in.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/connorleeneil13/Scottys_Ride2.gif

Hey Ralph...I sure would be interested in seeing what you could come up with...I have an old seat that came on my 74 that is sorta narrow and cut back from stock dimensions, which would look real good with some nice stitched heavy black leather...dunno if I'd go for the colors persay, but definately embossing and/or stitching....I'm kinda the bkack on black w/ some chrome sorta guy...lemme know....Mike

i might buy one of those if it had the right pattern on it. only thing i would be worried about is making sure the dye is in it really good so on a hot sweaty day you don't get up and have the portrait coloring your ass.

Guess I might not know what to ask for when I get to Tandy. I know the tool for shaping the edges must come in different sizes. It looks like a square that is beveled to give a tapered effect.That's a beveler. Yep they have about 24 different sizes on their website.

I just took a look at the Tandy website. Man that was a blast through the past. I used to have hundreds of those things. I got a bunch from my Grandmother that she used when she was young and bought a lot of my own. I wonder if they are still in the closet at my parents house?

Here's the section of the Tandy site (http://www.tandyleather.com/Stamps.html) that has all the punches on it. Your basic kit should have a couple bevelers, pear shader, seeder, backgrounder or matting stamp. You probably ought to get a swivel knife too if you don't have one already and some punches for making the holes for stitching the sides and the top together.

I knew there was a reason why I got that merit badge... so I could ramble on the XL Forum when I grew up :D

Gazza

Yea I can remember doing the Tandy leather kits back in like 7th or 8th grade....it was fun....hummmmm, got me thinkin now, wife says "oh sh!t" here we go again....hehehe

hummmmm, got me thinkin now, wife says "oh sh!t" here we go again....heheheYea I can understand that one... That's why I'm thinking quietly to myself so far. Just need to figure out how I'm going to escape from my Grandmothers on Easter to go over and rummage through the closets of my parents house to find my old tools without the wife catching me ;)

Gazza

TXsporty, I bought a solo pillow seat I am going to do after mine to see if the market is there and to see what is possible with stock seat cushioning and base. I know these seats will be a lot lower and I will pull the covers tight so they don't look ugly like the stock seats.


Can you do a Cobin Solo??

Ill buy one if you can do my club name with an iron cross let me know how much.....

Hey guys, I will be done with mine next week or so and then we will go trom there. My colleague is the leather expert, I am going to do mine and I am gonna work with him on the rest. He has the sewing machine and all the skills. This was just an idea because most sportster seats suck and he loves to tool leather and purses are not worth the effort. I should be done with mine in about two weeks and then comes the pillow seat and then I don't know. I have no idea what the materials cost and how much time is involved. My first attempt was two hours too create the image but it is could go faster with all the right tools. I imagine the second cover is gonna go faster because I will know what I am doing this time. I will let you all know if "sportster seats are us" is gonna happen. I will make the cover for the pillow and then I will post the finished product. After that I am all ears.

Here is the final product and some thoughts. This project took a lot more time than I thought. It was also easier in some ways(design and tooling) and harder in others(cutting out sides, lacing, and fitting to the seat) than I expected. I learned a lot about the process and know that next time it will be easier. I would build a template first and then go from there. I tried to roll with this one and in the end I am happy. It looks and feels the way I want it to. Here is the final product. It took about 15 hours and about $50-70(mainly leather) dollars worth of materials. I did not count the price of the original seat pan because I would make my own out of steel nex time. I had a homemade solo before and it was just a slab of metal that straddled the fram and looked great. I foolishly pitched it recently. I am ready to start my p-pad now. It will be an ace of spades with some tooling and color.http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/bike_256.jpg
http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/bike_265.jpg
http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/bike_255.jpg

Seems like a heavily tooled seat would chafe the bum after a while on a long ride. It would be very cool on a bar hopper though.

I think it will be fine. The tooling is actually hardly noticeable to the hand. I don't think any seat is really going to be comfy after 500 miles or so. Atleast that has been my experience. I wanted something unique and I now have two one of a kin seats to choose from. The other is more heavily padded. I think my other seat is a recovered stock harley seatpan but I am not sure.

I think you did a great job. I'm quite impressed.

Thanks dwardy. I am gonna make some covers for the grips as well. The billet vibrates my arms numb and the pattern on the grip sands away you prints.