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SVTC Seat modification


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One of the things that I have disliked about my SVTC is the seat. Too soft, gap between the rider seating surface and the backrest there sinks after about one hour giving no support to the tailbone area. The huge drop off and gap on the back of the passenger seating surface. I have always replaced my two Goldwing saddles with Corbin's and loved the firmer padding that takes forever to breakdown...if at all. Not happy with the looks of the Corbin for the SVTC and the absence of factory heat (and about a $1500 price tag) led me to modifying the stock SVTC seat with a local upholsterer. I started by realizing that 99.9% of the time I ride with the adjustable lumbar pad in one place so I measured that distance from the center of the pad to the nose of the seat. Second, I Installed the bracket for the Utopia Backrest and off to the shop I went. I talked at length with Dave at the shop and wasn't too fond of any of his available padding options. SO I went to google and purchased my own Rebond foam in 1" and 2" pieces. SO then we pushed the lumbar pad all the way back, took the cover and pad off and redid the foam so that it filled out to the measurement I wanted to the front of the seat, and added a bit of a slant to the foam. Then the center seating area for the rider and passenger were hollowed out and fitted with the 2" foam. A slant up into the lumbar pad was added for me and then an extension and upward tail curve will be added for seating area for the passenger, after which another section will be sewn into the leather cover that will join with the passenger backrest, eliminating the gap between the two. The passenger backrest will remain the same except that it will be covered in the new leather.

20191106_160150 (002).jpgin this first picture the rebond foam has been placed into the seating areas on both seat as well as where my thighs are supported. The lumbar pad has already been re-done and is in it's fixed position

20191106_192019 (002).jpg The second picture shows some of the mock-up of the rear tail section at the start. You can also see the new slant in the lumbar pad and the filler for curving the seating section into the lumbar pad.

20191111_154640 (002).jpgIn this third pic you can see the dark gray foam that is soft and used to fill the gaps around the lumbar pad and is used to shape and fill gaps to make the seat look smoother. The light gray on the lumbar pad is the factory heater. you can also see the tail section in another stage

20191111_154701 (002).jpgIn this last picture there is about 2 hours of work left to the padding part of the project. Here you can see the tail section lip, which will be redone to come up just a bit higher to fill about half the 2' gap between the seat and passenger backrest. Also you can see the curve of the rider seat into the lumbar pad, the gray filler foam and the seams that it will fill. The Utopia bracket will be put back on in this part of the project.

I rode it for about two hours like this and it feels soooo much better without any breakdown in the padding. The seat will have the factory heating elements put back on, then the seat will be covered in black leather that has a soft 1/2" foam backing on it. The seating surfaces and the passenger backrest will have the insert stitched with a diamond pattern to provide a touch of pillow like softness over the stiffer foam. It may be finished by the end of this week (waiting on the leather) or early next week. I will post pics when it is all done. About half the cost of the Corbin while still keeping factory heat and the lines of the stock saddle.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

Edited by Dhansonrrt
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