Modify your seat

[sixpack577]

As the title says, modify your seat.
I have done several over the years, from simple trimming, to entirely new foam.
They are pretty simple to make more comfortable for You personally.
The seat will look the same, but feel Much better.
If you have ever tried and liked a Saddleman seat with the grooved center, then you probably know why so many people like them(even though seats are 100% a personal preference, with lots of opinions).
Without foam in the center, your body weight is then on your hips, and outer, lower pelvis, vs foam in the center, which puts alot of your body weight between your legs.
That center seat pressure is what makes so many of us uncomfortable after enough seat time...and it usually doesn't take long.
The latest Gsxr1k model is from 2017-2023...but Saddleman Still doesn't make a seat for it, and who knows why, so...I'll do it myself...again.
This is actually an inexpensive and relatively simple thing to do too, and this applies to most any seat, so here we go...

 

[sixpack577]

The tools you'll need are basic, and inexpensive if you don't have them.

Pencil and/or a Sharpie.

Ruler, not just to measure, but to draw lines with.

Small flatblade screwdriver to pry staples.

Pliers to pull staples.
Side cutter pliers can also bite broken staples to help pull them out, just be careful not to cut through them.

A Sharp razor blade long enough to cut the depth of the foam.

An electric kitchen knife also makes cutting, shaping, and trimming much faster.
These are $15-$20 at walmart.

A Staplegun, a manual works fine, but an electric or pneumatic works much better, especially one with an extended tip.
I have used all of them, and they all get it done.

A hair dryer, heat gun(be very careful, you can easily burn a hole in a cover), lay it in the sun, or kitchen oven on the lowest setting for a couple minutes can help soften a seat cover, and make it much more plyable, and easy to pull over new foam.
In this case, this step is Not needed.
Only for new covers that don't yet have a good shape, or are wrinkled.
As well as if you added enough foam that tightened the current or new cover.

 

[sixpack577]

I bought another oem seat for the '18 Gsxr1k on ebay for $60
It literally took me 3 minutes to pull out all of the staples.
The cover pulls right off.
The seat foam may or may not be glued to the seat pan, and it really makes no difference.
In this case, the foam is Not glued to the pan.
Next, I measure and mark the lines.
I already know what I want, but I made multiple lines before choosing the exact ones to cut on.
I marked those lines with a black Sharpie.
I then cut the 4 corners with a razor, to make an opening to get the electric knife in. But again, you can cut it all with a razor if you choose, it can just take longer.
I also cut all the way through, and will be using part of that cut out foam to make a bottom out of, instead of just bare seat pan.
I also cut the seat more level, vs it's previous upward rear curve.
The sides are still a little rough, as I'm not done yet.
You can also see that foam in the center is just stuck in place for now.
I only put about half of the staples back too. Enough to hold the cover in place for now, but it will come back off
The reason being, this seat feels very good with a test sit, but I need to put some miles on it, and see if or what adjustments I may want to make.
You really have to try hard to mess this up, just remove small amounts of foam at a time, but you can always glue it back.
I have a big block of medium density seat foam for adding pieces for shape or height, and I will make a new, thin, top layer of foam for the final seat.

 

[sixpack577]

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[sixpack577]

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[sixpack577]

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[sixpack577]

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[sixpack577]

Stock vs cut

 

[sixpack577]

This top shape will get it's own thin layer of foam that I will cut from another foam block, but this is also Not nesacery.
I just want to make sure the current seat shape is what I want before I do that.

 

[sixpack577]

The seat looks and feels pretty good as is, but, I'll see after some miles.

 

[sixpack577]

This took a little over an hour at a lazy pace, and for me personally is a Huge gain in comfort, and allows me to ride much longer without aching.
And, as you can see, it's not difficult or expensive.
So, if your seat isn't comfortable...give it a shot.

 

[PeregrineKeith]

This is perfect! While I’m still on the hunt for a stock seat to modify, this write-up reassures my want to tackle this!
Thanks six!

 

[sixpack577]

This is perfect! While I’m still on the hunt for a stock seat to modify, this write-up reassures my want to tackle this!
Thanks six!

Yes sir!
Good luck with yours!

 

[LC4CARL]

Super cool. I've had some bicycle saddles over the years with a similar contour. Great idea.

I wonder if one could mod a seat for some of the vertically challenged riders out there.

 

[sixpack577]

Super cool. I've had some bicycle saddles over the years with a similar contour. Great idea.

I wonder if one could mod a seat for some of the vertically challenged riders out there.

Yes sir, you can easily thin the top and sides of a seat if you would like to sit lower.
You can also change the angle, with the seat level, or higher at the front and/or rear.
The electric kitchen knife makes it easier to do this, as you can make one long sweeping cut, front to back, on each side and the top.
Spray glue for headliners and uphosterly works well to add foam, but just drops of superglue to tack edges of added foam works really good too, as the seat cover will also keep it in place.
A gen1 seat, even the china copies, are cheap on ebay.
Get one and give it a try, all the materials and tools involved are really easy to work with.
As you ride on it after, you'll be happy knowing that you can go back and change it if you want, and if so, you'll have a good idea of what you want to change, and how to.

 

[Berteric.]

Well done but won't this give a sagging print on the saddle in the long term?

 

[sixpack577]

Well done but won't this give a sagging print on the saddle in the long term?

Nah, the cover is pulled tight.
You may see the outline of a rectangle in the center of the seat, with no foam pushing against it.
But, if done correctly, the cover stays tight and it does not sag.
If you do a nice job, all you may see
are some faint uniform and symetrical lines in the cover.
In other words, it won't look like a pillow case, lol.
It still looks good, but more importantly, feels Much better.

 

[sixpack577]

The seat feels great, but needs to be taller.
This what I expected anyway, as I cut the seat flatter, so the height at the rear was lost, but now I no longer slide forward.
The height is any easy fix.
I can cut off a piece of a foam block I have.
Or, use several other materials.
If you've ever been in an uphosterly shop, you know there is alot to choose from, and several for the seat top(under the cover).
For this, I am going to use one or two of these, as I have on other seats...carpet foam samples, lol.
These are so old that they are made in 'Murica, of the finest poisons no longer available...the result is a piece of closed cell foam on one side, glued to/made with open cell on the other side, with medium density, that cuts with scissors, glues to the top of the foam, and it Never deteriorates, lol.
(The stock seat foam is open cell only)
These are better quality than some of the expensive seat materials that I've looked at...and I got over a dozen free at hardware store over a decade ago...and they are still in the same condition as then, when they were probably 20 or 30 years old , lmao.
I will simply cut a piece to match the shape of the top of the seat, then cut the edges with a slant, so it blends in under the cover.
This piece will also not have anything cut out in the center either, as there is no need anyway.
A cutout would only give a place for the glue to seperate from the seat foam to the foam seat top, which could result in uncomfortable and visible lines.
And, speaking of which, with no cutout in the top foam, and the edges blended in, any side or center cutout lines visible through the seat cover, become amlost if not invisible.
There is still no pressure between your legs with the top foam covering the seat foam groove, as the top foam is only stretched over that opening in the seat foam, so the effect remains.
There is enough room and stretch in most stock seat covers to add a little height to as well.
I like the height of the bike as is, and flatfoot it seated, but a taller seat will take a little bend out of my knees, and I personally like how that changes bar positioning.
I have changed lots of bars, grips, seats, and pegs, and on lots of bikes.
All of those changes can be positive too, but seat modification is one of the cheaper, easier, and biggest comfort mods that you can do.
As said, there are alot of used and cheap china seats on ebay and amazon to practice on.
I'll post pictures after, I hope to get it done tonight.

 

[sixpack577]

I finished the seat top last night, and the test sit is good. I measured and cut a template, cut out the foam, then cut it's edge on an angle so it will blend into the seat.
Now, a few staples to tack it, and a test ride over the weekend.
Assuming it still feels good, then finish stapling it, and it's done.

 

[sixpack577]

The cover still fits completely and evenly over the foam and pan too.
You cannot see or tell that the seat has been modified unless you sit on it.