Jedi
Pillion Boy no more!!!
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2008
- Messages
- 179
- Reaction score
- 6
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Walsall, West Midlands, UK
Hi all,
Just thought I'd share a quick success story with you...
Ever since my girlfriend got her new Fazer, she's struggled with the seat height. She's a 30" inside leg (or inseam to our colonial cousins) and with the bike having a 31.5" seat height it's caused her to drop it a couple of times when stopped.
We looked at various methods of lowering the bike, however one thing we didn't want to do was upset the handling so that ruled out a shorter shock or altering the forks.
I knew of an automotive upholsterer local to me who does all sorts of vehicle interiors, so I took the saddle to him to see what could be done to resculpt it to lower the overall height, and more importantly allow her legs to move closer together when stationary so that she could get them closer into the bike. He agreed it could be done, so one day and just £15 later we picked up the seat today.
Initally, I was dissapointed - it just doesn't look any different to stock at all, not like some of the resculpted seats I've seen on other threads, but he assured me it would be very different to sit on as he'd made quite a few alterations to the density of the foam to ensure as well as being lower, it would also still be comfortable.
Well the proof is in the riding, so as soon as we got it home we mounted it on the bike and Beccy took it out for a ride.
As soon as she sat on it, she immediately felt it was a massive improvement on stock as now instead of both feet being on tiptoes she can place the balls of both feet on the floor, and moving the bike around by foot is now much easier. She also felt her legs were a lot closer to the bike and able to rest on the floor at a more comfortable angle, and she also felt more able to grip the tank with her knees.
After a half-hour ride she came back grinning, saying the bike felt much more stable when stopped, and that the safety position wasn't putting such a strain on her left calf now that she can almost flat-foot on that side, and also that stopping on a cambered road or rough ground was much better now that she could get both feet securely on the floor.
I can therefore highly recommend that if you do want to have a lower riding position but don't want to shell out hundreds on an aftermarket seat or alter the suspension on your Fazer, get out the yellow pages and find a local vehicle upholsterer and have a chat with them.
This has to count as one of the best value modifications ever made!
Seeing as :needpics:...
BEFORE:
AFTER:
I know it's very difficult to see a difference, but even if the eye can't see it the butt can feel it!
Just thought I'd share a quick success story with you...
Ever since my girlfriend got her new Fazer, she's struggled with the seat height. She's a 30" inside leg (or inseam to our colonial cousins) and with the bike having a 31.5" seat height it's caused her to drop it a couple of times when stopped.
We looked at various methods of lowering the bike, however one thing we didn't want to do was upset the handling so that ruled out a shorter shock or altering the forks.
I knew of an automotive upholsterer local to me who does all sorts of vehicle interiors, so I took the saddle to him to see what could be done to resculpt it to lower the overall height, and more importantly allow her legs to move closer together when stationary so that she could get them closer into the bike. He agreed it could be done, so one day and just £15 later we picked up the seat today.
Initally, I was dissapointed - it just doesn't look any different to stock at all, not like some of the resculpted seats I've seen on other threads, but he assured me it would be very different to sit on as he'd made quite a few alterations to the density of the foam to ensure as well as being lower, it would also still be comfortable.
Well the proof is in the riding, so as soon as we got it home we mounted it on the bike and Beccy took it out for a ride.
As soon as she sat on it, she immediately felt it was a massive improvement on stock as now instead of both feet being on tiptoes she can place the balls of both feet on the floor, and moving the bike around by foot is now much easier. She also felt her legs were a lot closer to the bike and able to rest on the floor at a more comfortable angle, and she also felt more able to grip the tank with her knees.
After a half-hour ride she came back grinning, saying the bike felt much more stable when stopped, and that the safety position wasn't putting such a strain on her left calf now that she can almost flat-foot on that side, and also that stopping on a cambered road or rough ground was much better now that she could get both feet securely on the floor.
I can therefore highly recommend that if you do want to have a lower riding position but don't want to shell out hundreds on an aftermarket seat or alter the suspension on your Fazer, get out the yellow pages and find a local vehicle upholsterer and have a chat with them.
This has to count as one of the best value modifications ever made!
Seeing as :needpics:...
BEFORE:
AFTER:
I know it's very difficult to see a difference, but even if the eye can't see it the butt can feel it!
Last edited:
