Ebay Cafe Seats from Vietnam
- Thread starter Rgrpfdr1
- Start date
Rgrpfdr1
Geronimoooooooooooooooo!!!!
I'm going to buy one, just trying to narrow down the field. There's about 10 styles to choose from, and I think I've narrowed it down to 4 choices. It's going on a 1972 CL 350. If I like it I'll get a second one with a cowel, for my main project bike. Those are just a bit more expensive.
iwannagofast
Active Member
Keep us posted about the quality and timely shipping of the seat I've been looking at those also. If they were in the states I would have one by now.
If you wait till later tonight, I can get a photo and specification of a seats that I had made in Vietnam. The seat pan is made from a standard honda ss50 seat pan and this seat will fit any bikes from cb360, cb350 on downward. I had three made, one for cb360, cb200 (sold) and another for Suzuki GS550 (had the ss50 pan modified to widen it). Of course you will have to fabricate your own brackets.
I am going back there again in mid November, at that time I can have brother in-law have some custom made cafe seat if you like for much less (salary wage are very low in Vienam) than what you are getting through ebay. All you'll have to pay is the shipping costs and what ever it costs to have the seat made and a little coffee money for his trouble.
Cheers.
I am going back there again in mid November, at that time I can have brother in-law have some custom made cafe seat if you like for much less (salary wage are very low in Vienam) than what you are getting through ebay. All you'll have to pay is the shipping costs and what ever it costs to have the seat made and a little coffee money for his trouble.
Cheers.
david bluetile
New Member
i bought one. ill let you know how it fits. i ordered the cushion and cover as well. it left vietnam on the 13 and arrived and cleared customs in new york on the 22nd. im hoping that means it will be here within the next couple of days. as far as fit it may take a while before im sure because my bike is in boxes. thats why i was in no hurry for the seat.
ill post some pics and some comments once i get the seat.
ill post some pics and some comments once i get the seat.
Rgrpfdr1 said:
Here some pics. The rough dimension are as follow (below). I had the seat made for approximately $40 US ea. about two years back (I thought the price was expensive compared to the current living standard of Vietnam, but the price was still much cheaper than what I can get in the States); the larger one was a wee bit more expensive.
The covering are vinyl. Surprisingly, the price may now be cheaper due to high inflation rate that Vietnam is currently facing. These are custom designs, and are not off the shelf! They are one off production. I actually sat there in the shop and draft out the specification to upholstery dude and asked if the foam dude can shave it, once the technicians agreed that they can produce the seat, I had to talk with the owner and get a price settled. Anyway, the process is quite involved for them to produce what you see. Turn around for me was 3 to 4 days as the shop was busy and they had over 10 employees working.
Just remember, the seat pan is from a honda ss50, so you can only do so much with the pan in widening it. Any other pan size will be quite costly as these seat pans will not be massed produce in the market.
Like I said, I'll be back in Vietnam in middle of November and I can get a constant source for you guys, price quote, shipping etc., once this is done; I am out of the picture. I can hand carry some back to the states
BTW, the larger one in the picture is for sale $125 shipped, and yes, it does fit my Suzuki GS550 with the rear hacked off. First one PM, gets it.
1. Large seat
L = 24"
Front Width = 6"
End Width = 8.5"
Widest part = 10"
Hump = 6"
2. Small seat
L = 24"
Front Width = 5.5"
End Width = 7"
Widest part = 9"
Hump = 6"
Attachments
Rgrpfdr1
Geronimoooooooooooooooo!!!!
Those seats are very similar to the ones on Ebay. Can they make one like the picture above that I posted, with the smaller seat's measurements from your post? That's what I need for my daily rider.
The second seat I was looking at is this one, pictured below. I'd like to get it for my main project bike.
The second seat I was looking at is this one, pictured below. I'd like to get it for my main project bike.
Rgrpfdr1 said:Those seats are very similar to the ones on Ebay. Can they make one like the picture above that I posted, with the smaller seat's measurements from your post? That's what I need for my daily rider.
The second seat I was looking at is this one, pictured below. I'd like to get it for my main project bike.
They can make any seat just as long as the seat pan comes from a honda ss50 (most cost effective, these seat pans are mass produced in great quantities and can be have for few $$$), the technicians can shave the foam and do the stitching anyway you want. No fiberglass (below). Just draft up the drawing in metrics, I get my brother inlaw to do the running around and get you a quote or you can wait until November when I am there.
Let me source for fiberglass and see what I can do there - I spent years in early 1990s in Vietnam merchandising for stuff/product/garment that you would find in Ikea or at JCPenny.
Let me go ahead and forward this information to Vietnam, and we'll see what it really costs to have the seat delivered to your front door, BTW, please let me know your City and State for shipping costs
As a side note...
Vietnam has tons of new used mortorbikes, all in the smaller CCs of 150 or less. I'll send pictures when I am there and they have a whole sections of 10 square blocks just stocks full or motorbike parts; new, old, used, tools, what ever.
david bluetile
New Member
well i got my seat cover in from vietnam today. a little wrinkly from shipping. the box was pretty flat but i think it will be ok. i think the vinyl print on the side and back could have been a more crisp. all in all it seems like it will fit the pan great but i still may take it somewhere to have it affixed to the pan. unless someone has a suggestion for how to get it on there nice and tight?
ill post some pics when i get it on the pan.
ill post some pics when i get it on the pan.
david bluetile
New Member
Rgrpfdr1 said:
the seat is going on a 1978 cb750 k
here it is sitting on top of the seat pan. not attached yet. not sure how to attach it.
i think im gonna drop ot off at a seat place tomorrow and see how much it is to just
stretch it and tack it down.
I just placed an order for a custom seat for my 75 CB400F. I have not received the product, so I can't comment on the quality of the work. However, I've been incredibly impressed so far with the service.
I sent Eric, the eBay Store owner, a picture of a bike with a seat that I really like. I sent him a detailed explanation of how I would love to see the seat built. We exchanged a few notes with questions and answers to clarify what I envision. Last night, Eric called me to chat through the build. He gave me a few suggestions. Then, he asked me a bunch of things that I did not even think of, like do I want turn signal brackets, do I want to have a tail light integrated into the back of the seat, and do I plan to retain my fenders so he'll know whether to curve up the back end of the seat. And, he's building the custom seat on a stock pan for my bike.
He's essentially willing to build any seat for you with your touches. I'll wait till I actually have the seat before I fully endorse him, but so far it's been a pretty cool process. He will send me photos throughout the build so I can correct or adjust anything. Not cheap, but pretty cool for $180 (plus shipping).
Here's the seat that I'm having built...
I sent Eric, the eBay Store owner, a picture of a bike with a seat that I really like. I sent him a detailed explanation of how I would love to see the seat built. We exchanged a few notes with questions and answers to clarify what I envision. Last night, Eric called me to chat through the build. He gave me a few suggestions. Then, he asked me a bunch of things that I did not even think of, like do I want turn signal brackets, do I want to have a tail light integrated into the back of the seat, and do I plan to retain my fenders so he'll know whether to curve up the back end of the seat. And, he's building the custom seat on a stock pan for my bike.
He's essentially willing to build any seat for you with your touches. I'll wait till I actually have the seat before I fully endorse him, but so far it's been a pretty cool process. He will send me photos throughout the build so I can correct or adjust anything. Not cheap, but pretty cool for $180 (plus shipping).
Here's the seat that I'm having built...
theboxrules
Been Around the Block
Great to see this thread in conjuction to my original question on this vendor. Let us know the results of working with Eric once the final product arrives!
