Asking - How to mount a seat pan to the frame ?

Shooter

Been Around the Block
Anyone got pix of how they have attached their cafe style seat pan to the frame? (esp CB550/750)

I am building a sub frame and trying to work out if I need to hinge it (for access) or have some other trick for removal and access whenever that maybe required.
 
If you look on my GS750 cafe thread (keep in mind that seat is NOT staying, its a temp thing) I used heavy duty velcro...you cant see it. it comes off cake, and ive had that GS kickin, lifted front wheel and over a ton and it doesnt budge. Prolly not the most ideal way of doing it, but it works and you dont have to worry bout stress cracks in your fibreglass (if thats what your seat is) nor do you have any holes in the frame to mount it...just a thought...currently im devising a more "safe" design using some cotter pins and quick clips like you always see on a muscle car hood...dunno how its gonna work yet but once i do ill post it up!
 
TonUPSoldier, where do you find the heavy duty velcro? What kind of businesses sell it? Fabric stores?
 
Yeah i found mine at Home Depot, but im sure any place like that has it, hardware stores, maybe even fabric stores...oohh check autozone too...id bet they have it...
 
As a tag along to this post, for those who have made flat metal seat pans, what gauge metal do you use? And, as the original poster asks, how do you attach it? Can you maybe predrill and screw it on? Or does everyone and their mother weld these days? :p

I'm going through the same deliberations. I would love to ditch the stock seat pan and save a little weight.
 
Predrill and champher is my plan..countersink the bolt heads.  then attach the glass seat with velcro...i had a buddy that actually ran jumper leads from his battery so he didnt even have to remove it to put a trickle charger on it...thus reducing the amount of times he actually had to get in there...dunno how that worked for him as i havent talked to him in a while...but it was a thought. I'd think 1/8 inch steel would be strong enough considering the weight would be spread out pretty even.
 
TonUpSoldier said:
Yeah i found mine at Home Depot, but im sure any place like that has it, hardware stores, maybe even fabric stores...oohh check autozone too...id bet they have it...

Thanks, I have to go to Home Depot today, I'll take a look.
 
I recently added a new seat to my RD350 cafe project. I used the original RD350 seat hardware to mount it. I started by using a flat piece of aluminum for the seatpan. I used an old street sign. The ones they use in Ohio are made out of 1/8in aluminum and are awesome for making stuff out of. Now don't go out and start stealing these though...it's illegal. I then made a frame out of aluminum U-channel. I don't weld (unfortunately) so I drilled and bolted everything together. I've been riding it for a few weeks with this set-up and it seems to work great. Using the stock mounts make it real easy to access the battery and the oil tank too. Here are a few pics of how it turned out.

seatpan.jpg


I used velcro strips to attach the seat pad I made to the fiberglass seat. You can get industrial velcro from Lowes or Joann fabrics, etc.

Until next time,
vroooom
Joe
 
Does the Velcro have a sticky side or do you use some sort of glue to attach it to the fiberglass seat?
 
xs650joe said:
I used velcro strips to attach the seat pad I made to the fiberglass seat.

Do you have any pics of that? I'm just trying to visualize everything before I start mine, and would appreciate seeing how you did yours.
 
Its got a sticky side...and its pretty damn sticky...but you might consider adding something to help it out...i noticed shortly after i put mine on that it wants to shift around a bit, causing the velcro to bunch in spots...my temporary seat i actually stuck the "hook" half of the velcro directly to the frame..wrapped it part way around...the seat pad is nothing more than some 1/8 inch stainless, memory foam, and some vinyl riveted to it...its like i said temporary, i dont have a glass seat or cowl yet...
 
I have an aversion to Velcro and can barely tolerate it on my riding gear. To hold my bike together with it would be the freaking limit.

I have decided to use the existing hinge and do a bit of simple fabrication. Pix show a work in progress but all it really needs now is a fore and aft brace (and a paint job then some upholstery)

SeatFabrication.jpg


SeatFabrication17sm.jpg


SeatFabrication10sm.jpg


SeatFabrication7sm.jpg
 
That's nice Shooter, really neat. How many layers of fibreglass did you use for the pan? Is there a minimum number of layers that should be used?
 
HerrDeacon said:
That's nice Shooter, really neat. How many layers of fibreglass did you use for the pan? Is there a minimum number of layers that should be used?

I didnt actually do the fibreglass work but I estimate it to be approx. 3mm thick. The ridges and shapes give it a lot of strength.

I will be adding a piece of 2mm aluminium plate as a fore brace (to minimise flex ) and extension so the pan meets the tank properly when upholstered.

I meant to add - the 1st picture shows a latch mechanism that I adapted from a S/S marine part.
 
Nice work, Shooter... I'd really like to see some detailed photos of how that latch actually holds the seat down, if you have any...

Yes, I realize I've revived an OLD thread, but it seems better to continue this one, than to make a new one that refers back to this one.
 
Shooter said:
I have an aversion to Velcro and can barely tolerate it on my riding gear. To hold my bike together with it would be the freaking limit.

I have decided to use the existing hinge and do a bit of simple fabrication. Pix show a work in progress but all it really needs now is a fore and aft brace (and a paint job then some upholstery)

SeatFabrication.jpg

NOw thats super ingenious...
What part is that latch from and where can I get one?
 
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