first time seat build.

P

ph!L

Been Around the Block
Well i worked almost all day today (winter break ;D) and i have the foam mold almost done. All i have to do is add the front flare that hooks into the tank. I haven't cut my frame so i can't get a full visual of how it will look, but i get the picture and i really like it. I'm going to try out the fiberglass thing tomorrow so we'll see... Let me know what you guys think!

Here's the pics...





 
I think its alittle short too. Does the start of the hump line up with the frame bar on that angle? If so (& if your rocking clipons) that might be to short. Unless your short

Looks good though!

Bikes in rad shape!
 
thanks guys, but i'm pretty short, about 5 7 and yeah it lines up with the frame pretty well. clipons are already waiting in the garage for her!
 
Hey ph!L,

Lookin' good. I like the shape of the rear hump.
Are you planning on losing the stock rear fender and taillight? If so, what are you thinking of replacing them with?
Would you be cutting out that fender bracket connecting the frame rails to get the seat down flush on the frame?

Hoping to get some work done on my bike over the Xmas break but have some family visiting so gonna be tough to get away...

Cheers,
Neil
 
ph!L said:
thanks guys, but i'm pretty short, about 5 7 and yeah it lines up with the frame pretty well. clipons are already waiting in the garage for her!
Click to expand...
Ya man, you should be just fine. My seats actually a bit shorther than yours and its tight but ok with me. Im also 5'7". Graet work, that shape is nice. I like the smaller tail pieces.
 
thanks for the kind words guys, but yeah i was really influenced on size by loudbike and rawfish's first seat but as far as shape i just let it present itself to me. But yeah i will be taking off the rear fender and choppin the frame. I don't know what i'm going to do for a taillight yet but i'm not worried about it. I'm just trying to get some stuff out of the way like building the seat and i'm going to try to put it all together in 3 weeks, i should have a build thread going in april. Gonna ride it stock till then ;D
I don't know what i'm going to do as far as paint color, i love the color on it now so i might keep it and paint the seat black to match the graphics. Something about that non-stock color with the stock graphics really looks cool to me.
 
Update... I failed ha.

Everything was going really good


Fiberglassing was going really well it was all starting to come together, i thought i had it.

I ran out of resin so i went to grab some more and this is what i came back with... jelly resin ha i accidentally got it and its what lead to the seats demise.

but i thought maybe i could make it work so i scooped out the foam and started to even the edges

as soon as i started at the edges the glass started to fray and come up.


I'm pretty discouraged, i loved the mold and the shape. I'm just really mad at myself because if i would have gotten the right resin, or would not have been so cheap when i opened it up (i should have gone back and got the right shit) it would have worked out. I guess it was a good learning experience. I may try again i dont really know yet...
 
I hate to hear that happened! Well try to stay positive, just a learning experience! I am sure you next attempt will be better in every way, I am sure you learned a ton from the first try on every aspect of the construction. Give it another go!
 
i definitely did man thanks, i just went out and i was able to put that whole layer off... shit resin ha

but the good news is that the layer under that is fine... its only 3 layers thick now so i may try to sand down and put one more layer over it... i think i might be able to save it! ha
 
^ for sure man!! i havent updated but i tore off that top sheet and layed a few more layers of glass and it is coming along! I'm thinking about full upholstery and wrapping the whole thing in leather... i think it would look sick!
 
Sorry to hear about the little setback. Just makes ya wanna kick yourself. Good that you can still work with it though! Keep it up man
 
thanks man!
its no problem now, i got another layer lain today and i layed some support on the inside where the flat meets the slope. just sanding and bondo left before the painT!!
 
Well i haven't updated in a while but its going really well. I layed another layer of glass on the outside to compensate for the layer i had to pull off, i also added three smaller pads on the inside to support where the flat of the seat hits the bump.

It came a long way from this...

to this, how it sits now, still need to do a bit of sanding on the glass then bondo it but it is coming along nicely! I'm definitely stoked my first attempt is going to work out!

and you guys weren't joking around when you said this would take time, i've spent around 30 hours on it already!!
 
FYI, if you have glossy spots of resin pooled up on your part, then you're using way too much. The part should have a slight texture to it and almost a matte finish. When the fiberglass mat is so saturated that there are big pools and runs of resin, you're adding excess weight and no strength.

Keep at it, I'm sure it will turn out great.
 
thanks guys and thanks for the tip! i'm sure it will work but yeah there are definitely some imperfections in it! ha
 
Seat looks great man!

How exactly are you going to mount it to the bike? I plan to build my glass seat this summer and I can't figure that part out. Do you mount the fiberglass seat mold to the oem seat pan or something completely different?

-Barry-
 
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