Featured Speedmaster Something For Growler Part One

Over the festive period I've been prototyping a pillion seat because Triumphs 'comfort' seat is far from that due to it's narrowness. We went for a test ride Friday and things are looking promising, after a 1h10m my wife reported that she could go a bit further without a break. With old seat she was looking to take a short brake after about 45 mins.

My fab skills aren't up to Dilli's standard, but I don't own a proper vice and never even been in the same room as any welding kit before, so think I should be given some leeway I'm also not the master of suspense that he is . The plan is for a plywood seat pan and get that professionally upholstered. The mounting system is following the original seat method so I don't need to modify bike and can easily swap seats if required. I pinched the rubber feet and black mount bracket from the stock seat, but made other brackets from 3mm aluminium

Next step it to redo those brackets with keyholes because backrest gets in way for mounting with slots that way around.

 

Like your style mate
And yes the standard pillion seat is crap on the Speedmaster

 

I hate style over practicality the designer's should be made to try their designs first,
Nice job on the seat modifications let us see it when the jobs done.

 

Great effort @brown mouse. Had you thought of modifying your original seat to fit at the back?
I am considering using the standard front seat replaced by the comfort version to mount for pillion.

 

I had, but I thought it looked too weird and the curve of the base was all wrong to fit. Though I see from your picture that if I removed the backrest the curve may actually work better.

 

I have put in place to see what was possible. Mrs Dartplayer is ok on the small pillion, but has only been on for 1/2 hour trips. I am thinking of adding the backrest to the grab rail to hold it all in place. Not urgent now Xmas has passed, but will watch your efforts in earnest

 

I decided to go for a second prototype to get seat shape and contours right, so Nudger isn't the only Speedmaster with a helicopter landing pad, though this one seems to have attracted a flying mouse!



For seat contours I made some shapes from the layers of foam I had bought when I was trying to make a cushion for the original seat...



I even got my sewing machine from the loft to bodge together a vaguely correct shape cover from an old damaged roll bag...



New seat on the bike, ready for a test tomorrow...



Main problem with the design is how high it sits on bike...



That's most dictated by using flat wood and having to clear the ridge in the centre of the mud guard. May have to rethink design. Though final seat will need some beading around the bottom edge of the seat, so water drips off rather than running along bottom, that will bring the edge down to cover where you can see the wood showing. Profession upholstery will also not be as 'baggy' and perhaps can get away with less foam (though wife wasn't keen on just the two layers).

 

Looking good mate

 

If the missus dont like it, just stick with the mouse

 

Looking good mate.... keeping working with it and I'm sure it will come good. A happy wife is far better that cosmetic good looks on the bike. It you need that you can always put the stock pillion seat back on when your wife is not riding with you.

 

Any further on with this @brown mouse

 

Not yet, spent the weekend riding with a couple of mates

Latest prototype was really comfy according to my wife. But I've decided to go for another prototype where I lower the seat height by ditching the extra bit of wood and cut a slot straight into the seat base. Also ordered samples of a denser foam, so may be able to get away with less height there too, and some closed cell foam for top layer which is waterproof, because as my mate pointed out, with a vinyl cover, water will get in through stitching so I'll need a waterproof layer under it. Oh, and I've decided to get some vinyl and try and make my own cover, with the idea that I don't need to find a professional upholsterer. Got to keep busy in my retirement

 

Final prototype, complete with a vinyl cover (sans piping)...



Changes since last time is to make recesses in base to mount brackets direct to seat (reducing gap above mudguard by about a centimetre) and a ledge around base to hide a bit more of the gap, and to allow water to drip off rather than going under seat...



To help counter weakness caused by cut-outs I added a piece on top...



Upholstery is some layers of foam, a layer of closed cell foam over the top to keep water out, and a vinyl cover.



As I had to shop online, I ended up buying a load of useless foam whist trying to find some decent stuff, so let me pass on this advise: any upholstery foam is about as firm as so much fresh air. For the top soft layer in my seat, I used 'high density very firm' foam. The rest is '6lb' reconstituted foam, which at least offers support because it doesn't squish down so much. I did try some heavier recon foam and slicing up the foam from original seat but including layers of those don't help comfort.

 

Quality, doesn't look home made at all. Nice one.

 

That’s well smart mate

 

Wow you've come on a bit there, really like the final finish look, also looks comfy too which was your brief , well done

 

That looks really good and comfortable as well. It is a shame that triumph did not make the pillion seat to a similar standard on the bike from the factory.

 

Thanks all. Considering my only sewing project before this seat making business was to turn up a pair of trousers, I was surprised how neat the seat looked too, through the photo doesn't show the details of some quite bad mistakes. For the final seat I'm going to 'cheat' and use impact adhesive to hold the pieces in place so I don't have to hold and stretch the vinyl around curves as I sew. That way I can concentrate of the neatness.

 

Nice job @brown mouse,my Mrs was impressed with your sewing efforts and the final look. Much more room to move around for comfort

 

Well done mate, a nice job