The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: montmil on November 05, 2008, 09:59:36 AM
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Over time, I recall mention of one or two sources for "near" OEM BMW seat covers. I may need to source one before too long. Comments and/or links much appreciated.
Monte
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A new seat cover is on the list of things I want to get in the not too distant future and Capital Cycle and Motobins is where I'm looking right now.
I'd like to stick with a cover that has embossed "seams" to keep the stock look. One of the things I love about the r65 is the way that the saddle is sculpted to fit the curve of the gas tank, especially obvious looking down on the bike from above. But then again if someone offered me a nice Corbin saddle, I could probably be persuaded to part with the stocker. Not so sure about the Russel Daylong. Probably great on comfort, but gee that's an ugly seat!
John
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My 79 R45 had a hideous brown seat cover which I replaced with a black one from Motobins. It fitted well and I think the bike looks much better. There are some differences and issues though :-
The new cover is made from thinner material and a passenger grab strap was not supplied.
The embossed pattern is different. I think this is an improvement except the foam had taken on the pattern of the old one which shows through the new cover a little.
Not sure how much of this will apply to 81- models but at the price they charge I don't think you can expect a Motobins cover to compete with the original on quality.
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I have a MotoBins cover on the R65RS and can guarantee it doesn't even come close to the original! After 1 year there was seperation (or a pulling) by some of the impressed stitching. The material is very thin and does not appear to stand up well to the hot TX summers when Suraklyn was parking it out in the sun at work/school. I doubt fabricators in Britain understand/appreciate what happens to some materials when exposed to high heat and blistering sunlight!
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Anyone have any experience with the Canadian outfit that sells seat covers on Ebay all the time?
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My checking around shows that the Capital BMW seat cover is the one from Motobins. As a Texas bike, I'm concerned about sun exposure and what a couple comments revealed about longevity and the lack of. Hum...
Need to look more on eBay, I guess.
Monte
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Sargent will recover your seat for $139 plus shipping. I was tempted to do this until I came upon a complete NOS stock seat. I have seen several of their custom recover, refoam, and reshape jobs and the owners were well pleased.
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A few days after I bought my bike last year I got a near-terminal case of the dumba$$ and rode it while wearing work boots with speed-lace hooks rather than eyelets. The result was predictable: While swinging my old, short right leg over the bike during dismount, I snagged the vinyl and put two (not just one) tears about the size and shape of a fingernail in the top of the previously flawless seat, just forward of the metal cowl. :(
I put Scotch transparent tape on the damage as as a temporary fix to keep water from soaking into the foam, then started looking for a way of buying either a cover or a replacement seat. Bob's wanted too many $$ for a cover, and the prices of both a BMW seat and its aftermarket look-alike were a shock. On the recommendation of my auto repair shop (one of the owner-partners rides an R90/6 and an R1100S), I contacted a local upholstery shop. The owner of said shop does a lot of work for customers of the Harvey Davis dealer a block away (Though he personally dislikes Harleys). For $100 he re-covered my seat with the slightly textured black vinyl that he uses on Harleys.
He did a really good job. The seat is a bit more firm than before, but comfortable. (I suspect he compressed the foam tighter than it had been.) I still play with the idea of a shorter seat because I don't want to replace perfectly good Koni shocks to gain a mere 1/2" of improvement at the possible risk of changing the bike's handling for the worse.
The story's moral (a word I *never* use except in this context ;) ;) ): It might be cost-effective to look for an upholstery shop in the neighborhood of a bike dealer.
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A few days after I bought my bike last year I got a near-terminal case of the dumba$$ and rode it while wearing work boots with speed-lace hooks rather than eyelets. The result was predictable: While swinging my old, short right leg over the bike during dismount, I snagged the vinyl and put two (not just one) tears about the size and shape of a fingernail in the top of the previously flawless seat, just forward of the metal cowl.
In the words of Forest Gump stupid is what stupid does
Lou
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... On the recommendation of my auto repair shop (one of the owner-partners rides an R90/6 and an R1100S), I contacted a local upholstery shop. The owner of said shop does a lot of work for customers of the Harvey Davis dealer a block away (Though he personally dislikes Harleys). For $100 he re-covered my seat with the slightly textured black vinyl that he uses on Harleys.
I'm leaning that way, too. There is an old-school upholstery shop in town that I'll get a quote from.
Monte
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Herr Altritter, can you explain "While swinging my old, short right leg over the bike" ?
Is your left leg longer, newer, or both?
[smiley=ROTFLMAO.gif]
Ed
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<< Is your left leg longer, newer, or both? >>
Longer? Don't I wish! Had it been, then I wouldn't have had to do a modified high-jump kick to get the right leg on (and off) the bike.
Newer? Only my mum's obstetrician would know for sure — and he's long been deceased.
Both? Yeah, they're both short. ;D
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Went by the multi-generational shoe shop here in town and shared with the owner what I wanted to do. I bought a rattle can of black something-or-other that he said will work on vinyl and/or leather. Leather dye would not work on the genuine simulated leather vinyl seat cover, he did tell me.
Cheap enough experiment before I have to lay down some scratch for an upholstery shop job. I'll post pics when I try this stuff. Nothing to lose as that seat cover is just plain ol' butt ugly!
Monte
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Just make sure the wife doesn't wear any light colored britches until the crap cures real good. I suppose we need to get together and ride some day.
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Just make sure the wife doesn't wear any light colored britches until the crap cures real good. I suppose we need to get together and ride some day.
Roger that, Justin. A K-Bike buddy suggested the same thing about the seat re-color... as did Mr. Logan at the shoe shop. Let it dry for a few days, then buff it off with some toweling. It is the aft portion of the seat and neither mine nor my wife's butt is that big! ;D
I'm up for a ride. Could probably get a couple local Beemer lads to attend. Sorta the North Texas Chapter of the Disorganized. I'll start something up here and get back with you. Lots of good riding weather ahead.
Monte
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I was thinking we could turn the wives loose and we could tag behind and make sure they stay out of trouble! ;)
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... turn the wives loose...make sure they stay out of trouble! ;)
What's wrong with this picture? ;D
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Ride behind and keep 'em away from the antique malls...
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The weekend just before Christmas, I ordered a replacement seat cover from Northwest Classic seat Covers... just across the border from WA State. Got a response a couple hours later even though it was the weekend. $45.00 plus air freight for something like $8.25.
Will perhaps do a photo shoot during the install. Let y'all know how it turns out. Later,
Monte
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Monte,
The stock seat has nylon filiment tape around the edge of the pan to help keep it from sawing through the cover. I have snagged some protective plastic edging (it comes on big band-saw blades to cover the teeth when coiled up in the box) out pf the trash at work that I think would be perfect to slip over the pan edges - I think. I'll test fit some on the pan I am restoring for the LS tomorrow. You're welcome to a chunk of it if you want to run by and pick it up...
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Monte,
The stock seat has nylon filiment tape around the edge of the pan to help keep it from sawing through the cover. I have snagged some protective plastic edging (it comes on big band-saw blades to cover the teeth when coiled up in the box) out pf the trash at work that I think would be perfect to slip over the pan edges - I think. I'll test fit some on the pan I am restoring for the LS tomorrow. You're welcome to a chunk of it if you want to run by and pick it up...
I know of what you speak, old wise one... I may have some similar trim that I used on an aircraft wing gap seal. Thanks. Good tip as both my R65's have some wear at the pan's sharp edge. Hope I can get the cover work done during the holiday break from school.
If I can't locate the seal material, I'll watch for good weather and ride south. We can "dumpster dive".
Monte
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The "diving" has already been done, this is what it looks like and I think with a little trimming/notching on sharp corners/curves it'll work out great.
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Seat cover arrived today in spite of holiday breaks and terrible weather in the n'west.
Looks simple enough to install what with the guidelines and centers marked on the cover. Instructions are nice and well written. I'm always cautious of those DIY instructions that are full of grammatical errors.
Quick question: It appears to my feeble old eyes that the two arch-shaped seat brackets are simply "squeezed" to release them from the hinge pivots. Didn't noticed any other way to detach the seat from the chassis. Is the the correct procedure?
After replacing the convertible top on my Cabriolet last summer, this upholstery chore looks like cake! Fingers crossed...
Pics and notes to follow. May plan a ride south to Justin's BMW seat install supply stash.
Monte
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Each "hinge-pin" is grooved on the end to accept a special "E-clip" ( kind of an E-clip with a built in handle/tab that makes them easier to install/de-install) type of fastener. Pop these off and the seat will slide to the rear (when open) and then can be removed. Make sure you save them as replacing them with a regular E-clip is a PITA...
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<< Make sure you save them as replacing them with a regular E-clip is a PITA... >>
Tell me about it! From experience: Without a pair of right-angle needlenose, replacing with a standard e-clip is somewhere near Dante's third level of hell. ;D (From personal experience because my seat was missing both clips when I bought the bike.)
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Mine too... Didn't even notice the grooves the first time I took it off by pulling the allen screws.
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<< Mine too... Didn't even notice the grooves the first time I took it off by pulling the allen screws. >
Same here. I was about to begin disassembling big pieces. Fortunately, I mentioned it on this forum and some guardian angel wised me up about the clips.
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Each "hinge-pin" is grooved on the end to accept a special "E-clip" ( kind of an E-clip with a built in handle/tab that makes them easier to install/de-install) type of fastener. Pop these off and the seat will slide to the rear (when open) and then can be removed. Make sure you save them as replacing them with a regular E-clip is a PITA...
Ah, the dreaded PITA issue, eh?
Checked -and by using my new R65.org flashlight- found some rusty, empty grooves where the e-clips used to live. The seat on the '83 is held on by the rear storage box... nada else.
Peeked at the '81 and it has one of the "tab" e-clips on the aft seat pin. At least I have a sample of the size needed even if I have to go the "PITA" route. I recall having some of the same clips in my odd-ball hardware collection. What are the odds I can find them and they'll be the needed size? Dream on, Klingon.
Thanks, folks, for the assist. Hopefully, we'll get some pleasant days for shop work before returning to the school house grind.
Still have the eldest son, his wife, and two grandkids here. The dishwasher, washing machine, clothes dryer, DVD player/television and microwave are constantly running... as is the electric meter!
Monte