Motorcycle Seats and Seat Covers

By The Motorcycle Classics Staff
Published on June 14, 2016
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Seat for a Norton Commando SS by RK Leighton.
Seat for a Norton Commando SS by RK Leighton.
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Yamaha seat cover by The Vintage Spoke.
Yamaha seat cover by The Vintage Spoke.
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Reproduction Triumph seat by Walridge Motors.
Reproduction Triumph seat by Walridge Motors.
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Reproduction seat for a Norton Commando Interstate by Klempfs British Parts.
Reproduction seat for a Norton Commando Interstate by Klempfs British Parts.
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Reproduction Honda CB500 seat by CMSNL.
Reproduction Honda CB500 seat by CMSNL.
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Reproduction seat for a Yamaha RD250 and RD350 by HVCcycle.
Reproduction seat for a Yamaha RD250 and RD350 by HVCcycle.
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Reproduction seat for a 1974 Norton Commando Interstate by Steadfast Cycles.
Reproduction seat for a 1974 Norton Commando Interstate by Steadfast Cycles.
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Reproduction seat for a Kawasaki Z1 by Z1 Enterprises.
Reproduction seat for a Kawasaki Z1 by Z1 Enterprises.
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Editor Landon Hall's BMW R100/7 seat.
Editor Landon Hall's BMW R100/7 seat.
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Editor Landon Hall's BMW R100/7 seat.
Editor Landon Hall's BMW R100/7 seat.
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Editor Landon Hall's BMW R100/7 seat after Custom Seat Service.
Editor Landon Hall's BMW R100/7 seat after Custom Seat Service.

One of the easiest pieces to damage on a motorcycle is the seat. Even being careful, regular use coupled with the cruel effects of time and weather can leave your motorcycle seat looking less than perfect — and the old foam underneath breaks down over time, providing less support than you might like. What to do? Fortunately, you do have options. Seat foam OK? Then just replace the seat cover. Foam trashed? Replace the seat cover and the foam underneath. Seat pan rusted out? A new reproduction seat might be your best option.

1. Baxter Cycle carries a variety of complete seats, seat covers and seat foam for British bikes. They carry quality replacement seats from two different companies, P&P Seating and R K Leighton, both located in the U.K. The Norton Commando SS shown here sports an R K Leighton seat, which comes complete with chrome trim and gold Norton lettering on the back. Price: $435.

2. The folks at The Vintage Spoke have seat covers for a huge range of bikes, from BMWs to Zundapps. They make a variety of OEM-style seat covers and seat parts, with more than 950 vintage seat covers in stock. The cover we ordered for the 1974 Yamaha DT125 Enduro we’ve been nursing back to health was a perfect fit. Made from quality vinyl, the stitching matched the design of the original and the Yamaha logo lined up perfectly. Price: $49.90.

3. Way back in 2007 we began our “Rejuvenation” project, getting a tired 1971 Triumph TR6C back on the road. The seat pan was riddled with rust, so instead of trying to fix it, we called up the folks at Walridge Motors, who carry a variety of seat parts from covers to bases, foam to trim, and complete seats. We ordered a complete seat made by P&P Seating in Birmingham, U.K., a high-quality reproduction virtually identical to the original, complete with the gold Triumph logo on the back. Good looking and a perfect fit, it’s held up excellently despite plenty of miles. Price: $252.45.

4. Klempf’s British Parts carries a large variety of seats, seat covers, seat foam and other seat parts for British bikes including Norton, Triumph, BSA and more. Shown here is a reproduction seat for a Norton Commando Interstate, an excellent option if the seat pan on your Norton is rusted or wrecked beyond repair. All new, these high-quality seats are made in England using steel seat pans. Price: $468.75.

5. Specializing in new-old-stock and reproduction parts for Honda and other Japanese motorcycles, CMS offers seats for a variety of classic motorcycles. Shown here is their Honda CB500 seat. A showroom-perfect reproduction of the stock CB500 seat, it features a metal pan and is made to exacting standards. The pleated top matches the original design and it comes with a matching strap. There’s no Honda logo on the back, but that could easily be added with a little creativity (and a stencil). Price: €249 (approx. $282 at press time).

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