Anyone shave down stock seat foam?

Sesty · Sep 16, 2013

wondering if anyone has had success lowering the stock seat foam and re-wrapping it? i thought i saw someone do that in one of their builds but i cant find it...

in the future id like to get a new seat, but want to save money and get it running first.

Id like to at least bring the passenger seat bump down to level with the front of the seat.

Lupe · Sep 16, 2013

like this?

It is a E / F or 2F seat pan and foam. It was cut down to have a straight line. But... the cover is handmade, that was not a cheap solution;-)

I am not sure if we are talking about the same model, so here is a link, how the seat looks originally:
http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9128

Recreateme · Sep 16, 2013

http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9326&highlight=brat

This is the thread you may have seen. Somewhere in there OP shaves down the rear seat and flattens it all out and re wraps it with the stock cover.

(i plan on doing this as well, it turned out well!)

Sesty · Sep 16, 2013

yea thats the look i want for the time being until a newer seat can be purchased...

my OEM cover can not be used as it is mostly disintegrated...
View attachment 12728

16VGTIDave · Sep 16, 2013

Just keep in mind that your pillion will not like the lower seat height as their legs will be cramped and the viability for them will be limited. If you don't plan on riding with a pillion, then this won't be a concern.

jmd_forest · Sep 16, 2013

I cut down and reused the original foam with a custom pan and custom seat. There's a older post with pictures on here somewhere.

Sesty · Sep 17, 2013

yea i think that was the post i was thinking of.

going to try to reuse the old pan for now, a buddy of mine just got a job as a chemistry teacher and hes gonna try to borrow a hot wire foam cutter.

Recreateme · Sep 17, 2013

You can make your own wire cutter buy just mounting some copper wire on some 1x1's Maybe just staple it on there or something and connect the copper wire to a car battery... or your bikes battery, and it will heat the wire and you can slice right through!

Be careful, and disconnect it periodically so it doesn't over heat. Youtube/google will teach you how to make one.

Sesty · Sep 17, 2013

yea ive been looking into the DIY cutter, might go that route

jmd_forest · Sep 17, 2013

I used a simple "break away point" 5" razor knife and an electric kitchen knife. They worked fine.

Cadapult · Sep 17, 2013

+1 on the electric carving knife. Works great for carving open cell foam.

willem · Sep 18, 2013

Be a man: use a chainsaw

Sesty · Sep 18, 2013

my dad suggested the carving knife!

been having trouble getting my chainsaw started, might be the carbs.

xschris · Sep 18, 2013

Some people..... :doh:

arfstrom · Sep 18, 2013

When your the man of steel, you have nothing to worry about!

N8Bishop · Sep 18, 2013

accept Chuck Norris of course...

Vroom4 · Sep 18, 2013

Do it! I used a bread knife to get general shape then a cheese grater to smooth it all out :laugh:

Be prepared for a huge mess tho

Ilovemountains · Sep 21, 2013

This is how I did my last 77, I used an electric carving knife!

http://www.bikepics.com/pictures/744012/

I am going to do something similar with the 77D that I’m working on now but will not use piping on the new cover and plan on keeping the rear passenger height even with the rear seat cowl…

Anyone shave down stock seat foam?

Sesty

H.E. Pennypacker

Lupe

none

Recreateme

XS400 Addict

Sesty

H.E. Pennypacker

16VGTIDave

XS400 Guru

jmd_forest

Bldg 1980 XS400 Cafe Bike

Sesty

H.E. Pennypacker

Recreateme

XS400 Addict

Sesty

H.E. Pennypacker

jmd_forest

Bldg 1980 XS400 Cafe Bike

Cadapult

XS400J Medic

willem

XS400 Guru

Sesty

H.E. Pennypacker

xschris

XS400 Guru

arfstrom

XS400 Guru

N8Bishop

XS400 Addict

Vroom4

XS400 Addict

Ilovemountains

XS400 Enthusiast

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