Custom Seat "Adventure" (Like WM Seat)

Mr L

Cafe Lover
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
Points
1
So for my 1979 XS400 i decided i wanted to do a custom seat, the stock seat is just not my thing.

I am going for something like this

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s92RB60J6TI/Te9MMsmc1bI/AAAAAAAAF5o/Ob0U0iO8psI/s1600/YS2B4254%2Bcopy.jpg

For this i would need to bend some pipe for the curve. I took a template to all the metal shops and bending places around me and they all told me it was too small a job and not worth their time. So i just said, screw it ill do it myself.

So i started off by measuring out my frame (which had already been cut by the previous owner).
29ncot4.jpg


The pipe i needed would be 7/8ths of an inch outside diameter. So i measured from pipe to pipe on my frame, found a geometry kit and drew out a curve on some plywood and build a little rig. (I covered it in tinfoil to protect it from setting on fire but that turned out to just be completely useless.)
33ejtpy.jpg


I then filled a bucket full of sand from my driveway, put it in the oven for about 45 minutes (stirring every 5 minutes so all the moisture would be let out)
118fx1i.jpg


I took one of the pipes and capped off one end and filled it with the sand (making sure to pack it down a lot.) once it was full i capped off the other end and drilled a very small hole in it, so any moisture left in the sand wont cause the pipe to explode :p

Then into the BBQ goes the pipe
dcu1d5.jpg


Took a long time to get it up to heat and i flipped it every 20 minutes for about an hour.

Once it was fully heated up and ready to go i stuck it in the rig and began reefing on it.
24fwhms.jpg


After a lot of bending, reheating, bending, reheating, smacking with the hammer, and more bending i finally got it bent and i screwed down another 2x4 to hold it in place.
sm97xl.jpg


That is as far as I've gotten today, now i just need to wait for it to cool down, give it a trim and test it out. Then the tricky second bend. Then comes the welding.

I will update this as i go along but so far it looks really promising.
:D
 
Last edited:
It was, still need to rig up something else to do the second curve but that should be a lot easier. The greatest part about this whole thing is it cost me $5 and about 5 hours.
 
great piece, I like it when peeps can overcome obsticals and think out of the box!

It makes building your bike so much more satisfying, but it takes longer of course :D

nice and neat :thumbsup:
 
I put it up for all to use so go ahead :D

I made an attempt at the second bend today that failed miserably, I'm gonna try the bench vice tonight once it stops raining and I can fire up the BBQ.
 
That's what i tried originally and it did work but it took a long time to heat the pipe and you have to make sure you heat the pipe all the way around, also bend slowly to ensure the pipe does not fold.

Also if you don't fill it with sand and pack it tightly it will fold, that's what happened to my first attempt. BBQ is the best option though.
 
FINAL BENDING

Today i finished the final bend for my seat.

I put the metal in my bench vice and bought another metal pipe with a 7/8ths inch inside diameter (cost $6) slid it over top and used it as for leverage/guide. I measured out the angle i wanted to bend with a little angle tool i had lying around. I made sure the pipe was level in the vice before continuing, strapped it down tight and heated it red with a propane torch.
209q4nm.jpg


Then after a lot of bending, heating, re-bending, and re-heating i finally got it bent to the angle i wanted. Then i did the same to the other side. After the bend i laid the pipe on a flat surface and made sure it was flat and the angles were the same.
ygp3t.jpg


Then i cut 2 little plugs out of some excess pipe i had from a failed attempt.
8zfwpz.jpg


Once i had crushed the plugs small enough i stuck them in the cutout part of the frame. My pipe was a little bit wide so i had to cold bend it. By now the pipe was cold so i took a very large pair of clamps and used them to bend the pipe to the right size.
b9340.jpg


Then i stuck it on the frame and tada! Done. Now i do have to do some finishing touches to get it ready for welding (grind off the paint, and get the pipe flush with the frame) but i will update this thread as i go along. Unfortunately i still have to put the bike back together and finish up everything else so you won't see the finished seat for a while.

Here is it finished and on the frame :D
qrfd50.jpg


huq0yw.jpg
 
Thanks :D I'm going to weld and primer it today, will show pictures once i get that done.
 
Last post about this for a while.

Finished it up, i welded it to the frame, and welded a little tab that I'll drill a hole in and attach the fender to. While i was at it i also zipped off a bunch of useless side cover mounts.

10wipo6.jpg

116uzdk.jpg


I hope this was interesting or helpful. I had a great time trying to figure out how to get this to work :D

Once i have put the bike back together and i build the actual seat (which will be the last thing i do haha) i will make sure to post a similar thread.

Thanks everyone.
L
 
That's a solid job. I wanted to mention that your technique is how the old school backyard builders used to use. Pack the tube with sand (to prevent ripples and indentations), then heat and torque like hell on it! Good job keeping it real. ;)
 
Thanks!
I was planning on doing almost the exact same thing. I am planning on using a propane torch to heat it but I was hoping I didn't need to use sand. Thanks for saving me from having to buy another piece of tubing.:thumbsup:
 
I ended up using this tutorial to make my own seat hoop.

After some failed attempts of using a propane grill and torch though, I heated up some charcoal. I let the pipe sit in the hot coals for about 15-20 mins until the bar got red hot and it bent like butter.

To make the second bends and turn the hoop up, I heated the pipe back up, placed the hoop in a vice and bent each side to the same angle. It came out awesome and since it cost me about $10 for the materials, it saved me about $140... not to mention officially added "blacksmith" to my qualifications lol.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_01.JPG
    IMG_01.JPG
    141.8 KB · Views: 535
  • IMG_02.JPG
    IMG_02.JPG
    143.4 KB · Views: 607
  • IMG_04.JPG
    IMG_04.JPG
    162.1 KB · Views: 584
  • IMG_06.jpg
    IMG_06.jpg
    144.4 KB · Views: 592
  • IMG_07.jpg
    IMG_07.jpg
    174 KB · Views: 545
Back
Top