Ducati Monster Forum

Originally posted on Squidbusters.com and the DML July of 2006.  It is now May of 2008 and my gel seat ROCKS!  One of the best mods Ive done on my bike by far.

I am short (5'1" with 28" inseam) and no matter bike I got, I knew I would want to lower it some.  With the stock seat, I was on my very tippy toes.  I could ride it fine, but I wanted some more "security".

Me with the Stock Seat
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/DSCF0947.jpg)

We set the suspension and dropped the forks a little, which helped some, and I had decided against getting some kind of aftermarket lowering link for the Ducati.  After investigating lower seat prices, I decided to just make my own.  And since my seat foam is HARD as a rock, I decided to add a gel insert while I was at it.  (The gel pad I got was from JCWhitney.com.)

What you will need:
pliers
screwdriver or knife you dont care about
electric knife
box cutter
staple gun (electric or pneumatic powered HIGHLY recommended)
Gorilla Glue or some other glue that won't eat foam
liquid barrier (something like saran wrap would work)
contact adhesive (I used Elmers spray glue)
gel insert (optional)

First I removed all the staples from the underside of the seat.  I tried using a screwdriver to pry up the staples, but they were in so flush I had to resort to my Swiss Army Knife.  I dont recommend using a knife you like...it marred up my blade pretty good.  
Since I wasnt going to touch the back half of the seat, I just left the final few staples intact.  
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/StapleRemoval.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/NakedStock.jpg)

Next I took my cheapie Walmart electric knife and just started hacking away.  Really thats all I was doing...  I figured I would smooth it all out after I got it down to the height I wanted.  You will notice in the next few pictures that I also took a lot of foam out of the sides.  The seat was just too wide as well as being too tall, which would hurt my inner thighs.  (wow, what a huge mess!!  I would recommend doing this part in a garage if possible.)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/HackingAway.jpg)

After I got it down to what I thought was pretty good, Ryan and I took it down and put it on the bike.  I sat on it and decided where I needed to adjust the height, smooth out a corner, ect.  I did that about four times until I felt it was where I wanted it.  
Then Ryan made marks on the seat where I sit so we would know where to put the gel pad.
My ass outline.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/AssOutline.jpg)

Then we took it back upstairs and outlined where I wanted the gel pad.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/GelOutline.jpg)

We then took the box cutter and cut out the foam within the lines.  We made it so that when the gel was placed in the hollow, it would fit flush.  We kept the plastic on the gel pad so it wouldnt stick to everything and we glued it down to the seat with Gorilla Glue.
The dark part in the installed gel pad is there because I actually removed ALL the foam in that area.  There is a hole in the seat going all the way through, maybe for when the factory injected the foam.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/GelInstalled.jpg)

Next we reattached the seat cover with a staple gun.  We started at the back and secured it over the hump where the seat cowl will go first since that was unchanged.  Ryan put one staple in the front to hold the cover in place, and then we worked on pulling the center tight across the seat to get it as form-fitting as possible.  

We got it pretty tight, but the seat cover still kind of floats over the seat (but it did that when the seat was stock, too.)  Last I trimmed the extra seat cover beyond the staples so everything would fit nicely on the bike.  

Here is the before and after pics:
Before
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/StockSeat.jpg)
After-Ryan is holding it down so you can see the true shape.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/FinishedSeat2.jpg)

I can now almost put the balls of both feet on the ground; big improvement!  I would have liked to have more of my feet on the ground, but there wasnt any more foam to remove.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b168/mangeldbug/Seat%20Project/LoweredSeat.jpg)

Overall, I think the seat turned out pretty damn good, especially considering this was my very first time doing this.  :)

EDIT: October 14, 2006  **IMPORTANT** Please read if you plan to do this mod!
After doing this mod, I noticed stickiness on my seat cover about a month later.  It was worst in very hot weather and grew worse over time.  I was literally glued to the seat and could not move around while riding!
 
The gel is NOT LEAKING.  When I removed the stock cover, I noticed small holes all over in the seat cover (where the "texture" dots are).  When I held it up to the light, you could see right through the cover, and these holes were only where the stickiness was.  (The stickiness was up front where I was sitting, and down my legs on the side sections.)  I now believe the glue that secures the foam to the seat pan was coming through the seat cover through these holes since rain could get in at that location to liquify the glue.  You dont have this problem with a stock seat because the glue is under an inch or two of foam...when I cut the foam, I shaved it down almost to the pan in places.

Dont get discouraged!  There is an easy fix to prevent this! Install a "liquid barrier" on top of the foam/gel and underneath the seat cover.  I ordered a new Sargent "Sport Skinz" seat cover since mine was ruined by the stickiness, and a liquid barrier comes with the cover.  Basically it was a thin sheet of plastic.  You can just lay it on top of the seat or you can use a contact adhesive to secure it.  I used Elmers contact adhesive since it is safe for virtually any surface and non-toxic.  Then put your seat cover back on.  Done.

I really wish I'd have done this from the start.  I could have saved a lot of time and money.  But you learn by trial and error sometimes.

Great work. Thanks for the good write-up!!

This is awesome. My inseam is about 27" and I was thinking about shaving my Bandit seat a bit since the foam pad is really thick, and after reading your post, I think I'm convinced. I think I can get a free inch or so out if it before the comfort becomes compromised at all and spares aren't awful to find if I goober it up.

Thanks for sharing!  [thumbsup]

Love your work.
Anyone out there altered the pillion seat?
My better half is still suffering severe monster a** after the last ride. So looking at doing something similar.   

Riding pillion on my beau's monster is fun as hell but it's not so easy on the, um, sensitive girly bits if you catch my drift (he has clipons forcing us to both lean way forward, so I can tell you it's not my ass that takes the punishment... though that was probably more info than you really cared to know [laugh]). I wear my mountain bike shorts now and that helps. If you do the pillion gel mod, let us know how it turns out!

Thankfully  my "girly bits" are just fine with my gel mod on the main seat.  I would assume shaving the pillion would be basically the same, you just might have to cut down the gel pad to fit.

awsome write up for a cool mod!

i have been thinking of turning my old stock seat into a monoposto, and this would be a good mod to do at the same time.

Thanks!!

Nice write up.  I'm thinking of adding a gel insert to my Corbin as well.

fwiw, most manufacturers that work with foam use 3M Spray77 for adhesive.  I don't know if that's what Ducati (or their seat manufacturer) uses, but I've never had it "re-liquify" by getting wet.

It's good stuff and relatively easy to work with.  Just like contact cement in a spray.  The hardest part is being patient and letting it set up to "tacky" before mating the two surfaces.

love the write up, i bought a 2nd seat to do this mod on.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/The-Pro-Pad-gel-pad-comfort-motorcycle-seat-MEDIUM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742Q2em153Q2el1262QQcategoryZ35557QQihZ008QQitemZ180214807715

That gel pad + craigslist $5 electric knife + this guide + new vinyl for the custom seat carving = i hope my ass no longer goes numb on long rides!

That gives me and idea.  I may just "sacrifice" the OEM seat I have sitting on a shelf.  Not really fond of the Corbin that came on the bike.  It's a bit too wide on the front edges, making in uncomfortable on my inner thighs.

This is the respone i got from them regarding their differnet gel pads.



3/8 1/2 or 3/4?

Im thinking 1/2, but 3/8 might just be fine.

I dont remember how thick mine was.  I dont think it was an inch but definitely thicker than half an inch.  JC Whitney didnt have different thickness options.

yours was a liquid gel right? You couldnt cut it to shape or anything?

No, mine was not liquid.  I could have cut it down if I wanted to, but I didnt since my seat could accommodate the whole thing.  It came wrapped in plastic, which I could have removed, but I left it on since the bottom of the gel is visible through the bottom of the seat.  It would get nasty dirty if I had unwrapped it.

WOOHOO got my gel seat yesterday. Gonna find some time to install it this week. Ive been sitting on it whenever i get the chance, and gee golly, i am excited. I wanted to pick up a electric knife, but decided i didnt want to wait, or spend $15 needless dollars when my sushi knife is probably just as good.  Mangeldbug, what kind of staple gun did you use? I a regular hand one doenst look like it would be able to do the job.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2588962052_ff3558dd57_b.jpg)

Wow, that gel insert is MUCH bigger than mine!  looks nice.

In my original post I had a list of what you will need.  I used an electric staple gun, and electric or pneumatic is HIGHLY recommended.  Just a regular hand one is definitely not going to cut it.  Also two people were required to reinstall the seat cover.  One to stretch and hold the cover in place and a second to staple. 

Alright, so. to add onto what  Mangeldbug did,

get adhesive spray, spray the edges of the seat and vinyl, let it flash for a minute, then stretch, pull, press, then staple. MUCH EASIER. I used a manual staple gun, and well, yea it isnt impossible, but lets just say that it took a lot of strange positions to get leverage, and a lot of power from my massive Herculean deltoids to get the staples to be flush. however, im going to rip it all apart and redo it  when i get an electric knife ( Sushi knife didnt give good cuts.) its not a matter of how sharp it is, its just hte knife sticks to the foam, water helped lubricate it, but i found that really annoying. However i did lower my seat a full 1 inch. With just sandles, i am at the same position i am in with 1inch heel slip on shoes., and im basically flat footed with my boots! the gel pad is great!

Well finally got round to doing the seat, got a seat from the states, (thanks speedracer7c).
Found a hacksaw blade (24tpi) was about the best for carving the pillion foam, flattened out the angle then filled with memory foam cut to size. I then carved a pocket for the gel insert in the front piece by marking the outside shape on the seat then cutting crosshatches about 3/4 inch square with the dremel and a metal cutting blade.I then carved out each little square one at a time. Didn't take as long as it sounds and made a neat job of it.
So far the copilot likes it, so do I, though the longest ride has only been 1/2 hr.
Forgot to take pics, but there is a few lumps and bumps to cut off so next time the cover's off will take a few snaps.

Awesome write up.  Thanks!  I have a feeling this winter is going to see my garage covered in foam bits as well as other various plastic and/or fiberglass chunks.  The only problem I have is actually needing a little more height on the seat.  It's not like I'm squatting on the bike as is (34" inseam) but I think a little reshaping and gel addition would do wonders.  Did getting rid of those little ridges on the upper outside edge of the seat help on long rides?  Maybe it's just my ass being too big, but those edges really dig in on longer rides.  Of course, I can't feel them after the first 100 miles.......

YES, immensely!!  My seat is very comfortable now and there are no "hot spots" even after an all day, several hundred mile ride.

Great write up, I will definately try doing this mod because after a hour my a$$ is sore, thanks for taking the time to post this

Hey Mangeldbug........
Are you still loving this mod?  Any issues with the Sargent Sport Skinz cover.  I'm thinking of doing this with my ST3 seat but when I called Sargent they said that if I modified the foam the cover would no longer fit correctly, expecially if I added a gel pad.  I sent the technician a link to this post but wondering what your thoughts are.

Thanks,
Betty

Yup, I am absolutely still loving this mod.  Definitely the best thing Ive done for my bike (and making me comfortable on it) thus far.  It turned out so well, my husband wants me to modify his Kawasaki seat.  And I have had zero issues with the Sport Skinz cover; I have ridden in the rain and left the bike sitting in the hot sun for hours.  Plus it looks great, because you can choose the colors just like you would a "real" Sargent seat.  The Sport Skinz cover comes as a partially fitted cover.  It slips like a glove over the front edge of the seat that rests against the tank, and then you have to stretch the edges of the cover to fit over the rest of the seat and staple it down.  I suppose if you heavily modified the part of the seat where the cover slipped over and the other edges of the seat, it would fit loose and the rep may have a point.  I didnt really modify (much) the front edge of the seat and I didnt touch the back passenger portion of the seat.  I just shaved down where I sit.  The cover fit great - it does float a little bit over where I shaved out the foam, but I dont care about that.  It doesnt look weird and when I sit on it, it stretches just fine and does no damage to the seat or the cover.  If you were to ADD material or if adding a gel pad would increase the size of the seat, then I dont think the Skinz would fit right.  Otherwise I dont see the problem.

i posted this in the mods forum. this new seat will drop seat height @ 1"

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14545.msg251265#msg251265 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14545.msg251265#msg251265)

That would work too.  Mine is just a vastly cheaper alternative.   :D

Don't know if anyone mentioned this... but where have people bough the gel inserts from?

Well, I got mine from JCWhitney.com.  Dont know where others might have sourced theirs from

Sweet, I'm definitely going to try this this summer not going to spend over $200 on a lowered seat which isn't gel. Hopefully I don't screw up and end up having to buy a new seat haha. Any recommendations besides what you have already mentioned?

Im pretty sure I hit on all the important stuff, but I'll reiterate what I feel is probably the most important stuff:

When shaving the seat, go S L O W.  You can always shave off more, but you cant add it back.

Definitely have a liquid barrier between the seat and the cover.  One came with the Sargent cover I got, but if you reuse your cover just use some sort of thin plastic like Saran Wrap, but make sure it is wide enough so you only need to use one piece to cover your seat.

I now think having an pneumatic or good electric staple gun is a NECESSITY, not just recommended.  (I actually just finished replacing a seat cover on another one of my bikes, and we definitely wouldnt have been able to do it without our electric staple gun.)

Some tips for stapling the seat cover on: two people minimum.  One to stretch, one to staple.  Angle the spot you want to staple on the seat against a table and have the person stapling push all their weight against the staple gun before pulling the trigger.  The plastic seat pan will bend flat(ish) as you push down; basically you want to minimize any movement of the staple gun so that all the momentum of the staple goes INTO the hard plastic and doesnt just bounce back.  It can be a pain, but after going through a few staples you learn what works and what doesnt. 

Good luck! Its definitely worth it

Read through the thread above to see tips from others that have done this - they might give you some good ideas in addition to what I posted. 

awesome! I'm pumped. You know any college kid is all about saving money! Thanks again

Nice ass

 I have modified a seat and used a hand staple gun. It almost drove the staples in, so I followed it with a jewelers hammer and drove them flush with that.