Thunderbird 900 seat

[dearborn]

I have a '96 Thunderbird 900. The seat is awful! After 30 minutes, I'm squirming and my butt is sore. Looks like maybe the PO had short legs? and maybe cut down, kind of "scooped" the foam in the front part of the seat a bit. At any rate, the foam is 22 years old and worn out. Have a Corbin seat, foam is nicely stiff and fairly comfortable, but EWWW! That seat is ugly! Have an "Air Hawk" inflatable strap on pad that works, sorta, but like sitting on a hemorrhoid cushion and adds to seat height making for tippy toes at stops. Asked here elsewhere for suggestions = foam replacement, gel inserts, etc. Not a lot of response. No need to buy a new seat, mine in great condition, but want to make this one better. Any ideas out there?

 

[Gogreen]

as a temporary relief, try a pair of cycling shorts under your jeans/leathers, old trick but cheap and effective

 

[triumph david]

My wife and i have some gell pads, they work but do add a little height in the saddle. The thing that brothers me is my age, you get older and get tired quick, i have a year or 2 on you so you probably are feeling like me.

 

[dearborn]

I'll be 70 in March, riding since 1965, R knee replacement in 2012, average maybe 3-5k miles per year on Triumph, Norton and Aprilia. Actually a little height in the seat, maybe 1/2 inch would be OK. 22 year old foam squashes right down with weight. Have an "AIRHAWK" inflatable pad that works OK for long rides, but not so good in town. Need some quite firm closed cell foam, like that used in those "plywood" Corbin seats. Keeeping an eye out for a cheap donor Corbin on EBay.

 

[dearborn]

GEE! Finding proper foam for seat is harder than I thought, hence my idea of using Corbin "plywood" foam from a donor seat

 

[Qship]

May be a auto upholstery shop? They would have different density foams for car seats. Should be able to shape one for your seat.

 

[dearborn]

Yes, but auto trim shops I've spoken to use a much softer foam, not firm enough for my purpose

 

[JoDArk]

This is late and you may have solved your problem, but I have heard that the rebond foam used under rugs make a good base for seats....glued in layers like plywood then cut to shape as needed and some use a piece of memory foam on top before the cover is replaced.

 

[dearborn]

I will definitely look into your suggestion, thanks! I do have one of those goofy looking Corbin seats for this bike. Like all Corbins, hard as a rock and with low "superbike bend" 'bars, puts me too far back for comfort, though my daughter much prefers the Corbin when she's back there.. I can get about 30 minutes on stock seat before squirming; think P.O. shaved foam down to fit stubby legs as there is a good bit of contact cement on underside. "Airhawk" inflatable cushion works well if you can get past that sensation of floating around on top of the seat. Best seat ever? swap meet $40 "pillow" seat for my 2000 cop H-D Road King with thick sheepskin cover. Cool in hot weather, warm in cool weather, no sweaty butt burn. Avoid getting it wet! Clean/ dry it with air hose

 

[dearborn]

Update 2 years later; removed seat cover, removed section of foam right at nose of seat where plastic base rises up to interfere with the "family jewels"- installed 20mm gel pad in recess retaining stock height of foam. Re-installed seat cover with contact cement and wide crown air stapler from Harbor Freight. Verdict; good improvement, but still could be better. Before- after 30 minutes, butt sore, "boys" unhappy. After- seat pretty "firm" but OK for hour+. Floppy "Air Hawk" no longer used- just as well as lost part of Schrader inflation valve

 

[B25bsaboy]

I have a '96 Thunderbird 900. The seat is awful! After 30 minutes, I'm squirming and my butt is sore. Looks like maybe the PO had short legs? and maybe cut down, kind of "scooped" the foam in the front part of the seat a bit. At any rate, the foam is 22 years old and worn out. Have a Corbin seat, foam is nicely stiff and fairly comfortable, but EWWW! That seat is ugly! Have an "Air Hawk" inflatable strap on pad that works, sorta, but like sitting on a hemorrhoid cushion and adds to seat height making for tippy toes at stops. Asked here elsewhere for suggestions = foam replacement, gel inserts, etc. Not a lot of response. No need to buy a new seat, mine in great condition, but want to make this one better. Any ideas out there?

There is one thing that I’ve always hated on all my Triumph TBird 900 and that is the seat. From a styling aspect, the dished look towards the tank may look cool, but always caused my knees to ache, when riding. Knew the answer was to Get rid of the dish in the foam and straighten out so that the seat is relatively level.

As you can see, on the left is the original seat and on the right is the seat I rebuilt with a donor seat I found on eBay that was overall much better condition than my original. Got a matching seat cover From the UK, used the old foam and had my upolstery shop rebuild it and added a new passenger grab strap, thus here is the result. Sat and road tested it and my knees are thanking me

So if anyone need a donor seat I have one.

 

[dearborn]

There is one thing that I’ve always hated on all my Triumph TBird 900 and that is the seat. From a styling aspect, the dished look towards the tank may look cool, but always caused my knees to ache, when riding. Knew the answer was to Get rid of the dish in the foam and straighten out so that the seat is relatively level.

As you can see, on the left is the original seat and on the right is the seat I rebuilt with a donor seat I found on eBay that was overall much better condition than my original. Got a matching seat cover From the UK, used the old foam and had my upolstery shop rebuild it and added a new passenger grab strap, thus here is the result. Sat and road tested it and my knees are thanking me

So if anyone need a donor seat I have one.

Looks great! The front end of the "dish" in the seat is where the problem is- plastic seat pan has very little padding over raised portion of pan mount. 20mm gel pad I installed is MUCH better- but turned 30 minutes till "squirming" into about hour +. Your solution looks much better.