So I redid my seat today with a Seat Concepts foam and cover kit.

High Density foam for my fat ar2e
Carbon style vinyl cover

Tools needed:
flat head screw driver - to pry the staples up
pliers - to pull staples out if stuck
staple gun - recommended to use a air compressor air stapler
stainless steel staples - 6mm (1/4in) legs
contact spray adhesive - I did not use it
silicone spray - I did not use it

I was quoted $120 by 2 auto upholstery shop to fit the seat! WTF!

so I bought the tools...

In Australia I purchased my gear here:
Seat concepts seat was custom ordered through http://www.adventuremoto.com.au/
Air Staple Gun (80 series, 6-16mm leg): $19.95 Ozito @Bunnings
Stainless steel staples (80 Series, 6mm leg, Qty 500): $9.95 http://www.whitworths.com.au/

(Note: Stainless Steel 80 Series Staples are only available in small quantities from http://www.whitworths.com.au/ or http://www.diyupholsterysupplies.com.au/ and I took the tightarse option)


I take no responsibility for your mistakes putting this together.
Use this as a guide as there is no install instruction for plastic wrapping a 2 part foam seat.
If you staple your finger during your install - that is all on you, and you allow us to laugh.

Please read through my guide a few times before doing any work.
Look at the pictures so you can see how I set the seam edges and staples.

1: take off the stock cover and foam by undoing the rusty staples:
- Stick the screwdriver flat blade under the staple (or just the corner) and then twist and lever back against the edge of the plastic seat pan to lift the staple up. Use pliers to fully remove - it is easier.
- Go around and remove all staples.
- in the middle of the pan undo the staples holding the cord, then slip the cord off the plastic pegs - helps to push from the cover side against the seam to reduce cord tension.
- pull cover off and remove the foam

2: Follow the video examples on Youtube - search Seat Concepts Install
3: watch the install videos again!

4: decide if you are going to wrap the foam in plastic or not! If not then skip the bagging steps. The install videos tell you plastic wrapping will help protect the foam from water soaking in as the cover seams are not water proof.
- problem! how do you wrap plastic around a 2 piece foam seat split by the rear seat hump seam pull tags!
- I did not use SC method and use the supplied thin plastic sheet. Water will still get into from the open edge under the foam. Sooo I just used the thick shipping plastic bags that the foam came in - rear foam came in a small bag, and it was all placed into a larger bag.
- Slip rear seat foam font edge to the small bags bottom edge. this means that the bags open end will be pulled back to the rear of the seat.
- Slip the front foam rear edge to the large bags bottom edge. this means that the bags open end will be pulled to the front of the seat.
- the seat hump seam tags that pull the hump to the pan then do not break the waterproofing now.
- Since the foam is fully bagged, I cannot use contact spray adhesive to glue the foam to the pan. I did not need to anyway.
- I also did not need to use silicone spray to help slip the cover around.

5: mount the cover hump 3 pull tags by pushing the tages throu the holes and slip the tag over the plastic peg. Put some staples above and below the plastic pegs to hold the tags in place.

6: take your bagged rear seat foam and center it in the bag. stick it up under the cover against the hump and pull the plastic bag evenly out to the sides. (Note: You will be pulling the plastic and the cover over the edge and up under the pan just like in the SC install videos and stapling them together to the pan.) Gather the open end of the bag over the rear of the pan and then pull cover over the back pan edge. Align pan center with cover seam, pull a little tight so the top seam sits on the back edge of the foam and not on top. Put 2 staples inside pan over the seam to hold in place, maybe one staple either side as well.

7: take your bagged front foam and center it in the bag. stick it up under the cover against the hump and pull the plastic bag evenly out to the sides. (Note: You will be pulling the plastic and the cover over the edge and up under the pan just like in the SC install videos and stapling them together to the pan.) Gather the open end of the bag over the the front and spread wide over the wings.

8: Remember the videos on how to start... Pull the front cover over the wings and evenly align the seams onto the inside edge of the front wings and drop a few holding staples on the wing seams to hold in place. The new foam is thicker at the front edge now compared to stock, so make sure you pull down the cover and feel where the plastic pan is for stapling. My seam is about 10-15mm (~1/2 inch) below the foam front edge and I stapled low (see my pics)

9: Use the video as a guide to stapling around the pan.
- Remember to staple the long sides first after you pull and tug and get the cover even. then work along small sections of the edges zig zagging opposite sides of the pan to keep the tension even from side to side and working out any wrinkles and looseness.
Hint: EDGES go front to back all the way around the seat and what you pull the cover over and back up inside the pan, SIDES are up and down, so a long side is the lowest edge of the pan and furthest away from the seat top.

10: cut the excess open end of the plastic bags back to the vinyl. You can see the plastic sticking out a bit at the rear and the front that I cut in the pictures below. I did not cut any other part of the plastic bag that is sticking out. I just folded it over and tucked it under the vinyl flap. I did not have to cut any of the vinyl as there was no excess and no issues with seat pan moldings hindering the cover as in some of the videos.

Cheers.

Crappy iPhone Pictures:

Finished and mounted:

Nice Job !

I will refer to that post when doing mine !


LOP

how much does that raise the front edge of the seat?

Here's a photo of mine. Seat Concepts are quite flat, just what I like.

Attached Thumbnails

 

might have to do this eventually.

I ordered a cover and foam from SC and just found your post. Very much appreciated. I found out my mechanical stapler was not beefy enough so I found a refurbished pneumatic one on Amazon and SS staples for under $30 total.
I will be referring to your instructions!

Difference in comfort?

The original Seat Concepts foam/cover will raise your seating position by at least an inch.

They now have a "low" version available.

Details:
This seat is 1 INCH lower. The rear of the seat is dished to eliminate the forward slope that the stock seat has.

Uses the stock rear foam.

The standard density is good for riders 160 - 240 lbs.

Softer and firmer foam available on request for no extra charge.

Gigitt, can you hear any "crinkling" or whatever of the plastic bags you used for the foam when you sit on the bike? Or any fitment issues? My order should come Monday, so I can't compare the bags you used and the actual liner yet.

@Squishman No I do not hear and crinkling or plastic squeeking, but there is wrinkle lines showing in the forward area under the thigh from the plastic bunching up.

Note: i used the heavy plastic that the foam ships in to cover the seat and not the supplied thin stuff. The thin stuff is a like cling wrap that does not cling only thicker.

How much high is it I think between the 2-8cm high across the seat. the front has the most high but even the pan feels higher.

How comfortable is it? well I don't have much to compare it too.. My hips and inner thighs cramp up with the stock seat on long trips - longest was 400km with an airhawk.
Since using the SC seat my hips and inner thighs have not cramped up - that good for me.

I have just recently done my longest trips from Sydney to Canberra and back 12 hour day trip.
2 weeks ago I just slabbed it there and back visiting the National War Memorial. My ass was getting sore @450km even with an Airhawk R, my back injury was causing me issues - but that may be the 3.5 hour walkng around the Memorial.

Today I just got back from a another Sydney to Canberra and back 12 hour day trip. This time I met a friend 1/2 way there and we rode the back roads to Canberra. I also test rode his 2010 Super Tenere for 50km . Had the most awesome Turkish Kebab for lunch, then ripped the ECU out of the Super Tenere to get flashed, then I rode home. 610km today and my PB. Bum was starting to get sore @500km again using an Airhark R, but my back was great - (so it was all that walking in the Museum that hurt my back last time! not riding hahahaha) No Hip or inner thigh cramps.

So is the SC seat good... I like it as it puts my body higher and in a different position so my Hips and Inner thighs don't cramp. The fact that my butt get sore at 500ish Km... welll I dont think any Versys 650 seat can solve that! I have a fat arse!

But the Super Tenere I rode had a Seat Concepts seat and it was fantastic!!!! wider and better position. :P

Thx Gigitt. Can you envision a way to just poke a couple holes in the supplied liner for the pull tags?
Perhaps they've corrected that issue since July and the process will be in their instructions. I'll find out tomorrow I think.

Poking holes and now it is not water proof !!!


You might be able to wrap the seats like a taco with the fold at the join.

holding onto 3 layers while puling and stapling will be fun - it might work as the side and front openings sort of get sealed as you pull it back over the pan edge and staple it up under the edge lip

I put mine together today. Went fairly well. I used the plastic sheet over the foam by just tucking it in as close as I could from the middle back and from the middle forward. I also used 3M 77 spray adhesive on the pan. I am hoping the the few minor wrinkles will smooth out after a ride or two next Spring.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Can I expect the minor wrinkles to smooth themselves out after a ride or two in warm weather?

Maybe.

But it looks lik you need to undo some staples and pull the vinyl tighter.
down near the lower thigh (bottom curve) and up towards the middle join.

I had to undo a few staples each side on mine a couple of times and pull and staple again till I got an even tension in the vinyl and the wrinkles out.

SC video mentions this... you will never get the vinyl on smooth 1st staple!

The wrinkles in mine are from the thick plastic underneath and not loose vinyl.

Thx for the tip. I see at least two spots I can re-do.