Don't shave your seat, repad it for $14!

[Benski]

I'm 5'6" and 180 lbs. geared up.  I have a Honda CRF250X for trail riding.  The bike is tall for me, so I initially backed off the shock preload so I could reach the ground.  That made the back end spongy.  I then set the proper sag for my weight, and I couldn't touch the ground.  I wasn't crazy about shaving the seat, so I started looking into companies that lowered seats.  That would cost between $130-$170 and would use my seat and cover.  I thought about removing the existing foam and using thinner foam.  No other thread mentioned doing that.  I removed the cover and carefully started pulling back the foam from the seat pan/tray.  It came off pretty easily and in one piece.  Then I started shopping for replacement foam.  I went to Home Depot, Lowe's, a fabric store, a crafts store, and finally ended up at a Marshall's looking at yoga mats.  I bought a 13mm mat and used that.  I cut a piece for the center and duct taped it in place, then I traced and cut a piece to cover the whole seat.  Use some spray adhesive, which I bought while at Lowe's, to hold it to the plastic.  Staple the cover back on and there you go!  The seat is now 2" shorter and feels like a gel seat.  The center of the seat is double thickness and the rest is a single thickness.  I've ridden on it now several times and it feels fine.  I wished I had taken pictures of it now, but I wasn't sure how it would turn out.  I can always change the seat back to original if I would like.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Benski
rewording

[Swappa]

About to buy my 9yo an 85cc motocross bike. This is just the advice I needed. Thank you!

[gitenby]

Post a pic

[SenorThumpy]

15 hours ago, Benski said:

I'm 5'6" and 180 lbs. geared up.  I have a Honda CRF250X for trail riding.  The bike is tall for me, so I initially backed off the shock preload so I could reach the ground.  That made the back end spongy.  I then set the proper sag for my weight, and I couldn't touch the ground.  I wasn't crazy about shaving the seat, so I started looking into companies that lowered seats.  That would cost between $130-$170 and would use my seat and cover.  I thought about removing the existing foam and using thinner foam.  No other thread mentioned doing that.  I removed the cover and carefully started pulling back the foam from the seat pan/tray.  It came off pretty easily and in one piece.  Then I started shopping for replacement foam.  I went to Home Depot, Lowe's, a fabric store, a crafts store, and finally ended up at a Marshall's looking at yoga mats.  I bought a 13mm mat and used that.  I cut a piece for the center and duct taped it in place, then I traced and cut a piece to cover the whole seat.  Use some spray adhesive, which I bought while at Lowe's, to hold it to the plastic.  Staple the cover back on and there you go!  The seat is now 2" shorter and feels like a gel seat.  The center of the seat is double thickness and the rest is a single thickness.  I've ridden on it now several times and it feels fine.  I wished I had taken pictures of it now, but I wasn't sure how it would turn out.  I can always change the seat back to original if I would like.

Apparently yoga mats are a versatile material for us. Someone else was using a yoga mat as a tire liner for their studded setup. Way to be creative

[slowmoto]

You will find the yoga mat will flatten after a dozen or so rides and you will bruise your butt. What's better is gel.

https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Polymer-Gel-Sheet-Thick/dp/B00LGCZQZU

Heavy and expensive but won't flatten out.

[Benski]

9 hours ago, slowmoto said:

You will find the yoga mat will flatten after a dozen or so rides and you will bruise your butt. What's better is gel.

https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Polymer-Gel-Sheet-Thick/dp/B00LGCZQZU

Heavy and expensive but won't flatten out.

I'll see.  It is closed cell foam, so it will only flatten out if all the cells are burst, and I don't see that happening.  I really don't sit down much when I ride, and I wear compression shorts with built in padding under my MX pants, so I should be good.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Benski
rewording