SEAT
RESTORATION SLIDE SHOWS SCROLL
DOWN FOR 40 + SLIDE SHOW LINKS Cool
Retro Bikes offers MORE
SERVICES than ANYONE / ANYWHERE! We
specialize in
OEM ORIGNAL ISSUE FACTORY SEAT COVER PRESERVATION /RESTORATION The
owner T.D. Bash has been repairing, recolorizing, & restoring vinyl, leather,
plastics cloth and other materials for over 20 years and is considered a master
of the repair trade and has taught the trade as well as represented a leading
supplier of tools and supplies of this field at trade shows thru out the country. About
half of CRB's work involves saving, vinyl
/ leather repairing, dyeing /restoring color to, reinstalling logos to, restoring
trim on original OEM seat covers. This
is particularly important when there is no accurate / historically correct seat
cover available for the customers particular model bike. Most late 1960's and
newer motorcycles had embossed pattern heat seam designs in the top panels of
OEM seats. These type covers cannot be accurately
reproduced in 99% of most cases. This where CRB
comes to the rescue for the restorer / enthusiast! We
are possibly the ONLY seat restoration shop that offers this vast array of unique
hard to find services for vintage original OEM cover seats:
VINYL , LEATHER &/or CLOTH repair of rips, tears, holes, cuts, cat claw marks,
seam seperations, cigarette burns, vinyl melt spots from heat , solvents &/or
paint.
VINYL , LEATHER &/or CLOTH repair of broken , seperated or missing welt
cord, welting , piping trim
VINYL , LEATHER &/or CLOTH exact color matching recolorization /
custom color dye service
Foam repairs / renewal / replacement. From seat foam base repairs to resurfacing
to replacing foam strips on pleats that have gone flat.
Pan breather hole / foam renewal. Critical if your old foam is old, rust stained,
crumbling thru the seat pan breather holes. We even match the OEM foam color!
OEM Rubber cushion renewal. Critical when new OEM rubber pan cushions are no
longer available.
Pan hardware renewal. Critical when new OEM hardware parts (plungers,
springs, latches, hinges etc) are no longer available. Includes frame style spring
renewal and foam barrier replacement
Trim Strip Renewal or Replacement. Critical when new OEM chrome / stainless trim
strip molding is damaged, rusty, bent or worse yet MISSING!
Seat passenger belt / buddy strap restitching, renewal of color and related hardware
and replacement with vintage original OEM or matched reproduction belts.
Show Chrome replating service or replacement of OEM buddy strap buckles and bolts
/ realted hardware. Critical when new OEM chrome buckles are damaged, rusty, bent
or worse yet MISSING!
Reinstall of OEM logos. If we dont have a logo for your seat, we can in most cases,
custom make it. Logos are always accurate to size, font style, appearence and
are carefully applied using a logo mask and airbrush. Logo is applied with custom
mixed to match vintage OEM colors / high performance vinyl dyes, NOT cheap spray
bomb cans! 20 years of field experience in exact color matching thousands of shades
/ colors of vinyls, leathers, & cloths will assure your logo is not only the
correct color but is accurate and of the highest quality material and wont smear
if contacted by gasoline & solvents.
SEAT
RESTORATION SLIDE SHOWS: Below
are just a very few examples of various makes and models of seats we have restored
over the past 35 years we have been preserving /restoring vintage motorcycle seats
for our customers ( NOTE:
use the full screen icon in lower right hand corner to enlarge and see details)
HARLEY DAVIDSON XLCH
BOAT TAIL http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d22266871k6068956o1/harley-boat-tail XLCH
SPORTSTER 60s TOURING http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d22266258k8011897o1/harley-xlch-tour XLCH
IRON HEAD SPORTSTER http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d22265657k9785616o1/harley-sportster
FLH
ELECTRO GLIDE http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d5178442k3937014o1/65-harley-davidson-flh-seat-restoration-
HONDA ATC
FOURTRAX http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d8545367k8892552o1/honda-fourtrax-seat XL250 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d12258054k7092007o1/xl250-seat 305
SUPER HAWK http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d7394275k5857977o1/super-hawk-seat 305
SCRAMBLER http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d7922473k7879972o1/cl72-scrambler--red-pan CB350K3 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d20885754k9805232o1/honda-cb350k3-seat CB350K2 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d4533175k1061523o1/cb350k2-seat-preservation CL350K0 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d7548105k2396359o1/cl350k0-seat CL350K1 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d6913185k9912201o1/cl350k1-seat CL350K2 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d18667000k1864198o1/honda-cl350k2-seat SL350K1 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d22268357k8021843o1/sl350k1 SL350K2 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d4464129k4728589o1/sl350k2
CB450D
SCRAMBLER http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d10616751k2141241o1/cb450d-seat-restoration CB550K
FOUR http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d21715228k1036228o1/cb550-four-oem-cover-preserved- CB550F
BLACK http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d6571641k9473879o1/cb550f-2 CB550F
BROWN http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d6402565k9610546o1/cb550f CB750K0
SAND CAST http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d18093004k8381767o1/cb750k0-sandcast-2 CB900C
CUSTOM http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d11204972k1970312o1/cb900c-seat CBX
1000 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d8840119k9459288o1/cbx-seat GL1000
GOLD WING http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d9216162k5141990o1/gl1000-seat GL1000
LTD http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d9324793k3207766o1/gl1000-ltd-seat
KAWASAKI 100
TRAIL BOSS http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d9366788k6993014o1/kawasaki-g4tr-100-trail-boss-seat H-1
500 Z1 SUZUKI
X6
250 HUSTLER http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d9582301k5602871o1/suzuki-x6-250-seat T500
TITAN http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d7644665k3477609o1/suzuki-t-500-seat-restoration GS1100ES http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d8700558k9458667o1/suzuki-gs1100es-seat YAMAHA YDS2 http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d12320725k9204657o1/1964-yamaha-yds2-yds3-seat-restoration TRIUMPH 500
DAYTONA http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow-maker/d9923307k7712912o1/triumph-daytona-500-seat
For
more information, pricing and representational photos on all our specialized services
please browse our various SEAT RESTORATION pages:
BASIC SEAT RESTORATION SERVICES
SEAT
RESTORATION SUPPLEMENT GALLERY
SEAT RESTORATION SERVICES LIST & PRICING
OEM SEMI RESTORED SEATS FOR SALE
SEAT
RESTORATION TESTIMONIALS
If you are shopping around on the internet or eBay auctions for a reproduction
SEAT COVER, here's a list of IMPORTANT MOST OVERLOOKED DETAIL QUESTIONS to ask
the manufacturer or seller of the seat cover you are considering to make sure
you are truely getting the BEST VALUE FOR YOUR DOLLAR $$$$:
WE CHALLENGE OUR COMPETITORS TO OFFER ALL OF THE FOLLOWING QUALITY FEATURES
& /OR EXCLUSIVE SERVICES !
SEAT
COVER CHECK LIST PRINT OUT:
Is the Cover Material Premium
Grade or Marine Grade UV Coated &/or 2-Way Stretch vinyl for extra
ease of installation , better fit and supreme longevity. Post
Assembly, are the seams trimmed down to 1/4"
to match original , particularly factory heat seaming (as small as 1/8")
This makes a difference in how the cover fits. When
applicable, is there a Double Hemmed Mounting Skirt
included ? When applicable
to under seat mounting, does the kit BELTcome
with New Heavy Gauge Aluminum/ Non-Rusting Belt Mount
Reinforcements , as well as New Metric Mounting Washers & Nuts?
Is
the Welt Cord the correct size & color? (ie: some vintage
covers required Black/ White/Gray/ Chrome Silver SMALL
Welt Cord / NOT large size automotive welting &
NOT welt cord made by covering a cloth core with
vinyl . THIS IS INCORRECT FOR 99% of SEATS. Many
shops make their own welt cording using the seat vinyl stitched over a cloth core
OR they use larger automotive welt cord . WRONG!
This method is much cheaper and more readily available.
ALL of our welt cords are the CORRECT
SIZE & COLOR! Is
the
Welt Cord Begin / End Point in correct location?
On most belted seats the welt cord ends = stop/start point meets under the belt
so it is hidden. MOST upholstery shops start the welt cord in the front and hide
rthe ends with a small strip of vinyl (WRONG!) because it is much simpler and
quicker to 'center' the welt cord and vinyl pieces and stitch the top & sides
together in one step. Starting the welt cord at the side where it is supposed
to be per OEM requires FOUR extra steps in the pattern and stitching process =
more time, labor costs, etc. ALL of our seat cover kits are sewn CORRECTLY as
they were at the OEM factory! This is a CRITICAL question to ask the maker of
the seat cover you are considering purchasing! If you show your bike in competition,
this seemingly small detail alone can cost you POINTS and a TROPHY!
On
Pleated Top Panel cover ..is
it machine stitched or is it correct factory style faux stitch heat seam
& if so are the end panels non pleated & correct width or is the
entire top panel pleated? Is
The Vinyl Grain a
close as possible match in grain
pattern &/or color?
Will the company provide SAMPLES of both WELT
CORD & VINYLS used in their covers? Go ahead and ask them. 99%
of our competition use the wrong vinyls and welt cords Is
the replacement logo the correct size, style &
color and what is used to apply the logo? (Ours are applied
with pro-grade laquer based dyes per OEM which are fuel/gas resistent and
come in a variety of styles, sizes & colors) NOT
ENAMEL SPRAY CAN PAINT!! Imagine
the scenerio where you are working on your bike and get carb cleaner or gas on
your hands or rag and you just happen to touch the rear of your seat ? Our LOGO
will NOT be affected..THEIR
spray can paint logo WILL SMUDGE &/or COME OFF and
be RUINED!! Does
the kit come with new mounting hardware for
the chrome trim strip or new hand polished / clear coated / chrome button rivets?
In
the case of vintage colored covers (ie: Reds,
Blues, etc) , if the exact color & grain of new vinyl cannot be
located , is dyeing the cover the correct shade an option?
If
your seat's chrome trim strip is missing,
dented , rusty? Do THEY they offer a replacement
molding option with their seat covers
? Cool Retro Bikes offers a
superior custom made to your seat replacement chrome trim strip molding
as an option to our seat cover kits or as a seperate item for those missing the
trim strip or have rusty, dented unusable trim strip. Does
the kit come with complete in depth mounting instructions?
Ours is THREE PAGES and offers tips on removal
of old hardware, trim strip, and refinishing tips for pan /frame and reinstall
of cover, belt, belt reinforcers, and trim strip / button rivets, more!
Are multi-view
pictures available of the cover kit ( and seat pan when applicable)
Does the kit include ON-LINE
- PHONE SUPPORT for the 1st Time Do-It-Yourselfer?
FINALLY..Does
the company selling the cover offer INSTALLATION SERVICES
as well as COMPLETE FRAME UP RESTORATION SERVICES
should you opt to leave the job to professionals? COOL
RETRO BIKES DOES!!!
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