Leather Motorcycle Seat From a Leather Jacket

The inspiration for this project came out of necessity for new seat foam, and thus a new seat covering for an old DR350. The result was a remarkably cheap and comfortable, not to mention good looking seat.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials

•Old motorcycle seat.

•Old leather jacket. These can be found at thrift stores for under $10.

•Spray adhesive.

•Foam mat if seat foam is old and hard.

Tools

•Flat head screwdriver.

•Staple gun and staples.

•Scissors.

Step 2: Tear Down

Now that we have the materials, the next step is to tear down the old seat. Using the flathead screwdriver, pry out all the old staples and remove the old seat cover.

Step 3: Re-Foam

Now you'll be left with a chunk of foam and the plastic seat pan. Since the foam on my particular seat was old and hard, I cut some of it out. Next, I used spray adhesive to glue in pieces of the exercise mat until the original shape was restored.

Step 4: Cover It Up

Now that the foam is addressed, we can start the leather covering process. The idea here is to pull the jacket as tight as possible over the seat, and staple it in place. Staple the front and back first to ensure the jacket is centered. In my case, the collar of the jacket fit over the very front of the seat. Now pull the sides tight around to the bottom of the pan and staple them as you work your way around the seat. You may have to do some folding and cutting of excess material as you go.

Step 5: Finish It Off

Now that the leather is around the seat, you can begin the finishing process. First, wherever there are wrinkles or the leather is loose, pour boiling water over the leather. This will make the leather get soft and shrink up the wrinkles.

After the wrinkles are removed, let the leather dry completely. Now you can use a finishing compound to keep the leather well oiled and water resistant. Follow the instructions on the product you use.

And that's it! Now go for a ride, with improved comfort and style.