The underside of the old seat - rather rusty!
When it was on the bike, the seat looked a bit tatty but quite secure. However when it was removed from the bike and we looked underneath, that was another story.
I had planned to get the seat re-covered anyway; this is an everyday procedure here in India and little shacks can be found on most main roads selling new covers ready to be fitted to all sorts of bike seats.
But this seat would require more than just re-covering as the edges had rusted away and the mounting points were getting rather thin. It looked like water had got into the foam via some cuts in the outer fabric and this had acted like a sponge holding the water next to the metal which inevitably then succumbed to the rust.
Luckily though there was enough material for it to be used as a pattern for making a new seat and so off it was sent to the relevant technician…
Great site, I wondered if you have ever recovered a seat? I’ve just got my foam from ‘Leighton’ and am about to start on my Model 31. If you have any tips would be very useful.
Cheers Alasdair
Hi Alasdair. No sorry, I don’t have any tips for recovering your seat. I got mine recovered back in India – it was in pretty bad shape when I got the bike, as you can see in the above picture. It is one of the few jobs done there that has lasted well! Good luck with fitting your new cover. James 🙂
I am refurbishing a 3GL in South Africa, and ordered a seat from a company in England. It arrived eventually with the correct red piping, and beautifully made – but in Pakistan. Upon fitting it, all the holes and slots lined up perfectly, and I am really pleased with it.