KLR650 Gel Pad Seat Modification

Other saddles ...

Althoug wider and more comfortable than many dual sport saddles, the KLR seat can use some improvement for long trips. Although there are aftermarket saddles available Corbin and conversion services available from Mayer, Seargents and Russell, the gift of a half inch thick Equigel pad put me in do-it-yourself mode. The result shown above looks just as good (to me) as the stock saddle. Tell tale signs other than the color are the lack of the "Kawasaki" letters on the sides and the hump (detectable in the photo) where the gel pad ends about two inches from the rear end of the seat.

The stock KLR has a 35 inch seat height. Be warned that this results in a seat that is almost and inch higher, and over an inch wider at the thigh. Unless you can flatfoot the KLR with both feet this may not be a good seating option for you.

Materials

a stock seat
a half inch Equigel pad (this one designed for horse saddles)
one square yard of black vinyl (marine grade is beter)
one square yard of half inch foam (closed cell is better if you can find it)
scissors
staple gun and staples

The process

I started with an old KLR650 seat I bought off ebay. It was from a prior year KLR and was the wrong color, but no matter. It was unlikely the seat cover would fit on the seat after the addition of the gel pad and extra foam. I wanted to retain the stock seat in case this one turned out to be to tall for off-road riding.

Next I removed the staples holding the cover to the seat pan and then inspected the foam. It looked good to go.

The half inch thick Equigel pad turned out to be just the right shape in the front and almost long enough to cover the entire seat foam. This pad has a curved front edge because it was desinged for use under a horse saddle. I lined the curve front edge up with the front of the seat and used duct tape to hold the pad in place.

I layed a half inch foam pad nose to nose with the front of the seat and duct taped it in place. Next I layed the seat upside down on the foam and traced a line where the foam should be cut. I cut the foam with scissors, and duct taped it on like the gel pad. Note that the foam is not just for extra padding, but to hide the details of the wringled gel pad cover and reduce the visibility of the step down hump where the gel pad ends. This way the covered seat will be smooth and professional looking. Quarter inch foam may have worked for this purpose.

I layed the original cover over the black vinyl and traced a pattern about three inches larger than the original cover. The extra material is not only for the extra gel and foam but to allow extra working material for a good hand hold while stretching the cover over the seat.

Starting with one staple on each side about in the middle I bagan to stretch the vinyl over the seat and staple it to the plastic seat pan. The warmer the vinyl, the better it stretches. Also place the staples knowing that the first few will be removed later and replaced as you continue to stretch and staple. This is an iterative process.

Gradually the seat cover takes the shape of the seat as it is streched tight over the top layer of foam. As the cover becomes tight, gradually cut the extra material hanging off beyond the staples in the seat pan. You will also need to trim the vinyl to stretch around the brackets on the seat pan that bolt to the bike.

Sweet success. When the cover is stapled tightly, the seat looks almost like a stock seat on steriods. It is thicker and puffier than the stocker.

	I started with an old KLR650 seat I bought off ebay. It was from a prior year KLR and was the wrong color, but no matter. It was unlikely the seat cover would fit on the seat after the addition of the gel pad and extra foam. I wanted to retain the stock seat in case this one turned out to be to tall for off-road riding.
	Next I removed the staples holding the cover to the seat pan and then inspected the foam. It looked good to go.
	The half inch thick Equigel pad turned out to be just the right shape in the front and almost long enough to cover the entire seat foam. This pad has a curved front edge because it was desinged for use under a horse saddle. I lined the curve front edge up with the front of the seat and used duct tape to hold the pad in place.
	I layed a half inch foam pad nose to nose with the front of the seat and duct taped it in place. Next I layed the seat upside down on the foam and traced a line where the foam should be cut. I cut the foam with scissors, and duct taped it on like the gel pad. Note that the foam is not just for extra padding, but to hide the details of the wringled gel pad cover and reduce the visibility of the step down hump where the gel pad ends. This way the covered seat will be smooth and professional looking. Quarter inch foam may have worked for this purpose.
	I layed the original cover over the black vinyl and traced a pattern about three inches larger than the original cover. The extra material is not only for the extra gel and foam but to allow extra working material for a good hand hold while stretching the cover over the seat.
	Starting with one staple on each side about in the middle I bagan to stretch the vinyl over the seat and staple it to the plastic seat pan. The warmer the vinyl, the better it stretches. Also place the staples knowing that the first few will be removed later and replaced as you continue to stretch and staple. This is an iterative process.
	Gradually the seat cover takes the shape of the seat as it is streched tight over the top layer of foam. As the cover becomes tight, gradually cut the extra material hanging off beyond the staples in the seat pan. You will also need to trim the vinyl to stretch around the brackets on the seat pan that bolt to the bike.
	Sweet success. When the cover is stapled tightly, the seat looks almost like a stock seat on steriods. It is thicker and puffier than the stocker.