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DIY: Seat Concepts Install on a Scrambler Icon

11K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  Lawis 
#1 ·
Well, I finally got around to installing my Seat Concepts kit today. I love everything about the Scrambler except the stock seat. I knew the day I picked up the bike that I had to do something about it.

I don't remember seeing any really in-depth DIYs on installing this kit on a Scrambler in particular, so I thought I'd write one up.

First thing's first, the tools you'll need. I live right down the street from a Lowe's, so I sourced everything there:

Staple Puller.
Shop Arrow Fastener Staple Puller at Lowes.com
You'll be pulling lots of staples, and using the correct tool is a lot easier than fiddling with a screwdriver and scratching stuff.

Tack Hammer.
Shop VAUGHAN 5-oz Tack Hammer at Lowes.com
Occasionally you'll end up with a staple that didn't seat all the way, and this will help you drive it home flush.

Spray adhesive. Normally I'd use some 3M stuff for this, but they were out, so I used a Locktite product that's basically the same thing:
Shop LOCTITE 13.5-fl oz Bonding Multipurpose Adhesive at Lowes.com

Stapler.
This was my "issue" with this project. Some people that do these claim you can do it with a hand stapler or an electric stapler. No way could I have done it with either. I tried an electric (a nice, $50 one) and it just wouldn't drive the staples into the Scramber's seat pan. I ended up biting the bullet and buying an air compressor and pneumatic stapler, and I'm glad I did. The job was SO easy with the right tools, and now I can inflate my own tires at home, and I have some other uses for the compressor as well (home improvement stuff).

I bought this compressor:
Shop Kobalt 2-Gallon Portable 125-PSI Electric Twin Stack Air Compressor at Lowes.com
It was on sale for about $70.

This stapler:
Shop Arrow Fastener 0.5625-in 16-Gauge Pneumatic Stapler at Lowes.com
Which was $29.

I used 1/4" (6mm) staples:
Shop Arrow Fastener 1,250-Count 0.25-in Heavy-Duty Staples at Lowes.com

The staples that come out of the seat from the factory are 1/4" (6mm) also, so I used the same.

Now, to get started.

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The seat, off of the bike. Flip it over and start pulling staples.

Nail


Yay, pull more staples!

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When you finally get all the staples out, take the old seat cover off.

Automotive exterior Bumper Auto part Vehicle


Now, it's time to take the old foam off. Ducati glues it on at the factory, so if you think you want to save your old foam, go *slowly* and carefully. Mine was glued on around the lower parts of the sides and at the very back. Getting it loose from that glue without damaging it was tricky, and I tore it in a few places.

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Finally, you'll be left with a bare seat pan. On mine, you can see the glue residue.

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Fortunately, this is easily removed by judicious application of a heat gun and then rubbing it.

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After the pan is cleaned to your satisfaction, it's time to glue the foam on. I sprayed some adhesive on to the front of the pan, down along the sides, and around the rear. Then I set the foam on the table, and carefully placed the pan on to it. Once I was happy, I pressed everything in to place and let it set up.

I wanted a "waterproof" seat, so next I wrapped the foam in the sheet of plastic that Seat Concepts provides. I pulled it fairly tight, but I didn't go nuts. The excess I just tucked under the bottom. Later on, after the cover is all stapled, I cut off the excess plastic with a razor blade.

Now it's time to start stapling. When you do this with an air stapler, you'll want to adjust your air pressure so that the staples are driven fully in but not so hard that they cut right through the vinyl. For me, this was about 60PSI, which was the low end for this staple gun. Unfortunately, this is also where I stopped taking as many pictures, because I had to make a trip back to Lowe's to return the electric stapler and buy the compressor and the pneumatic one. I started by pulling the front of the cover nice and tight over the front of the foam, and tacking it in place with three staples.

Then I went all the way to the rear, pulled it as tight as I could along the length of the seat, and tacked it down with two more staples. This is where you want to be VERY careful. I misaligned the rear end, so the middle of the cover is offset about 1/4" to 1/2" to the right. Not bad, but I know it's there.

Then, starting at the front, I worked slowly back along the seat, pulling the cover as tight as I could and tacking it every few inches, and then going back and driving staples all along the length. Pay particular attention to making sure that everything is even side - to - side, and that you're drawing the cover nice and tight across the top of the seat.

When you get to some of the corners, the vinyl will want to bunch up funny. Cut a small slit with a razor blade and lay the two bits flat and drive a staple through them. This will help the cover lay flat around bends and curves. You can see some of this in several places here:

Auto part Vehicle


I had to cut out small areas of the vinyl to get it to tuck nicely around some of the rubber blocks, which you can also see in the above image.

Eventually, you'll have all the staples in, and everything will be happy:

Auto part Automotive exterior


And finally, the completed seat, on the table and on the bike:

Tire Automotive tire Automotive design Auto part Automotive wheel system
 
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#2 · (Edited)
It wouldn't let me attach any more images, so here it is on the bike:

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I wasn't initially sure, but now I really like the brown on a red bike.

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I haven't ridden it yet, but from sitting on the bike, it's MUCH more comfortable than the stock seat.

Overall thoughts:

It's a good kit. The cover that I got was a little too long (I would have liked it tighter, and the seams at the rear of the cover don't line up the way that the stock seat did so that you have a nice vertical bit (where it said "Ducati" on the stock seat) below the rear seam. On this cover, the rear seam goes almost all the way to the rear of the pan. It was also nearly too narrow. I *really* had to pull it quite tight to have enough cover to staple around the lowest bits of the sides.

You definitely, DEFINITELY want an air stapler. I suppose it's possible to do this with a hand stapler or an electric one, but it was SO much easier with the air tools. Plus, I can fill my own tires now as well as other stuff.

Most of all, take your time and get it right. Don't be afraid to pull staples as you go if you mess it up a little or need to re-stretch or re do something.
 
#3 ·
And now that I've put some miles on it:

This completely transforms the bike. Before I couldn't go 20 miles without wanting a break.Today I did 100. I did get off once or twice, but it was by choice, not out of need. It also helps soak up the bumps that the suspension doesn't handle, and I no longer feel a hard "pop" every time I hit a seam in the road.

The added height does make the bike feel a little different, and I had to re-learn things a little. The cover is also a LOT more slick than the OEM one and I found myself sliding around a little if I wasn't careful (I was wearing my Hood jeans, which are poly / cotton blend).

All in all, though, I love the Seat Concepts kit. It's certainly the best thing for the money if you want a more comfortable seat.

A pic from today:

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#5 ·
Three bolts, actually.

That's a Kryptonite Stronghold Anchor.
Amazon.com : Kryptonite 330202 Black 16mm Above Ground Stronghold Anchor : Trailer Light Kit : Sports & Outdoors

You use a hammer drill to drill three holes, and there are concrete anchors in the holes that hold a metal plate to the ground. The shiny U shaped bit is attached to that plate, and the plastic cover is just a cover. It's absolutely solid.

I don't live in a city. That's a county road, but they're all head-in parking places and that one goes with my house. I suppose that technically the county could get upset about it, but they don't maintain that area so I doubt they care.
 
#9 ·
Nice tutorial. I second the air gun. I used a manual one and it was somewhat difficult. Still doable though! I had to repatch mine after reshaping it.

View attachment 20889

I keep trying to pluck the courage up to install one of those under the seat plates - what system does yours use, does it still light up? I've seen one like this in Oz but couldn't spare the time to nosy around.

SORRY! Derail!!!!! - Carry on...)
 
#11 ·
I'm looking for a seat pan that I can work off of to install the Seat Concepts on to. I don't want to remove the leather seat from my Italia to install a new cover and foam. Anyone know where to get just the seat pan for a Scrambler?
 
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