Make a Corbin-like Seat for $25

[Navaho6]

I just finished modifying my stock DR650 seat to get a similar profile as a Corbin seat. The SV650 will be next. The total cost was less than $25 but it took some patience.

The stock seat pan is rounded on the edges so I used two cans of Dow "Great Stuff" expanding foam to form an entirely new seat base that closely mimics the contours of the Corbin. You can't layer this foam on too thick with the first application because the bottom layer will not set up. So, it took two applications to get the thickness I wanted. With some patience and an electric knife, I carved out the shape I wanted.

Step 2 involved carving the guts (bottom side) out of the original seat foam with the electric knife. Basically the back 75% of the stock seat foam was gutted leaving only a 1/4" thick outer shell. The front 25% was left solid. Between this shell and the newly modified seat pan, I put a 1.5" layer of soft foam (mattress topping from Wal-mart).

The seat is about 3" wider now, and the base is concave even more so than the Corbin. It feels real good. It doesn't appear concave in these pictures because the soft foam filler pushes the seat cover up. However, the foam collapses and conforms to the contours of the base when I sit. Tomorrow, I'll put it to the test on a 200+ mile trip.

I made the seat wider up to the point where the seat pan bends at the tank:

http://www.dualsportridersoflouisiana.com/photopost/data/515/DR_Seat_005.jpg


I could do a better job of stapling the seat cover to get a better look but I don't really care too much about the minor imperfections, as long as it's comfortable. You'll notice the ridge on the old seat foam where to sides used to turn down. I haven't figured out out to get rid of that but it doesn't matter. I don't even feel them when I'm sitting. The foam flattens out to the edges of the seat base. In this picture, the outer edge of the seat defines the width that the foam flattens out to when I'm sitting. When I get off the seat, it fluffs back up and looks fuller.

http://www.dualsportridersoflouisiana.com/photopost/data/515/DR_Seat_004.jpg


From the side, it doesn't look much different because of the pattern on the cover.

http://www.dualsportridersoflouisiana.com/photopost/data/515/DR_Seat_006.jpg

[Fitty]

Looks great. You need to go into the business. I'm thinking about doing something similar to my KLR seat. The PO carved the front part down so he could reach the ground, but I don't have that problem. I found a source for aircraft seat foam in different densities. I'm thinking about using their hardest version because it conforms to your shape with body heat.

[BabyBoy70363]

Looks great, i've heard of the similar but with gel material, from what i understand it can be found at Hobby Lobby or similar stores.

[minig0d]

I don't think you'll find that seat very comfortable... Corbin's foam is a closed cell foam... great stuff as well as walmart type mattress toppers are open cell (which is why they compress so easily and take so long to rebound back.. In other words the problem you'll run into is the foam will compress way too easily and you will be literally sitting on the seat pan...

This concept is best explained from this excerpt from the Corbin webpage:
"Is the Corbin seat softer than my stock one?
When the question of seat softness is raised, it actually brings up several issues. First off, a soft foam is actually detrimental to riding comfort (most stock motorcycle seats use a foam density of 3-4 pounds). When a foam is too soft, it does not offer the rider the support that is needed for the long haul and given time will compact to the point to where it offers no resiliency at all. When this occurs, the rider usually assumes that the seat is too hard, when in fact the problem has arisen from the foam being too soft.

Corbin's solution is to use a contoured "Comfort Cell®" foam. This foam is of the closed cell variety which means that it is made up of a series of small bubbles which hold air pockets that keep the saddle resilient indefinitely. Corbin foam is designed to give us the flexibility to vary the density of it to suit the design of the saddle (low profile seats require denser foam) and is cast into a shape that disperses the rider's weight over a greater area of square inches, therefore eliminating pressure points. This is what we call "ergonomic shaping". On average, Corbin foam is used at a density of approximately 7 pounds which after decades of testing has proven to provide the best combination of resilience with true riding SUPPORT!

In addition, Corbin's foam has a memory feature. After a break-in period of approximately 1500-2000 miles, the saddle will actually take on the shape of the rider which provides even better weight dispersion and custom fitted comfort. "

[jason70360]

I hated my Corbin, even after 6k miles. I much rather Sargent.

Great job on the seat, it looks awesome! The best part is if it didn't work your not out a ton of money, however, if it did work you saved a ton!

[minig0d]

My corbin isn't super great... it is an improvement over stock by a lot... but sargent doesn't make a seat for the R6... I've heard more than once that Sargent > Corbin so I wish they did =]

[Juice]

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[Rocky]

+1 Looks nice dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






Its a DR for Christ sake not a Touring Bike. Why in the world would anybody spend the cash to put a Corbin on a DR? Do they even make one for a DR?

I don't think that Pat is going to be chomping up many slab miles on the DR anyway. I think that it will serve its purpose nicely. Excellent Job Pat

[Navaho6]

The foam that I used to create the seat pan is closed cell foam, and it is very rigid, just like a Corbin seat. The only purpose that the 1.5" open cell foam serves is to creat a filler to push the seat cover up. It has no usefullness as a cushion. If I hadn't used it, the seat cover would have been wrinkled in the middle, since it can't conform to the concave profile. I actually tried some dense closed cell foam in lieu of the open cell, and it didn't feel good. I took it all apart and put the open cell foam back it.

Since the foam base is so hard, I topped the seat with a Stearns Mad Dog
ATV seat cushion from Wal-mart ($16) - http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=495868

It adds another 1" to the seat width. It worked well with the stock seat too, and I would recommend it to anyone, even if they have a Corbin seat.

Saturday was the first test ride. I rode 250 miles on the new seat, and at the end of the day, I felt like I could ride another 250 miles. There was absolutely no soreness so there's no need to change anything. It works great!!

[Navaho6]

Its a DR for Christ sake not a Touring Bike. Why in the world would anybody spend the cash to put a Corbin on a DR? Do they even make one for a DR?

I don't think that Pat is going to be chomping up many slab miles on the DR anyway. I think that it will serve its purpose nicely. Excellent Job Pat

Corbin makes a seat for the DR650, and it costs about $300. I was about to buy one but I decided to give this idea a try, mainly because I like the way the stock seat cover looks, and I like working on my bike. Saving $ really wasn't the reason but I made it work and kept $275 in my wallet. That helps offset the $900 in suspension mods.

[Dusty]

Nice Job.

[wjcook]

There is a guy on eBay who will redo a seat for $60,00 . I got my corbin seat done and it exceeded my expectations. You pay shipping each way the smaller the seat you pay less UPS . very big seat I paid $ 20,00 approx. his name is Ricks Upholstery ,1608 Kelly Ave, The Dalles , Or.97058 or eMail @ rickticknor@hotmail.com go to eBay Motors/seats....try him out the price is right and the workmanship is great.