Wrench'n Ride'n

A P-Pad that may never get sat on. Thats what I have made. Its not comfy at all. Its just there for show. Took several goes at getting the leather cover right. What started out as smokey grey in colour leather is now medium brown. My fingers are stained brown from the dye. I had riveted the leather to the seat base. That did not work. I had too many folds as the leather went around the curves of the seat. I had intended to lace the leather cover on. Should have done that in the first place. The colour does not match my solo seat. No way was that going to happen looking at colour swatches on a computer screen. I like what I have done. Maybe I should do a leather working course.

Can't help but take photos of my Speedy.

Version 2 was a pain in the back side literally. So off to Gumtree and found a second hand Maverick Low Rider seat. Great transaction with the seller. Seat arrived today. Fitted. Ridden on. Great seat. Love the look. Love the low ride it gives.  

Low Rider Seat Version 2 done. Or as I like to call my new old seat , Tuck and Roll Brat style. Ended up not using the leather I have. The original seat cover from my 1971 CL450 Honda was pressed into service. I wanted an older look to the seat. I think using a 40 year old seat cover has done that. Mounted a bit different than Version 1.Cut some of the tank mounting rubber away so the seat seats in under there. Made a bracket out of a strip of alloy to bolt the rear of the seat down. It don't move. Old belt used to stop brackets from rubbing on paint. Might make a P-pad next. Also must tidy up all the lacing holding the saddlebags on.

Version 1 low rider hand made seat is done. Used the original seat cover and lots of pop rivets. Did this to see how it would look before I have a go with the leather. Had a bit of a ride on it. Not as plush as the Touring saddle I have. Of course its not. This is done for looks. I like the look. Have to make the pillion pad next.

Gif made from the Mad Max movie. Jim Goose fanging it.

Fiddling again I has been. I have gone back to the original Mickey Mouse looking mirrors. Why? With the 3 inch bar end ones I could not see much behind me. Of late I have had to do some freeway commuting. I want to know if I have a Highway Patrol coming up on me. As much as I hate the look of the mirrors at least I have a BIG clear review now. The rack has been lowered. This meant cutting and drilling. When refitted of course I scratched the paint work on the rear mudguard. Much cussing was heard. Looked stupid that high up and once I have my solo seat fitted it would look even higher and stupider. Raised the headlight with two large cast pipe nuts. For no other reason that I think it looks better higher up. Added a leather strap over the chrome battery strap. Again because I can. Plus I like chrome but not too much. Just some general shots cause I love the look of this bike. 

Biltwell stuff. I am really loving their products. I have already sampled their mustache handle bars. The welding on those is top notch. I have since stopped using them. Not because of the bars. Just wanted a different look to the bike.  Now I have their Kung Fu grips fitted. Will these grips make me look like Bruce Lee? Time will tell.  They seem to be made from a rubber compound. Look a bit like grips we used to use on our push bikes back in the 1970's with their raised ribbing. Should they them be called Ansell grips? As I use bar end mirrors and the Kung Fu grips are not open at the bar end I had to use a bit of steel tubing to punch the ends out. Put the grip over the tube. Place the end of tube that has grip on it on block of wood. Then hammer the non grip end of the tube. This will then punch out a circle of rubber. So now your grips are open at both ends.  Fit to bars with some WD40. They are a real tight fit without WD40. This soon soaks up or dries.