I upgraded my stock KLR seat with a kit from Seat Concepts. The kit comes with everything you will need including wider seat pad foam, a new seat cover, and a page of instructions. You will need to use the seat pan from your current seat. It was a fast and easy job and I am very happy with the result.
My KLR's seat was already removed for winter so the first step was to remove the stock seat cover. A small flat tip screwdriver worked fine to lift up the staples so I could remove them with pliers. The 72 staples came out very easily.
With the stock seat cover off, I separated the stock seat foam from the pan. To prep the seat pan for the new foam, I removed the old glue residue and cleaned the seat pan. This is all pretty simple and straightforward.
So far, I had followed the instructions, but for gluing the new foam onto the seat pan, I went rogue. The instructions call for an aerosol contact adhesive. I had that on hand, but would not spray it in my basement. The outside temp was somewhere south of zero degrees, so taking it outside was not an option. Instead, I grabbed the liquid Gorilla Glue from the shelf since foam is one of its applications. I applied glue to the seat pan, attached the new foam and set it aside. A couple of days later, the Gorilla Glue had worked just fine.
To install the new seat cover, I lacked the proper tools and any experience, which gave me little confidence that could get it done. Rather than attempt it myself, I called a local upholstery shop who said they could do the job. I dropped off the seat and cover, then picked it up two days later. The new seat cover was everything I had hoped for and looked awesome.
My KLR's seat was already removed for winter so the first step was to remove the stock seat cover. A small flat tip screwdriver worked fine to lift up the staples so I could remove them with pliers. The 72 staples came out very easily.
With the stock seat cover off, I separated the stock seat foam from the pan. To prep the seat pan for the new foam, I removed the old glue residue and cleaned the seat pan. This is all pretty simple and straightforward.
So far, I had followed the instructions, but for gluing the new foam onto the seat pan, I went rogue. The instructions call for an aerosol contact adhesive. I had that on hand, but would not spray it in my basement. The outside temp was somewhere south of zero degrees, so taking it outside was not an option. Instead, I grabbed the liquid Gorilla Glue from the shelf since foam is one of its applications. I applied glue to the seat pan, attached the new foam and set it aside. A couple of days later, the Gorilla Glue had worked just fine.
To install the new seat cover, I lacked the proper tools and any experience, which gave me little confidence that could get it done. Rather than attempt it myself, I called a local upholstery shop who said they could do the job. I dropped off the seat and cover, then picked it up two days later. The new seat cover was everything I had hoped for and looked awesome.
Of course I really wanted to see the new seat on the KLR, but instead I put it safely away on a basement shelf to wait for spring. For now, I am happy with the look of the new seat and time will tell if my butt is equally as happy. I expect good things!
