DIY Gel Seat for Suzuki SV650

Disclaimer: The following instructions were provided by one of our customers and as such are put here for informational purposes only.

The following is a guide on how I went about converting a standard SV650 seat into a gel seat using the motorcycle gel pads available on this website. Total time for doing one seat is around an hour to an hour and a half.

Dismantling

This is the standard seat for the Suzuki SV650 2000 model.

After taking the staples out from the underside with a small, flat headed screw driver and pliers, you will find a huge foam pad underneath and the plastic shell (as above)

Padding

I used spray upholstery glue to attach 2 layers of foam (I found a cheap exercise mat was perfect for the job and did 2 seats in total)

Using a small, flat bladed knife, I then cut around the seat (like when you cut the excess pastry off around a pie!). The foam cuts ever so easily so that's handy! Above are pics of before and after trimming.

The foam is really good as it moulds around the curves very well and as long as you allow the spray on glue its 60 seconds to dry a bit before you attach it, you don't need any tape to hold it on as it just stays where you put it.

Extra foam added around the front and back to bring the height up.

I then placed the gel pad on the seat and around the front and back, attached some more foam to bring the level up a bit. It's not a problem if it looks like a patchwork quilt as it's not going to be seen. The off cuts do this job well. Pics above.

Recovering

I bought some vinyl, or as it was called in the fabric shop, leatherette which cost me £7.99 per meter. I bought half a meter which covered both mine and my partner's seats.

Starting at the sides, I used a staple gun with the shortest staples I had and began attaching the vinyl. As the seat is quite hard plastic, these staples were not the friendliest to go in but with perseverance, I managed to get them to eventually hold. You need to pull as hard as you can to get a nice smooth finish with this part. I did one side, then the other and gradually worked my way round. I did the front lip part next and finished with the rear of the seat. At times you do wonder if you are going to get a nice finish but once the back part is pulled in and stapled, it seems to sort out any wrinkles!

Finishing

I have put a couple of pictures of me sat on my son's SV 650 to show how much difference there is in the height of the saddle. As I am only 5' 4" tall, every inch counts!!

As you can see, it has made the difference between me being on tip toes to being completely flat foot and that's on both sides.

My mate and I thoroughly enjoyed making these seats and have a sense of complete achievement. My other half has been out on his bike since I fitted them and he reports that he feels a lot closer to the bike frame and the seat is comfortable. Only a long ride will be the good test though!

Anyone thinking of doing this for their seat, don't be afraid, it's really easy and fun if you're into gluing and sticking!! Oh, and as you can tell, I didn't have to cut the pad down at all so that was a bonus!

Our Product Range

We sell the following motorcycle gel pads which come either with or without pad covers.

Heavy Duty Large - 250mm x 330mm x 180mm x 18mm (Black)

Heavy Duty Medium - 250mm x 250mm x 160mm x 18mm (Black)

Heavy Duty Small - 240mm x 170mm x 140mm x 18mm (Black)

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