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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
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  #1  
Old 3 Jul 2012
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XT 600 seat covers
Hi all, I am needing to recover the seat on my '89 XT 600 before the foam starts to get damaged. I was just wondering if anyone could give some tips on where to get a good quality, good fitting one. I'm looking at the mo but there are a few on the market. Many thanks
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  #2  
Old 3 Jul 2012
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David Laberth Overland and rally,I recently got one for my 86 XT and am very pleased with the quality and fit, black side panels and red seat looks good and was fairly easy to fit as long as you have a good stapler.Well woth the extra few quid IMHO.
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  #3  
Old 4 Jul 2012
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Dave Lambeth (member on here) goes by the handle of "custardgrub" on ebay & has a website here.

Mezo.
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  #4  
Old 4 Jul 2012
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Or go here:

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Old 5 Jul 2012
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I fitted one of David/Custardgrub's seat covers recently. Good quality and good fit. My top tips:

- If the seat foam is damp (e.g. if old cover split), take the cover off and leave it to dry out thoroughly before fitting the new. This can take days.

- Take your time with the new one, don't rush.

- Have a hair dryer on hand to warm it up and help with folding/stretching the awkward bits.

- Use a really good staple gun. A cheap staple gun just won't do it.

- Fit the cover as tight as possible (i.e. least spare material) at the back of the seat, as you will need all the material possible at the front end to get round those awkward curves where it turns up at the tank.

- Tack roughly into place every 4-6" and then go back, tension the material and staple properly.

- Use pliers, pincers or whatever to get the material really tight before stapling. Baggy seat covers look worse than what they are replacing.

I'm 90% happy with mine (front part looks a bit amateurish) but I would do it better a second time. When I refurb the bike I will get a new cover and do it again. I will get it from David again, because I am 100% happy with the covers he supplies.
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  #6  
Old 6 Jul 2012
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Thanks guys, ordered one from David Lamberth and it arrived this morning, looks great, will get around to fitting it next week. Thanks for the fitting tip BlackDogZulu, ment to ask for fitting tips when I ordered it. After a shock rebuild, new linkage bushes and painted swingarm, thought a seat cover wouldn't hurt just to finish things off.
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  #7  
Old 7 Jul 2012
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Happy to help. I meant what I said about letting the foam dry. My old cover was split in several places and the foam had got soaked. It was a winter's day when I decided to replace the cover. I got on the bike to do some shopping, and wondered why a) my arse was so cold, and b) why the bike had gained about 2" seat height. By the time I got home, my arse and family jewels had turned to stone and the seat height was back to normal. Basically, I had been sitting on a block of ice which the heat from my bits had melted over the course of the trip.

I had the foam out, squeezed out the excess water and left it in a dry garage for a few days, then in the house next to a radiator for a few more days. Then I put the new cover on.

Then we had another cold night, and - guess what - seat turned to a block of ice again. There must still be water in the foam. So if you have a few days before you need to fit the new cover, let the foam dry. If you didn't have any splits in the old cover, you may be OK, of course.
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Old 7 Jul 2012
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XT 600 seat covers
Is it worth pointing-out here that cold temperatures will make the seat-cover much more brittle and likely to split? The bike gets freezing cold in the winter, you sit on the seat and before you know it, its cover has a split.

Come winter-time, first thing on a frosty morning, before you ride off on the bike, get a nicely-warmed hot-water-bottle or suchlike and leave it on the seat (where your arse will be) for five minutes or so. It will save the seat and your arse will 'thank you kindly', too.

Take care.
Last edited by Bigfoot 2; 7 Jul 2012 at 23:59. Reason: grammar
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Old 9 Jul 2012
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Great idea. My butt will love you for that.

(Take that the right way ...)
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  #10  
Old 22 Jul 2012
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Thanks for all the tips guys, just fitted the seat this evening, looks great. Good tip with the hot water bottle.
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