Step 1. Bought ex Sportster seat from forum member (thanks Walka).
Step 2. Buy seat hold down nut and screw from Harley Heaven (approx $5.50)
Step 3. Adapt Sportster pillion seat base to fit FXD guard and fixing points. This involved repositioning rear tab and carefully changing the angle to suit FXD guard. Front fixing plate was redesigned and fabricated from aluminium plate.
Step 4. Test fit base to bike.
Step 5. Shave foam from front of pillion pad to suit FXD rider's seat.
Step 6. Test fit base and pad to bike and take pics to plan shape mods.
Step 7. Fabricate top extension to thicken pillion pad, correct the angle and provide backrest for rider. (here it helps to be in the foam industry and have access to a foam cutting band saw).
Step 8. Glue the extension piece to original pad and test fit on bike.
Step (9). Add foam under front overhang and shave to suit shape of rider's seat.
Step (10). Bend up support wire from spring grade wire.
Step (11). Cut slits into foam to allow support wire to be glued in place.
Yes mate, last night I did the following:
Step 12. Glued in the support wire using 3M spray contact adhesive.
Step 13. Cut some 35mm thick slabs of foam and glued these to the side to increase the overall width of the pad. The original Sportster seat was "wedgie" prone; I don't know what Harley was thinking.
Step 14. Trim the back end and make symmetrical.
Step 15. Glue on 25mm foam slab to extend rear.
Step 16. Mark up and carve basic shape of rear extension. An electric kitchen knife comes in handly for this sort of work.
Next phase is the style shaping of the pad.
Step 17. Mark out pad to show radius and chamfer start and finish points
Step 18. Shave bulk material off with electric kitchen knife.
Step 19. Sand down corners and countours using simple sanding block.
Next step is to start developing the trim patterns.
Step 20. Make trim cover patterns. Ball head pins were inserted into the foam at the sew lines and pad edges. Vinyl was then stretched and pinned on top of the foam. Pin positions were traced onto rear or vinyl. The dots were joined and sew line allowance added.
Next, trace out on final vinyl and have trimmer sew up the cover.
Step 21. Cut out vinyl pieces using patterns as guide.
Step 22. Pin the pieces to the foam to check fitment.
Step 23. Have cover sewn up by auto trimmer (he owed me a favour).
Step 24. Glue on a piece of seat fabric with 3mm foam backing to top of pad to mask any glue lines.
Step 25. Fit cover and staple it on.
Job complete. Total cost $53.00
Beats paying $208 for an original Harley pillion seat which doesn't even have back support.
