Custom cafe (sorta) seat on a KZ900 LTD

I love the comfort of the LTD seat, and it's great for a passenger. But I'm not a fan of the look of the seat.

Wasn't really happy with any of the things I saw on the market, either. So... I decided to do my own thing. A sort-of cafe style seat, but one specifically matched to the existing tail on the KZ900.

Here's a step-by-step of what I did:

First, I wanted to keep my original seat intact, it's in *perfect* condition, and I do ride with a passenger at times. So, I found used seat on eBay with some damage, removed the ripped leather and foam and started eyeballing what I wanted to do:



Next, I cut back the metal on the back section of the seat:



I used masking tape to make a template for welding a new, flush edge to the back section, so it lines up perfectly with the rear cowl:



Cut the tape loose, stick it to sheet metal, then cut it out:



Tack weld it on:



That part finished on both sides, welded and ground smooth:



Put the seat back on the bike for a test fit, then mock up the back of the seat in cardboard:



Cut out the back in metal using the cardboard for a template, then weld that up:



Made a cover for the lumpy original pan to smooth things over. Again, started with cardboard and then welded on the real thing in metal. Then cut out a back plate in plywood:



Cut some of the seat foam I pulled off the seat into a back rest:



Lots of edge welding and a little bondo, then lots of primer and sanding. The holes you see in the photo hold the seat cushions in place, it all bolts in from the bottom. The back rest has a key-hole slot for a bolt head that stick out from it, this allows top of the back to be locked in place by a single bolt sticking through the bottom of the pan. It's completely locked in by a single nut this way:



After primer, silver paint. I like the metal look, and though black would make the rear cowl look to big, like it was all one piece, so I'm trying it in silver for now:



A little clear-coat, then 1500 grit sanding, then buffed with 0000 steel wool. I liked the slightly matte finish, made it look a bit less like paint and more like metal. Keeping it like that for now, may change my mind later:









So far I like the way it rides. I set it up to allow me to sit a bit further back, in a lower stance.

Damn fine work, I like that!

Very nice work, looks great. It looks very professional. I would love to have a welder to be able to mess around with things like this.

I like how you kept it a different colour too.

That is one of the best seat fab jobs I have seen. Very nice clean work! I do like the metal look! I have 3 seats for my 900. One LTD style, one flat and a corbin gunfighter. My favorite is the Gunfighter but at times I like to switch it out. Reduces sore butt, ass fatigue, bun bummer or whatever you want to call it. Changes the personality of the bike too. :huh:

That's really nice work Heath!
I've had a similar idea floatin round my brain for a while.
I have the welder and whatnot, just never seem to come up with the time.
Did you use 18ga for that?

And I for one would be curious to see how it would look in matching black. Maybe somebody can photoshop it.
I do like the silver though.

Nice job, I think Id have carried the foam and material to the tank though & painted it. It looks like you would be sliding up into the hole unless youre real tall. Just my opinion but a really nice looking job

Thanks, guys.

The metal is a variety of thicknesses, from 14 gauge on the back upright (that the back seat foam connects to) down to 24 gauge for the curved back. All TIG welded. Since I do metal sculpture for my living, it's sorta right up my alley.

And thanks for the photoshop, Bob.

My longer-term plan is to modify an old tank that I'm going to cut out the side panels and reverse them... so it's basically dented in at the knees like most of the cafe-style tanks. This tank is just too fat for my tastes (I like my legs tighter), but I like the large capacity. So I'm going for the best of both worlds.

Once that is done, a total repaint will be in order. I like the dark color, but want to pay homage to Kawasaki... so it's going to be mostly a very dark, maybe metallic green.

My most recent photoshop of the look I'm thinking about is this:



As for the seat, I don't need it any further forward, I've found I don't slide in the seat *at all* (it's got an almost sticky rubber quality to the vinyl), but I would like the look of it coming forward a bit more. I used the existing rectangle of "Tempur-Pedic"-like foam they insert right under the butt area of the original seat. You'll know what I mean if you've taken one apart before. It's really comfortable, even at that thinness.

If I can find a piece of that stuff that's larger, I'll make a longer seat pad. For now this works fine though...

Nice metal work!

I like in black more, but either works well.

Find someone who does that engine turning. It would look real good turned. This effect...