Greg Bender
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/gtbender
Rain cover for motorcycle solo seats
Many of today's modern motorcycles come with waterproof seat covers direct from the factory. However, many older or replacement seat covers are stitched or made of non-waterproof material. This becomes quite problematic when rain is encountered. A wet seat can take a long time to dry out and is a most unpleasant perch on which to sit oneself.
In the summer of 2004, my wife Angela and I moved from Eden Prairie, Minnesota to Odessa, Florida. I quickly learned that Florida receives a serious amount of rain; 52 inches annually in Odessa compared to 33 inches annually in Eden Prairie. If I was going to ride whenever I wanted to, I needed to improve my gear. I already had my Aerostich Darien suit and my Oxtar Matrix boots...both perform very well in the rain. However, I discovered that my stitched police solo seat became completely waterlogged, absorbing rain like a sponge. I was essentially sitting in a bowl of water. Not even the Gore-Tex material of my Darien suit could keep my bottom dry. I decided I needed a rain cover.
Homemade solution
When I initially wanted a rain cover for the Moto Guzzi Classics police solo seat on my Ambassador, I couldn't find a ready-made product. So, after much careful thought and planning, I decided that I could make my own rain cover from vinyl and elastic. The next time Angela and I were at the local discount store, I told her I needed to go over to the sewing department. She inquired as to my peculiar desire and I shared with her my brilliant idea.
Instead of the "Oh, Honey, you are so smart and wise (and handsome)!" response I was hoping for, she looked at me skeptically and gently explained that the vinyl might be too thick and the elastic too thin.
She suggested I look for a more flexible material. But, her suggestion fell on deaf ears. I wanted my rain cover to be durable. I chose the heaviest and stiffest vinyl available, flat certain I could make it work.
Back at home I pulled out the sewing machine and then carefully measured and cut the vinyl and elastic. Everything was set and I started to sew the vinyl. Only, it didn't want to move...it would just stick to the surface of the sewing machine and make a bunch of stitches all in the same place. Somehow I forced my way past that problem - breaking only a dozen or so needles in the process - and got a hem sewn into the vinyl.
Now it was time to feed the elastic through the hem I had just sewn. Only the vinyl was so thick and stiff that it took me near forever to get it all the way through.
Finally, through stubborn determination and bull-headed will power, my masterpiece was complete. I had triumphed over adversity and proudly took my precious creation out to the garage. I asked Angela to witness my moment of victory.
It looked terrible. I mean really terrible. "Fit" is not the word to describe how it went on the seat. A big ugly piece of vinyl scrunched up and sort of covering most of the seat, it resembled a shiny black diaper. I sat on it to see if things would improve. No luck. It didn't afford any movement, bunched up in awkward places, and kept me stuck to the seat.
A total failure. There was no way I was going to be using this. I should have listened to my wife. (It'll never happen again, Sweetheart. I promise!)
At this point I resorted to garbage bags until I could find a professionally made rain cover.
Harley Davidson
Harley Davidson was the first company to come to mind as they have produced jillions of solo seat equipped motorcycles over the years.
- Cost: USD $29.95.
- Fit: I purchased part number 51638-97. It fit my police solo seat very well. The elastic had the right amount of stretch and there wasn't an excessive amount of material.
- Waterproof test: I did a quick waterproof test with the rain cover and found it not waterproof at all. The test: I turned the rain cover inside out so as to form a bowl. I filled the rain cover with about a gallon of water from my sink and held it up. Water dripped through immediately. I took a quick look at the Harley Davidson website and discovered that the rain cover is only water resistant, not water proof. Good grief, I didn't think I'd have to verify that before placing an order.
- Real world use: It passes rain water through to the seat and back to my bottom quickly and efficiently. Even indirect spray from the garden hose while washing the bike will dampen the seat underneath the rain cover.
- Durability: Seemed fairly durable, though I'm not sure what for? Perhaps it would hold up well when used as a drip irrigation system in the back yard.
- Final thoughts: The Harley Davidson rain cover is a product that does precisely what its name states: it covers a seat in the rain.
- Website: http://www.harley-davidson.com
Russell Cycle Products
Fed up with the rain cover from Harley Davidson, I ordered a rain cover from Russell Cycle Products (you know, the makers of the "Day-Long" saddles).
- Cost: USD $30.00.
- Fit: Russell initially sent me their smallest size...which ended up being way too big for my police solo seat. After speaking with them about it over the phone, they offered to make me one smaller using measurements that I provided to them. They were very friendly and easy to deal with. The replacement rain cover fit very well. The elastic has the right amount of stretch and there isn't an excessive amount of material.
- Waterproof test: I did a quick waterproof test with the Russell rain cover and while not 100% waterproof, it is very close. The test: I turned the rain cover inside out so as to form a bowl. I filled the rain cover with about a gallon of water from my sink and held it up. No immediate leaks. I left the water sit for about an hour. Upon reexamination, the underside of the cover was damp. This is in stark contrast to the Harley Davidson cover, which when filled with water passed it straight through in droplets.
- Real world use: I used this seat cover during a great many rainy rides in Florida and along the East Coast (especially riding to and from the Virginia rally). All told, I'd guesstimate that I've ridden 3,000 miles of heavy rain using this cover on my seat. It does a pretty good job of keeping the rain out. But with enough rain, the seat eventually becomes damp underneath the rain cover.
- Durability: This rain cover saw a great deal of use when I lived in Florida and held up very well.
- Final thoughts: The Russell rain cover is made of a thick black material. It comes with a stuff sack made of the same material which helps prevent abrasion when it is stored within my metal toolbox. Due to the thickness of the material, it takes up more space than the CoverAlls rain cover (see review below). All in all, a good product.
- Website: http://www.day-long.com
CoverAlls
David Rutledge read my reviews of the Harley Davidson and Russell Cycle Products rain covers on my website (http://www.thisoldtractor.com/gtbender). He owns the company, CoverAlls, and sent me a solo seat rain cover for my Ambassador and asked me to evaluate it. He also sent along a few extra rain covers to give away as door prizes at the 2008 Arizona MGNOC Rally. David was pleasant and easy to work with. I was more than happy to test his product.
- Cost: USD $27.95.
- Fit: I was sent Model CM. It fit my police solo seat very well. The elastic has the right amount of stretch and there isn't an excessive amount of material.
- Waterproof test: I did a quick waterproof test with the CoverAlls rain cover and found it to be 100% waterproof. The test: I turned the rain cover inside out so as to form a bowl. I filled the rain cover with about a gallon of water from my sink and held it up. No immediate leaks. I left the water sit for about an hour. Reexamination revealed zero indication of leaks. Wow! I was impressed.
- Real world use: Now that we live in Cave Creek, Arizona, rainy rides are much more infrequent (13 inches annual rainfall). However, the Friday before Memorial Day weekend (2008) found some pretty good thunderstorms rolling through Cave Creek. Although I wasn't too excited about the prospect, Angela convinced me to go riding in search of a downpour (the first time I'd ever gone looking for a wet ride). I was able to ride through some pretty good rain and fairly deep standing water for 15 minutes before the skies cleared. Back inside the garage, I pulled the rain cover off and found the seat completely dry. It also kept the seat completely dry while I was washing the bike with a garden hose sprayer (with ample water directed at the rain cover). Finally, a rain cover that does what I want it to do.
- Durability: The material is altogether different from that of the Harley Davidson and Russell Cycle Products rain covers. The top side is reflective silver while the underneath is dull blue in color. It is thin and light, but feels sufficiently durable to the task.
- Final thoughts: The silver reflective material should do a good job of reflecting the heat from the summer sun when the bike is parked. It is also very lightweight and comes with a stuff sack made of the same material. It fits in my toolbox with more than ample room to spare. I certainly don't have as many "liquid sunshine" miles on the CoverAlls rain cover as the Russell rain cover I've been using for the past few years, but thus far it has been a great product.
- Website: http://www.coveralls.biz