Monday 29 July 2019

Suzuki Gixxer Seat Modification: Part 1



The older generation 155cc Suzuki Gixxer is undoubtedly a great motorcycle. It has a punchy engine and handles great as well. But the only flaw that you will notice during a long ride is the seat comfort. Although the seating position is not very committed it is not well padded and do not offer much comfort to the rider as well as the pillion during long rides. So, what can be done?

The Story:
The 2016 Suzuki Gixxer that I own is now almost 3 years old and have ridden it more than 25,000 kilometers. Till now I do not have any issues with the bike accept the sitting comfort. I have planned a lot many times to get the seat modified in the past but could not get it done due to lack of time and most importantly I was not sure what could be done to the seat. Therefore, on 27th July 2019, I finally decided to get some modifications done to the seat to make it comfortable during long rides. But once again I was unsure of what could be done to it. First I planned to somehow get the new 2019 Gixxer's split seat fitted on it but that might have required some modifications to the seat locking mechanism. Moreover, a new seat might have cost some bucks. Then the other alternative was to get the seat modified in a local shop. And I went for the second option. I took my motorcycle to a small local shop, M.Z Seat Corner in Guwahati (Contact details are available at the end of the article). Although small the craftsman of the shop, M.Z. Seat Corner in Chasal, Guwahati has gained quite a name in the business in that area so I thought of giving it a try.


I was planning to get the seat modified into a split seat style but the craftsman there told me that it would require a lot more time and money than what I had in my hand. So, he suggested to me that he would paste some high tension foam above the existing seat and also create a bump to separate the pillion seat and the rider seat. That would prevent the pillion from sliding on to the rider during a bump or panic braking situations. He informed me that it would cost below INR 1000 and he would require a time of 2 hours to finish the job; it was 12:20 PM and I agreed to the same. He began his work after finishing smoking a cigarette. By looking at his hands and the way he worked one could easily tell that he has experience of several years in doing what he was doing. It required a lot of pasting and cutting of foam and stitching of faux leather to finish the job.

The Outcome:
It was  2:20 PM and to my surprise he completed his work in exactly 2 hours. The result was looking great. The black faux leather, with a maroon band to highlight the rider's and pillion's seat along with the black and red stitching gave the seat a premium appearance. The man fitted the seat on to the bike and requested me to sit on it and test the comfort. He lit a cigarette and watched as I sat on the bike. The seat now has become so much more comfortable and had much more space for the rider to move around. The cushioning done in the seat almost felt like a premium sofa. I was satisfied with the outcome and paid the fee for his craftsmanship. The craftsman also assured that it would last long and even if any problem arises, he would be there to fix it. We shook hands and I thanked him and appreciated him for the work.

Is that all?
So, that is all about my Suzuki Gixxer's seat modification story. But right now the rider's seat looks a little bit too much bulgy because of the foam and I am not sure if the foam will compress a bit more after long term use. Moreover the seat now has been given a slanted position for the rider which is good for a committed riding position but may not be for everyday use as the rider might slide to the front. Therefore, it might require some more modification at the rider's region. It is only the third day and therefore you would have to stay in touch to get further long term review updates about the same. You can subscribe using your email id or like the Facebook page Akash Kalita to get regular updates about automotive contents. Till then Chao!!

Contact Details of M.Z. Seat Corner
Address: Amortol, Chasal, Guwahati, Assam, India.
Pincode: 781022
Phone number: (+91) 98642 78291, (+91) 7662942141

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

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