TOOLS NEEDED:- A staple gun: Pneumatic,
electric, or manual.
- Staples: 1/4" or less.
- A thin, flat screwdriver and pliers (to
remove staples).
- A 2nd pair of hands!
Skin installation is much easier when its warm (a couple minutes in dryer on low will help)
PREP SEAT:
1. Remove old cover: Remove any extra
hardware. Insert screwdriver under staples to lift them.
Be careful not to bend base.
2. Locate the center of your base in the
front and back. Mark with PENCIL, NOT PEN. Extend the marks to top edge of seat
foam.
For stripes, or color
panels that line up to the paint scheme, mark those places on your seat edge.
3. Place seat on table upright.
4. Turn cover inside out.
5. Position the center mark in end/top of
cover to the mark on the foam.
* Foam “filler” strips for the rear belt
strap is available on request.
INSTALLATION:
Do front & rear of skin first, then do corners, and finally the side. BE
CAREFUL NOT TO PULL TOO FAR, keep center of cover lined up to center of
seat.
1. FRONT & REAR: Put one hand (left,
if you're right handed) on outside of cover, holding it firmly to seat, just in
front of the mark. Hold the seam to the foam corner and with the other hand
fold cover over edge to be right side out. On models that have narrow pockets
in front, (VFR, Hawk, '91-up ZX-7 etc.) just slip seat front into cover. Keep
centers in line. Attach two staples in the center of front. Pull toward back with
light pressure and line up rear mark. Making sure its tight, put two staples in
rear of cover.
2. CORNERS: Now turn seat upside down and
pull one corner at a time down and put in two staples. Don't pull cover too
far. Once you have the corners even, (measure), keeping
centers in line, then attach one staple midway on each side. Check if even.
3. SIDES: Now you should start pulling the
cover tight. Then fill in the rest-one staple on each side, alternating,
checking for evenness each time. Check it on the bike to see how the stripes
are lining up.
4. Now you can re-adjust any loose spots.
Where vinyl overlaps into bulky spots, a longer staple may be required, or turn
stapler and put the staples in at an angle. Put in only as many staples as you
really need - about one every 2", more in the corners.
5. Feel around edges on outside to make
sure no staples are poking through. If so, loosen or replace with a shorter
staple, or
angle
staple into base. Trim excess threads and vinyl overhang about 1"-2"
down.
For seats with a keyhole:
Fit cover so that seams do not lay over hole. (Don't cut a seam!) After the
cover is completely installed, and you've checked it on the bike to make sure
the stripes/colors line up; THEN from inside under base draw a circle, cut a star
with an exacto knife, SMALLER than you think you'll need, make more cuts if
vinyl resists the keyhole grommet.
