BMW R18 Homage seat install

burangs said:
Picking up from the conversation in the “what did you do” thread so as not to derail it, I just got the nod that my Homage seat is ready for pickup. I will be installing it this weekend. The discussion about height vs comfort and qualifying it as 1-2-3 really helped. If I can get, most importantly, 1 (hip/knees) and, less important, 2 (reach/torso), I can solve 3 (bum) on my own!
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Good to know.... I am writing lot's of words to decribe my journey here to help.... I'm a bit surprised how little is documented by others on things.... like fork work etc. Fwiw.... I love the bike look with the homage.... I'm going to raise mine via some aluminium plate between the seat and the bracket.... I intend to shape the plate to the ovalish shape of the seat base.... and try and raise it without moving it back to much.... but that won't be for a month or so.... as forks are my next thing.... just springs, oil and emulators.... but I have to make a stand first.

I'll post our conversation from the "what did you do" thread below for homage completeness....
 
burangs said:
About to take delivery of my Hommage seat, I am a bit concerned. I know it’s early and you still have some dialing in to do, but beyond what undo influences the seat may have, do you at least consider it comfortable? At least more so than stock? (I also have a Day Rider and an RSD Vintage Solo) I was after the Hommage for the added height, but if it ain’t a one hour plus saddle…
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From my perspective I consider comfort from 3 angles..... 1. Hip/knees 2. Bar reach/torso position and 3. Bum comfort. My experience with the homage is 1 & 2 is an improvement and 3 not so much. It feels like a very firm seat.... however.... it is a different shape as well..... the stock seat caused me to splay my legs... the homage sees them in a more natural forward position.

And.... for me.... discomfort with 1 & 2 is instant and builds once on the bike.... 3 builds over time..... even with the homage 1 & 2 is what I notice.... but the homage IS better then stock..... 1 & 2 makes the bike a one hour ride before a stretch.... and.... there is no way the homage and the word plush can be used in the one sentance.
 
Installed and I am thrilled. It is at stock height and is dead on for me. I’m 5’-10”with a ~29” inseam, so all torso. This placed me in a more natural “desk-sitting” position instead of the old squatty potty that was killing me. I also really like the firm, supportiveness of it. I don’t think I’m going to change a thing. I find it much better than soft and cushy. Of all of the money I’ve thrown at the R-18s that I’ve had, this may be the best spent. I love it!
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Has anyone done anything to clean up or cover the former mount for the aerial? It can’t be removed as it holds the hidden plastic cover in place.
 
burangs said:
Has anyone done anything to clean up or cover the former mount for the aerial? It can’t be removed as it holds the hidden plastic cover in place.
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FWIW... I didn't remove the aerial (still connected) .... because the guard moulding to hold it is still there anyhow... and... I considered cutting it away... but... if selling the bike I may put the original seat back etc..... and the Homage seat sits low enough to not really make the shock a visual thing anyhow. Key function has worked ok so far.... (so I assume the aerial in the homage seat is mostly for the full bagger kit purpose...ie Guard removed)

I had considered a small leather type tool roll though.... (a sandwich holder...haha) but that is for the future once I settle on things.... and likely to be months away. FWIW... I'd also considered having a lambswool seat cover made.... and tried some lambswool on the seats.... but thought that bulked it up too much.... as it is quite a largish seat (by area) already... and I like the look of it as is. I may make a black Kangaroo leather cover for it at one point ,,, because I can sew kangaroo leather ok.... just as a play.

I added a rear fender rack the other day (black) .... the look is growing on me.

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WIth my homage seat I felt like the nose of it was a bit low..... so I undid the front 2 bolts and lifted the nose a bit .... and came to the conclusion 4 or 5mm of "nose up" would be worth a try.... so I made 2 more longer spacers for the front and added them... so the originals were 14mm and I made a couple of 18.5mm ones.... much better now. Maybe my +20mm wilbers rear shock might have nad something to do with it.
 
Adding to my above posts... I installed a couple of rear 28mm spacers (see photo).... still 18mm at the front..... I wanted more rear lift of the seat (unloded) and the stock threaded rod joiners I am using are about 29mm in length.... so just flattend one end of them so they sit on the bike frame ok.... netting a 28mm spacer.

Any way... seat looks better kicked up a bit at the back. Now.... I am in the process of building 30mm or so "suspension bushes" to replace them with. I am looking for about 10 to 12mm travel (from 30mm "spring things")..... and with a fulcrum ratio of about 2:1 (took some measurements)?I hope to get about 25mm (1 inch) of seat suspension.... obviously the front mount will need to be engineered for some "give".

I have found a source for polyeurathane bushes of different give/dampening rates (skateboarding world) .... so will play a bit.... and report back.

And.... the Wunderlich tank pads texture match the homage seat nicely.... the light in the photo makes them look darker... but they are not.

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The skate board truck bushes arrived today...pictured below with the bolt through them is how I fitted them today... too wet to go for a ride... but did some bouncing.... anyway... these were the hard ones.... and I could definately feel more give in the seat... not much though... maybe 5 or 6mm .... anyway... size etc was perfect (26mm height as pictured).... so have ordered some soft ones (soft, medium, hard and extra hard seems to be how they are rated... 81s to 96s on the scale of rubber hardness)... $8 to $15 a pair.

I won't post on this again to I have a solution.... I'm thinking soft on the rear and hard on the front.... the front tensioned down quite hard to just allow some "angular" give... travel as such is the rear two's job

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Finished playing with the "skateboard truck bushes" to allow allmost 25mm of rear seat "give" on hard jolts. The bushes (polyurethane) come in different hardnesses..... for the rear mounts I settled on "soft".... which seems to allow about 50% compression.... of course ones weight on the seat is about 10 to 15 cm further to the rear then the rear seat bolts... so the rear seat "give" translates to about twice the travel off the bush/spring compression. I used hard bushes at the front.... as the front mount does not require compression..... just some "angular give"..... net result is it really takes some harshness away from the homage seat.... which does not have much padding or give.... really really worthwhile.

Seat height is about 750mm now.... and maybe 30mm more forward.... my hips are grateful...

Now I'll tidy things up a bit.... maybe add some thread locker.... done!
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Great stuff! While I am happy with my seat, this would be a fun little project! Maybe a bit more height and some “squish” would be interesting to try. Any chance you have a loose, sketchy, schematic of the “final” parts assembly after your various fittings? 👍🏼👍🏼
 
burangs said:
Any chance you have a loose, sketchy, schematic of the “final” parts assembly after your various fittings? 👍🏼👍🏼
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I don't sorry.... but I went for a proper ride today and I am happy with how it performs.... so I ordered a couple of quality bolts for the rear of it.... so when they come I'll be dissasembling it and will take some photos and will post here with a bit by bit description etc....maybe in a weeks time or so.
 
I'd highly appreciate a list of the bushings and hardware used... I'm about 6'2'' and my weekender seat has me walking the line between touring comfort and ergos. You did good!
 
burangs said:
Installed and I am thrilled. It is at stock height and is dead on for me. I’m 5’-10”with a ~29” inseam, so all torso. This placed me in a more natural “desk-sitting” position instead of the old squatty potty that was killing me. I also really like the firm, supportiveness of it. I don’t think I’m going to change a thing. I find it much better than soft and cushy. Of all of the money I’ve thrown at the R-18s that I’ve had, this may be the best spent. I love it!
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Hi, could you give me more information about the mirrors? Brand/link, modifications needed to install it, bar ends, etc. It's beautiful. Thanks in advance
 
Luis, sorry, just saw this. Thank you very much!
I’ve been through a lot of third party bar end mirrors over the years and these are really excellent. Very well made and NO mods required out of the box. That said, I did buy longer fasteners to retain the OEM bar end weights. I was considering milling the “end cap” off to snug things up, but I ended up just leaving them alone. They come in chrome or black. Not sure where you are, but everything arrived very quickly for me.

Mirrors:
KiWAV Bob Chrome Motorcycle Bar... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GGS4D19?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Fasteners: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2029027426...ir5uAwpSGe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 
burangs said:
Luis, sorry, just saw this. Thank you very much!
I’ve been through a lot of third party bar end mirrors over the years and these are really excellent. Very well made and NO mods required out of the box. That said, I did buy longer fasteners to retain the OEM bar end weights. I was considering milling the “end cap” off to snug things up, but I ended up just leaving them alone. They come in chrome or black. Not sure where you are, but everything arrived very quickly for me.

Mirrors:
KiWAV Bob Chrome Motorcycle Bar... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GGS4D19?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Fasteners: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2029027426...ir5uAwpSGe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
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Thanks!!!
 
Had a local"ish sheep skin guy make something for my homage seat.... went for a ride with it today..... whilst I'm a fan of the homage natural look.... the skin does lift it a notch in comfort.... from a 6 to a 7.... could put a 10mm gel underneath it.... but don't think I need to.

Went with a high grade black.... but was tempted to bling it with a white.... only a $80 play.... so may do white at some stage.

Have almost fully old'manned the bike now.....

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Noelpolar said:
Had a local"ish sheep skin guy make something for my homage seat.... went for a ride with it today..... whilst I'm a fan of the homage natural look.... the skin does lift it a notch in comfort.... from a 6 to a 7.... could put a 10mm gel underneath it.... but don't think I need to.

Went with a high grade black.... but was tempted to bling it with a white.... only a $80 play.... so may do white at some stage.

Have almost fully old'manned the bike now.....

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I need one.
 
Thanks, but have a tractor seat ( not Hommage ). I will get one made up locally. I only had a small skin that l cut out and covered seat ( not sides / underneath seat ). I’ll get a pro to make a proper one. They are comfortable.
 
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