Supplier of period-looking seats??

diegom · #1 11-19-2009, 07:52 PM

hi everybody,

this is my first post... my name is Diego and I live in Italy

I have a 1949 Ducati Cucciolo engine and I'll be building the rest of the bike... I'm still in the "thinking" stage, and I might be going for a board tracker look, or maybe something more "sedate", we'll see...

anyway, I was wondering if anyone knows where I can buy a period looking seat, like the one on this 1914 Pope...

thanks!

diego

**2door** · #2 11-19-2009, 10:37 PM

Diego,
I'm not the one to help you for a source for that saddle but I want to welcome you to the forum and to thank you for posting that photo. That is a beautiful bike. If your build comes anywhere near it, it will be a winner. Thanks for joining us and I think you'll enjoy yourself here. Lots of talented and friendly people. Ciou.
Tom

bairdco · #3 11-19-2009, 11:26 PM

Antique Motorcycle Saddles and Seats

Mesinger Motorcycle Racer Saddle

there's a link for you. the seat may cost more than your whole bike...

dmar836 · #4 11-20-2009, 12:09 AM

Diego,
Welcome! The prior post is where I got my seat. It is a source used by many who restore original bikes. The cost was somewhere near $370 USD.
Keep us updated with your progress.
Dave
KC

diegom · #5 11-20-2009, 03:37 AM

hi guys,

thanks a lot... those seats might be expensive, but surely look the part! that's EXACTLY what I was looking for

another seat I was considering is the Brooks in attach... much more "bicycle-style" than "racer-style"... but man I looove the brass rivets... I love brass, actually, I hope I'll manage to use it for several parts

before being side-tracked by the whole boardtrack-racer-replica, the original idea (and inspiration, really) was to build something like the other pic in attach... that's an original late 40s/early 50s Ducati Cucciolo of a friend of mine, the frame looks a lot like a portuguese Vilar... (google up "vilar cucciolo" you'll find plenty), with some plans of improving the looks a bit, like using an internal throttle and inverted levers to hide the cables, etc...

beside the engine I already have a set of girder forks, two wheel hubs with tiny drum brakes and a little roundish tank from another 50s italian ultralight motorcycle (a bianchi aquilotto I think), and an assortment of period front and rear lights which I bought at a recent swap meet in Milan...

but now I'm not sure anymore... it'll certainly look old, so I hope it belongs on this forum even if I won't go down the racer route! :-)

we'll see and I'll keep you posted... and don't hold your breath, it'll be long and won't start before next year anyway...

ciao and many thanks again from italy

diego

42blue15 · #6 11-20-2009, 07:30 AM

$385, yikes.

......though I can't say I know anything that looks quite like that for much less. :|

-------

One thing to decide from the start is if you will be using the regular bicycle seatpost to attach the saddle with or not. The motorcycle seats need a totally-different setup.

If you want to stick with the simplicity of a bicycle seat, some of the Brooks seats look very retro but then they ain't cheap either..... MOST cost well over $100 and a few cost over $200.

What you can look for is to Google the terms "hairpin bicycle saddle". A number of custom/chopper bicycle places sell these, in various styles. It is a "sprung" saddle that is more-retro looking than the typical modern seat, and there are some cheaper versions (<$50) out there.
~

dmar836 · #7 11-20-2009, 10:47 AM

That's the most reasonably priced Mesinger I have found. I had ordered a Brooks that was the second largest saddle in the lineup but it was way too small for my application and so I returned it - it looked silly. The B190 might be closer the right size - certainly if you are using a bicycle frame.
Although in my opinion, if you build a frame with a 50"ish wheelbase, once you attain the correct look with a proportionately-sized Brooks saddle, it will look even more like a LARGE bicycle seat on a motorcycle.
JMO,
Dave