Huffy Davidson WLA Build

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Nightster

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So with the handlebars moving back 4 inches, I believe I need to add another post to move the seat back. Here is what I have pictured in my mind. And I want to use A seat that can be used with a suspension seat post like the WLA’s had.

can anyone tell me if I can mount a bicycle seat suspension to this WLA replica seat from India?
 

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wrench

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Aug 20, 2019
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can anyone tell me if I can mount a bicycle seat suspension to this WLA replica seat from India?

Is this what ya mean by bicycle seat suspension ?
Pics of an old a 20 year old Worksman seat and it's suspension

I guess you can take the India seat cover off and change the bolts position in the seat pan to line up with the seat suspension frame ya got. also use the correct length of bolts for the springs
 

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Nightster

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Is this what ya mean by bicycle seat suspension ?
Pics of an old a 20 year old Worksman seat and it's suspension

I guess you can take the India seat cover off and change the bolts position in the seat pan to line up with the seat suspension frame ya got. also use the correct length of bolts for the springs
Yea, that might be the way to make it fit
 

Nightster

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OK I see, WLA Sure a guy like you should be able to figure out how to mount that.
Wow, thank you for the picture. It made me go back and look at some of my other pictures a little closer. I had not noticed that the front of the seat was attached to the gas tank. I appreciate your confidence, and yeah I’m thinking I can figure something out, lol.

Obviously, realism requires fabrication.
 

Nightster

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I looked on line and I saw WLA seat frame and mounts $$$$$$$$$
Maybe it made in a Reproduction kit?

Also solo M/C seat mounting kits

Maybe ya can make something out of a Solo seat mounting kit?
That’s definitely an idea as well, but most of those I have seen have springs on the back of the seat. I’m trying to avoid that.

i’m thinking I can fabricate a little mount for the front of the seat to mount on the gas tank or frame and rig something up on the back of the seat to hold the seat post mount.
 

Nightster

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Damn you Curt, lol.

I thought this would be a semi-relatively easy build. Mostly just hanging stuff off the bike, lol.

now we’re talking I need to make or buy a jig for the bike frame. more chromoly and brazing. Been checking dimensions with my micrometer and I will need some 1 1/2 inch, 1 1/4 inch and 5/8 inch chromoly to stretch the frame and build the front rack.

but that’s the correct way to do it if I’m trying to make it look Somewhat authentic.

The extra seat post that I mentioned earlier would just stand out, so I am accepting there’s gonna be more fabrication here.

so thanks Curt and Wrench for making me try harder.
 

PeteMcP

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Jun 27, 2017
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Whoa, Danny! ....
This sprung WLA solo seat idea quickly expanded to a LOT more work than you first thought. Before you contemplate such drastic measures as frame lengthening/butchery, think more along the lines of Keeping It Simple.
Let's back up a little. First up, the WLA-inspired seat look you're after should be fairly simple to achieve. You'll need one of these hinged solo seat front mounts (hundreds of these on eBay). The WLA pan should already have bolt locations for one of these.
s-l500 (1).jpg

Then you could adapt the underside of that WLA steel seat pan to accommodate a pair of steel rails to fit the kind of mounts normally found on modern sprung seat posts. Shown in this pic. 'Cept maybe snug the rails closer up to the pan so they aren't so visible.
s-l1600 (2).jpg

Easiest way to do this is to get your hands on an old, cheap saddle and cannibalize it for the rails. These are commonplace. Weld the rails onto the underside of the steel pan - and you might just want to start with a bare metal WLA pan rather than rip the leather off an already covered pan. I've seen bare steel WLA pans on eBay at cheap prices..

My only concern about your WLA seat plan would be that its a motorcycle saddle and its size might overwhelm a bicycle. Not saying it will. Just something to be aware of.
 

Nightster

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2021
735
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Whoa, Danny! ....
This sprung WLA solo seat idea quickly expanded to a LOT more work than you first thought. Before you contemplate such drastic measures as frame lengthening/butchery, think more along the lines of Keeping It Simple.
Let's back up a little. First up, the WLA-inspired seat look you're after should be fairly simple to achieve. You'll need one of these hinged solo seat front mounts (hundreds of these on eBay). The WLA pan should already have bolt locations for one of these.
View attachment 107204
Then you could adapt the underside of that WLA steel seat pan to accommodate a pair of steel rails to fit the kind of mounts normally found on modern sprung seat posts. Shown in this pic. 'Cept maybe snug the rails closer up to the pan so they aren't so visible.
View attachment 107205
Easiest way to do this is to get your hands on an old, cheap saddle and cannibalize it for the rails. These are commonplace. Weld the rails onto the underside of the steel pan - and you might just want to start with a bare metal WLA pan rather than rip the leather off an already covered pan. I've seen bare steel WLA pans on eBay at cheap prices..

My only concern about your WLA seat plan would be that its a motorcycle saddle and its size might overwhelm a bicycle. Not saying it will. Just something to be aware of.
Wow ok Pete, I like your idea. Got old seats laying around so the frames from those seats are readily available.

and now that you bring up that final point of size you may very well be correct that it would look stupid. It’s a big seat to start with for a motorcycle so yea on a bike it might overwhelm.

still like the idea on the made in India replicas. That’s how I found the WLA seats.

you’ve given me some things to think about Pete, including looking for a smaller seat most likely. Somethings shaped the same just smaller.

thanks for your advice Pete