HOW-TO Lower the STOCK SEAT - KLR 650 - (Works for ALL bike seats) 

I appreciate the level of detail that you showed and explained. You are tall compared to me. I’m 5’1” so knowing how to do that well opens up a lot of options for me when considering which bike to buy next.

That was a great video. It would be nice to see before/after video of you sitting on the bike. I am bike shopping and seat height is always an issue as I am an inch shorter with the same inseam. I have pondered buying aftermarket seats in part because I did not want to make a mess of the stock OEM seat but you have given me confidence to do so. Also great guitar in the background with "my woman done left me cuz I can't touch the ground on my KLR blues".

I was wondering how it would look. Looks great.

beautiful job! Thanks for the instructions

Great video.. might have to add the lowering links ALSO! (For my wife) But good to know how that seat is set up under the vinyl. Will be fairly easy for me and my tools to handle. NOTE! LOVE the guitar blues, but gotta say, the VOLUME was a bit loud and made it hard to hear YOU. But it's a great help for someone that has never recovered a bike seat. Thanks!

Thanks for these tips, they were quite useful on lowering my motorcycle's seat height.

Man! That’s beautiful! I’ve been thinking about attempting this myself and I’m glad to have found your video. Heating the vinyl like that is an excellent idea. Thank you for your help. I’m ready to tackle this mod on my 2022 KLR650

Thank you! Saved me some money for sure.

Excellent 'how-to'. I have a KLR 650 that's just a bit too high for me. This is the answer for me!

I'm 5'10" in my boots ! so I know the problem your dealing with ! LOWER THE SUSPENSION on both ends ! it works wonders ! on most bikes you can raise the forks in the triple trees to lower the front. the rear will take a new pair of "Dog bones" to lower it if you lower both the front and rear the same amount there is no change in the handling at all . I've lowered about every motorcycle I have owned and I've had over 50 bikes of all shapes and sizes when I finally get my KLR ( gen2) I will no doubt have to lower it as well ... if you cannot flat foot the bike with both feet it is a danger to you ! take it from one that knows from experience ! yes lowering the seat helps I've done what you showed in this video several times before, but without the sprey adhesive ! that looks like it really helps alot as well as warming up the vinyl .... good tips there ! thanks !..... I'll no doubt use them in the future ! .... also making the crotch thinner will help a great deal in touching the ground tapering more of the foam at a steeper angle on the sides near the front, really helps ! leave the area where your butt sits as wide as possible for comfort on long trips ,so what you want to do is take a scoop out of each side that ends about half way in the seating area. that alone will give you an inch in itself.... my favorite tool for seat mods is a long serrated bread knife....sharpened like a razor ! I usually only leave 1" of foam above the seat pan....lol

Terrific video, buddy! I just picked up a 2022 KLR, and, like you, I'm a bit shorter and would like to be able to reach the ground better. Good work! New sub!

Very nice job bud, congrats!

Should of put down a heavy plastic for water proofing. Even the stock seat comes with it. Either way nicely done!

Great video.....helped me with reshaping my seat for my klr.

Great video! May have to do this to mine being 5'8"-5'9".

I'll start mine right now!

A heat gun used to remove paint can also be used on low setting and heat while working the vinyl .I reccomend testing a off cut first to determine how close the gun to vinal is too close . but most people will find the trusty iron you use to iron your clothes the easiest way .Just remember to iron the inside cloth side 👍 the tricks you learn - ameture apolstry.

Great video. I was thinking of lowering link, but will do the seat the way you did it. Loved the music! Who is that?

Well done!

nice blues set, for background music.

Fantastik video for us DIYers

All in all not to shabby. You could have got a smoother look on the back of the seat but not bad.

Bravo!

Very nice 👌

PS. Awesome DIY mod. Great job

Thanks.

This is an excellent vid! I will definitely keep this in mind, and it expands my accessibility to more bikes. I’m 5’5” and have wanted a KLR650, but the salesman told me the bike is too big for me. I now could consider that bike despite what the salesman said. I’d be interested in knowing if you felt any difference in comfort after making the seat thinner. Was it firmer due to less padding? Enquiring minds would love to know!

Thanks for the great video. Do you do seats on the side? I could send you my seat.

Nice job,love the music. Who is the guitarist? Stevie ray?

Hi brother, very good idea! I am in the same problem! same moto, same hi! Do you have anymore tipos?

I believe the KLR650 also has Adjustable suspension. wind back the preload backing nut and adjust the top coil nut for rear & slide up your front forks through the tripple clamps 1- 2 inches .This will make bike shorter and easier to turn.

thanks for this. Is that you playing the guitar? Also why didn't you just use the original seat cover?

Yo esperaba que al final lo instalaba y mostraba como habia quedado y como el llegaba al suelo. Espere solo eso. Me parecio incompleto por que el proceso estuvo ok pero el objetivo final nunca se vio.

How's the seat held up since then?? It looks like something I'd want to try. Greetings from a guy who's 5'5 lol

Dude, Nice video. I am going to do my own seat now... Btw, where the heck are you from? Here? Newfoundland? If not, I need to visit... you trow you h's like many of us... cheers...

What thickness of vinyl did you use? And does it have a specific name or just find some thick vinyl? I assume a fabric place would carry this? I’d like to do this...

Have you tried lowering links and moving the froks up and inch? Just wondering as I have the same inseam issue with the KLR as you.

Great job, but why don’t someone make low seats for the 650 already to just bolt on ? Or do they ?

great video!...better without music though.

Liked for Sasha.

how did the seat work for you after the modifications?

is there a way to not get wrenkles in the seat?

Now all you need is a set of high heels 😉 We used a bread knife to carve Summer's FZ6 seat and it worked great. Good job, seat looks great!

Can someone tell me the height of the KLR 650 from the ground to the top of the windshield ?

Nice custom seat! May i ask ... how tall are you? Im 5 ft 8 30" inseam and wondering if a gen 1 klr is too tall

Where can I buy the vinyl material?

What kind of vinyl did you use?

Do you have recommendations on where to find the vinyl or even what to search for? I've been having a hard time finding it.

WHat's "thick" vinyl? And what's thin? Looking at 0.9mm vinyl - what thicknesses are you looking at, quantified?

Thanks for making this video. I going to try this on my new KLR 650. However now that it's been almost 3 years with riding on your lowered seat how is it holding up now? Also with shaving of that much foam did the seat loose its comfortability when sitting down on it driving down the highway?

Less cushion ???? what about long trips ??

Where are you from ???? Sounds like east coast of Canada ?

Possum

Try lowering seat first so you don’t gotta mess with the suspension...

So, I'm guilty of this myself... but.... why do we all feel like we have some God given right to critique every fricken thing on these videos? "Better without the music?" Who the heck made you the quality police? I'm sorry, don't mean to be a jerk. (and I know I'm coming across that way....) But why do we all think that our opinion is so darn important. For that matter, why do we think we MUST comment. Just take/leave the video. I like encouragement, but nothing says we MUST say "good job" etc. yes, i like this video. But dang, can it be enough that this guy just did the video because he wanted to share? Ok, I'm not fitting into the friendly you-tuber model right now... . I apologize for making waves, but I just wanted to suggest that we just take in the info and let all the other stuff just go away when we click on a different video! - bye!

The music you added was quite annoying I made it hard to hear you at the end

#HobbitProblems

“Not bad”, is not great. The folds are not necessary and look terrible. Sorry, just being honest. If you just remove a little more material and work the vinyl there would be no folds. It’s frustrating to see all that hard work and effort only to see that finished product so close to perfect yet so flawed. Good news is you can fix it.

Too bad we couldn’t hear you talking over the damn annoying music.