Just received a seat cover I bought from an online supplier called a Large Lycette. Doesn't fit! Can anyone sell me or tell me where to go for an off the shelf cover that looks right and fits. ?

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

Hi Andrew, the problem with saddle covers is there are probaby half a dozen variations all slightly different. The only way to get a proper fitting cover is to send your frame to someone like RK Leighton who will taylor make one for it.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

I said this in March:

"Chris Coxon made me a fine canvas saddle cover, to replace the rather delicate original Terry. Very comfortable, especially in hot weather.
And also important: I modified the saddle frame, moving the spring holes upwards, thus reducing the punishing of the coccyx....."
Hans

email (option): viaconsu # planet dot nl

thanks for the comments. I had thought I may be able to get away with buying a premade off the peg seat so to speak. Leightons had a pretty long lead time, however it seems this may be the only answer unless someone knows different. thx

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

hi, mine was from Wassell as well, and its the large Lycette. Basically, the curvature at the rear of the seat cover is not wide enough from my frame, if you try to make it curve where its not meant to then the cover pulls away from the back and will not fit down on the side correctly. also one of the rear tabs is bang in line with the angle bracket which supports the spring. basically, its just not right for the job, which surprises me really. Didnt see this coming and thought I would have no problems now I have to probably send off to have one made and that will no doubt be impossible before XMAS so my Boxing day run out is not likely to happen now.!

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

The different makes of saddle frames vary in overall length, width at the nose and in the radius around the back edge...you will be happy if you buy a pattern one which happened to be patterned on the same type of saddle that you have..otherwise it won't fit correctly somewhere.
I was fairly 'underwhelmed' by the job done by Lieghtons..the material used was a poor match for the original, being far too smooth and the quality of the stitchwork and seams was very 'average' in my opinion, with 'puckered' areas at the corners of the rear panel and main cover and the seam stitching not even...Personally I wouldn't use them again unless desperate...Unfortunately it's getting that way..despite previous postings on the subject asking for a recommended upholsterer and unsuccessful trial runs at four (so far) myself it seems skilled and fastidious upholsteres are becoming few and far between. I used to use a chap who produced a cover I could not fault in any area and who was happy to incorporate my own modifications to improve durability and appearance...but to my great regret he is no longer available..
As both saddles for my M20 will require recovering during the up and coming rebuild it's a problem...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Some of us have had a repro from Frederick in Belgium
ffmotoronderdelen@skynet.be
Made from modern vinyl but still quite nice and a good fit on my M20. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

hi ron,does frederick make the cock protector hans mentioned as well? quite nifty that .ive not seen the vokes filter in the flesh so its new to me .cheers rick

email (option): richardholt@rocketmail.com

The Wassells ones will fit the '42 type universal saddle frames, and all the repro saddles seem to stem from this type. The problem arises when you have an earlier saddle, these seem to be a little wider. I agree with Ian the Leighton covers aren't the best, the material doesn't look correct, but we are not spoiled for choice at the moment. Ian, have you had any luck locating the correct rexine material yet? Good original covers are becoming gold dust.
Hey Rick, Frank Brown of Pegasus productions makes the Vokes pad, I have the original, and they are a perfect repro. You just need a lottery win to buy that filter!
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Ummh, not sounding too positive in terms of a quick and satisfactory fix. I did recently send off to Woolies the trim people for some black vinyl samples and I have found a few that I think would be satifactory given the lack of any Rexine. I am wondering whether I would be better to take it to an upholsterer and see whether he can do decent job using the Wassell as a pattern. Someone must do a decent job of these?

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

Andrew, it might not be a bad idea to post a couple of photos of your seat frame on here. Someone may be able to positively identify it and maybe even know which covers fit.

This sort of problem is always much easier to pin down with pictures.

here you go

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

Ah, now I see - thanks, Andrew.

That is a Lycett frame - you can see that from the slots which originally held the bent steel tags from the elastics.

The basic frame looks unmodified but the springs are somehow too long and it has been altered to take a bent version of the central plate usually fitted on Terry saddles with short springs in front connecting it to the nose of the frame.

The fact that your springs are being taken in a straight line almost to the nose of the saddle means that the 'flanks' of the saddle are probably much wider than they originally were, especially as that central plate looks to be a very wide one - maybe from one of the pre-war v-twins that had huge comfy saddles ?

With a bit of luck, someone will be able to post how the Lycett should look underneath.

This thread lets you look at some Terry saddles :-

http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3155626639&frmid=16&msgid=1187144&cmd=show

Thanks Rik, great analysis and this certainly explains why the seat cover I bought does not fit. If anyone has seen this seat before on , other bikes perhaps they can point me in the right direction. Otherwise it would seem I will definitely need a bespoke cover being made.

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

Hi Andrew,
Looks like the Wassell cover fits the Terry saddle fine, I looked at the linked photos and my saddle is the Terry type.
Vincent

email (option): vinver@ns.sympatico.ca