seat rail

[carryall]

I've been looking at this seat rail I have and got to thinking about seeing how I'd like it, if I installed it.  Problem is, I have to put a hole thru the leather skirt and I'm not sure exactly where they need to be located.  I figured IF I didn't like it, I could just install a conch over the hole and be none the worse.  My question is...How do I locate exactly where I need to put the holes?  Only way I can figure is to get an original seat pan like mine and simulate it/match it up to figure it out.  Anyone have a better idea or, would maybe consider sending me a seat I could use as a mock-up in order to figure out the hole placement?  Alternative ideas, please post them.  If you have an old/unused seat pan you'd let me use, please send me a PM and maybe we can work something out?

[pd]

Paul ,

Post a pic of the rail you are thinking of using along with a pic of the seat .

Hopefully , adding a seat rail won't make the seat look a bit too busy .

Pete .

[carryall]

Same seat, same rail except not sure about rail finish yet.  Maybe antique nickel, Black, possible even green but leaning to the antique nickel like the rest of the hardware.  One drawback to it I hadn't thought of till I was just sitting on the bike is, it might "limit" the size of the persons (butt) riding it size-wise.  LOL

[kartjockey]

What if you were to form two skeleton key holes from the bottom up.  So that the carriage bolt would lock into the smaller part of the key hole and the head of the bolt would drop into the rounded part of the keyhole.  This would keep you from poking a hole in that beautiful seat.  Or perhaps you could build a secondary bracket that would pull of  where the seat pan mounts to the leaf spring. 

[carryall]

I'm not understanding your idea I'm afraid.  Maybe I'm "dense"?  LOL  Can you draw me a diagram of your solution maybe?  Like you said, I REALLY don't want to mess with my gorgeous seat. BTW, I have managed to darken up the skirt a bit using neats foot to match the bags even better since last posted

[kartjockey]

This might do.  Picture dropping the head of carriage bolt in round portion of hole then sliding it over to lock square tang of carriage bolt in place so bolt doesn't turn while you tighten it.

[carryall]

I'm not worried about a hole from underneath where it mounts.  I'm worried about getting the placement of the holes where the rail comes thru the skirt on each side perfectly located.

[pd]

Paul ,

Why not simply flip the skirt up and fit the rail . Mark on the inside of the skirt where it contacts the rail when flipped down . Make the hole elongated to account for the angle of the rail . Just make the hole big enough that the skirt won't be rubbing the rail .

Or , take the easiest route and forget the rail .

Pete .

[carryall]

The skirt is super stiff. It's leather is even thicker than the top of the seat and, it's radius makes it even more rigid also.  I may just design another one that would come out from underneath from the back and then goes around. Like you said, then if I don't like it, leave it off and I'm out nothing but the fabrication time and frankly, that's half the fun.  

[pd]

Always more than one way around a bush .

Your last idea is likely the best .

Pete .

[carryall]

Another "option" I had kicked around in my head was making a rear rack for it.  It would be easy to incorporate a seat rail mount into it but, like you mentioned, it might be too "busy" and/or not make it look better than it does now.  Rule #1) Do NO harm.  LOL

[pd]

A rack would give you something to hang those bags on , but then you'll have the exhaust to contend with .
Unless the rack is designed as a stand-alone type .
Maybe some kind of drawing would help you decide .

Pete .

[carryall]

At first I had the bags hanging over the fender but didn't like the look of them there.  That's why I mounted them on to the frame.  Like you said, I'll do some drawing/simulating and "think about it".