Seatpans instead of seats?

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Okay, I have a question and an opinion.
I love, love, love this bike, a lot,(Dan at "I Ride"?).... but don't you think it would be just perfect with a motorcycle styled seat pan instead of a typical bicycle tacked on there?
Imagine that seat gone and a little padding between the top tube and rear fender. like a motorcycle.
I understand the need for adjustability on a mass produced chopper style bicycle, but a full on custom such as this deserves something other than a stock seat.
I see this over and over, everything is one off custom styled then "plop" stick a seat on it.
I'm attaching a few photos of motorcycles that have the idea I'm putting out there, and two seat pan bikes I built.
I guess I'm just wondering why I don't see more of this style seat being done?

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images-2_zps6155849b.jpeg


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images-1_zpsb816b525.jpeg


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Looks great. gets uncomfortable unless suspended by a spring or riding on a thick, cushy rear tire.
 
I may have mislead, Ratsphinx...that's not my bike, it's a photo I found, and just fell in love with the bike. Just using it as an example.
 
Just my opinion too and its not worth much but. Those metal pans for seats work in two instances.....
one on a scooter your building a bar hopper and not really doing and long runs..or your young and can take it.
Its like ridged frames are for young guys. They look so cool and will kill someone over 40. As I have gotten
older , all that really cool looks over comfort goes out the window. Now I want a VW bucket seat welded to one. :lol:
 
I'm with US. Pans look cool, and I agree that tacking on a big cruiser seat can look like it was an afterthought, but man, those custom seats usually hurt on long rides. Most of the bike club rides I go on are around a dozen miles, and even cruiser seats have a tough time for that long.

I'm thinking the best compromise is custom leather/upholstery on a nice cruiser seat.
 
I saw on John Brains facebook page that his new bike is going to have a seat pan seat mounted right on the frame like you mention. I will ask him if I can post a photo of it here when its done. This is an interesting topic because you sure don't see too many of them, thats for sure. i think the foam would be the key to a nice ride.

Here is a link to his public facebook gallery page about his making a seat pan out of fiberglas http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 1&__req=2k

Looks like a lot of messy work to make one :)
 
Hey Kenny, that bike, The Bully, is actually in Florida. I sold it to that guy you know there and I can't for the life of me remember his name. It was a good mobster name...I do remember that:)
 
put the pan seat on for the photo session, replace with a comfy seat for any riding you do. don't tell anybody. :D
 
Good to see you're still around kenny p.
I saw a great one that was a half breed of traditional seat that was hard mounted to a frame a few years back on a frame swap that RHL and Sam from Firebikes did. I can't seem to recall where I saw it so I cant post the pictures. :roll:
It was really well done and looked really good. Anyone recall the post I'm thinking of?!?
 
Here is one I built using a how to from a motorcycle builder. Also replaced the spring with a set from a cycle. But since it was my first try decided to keep the traditional seat post mount.
finishedseat1.jpg

finishedseat2.jpg
 
There are subtle, but substantive differences between a seatpan designed for a motorcycle and that of a bicycle. Seatpans designed for motorcycles don’t need to take into account for the reciprocating motions of the inner thighs when pedaling due to the fact that the legs are spread wider to compensated for the width of the engine and the feet are used only for shifting and braking. Consequently, the seat pans are broader at the front for comfort. On the other hand, seatpans designed for bicycles are narrower at the front for the aforementioned reciprocating motions.

A good compromise is the seatpan customized for my Giant Stiletto “LongBike”; the original fabric and foam were removed and thicker foam was used and laid over with horse leather, this configuration has proven itself comfortable on longish rides of 12 to 20-miles.

I agree on the point of having a “tacked-on” cruiser-on-pole-seat on a custom Lowglide (a Dutch term meaning a bike that has the lowest point of the seat sitting lower than the highest point of the wheels) when a “V”-wedge seatpan is both esthetically and better for the overall look and comfort on the bike, especially when it is attached directly onto the frame.

LongBike a Lowglide (not Lowrider) with leather on “V”-wedge steel framed molded-plastic seatpan:

LongBike002.jpg
 

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