Mooneyes 2012: Chopper Seats and Upholstery

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Mooneyes 2012: Chopper Seats and Upholstery

Written By: Harold McGruther
12-13-2012
Categorized in: Events, Features, Motorcycles

In our final installment of this month's four-part feature from Yokohama, we focus on the motorcycle seats at Mooneyes. CC members' appreciation for upholstery, hand tooling and saddle making is well known, and there was plenty to love in Yokohama last week. Here's some of the best.

A special thanks to Shige, Steve, Chico and the rest of the crew at Mooneyes Japan for providing assistance and freedom to cover this legendary event. Thanks also to Rico Fodrey at Hi-Bond Modified in Pomona, CA, for being our tour guide at Mooneyes corporate HQ.

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Commented on 12-13-2012 At 01:37 pm

Cajones

Soooooooo sick!

Commented on 12-13-2012 At 03:06 pm

RHINO

That blue one brings back memories of a couch I once had. Same swirly material in Red with black piping. I miss that couch,but my wife hated it.

Commented on 12-13-2012 At 03:07 pm

RHINO

On another note, I find most of these to be pretty uninspiring. The first one looks like a hemorrhoid pillow.

Commented on 12-13-2012 At 09:49 pm

vnygra

you're crazy man. the black velvet one was super inspiring and i might possibly be ditching all ideas i have of seats just to make one out of black velvet. seems so awesomely ghetto sexy

Commented on 12-14-2012 At 04:02 pm

HardLuckDesigns

Too many pleats and diamonds to get my juices flowing. Not impressed.

Commented on 12-14-2012 At 09:42 pm

Sorry to let you guys down. I find the evolution to rigidly mounted and upholstered solo seats—not the tooled, sprung solo seats common on "bobbers" as recently as 18 months ago—quite telling. FWIW, all these seats were on domestically built choppers of all makes and pedigrees. I don't personally think this apparent trend heralds the death of tooled leather, but the impact of '70s style Naugahyde chopper seats on customizing is evident in this sampling.

Commented on 12-15-2012 At 05:01 pm

WingNut

Velvet seat screams "all show and not go" to me. You don't want a velvet seat getting wet.... Theres still some great examples of fine work here. The third one is by far my favorite.

Commented on 12-15-2012 At 07:49 pm

JapSlap

I sold my old bike which I had a Corbin Gunfighter recovered by Christian of XianLeather, it's hard to get excited by what was photographed at Mooneyes once Christian has done one for you, just my opinion.

Commented on 12-16-2012 At 03:51 am

JonnyNewYork

These seats are extremely nice, but I find some of these to be in the same vein as all of the hipsters wearing repop 70's clothing. Doing something gaudy and not so original simply to be ironic, period correct, or over the top is just lame. It's bland and it leaves much to be desired. Especially on a custom motorcycle that took so much to make. Basically what I'm saying is re hashing old cliche ideas that have been beat to death really "custom"?

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