BLSJDS Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 I'm getting ready to order the Armour Bodies track body work for my '08 CBR600RR. There are two choices: the "Superbike" kit requires the use of a foam seat, or the "Supersport" kit which allows you to use the OEM seat. Which one should I get? What is the advantage of the foam seat over the OEM seat? Thanks! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigo298er Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 I'm getting ready to order the Armour Bodies track body work for my '08 CBR600RR. There are two choices: the "Superbike" kit requires the use of a foam seat, or the "Supersport" kit which allows you to use the OEM seat. Which one should I get? What is the advantage of the foam seat over the OEM seat? Thanks! Dan Hey Dan, I don't know how your seat is on your CBR, but the stock seat on my Tuono is very slippery. I plan on getting a 'carbon' series seat from Race Seats (raceseats.it) for when I start track days on it this fall. If you're comfortable on the stock seat, maybe that's a good route. If you'd be willing to drop the money on a foam seat, even one that uses a stock seat body, it could make you more comfortable by getting a better grip and control of your body on the bike. I know how much more comfortable I would be, so that's why I'm going to go that route. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSJDS Posted August 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 Hey Craig, Those are good points - thanks! I was thinking that the foam seat would probably have a little more resistance when transitioning from side to side, possibly making it more difficult. Although my last time out at CSS, I was working on LESS butt movement, MORE upper body movement . If there is more friction with the foam seat, it would help during braking for sure, as I tend to slide forward even with a pretty good lock on the tank with both legs. Maybe foam is the way to go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 Hey Craig, Those are good points - thanks! I was thinking that the foam seat would probably have a little more resistance when transitioning from side to side, possibly making it more difficult. Although my last time out at CSS, I was working on LESS butt movement, MORE upper body movement . If there is more friction with the foam seat, it would help during braking for sure, as I tend to slide forward even with a pretty good lock on the tank with both legs. Maybe foam is the way to go... Foam might be lighter, if you are trying to reduce weight, and you can buy foam that is thicker or thinner, or shape it however you want, and you can shop for foam that is more, or less, grippy. But I think the main consideration is the tail piece itself and how you want it to look. I think with some race fairings the "race tail" that used the foam seat was more suitable for putting on race numbers, and may also have been easier to put on and take off. On my bike I bought a thicker foam seat and sanded it down in the middle so it was a little higher at the front, in an attempt to keep me from sliding forward so much. That helped a little, but not as much as I had hoped. Someone also told me that if you rough up the foam occasionally with sandpaper it helps keep it more grippy, that with wear it gets a little polished and more slippery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSJDS Posted August 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 More good points about foam - thanks Hotfoot! Weight isn't really an issue (I'd be better off skipping a few meals anyway), but I like the idea of being able to shape it differently and experiment with different levels of "grip" if need be. I don't plan on racing any time soon, but easier removal / installation is a big plus. More pros for foam... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmckeen Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 I heard or read somewhere that most foam seatpads on a Suberbike tail would be thinner and usually harder then the stock seats resulting in less muffling of feedback through the frame of the bike, and since your backside doesn't sink in quite as much moving around in the seat actually requires less effort then with the stock seat. Armour Bodies sells precut seat pads for their Superbike tails. I decided to go that route and ordered one for my R-6 bodywork. The fit and finish on them is top notch and I've had a few fellow corner workers out at SOW comment on the quality of the seat pad, the grip level is quite nice and I believe its closed cell foam so it wont fill up with water and take weeks to dry out should it get wet at some point. Tyler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSJDS Posted August 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 Thanks for the information, Tyler - I think that about does it - I'm going with the foam . Worst case scenario, I hate it, modify the tail, and go back to my OEM seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSJDS Posted September 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 As a follow up - I had my first track day with the foam seat yesterday. It definitely wasn't as soft, but I rode a LOT yesterday and my butt never got sore. I didn't slide around on the seat as much (found that I didn't need to grip the tank as hard with my knees during braking), but transitioning from side to side was still easy. I really liked the additional "feedback" I felt through it as well - it made me much more aware of what the rear end was doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmckeen Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Curious did you order a precut pad or fashion one yourself out of some stock foam material ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSJDS Posted September 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 I ordered the pre-cut Armour Bodies pad (actually, the local race shop I bought the Armour Bodies body work from included it for free). Just peeled off the backing and stuck it on - installed . If I tried to cut it out myself, you would swear a 1st grader with two left hands did it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aslcbr600 Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I have thought about going to the foam seat style as well on my race bike. The OEM seat for the Triumph 675 sits up really high on the back side of the seat so when you tuck in on the fast straights your butt doesn't feel firmly planted up against the back of the tail section. Plus on braking I always slide forward even when gripping the tank, although of course this would require me to get a new tail section as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktk_ace Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 my seats stock with a custom layer (grippy "cloth"?) that 1 paid 20 bucks for Grips much better than stock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmeraz Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 BLSJDS: I also have a track only CBR600RR (2011), and chose the Armour Bodies superbike tail for its foam seat. The seating position is slightly higher-up and tilted forward than the stock seat (which I like). What I like the most from the foam is the increased "feel" of the track surface due to the denser foam. I only had one drawback with the Armour Bodies; I had to change the stock headers and exhaust because of belly pan clearance issues. I got a Leo Vince SBK Factory EVOII full exhaust, but it just barely rubs the belly pan and burned a hole through it. Next time I have an "off" I'll do some fiberglass work and make a tiny bubble below the headers for additional clearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Kane Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Oilpatch; I had the same bellypan issue with Sharkskinz. I cut out the area and used modeling clay to make a mold for a sump l fabricated out of fiberglass. Worked like a charm. Rain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Oilpatch; I had the same bellypan issue with Sharkskinz. I cut out the area and used modeling clay to make a mold for a sump l fabricated out of fiberglass. Worked like a charm. Rain I think that is a really common problem, I had it with the Kawasakis, the BMW, even the Moriwaki, and have heard the same from others, too. I don't think any of the race style fairings (with a full belly pan) are designed to work with stock exhaust, and even with race exhausts they require heat shield (or a modification like you mention above) to keep the paint from getting blackened or bubbling. All the stock (street) fairings seem to have cutouts around the exhaust so it isn't an issue with those - but of course you need the full belly pan to race, so you have to change it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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