Cali Vintage seat on older Cali III

[sidecarnutz]

Recently got a Cali Vintage skunk seat in from Moto International. Seems Guzzi is having a sale on these. Pretty good deal IMO. I needed something to put on the Cali III as the stock seat is just OK even with new firmer foam in it.

Still need to work out a attachment at the rear under the seat. I am leaning towards a patch of industrial Velcro between the bumpers at the rear. It looks great on  the bike and my sit test tells me its an improvement. It even matches up pretty well with the side covers. I have pics on my phone but no way to share them since Photo Bucket became an extortion racket.

Now I have a leather covered 50's repop of a Harley police seat I need to find a new home for. I like the skunk style bench better. Still gives me a back seat to lay a tent across for touring.

[sidecarnutz]

Pic. I like this!

[Ncdan]

I got one of those seats for 85 bucks. The problem is that the white ant white, it’s an off white and that’s why they are so cheap. When I had my seat rebuilt I had the guy replace the off white strip with marine grade material and the entire job was 140.00 so I came out pretty good overall. Really the off white is fine, it just bugged me. Yours look great on your bike.

[sidecarnutz]

I've done upholstery work for 22 years. I had no idea there were different shades of white until I got into this work! So you're right there.

I have rebuilt some of these over the years to reshape them for taller riders and then build a new skunk style cover from marine vinyl. That price you mentioned was a bargain. I charge $100 more than that myself to do a fancy cover like this. It does involve hours of putting a puzzle together as well as going back to double stitch it all.

I like how this seat hugs the frame. No wasted space like on the skunk seats on a Cali II where they sat a couple inches above the frame. I'm short to begin with and have my legs artificially shortened by a car hitting me 22 years ago. So I like the firm foam in these seats coupled with their moderate height. Good ergonomics for the altitude impaired!

I plan to paint the bike a light green color with gold pin stripes. So the off white will look great on it. The sidecar has tan upholstery. It all seems to work with each other.

[Sheepdog]

The seat on the Vintage is pretty good. I only changed mine to get a little more saddle height; my knees needed a more open angle. Still, I rode the stock seat from Waldheim, LA to Longmont, CO and back with no major discomfort.

[Denis]

I'm glad this thread came up because I've wondered if the Vintage seat would work on my '91 California. I guess it will!

[bigbikerrick]

I wonder if this seat will fit on my 03 Aluminum? can someone with a Cal Vintage please post post a picture of the underside of the seat, and of the top part of the Cal vin where the seat attaches, with the seat removed?
Thanks alot
Rick.

[sidecarnutz]

The underside has the usual two openings up front to engage the steel ears that stick out aft of the tank. It has three sets of spring wire slots under it above the rear fender to engage cone shaped guides. It has the seat latch under the rider like all modern Calis use.

I used a piece of industrial Velcro under it at  the rear between the fender bumpers to secure it. Works well. Considering the original has no real latch on the front cushion, even Velcro is an improvement.

[sidecarnutz]

I have the solo seat I mentioned in the swap meet section now with pics.

[guzzista]

Here is my 94 Cali  1100  with a Black Eagle seat (same as Skunk, solid color)

[Denis]

Just ordered one of the Cal Vintage seats. I'm kinda excited to see how it works out.

[Ncdan]

The seat on the Vintage is pretty good. I only changed mine to get a little more saddle height; my knees needed a more open angle. Still, I rode the stock seat from Waldheim, LA to Longmont, CO and back with no major discomfort.

I’m not sure if the actual factory seat which comes on the Calvin is the same seat as the one I got from F1, which was an off white for 85 bucks. The must say though that after around a hundred miles my BUTT WAS IN POOR SHAPE! Having mine redone with superior close cell foam and dished out a bit made all of he difference in the world.

[Denis]

I�m not sure if the actual factory seat which comes on the Calvin is the same seat as the one I got from F1, which was an off white for 85 bucks. The must say though that after around a hundred miles my BUTT WAS IN POOR SHAPE! Having mine redone with superior close cell foam and dished out a bit made all of he difference in the world.

Who is F1?

[motoTommaso]

Would this seat work on a Cali II also??

[sidecarnutz]

The Cali II uses a seat more related to what was on the T3. Metal pan, hinges at rear and a lever style latch system in the middle of the pan to keep it closed. The Vintage seat or the bike would need a number of mods to make it work.

[rodekyll]

Who is F1?

I think they mean

https://www.af1racing.com/store/Scripts/default.asp

[Ncdan]

I think they mean

https://www.af1racing.com/store/Scripts/default.asp

Thanks for the correction, I sent denis a PM with further explanation.

[Denis]

Thanks for the correction, I sent denis a PM with further explanation.

Got it, thanks!

[Denis]

My Cal Vintage seat arrived yesterday from Europe via Moto International.
Wow! All I can say is it's a beauty. Even has "Moto Guzzi" stamped in the back. Now that I see it in person in black and white, I think I'll leave it as is. This weekend I'll try and do a sample mounting. I really hope it's as comfy as it is lovely!

[Ncdan]

My Cal Vintage seat arrived yesterday from Europe via Moto International.
Wow! All I can say is it's a beauty. Even has "Moto Guzzi" stamped in the back. Now that I see it in person in black and white, I think I'll leave it as is. This weekend I'll try and do a sample mounting. I really hope it's as comfy as it is lovely!

Was the white a pure white or off white like mine and was?

[Denis]

Was the white a pure white or off white like mine and was?

It looked pure white under the light when I opened the box. I'll try and take a photo in better light and see how it looks.
I hope it works out. If it does, this fancy Corbin with moveable backrest is GONE.

[Denis]

So, checking the Cal Vintage seat out for fitting onto a '91 Cal.
The pan has the two slots to fit the tabs on the frame behind the tank. The difficulty here is that the tank itself has a tab which is bolted to a matching tab on the frame. This gets in the way of the pan itself. Solutions would be to cut a matching hole in the pan. If it just clears the tank mount it should be good.

Also, because of the tab mentioned above, the bracket for the seat latch on the pan hits a frame cross member above and behind the battery compartment.

So, it's not a direct, bolt on fit for a '91 Cal but it should work with modifications.

Now, setting the seat on the bike, it's clear the seating position is a huge improvement over the deeply dished original. It raises the seating position while giving more room. It also changes the angle my arms are so the handlebars, that I'm not sure I like, are much better.
I like the seat and think it will work well. And it looks good.









The white on the seat itself is actually off-white (see the pic below showing the white and the white stitching.

[Ncdan]

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Denis, it will look great on your bike. Like I said before mine was an off white also and really is no big deal but I�m AD according to my wife:(  after you do your first 200 mile ride you will know if you can tolerate the seats material. My butt was uncomfortable after the first one hundred or so miles. Mean street cycle rebuilt my seat and used high quality closed cell foam and reshaped the seat. He dished it out slightly and extended the seating area a little further back to give me a little more moving around room. As far as the off white issue for me, for twenty more bucks, totaling 140.00, he replaced it with pure white marine grade material, which matched the striping on the Calvin perfectly therefore not messing with my head:)

[Denis]

Got my Cal Vintage seat and spent some time yesterday checking the fit and seeing what I'll have to do to securely attach it. The way the tank attaches at the rear interferes with the seat slots/frame tabs attachment but that should be easy to work with.
It looks great and is a really nice height, not too low like the original and not too tall like the Corbin that was on it.
It completely changes the look of the Cal and makes it look sleeker and longer.

[Sheepdog]

You’ve just got to love that Tonti frame...

[Turin]

FYI, vinyl can be dyed if you don't like the white. I've done car dashes and seats. Eastwood Co. is where I've bought mine.

[Denis]

FYI, vinyl can be dyed if you don't like the white. I've done car dashes and seats. Eastwood Co. is where I've bought mine.

I think I actually like the off-white, even on the Cal I have. It makes a pretty spiffy color combination.