| 4Strokes.com Technical: Seat Cover & Graphics Installation |
| Sooner or later the graphics on your thumper
are going to start looking ratty. You have a couple options,
either take your bike to a shop and pay to have them do it
or save some money and do it yourself. Follow along below as
we show you a basic installation of a new seat cover and tank
graphics on a Honda XR400R. Other models are very similar. |
| Seat Cover Installation |
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| 1. Remove the seat from your thumper and pry the staples
up with a sharp screwdriver and remove with a pair of
pliers or side cutters. |
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| 2. If you're installing a matching seat cover and tank
graphics, place the seat on the bike and temporarily
tape the tank graphics in place. Mark where the lines
run from the tank graphics to the seat cover with a pen
or pencil. This will give you a reference point on where
to line up the tank graphics and seat cover as you're
installing them. |
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| 3. Inspect the plastic seat base for any sharp edges
(typically on the bottom edges). Remove any sharp edges
with a razor blade and/or fine sand paper. You can also
use duct tape to cover the sharp areas. This will help
protect the seat cover from tearing from the inside out. |
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| 4. An air stapler designed primarily for upholstery
with ¼" staples makes the following steps a breeze!
This particular air stapler was purchased from Harbor
Freight Tools for just $25. |
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| 5. Fit the new seat cover over the base. Ensuring the
cover is centered, tack the front and back edges down.
Now heat the sides of the seat cover with a hair dryer
or heat gun and pull them around the middle bend of the
seat and tack both sides down. |
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| 6. Pull and tack down the rest of the front section,
working your way towards the rear of the seat. Alternate
from side-to-side as you tack it down. Cut the material
around any bosses are infringing areas. Make "V" cuts
in the corners where you end up with excess material.
After completion, if there are any wrinkles left in the
seat cover, remove the corresponding staples, stretch
the offending areas and re-staple. |
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| Tank/Shroud Graphics Installation |
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| 1. Start by removing the original decals from the tank
and/or shrouds. A hair dryer or heat gun may help in
the decal removal process. |
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| 2. Most plastic has flashing or an uneven area from
the manufacturing process. You can easily remove or flatten
this area out with a razor blade and/or fine sand paper.
This is generally not required on shrouds. |
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| 3. Thoroughly clean the plastic with a low residue
cleaner such as contact cleaner, brake cleaner or Xylene.
Make sure all sticker residue is removed then wash with
mild soap and water, rinse and allow to dry. |
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| 4. Temporarily tape the new graphics to the tank or
shrouds. If needed, trim the graphics to allow for a
better fit and/or to aid in alignment with the seat cover
graphics. |
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| 5. With the new tank/shroud graphics temporarily taped,
make short outline marks around the graphics in a few
different locations. This will give you a guide when
applying the new graphics. |
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| 6. Remove a couple inches of the protective backing
towards the front of the graphics. Align the graphics
with the marks you made earlier and press down. |
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| 7. Working from front to back, pull the protective
backing from off and press the graphics down as you go.
Work in small increments to prevent air pockets. |
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| 8. Tank graphics completely installed. |
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| 9. Completed and matched set. |
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| Seat Cover & Graphics Installation Tips |
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Decals are pressure sensitive so make sure you press
them down firmly. If decals are not completely pressed
down and adhered, dirt will get underneath and they will
never stick! |
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Do not apply graphics to a new fuel tank prior to installing
it on the bike and riding a few times. Mold release residue
in the pores of the tank will cause the new graphics
to stick poorly. In time the gasoline vapors will help
remove this mold release residue. |
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Install new graphics and decals under warm conditions,
but don’t use a heat gun or other adhesives. Start from
one end of the graphic and gradually press it into place
to avoid trapping air under the decal. |
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Most upholstery shops will install a seat cover for a minimal charge if you're not up to the task. |
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Another graphics installation method: When installing
new graphics, mix a solution of water and liquid dish
soap in a spray bottle. Spray the surface where the graphics
are to be applied and the back (sticky side) of the graphics.
Apply the graphics and squeegee them from the center
out to remove air bubbles and water. The soapy water
solution allows pre-alignment of the graphics. By MotoXsparx |
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