[Blazes Boylan]

I'm having a custom seat made for my Interceptor by someone here in NYC and he almost has me talked into using marine vinyl instead of leather, mainly for its resistance to UV rays, precipitation, and temperature changes, plus minimal maintenance.  I agreed but now I'm having second thoughts.  During riding season my bike is stored in a parking garage and in winter I bring it inside my apartment.  The seat will obviously be exposed to sunlight when I'm out and about and precipitation on those occasions when I get caught in the rain but otherwise it'll be kept in pretty ideal conditions.  (A New York parking garage gets humid in the summer but how much of a factor is that?)  The upholsterer said quality marine vinyl is almost indistinguishable from leather and since he's making the same amount of money either way I can only assume that's his honest opinion.

I would never consider buying a vinyl jacket but that's obviously different than a motorcycle seat.  If actual leather looks markedly better I'm happy to do the maintenance.

Opinions?

[dickim]

Leather 👍 whilst I don't have a leather motorcycle seat, the difference in my cars (convertables WITHOUT a roof!) means in one I sweat my Ass off and other I don't- taken to a sheepskin on vinyl seats in mga.

[NVDucati]

I'm having a custom seat made for my Interceptor by someone here in NYC and he almost has me talked into using marine vinyl instead of leather, mainly for its resistance to UV rays, precipitation, and temperature changes, plus minimal maintenance.  I agreed but now I'm having second thoughts.  During riding season my bike is stored in a parking garage and in winter I bring it inside my apartment.  The seat will obviously be exposed to sunlight when I'm out and about and precipitation on those occasions when I get caught in the rain but otherwise it'll be kept in pretty ideal conditions.  (A New York parking garage gets humid in the summer but how much of a factor is that?)  The upholsterer said quality marine vinyl is almost indistinguishable from leather and since he's making the same amount of money either way I can only assume that's his honest opinion.

I would never consider buying a vinyl jacket but that's obviously different than a motorcycle seat.  If actual leather looks markedly better I'm happy to do the maintenance.

Opinions?

Leather is nice. Have your seat guy make a slip on rain cover for it for those rainy days and or all day parking lot times.It can be "pleather" with an elastic bottom like we have for tank bags 9or shower caps).

[Yinzer]

Another full time convertible owner here.
I destroyed a very expensive set of Healey 100/4 seats (what the Elva uses) & replaced them with vinyl.
They look & feel like crap compared to the leather ones.

Leather is high maintenance but gloriously comfortable/beautiful.
I miss my leather seats a lot.

Somewhere I have a picture of my car with 4" of snow on/in it but I can't find it.

[fireypete]

Vinyl is fine, but leather is class!! Go for it! A little maintenance with a quality leather product and it will look beautiful and last ages. 

[Hoiho]

I’ve got both leather and vinyl seats and can’t feel any difference riding..

[lucky phil]

I'm having a custom seat made for my Interceptor by someone here in NYC and he almost has me talked into using marine vinyl instead of leather, mainly for its resistance to UV rays, precipitation, and temperature changes, plus minimal maintenance.  I agreed but now I'm having second thoughts.  During riding season my bike is stored in a parking garage and in winter I bring it inside my apartment.  The seat will obviously be exposed to sunlight when I'm out and about and precipitation on those occasions when I get caught in the rain but otherwise it'll be kept in pretty ideal conditions.  (A New York parking garage gets humid in the summer but how much of a factor is that?)  The upholsterer said quality marine vinyl is almost indistinguishable from leather and since he's making the same amount of money either way I can only assume that's his honest opinion.

I would never consider buying a vinyl jacket but that's obviously different than a motorcycle seat.  If actual leather looks markedly better I'm happy to do the maintenance.

Opinions?

The smart choice.

Ciao

[dickim]

Another full time convertible owner here.
I destroyed a very expensive set of Healey 100/4 seats (what the Elva uses) & replaced them with vinyl.
They look & feel like crap compared to the leather ones.

Leather is high maintenance but gloriously comfortable/beautiful.
I miss my leather seats a lot.

Somewhere I have a picture of my car with 4" of snow on/in it but I can't find it.

Just restoring a Big Healey and same - it'll be LEATHER 👍( Yinzer - Bent Chassis B4 into a Straight BT7 shell - )👍

[Seatex]

I'd vote for leather. Under the conditions you describe, the lifespan is more likely dependent on how many hours you put in the saddle, rather than UV/inclement weather factors. And of course there are treatments like bilk oil to keep leather supple with some water resistance. You will have to weigh your own factors, but even if I had to spend $200 every 5 years on a new leather seat, I would.

[Starpeve]

The smart choice.

Ciao

Function over form, Phil?

[iblastoff]

leather seats in a car maybe. but fuck no on a motorcycle where it's exposed to rain at any time. not worth it and no one looking at it will give a shit if its real leather or not.

[lucky phil]

Function over form, Phil?

Absolutely, on a bike. I mean leather is a silly choice lets face it, same as leather hand grips/covers or leather seats in a ski boat. Just when they invent something that's economical, looks good, is relatively easy to work, weather proof/water proof people seem to need to take a step into the twilight zone because it isn't "special" enough. I mean seriously, rubbing waterproofing junk on a seat periodically or carrying around a little "shower cap" to stretch over it when it looks like rain, good lord, madness.
Cars are different, although I don't think it's necessarily the best in a car either but at least it's not retrograde. BTW if my memory serves me right high end leather for car seats has a plastic coating anyway. I seem to recall the premium leather for BMW's etc is made here in Melbourne Australia or was. Someone can check that I'm sure. Both my cars came std with leather seats.

Ciao

[lucky phil]

leather seats in a car maybe. but fuck no on a motorcycle where it's exposed to rain at any time. not worth it and no one looking at it will give a shit if its real leather or not.

So you'll be a fan of leather hand grip covers then, with the dangly stringy bits hanging off the ends, LOL.

Ciao

[Starpeve]

Absolutely, on a bike. I mean leather is a silly choice lets face it, same as leather hand grips/covers or leather seats in a ski boat. Just when they invent something that's economical, looks good, is relatively easy to work, weather proof/water proof people seem to need to take a step into the twilight zone because it isn't "special" enough. I mean seriously, rubbing waterproofing junk on a seat periodically or carrying around a little "shower cap" to stretch over it when it looks like rain, good lord, madness.
Cars are different, although I don't think it's necessarily the best in a car either but at least it's not retrograde. BTW if my memory serves me right high end leather for car seats has a plastic coating anyway. I seem to recall the premium leather for BMW's etc is made here in Melbourne Australia or was. Someone can check that I'm sure. Both my cars came std with leather seats.

Ciao

Common sense really. I love leather but the PITA of maintaining it on a bike seat outweighs it’s attraction.

[supercub]

Marine vinyl is alot stiffer than typical motorcycle seat vinyl. It won't form very well. I used it on a custom seat and it was alot stiffer than the foam, making any cover imperfections stand out. Marine vinyl is great for flat square cushions without form. I had a few covers made from thin vinyl and they held up fine and were comfortable. Leather is great for boots but not a motorcycle seat.