Dunlop saddle

[starman]

Hi,
My 1959 Scotish bike has a Dunlop rubber saddle. The holes have pulled through at the front section where it bolts to the saddles frame behind the petrol tank. Does anybody know if there is supposed to be any support underneath the middle of the saddle to support the riders weight other than the metal frame around the edge and the two rear springs?

Andrew.

[Brian Thompson]

Dunlop Rubber Saddles.

Hi Andrew,

No they don't, just the set-up as you describe. This is common on the old (original) Dunlop saddles as the rubber ages.

The 'new' reproduction types available via John Budgen Motorcycles (Olde Lane, Toddington, Gloucs, GL54 5DW; 01242 621 495) or Sammy Miller (http://www.sammymillerproducts.co.uk...iew/seats.html) are reinforced with a laminate material in the rubber to make them stronger.

Not exactly cheap though, and the supplied seat nose bracket usually needs modifying with a couple of extra drilled straps brazed on to bolt up to the 'triangular' Greeves frame/seat nose brackets.

Hope this helps,

Brian.

[starman]

OK, thanks Brian I bet the replacement will be just as hard on the bum too!
Andy.

[Brian Thompson]

Getting Saddled!

Yes indeed, wallet too...!

And don't wear white trousers whatever you do....!!!

Brian.

[249XUU]

Made my own saddle for my Scottish after realising that somebody had brazed a hoop on the subframe for a 'modern' foam saddle. Hope this image hosting thing works!

[Peter Rotherham]

Dunlop Rubber Saddles.

Hi,
As with much of the GRA world, the subject of 'originality' poses 2 problems. Availability and suitability. My first ever Greeves 20TDS in 1969/70 had a simple wooden triangle covered in leather as a seat. It worked well on short journeys and in fields. I often wondered what the 'original' seat would be like. A few years later, another Greeves came along with a Dunlop seat on. It was marginally more comfortable, easily cleaned, but higher and I thought, spoilt the lines of the bike. I also caught the inside of my thighs on it when going round trees. This type also goes hard and cracks up with age.

So, if you want a Dunlop Rubber seat for looks, etc., I suppose its worth the extra cost. But, in my humble opinion, for economy and ease of usage, a simple home made or 'cut to fit' pattern seat is just as good.

[John Wakefield]

I think most riders ditched the Dunlop saddle in favor of a slimmer seat as on 249 XUU for the reasons you have stated Peter.

[Colin Sparrow]

By the time they got to 1958, Greeves were offering the scrambler seat as an no-cost option for the Scottish anyway.

So perfectly original and much more comfy I would think...