03 KTM 300 EXC Seat Replacements

[SteveG_northwest]

I'm hoping to get opinions/feedback on full replacement seats for an 03 KTM 300 EX/C. I've heard go with Enduro Engineering, but they don't appear to make one for an 03 300 EXC [anymore?]. They make replacement softer foam, but I don't want to fiddle with trying to take off/put on a seat cover and have it potentially come out ugly. I can only find Moose and SDG seats that seem to say they will work searching online. Does anybody have any recommendations/experience with Moose versus SDG seats? Did they fit OK and reasonably comfortable?

I bought a used '03 300 EX/C and LOVE it except that solid mohagany, rounded top seat has GOT to go-- it starts to feel like it has teeth after a long ride!

I'm just looking for a "normal" hardness, flat top seat you can sit on all day without pain, like what comes on a stock jap MX bike (no complaints about my 97 KX 250 seat). A Gripper top seat cover would be preferred.

I was kinda leaning towards getting the SDG one from MotoSport Outlet (only $79 and looks kinda like what I want from what I can tell from the picture), but want to know if anybody's put one of these on an 03 300 EX/C and happy with it.

Kinda strange that for year after year I see magazine reviews rant and rave about KTM seats being so hard, but they keep making them that way.

 

[CO Dan]

Can't tell you about the 03 but I have an 01 300 and the SDG seat is better, but not nearly good enough.

Everything I hear about gutsracing.com foam is good and that's what I'm going to do.

 

[evenslower]

Not sure about complete seats but I've got "Honda" foam (not sure what that means) from EE if I remember right and its made a huge difference. You can actually sit down and ride, imagine that.

 

[SteveG_northwest]

I saw the EE made foam and seat covers, but was kind of afraid to try it. Was it hard to put the seat cover on and have it look right? I've never done that before, but have seen a few others' seats who've done it themselves and they always seem to have wrinkles, etc. (especially on the corners).

I don't want to rip the only seat I have apart than have it look like crap when I try to put it back together. (For the same reason, I have shied away from trying to cut holes on the underside of the KTM foam to soften it up.)

Do you just use a regular staple gun/staples? How long of staples? Was it a pain in the arse to do?

BTW, I've seen many a dirtrider mag article that says Honda makes the best seats, so I'm guessing that's probably why EE advertises that it's "Honda" foam.

 

[evenslower]

I actually used pretty short staples. The long ones don't really drive far enough into the plastic with the electric stapler I have. Its not hard to get it to look right. Heat up the cover so it stretches and take your time. I guarantee your second try will be better than the first..................

 

[DWreck]

You might stop by your local upholstery shop and see what they would charge to do it for you. I had mine done for $10 and it turned out perfect. I've put one on and my staple gun didn't have the oomph. I could get it started and tap it in with a hammer. It looked good but wasn't worth the trouble.

 

[zio]

If you're just replacing foam & using the same cover, it's easier. Short staples and a strong staple gun help. I replaced mine with some Ceet foam in about 20 minutes. It has broken in nicely... a smidge firmer than my SDG seats from the past, but still a big improvement. took a few rides to break in. If your stock cover is still in good condition, I'd try this first. The SDG seats are a bargain and yes, softer than stock, but still about $30 more than just buying the foam.

 

[SteveG_northwest]

Got my SDG seat (and a trick for the stock seat)

Can't tell you about the 03 but I have an 01 300 and the SDG seat is better, but not nearly good enough.

Well I ordered the SDG seat-- it was only $79 so I figured I would just try it (plus if its still too hard now I have a spare that I can replace the foam/cover on without worrying about how it will come out too much)

The SDG seat didn't fit as good as the stock one but fits OK, and it didn't seem to be that much softer either (but is a little bit). At least its flat on top though which seems like that will help too. We'll see, my first ride on it will be a good test-- its a 100 mile desert race next weekend-- I'll share how it goes for the next guy that is considering an SDG seat.

I also thought I'd share a trick some guy at a bike shop told me yesterday-- he said to take a dead blow hammer to the stock KTM seat for a little bit-- it will soften up the foam. Such a simple idea, but it seems like it would help out.