[peter_l]

I suppose this is a tech question--has anyone had any problem with their seat becoming sticky? Mine is getting progressively worse. It seems like the dye is leaching out. The seat is getting tackier and leaving black stuff on my pants. When I clean the seat, the rag ends up black.

It's on an '02 M620.

Peter

 

[MarkV]

james (mr. nipple) n... (to protect the innocent) hasn't been sitting on your bike has he?

 

[marrahm]

what are you using to clean it? I haven't had this problem on mine yet, but it sounds like some kind of solvent has attacked the plastic.

mike

 

[peter_l]

windex

I clean it with Windex. I just spoke with an expert who mentioned that when he used to work for Honda, they (Honda) had a similar problem. Never heard of it on a Ducati, though.

 

[MarkV]

windex ain't good for vinyl.... probably the ammonia in it. i've even heard of windex softening up painting surfaces too, kinda why they recommend spot testing before using it on something other than glass, porcelain, stainless, or chrome. use regular car detergent/soap and water and if you use a chemical cleaner check it before you use it. hopefully it'll stop caking and won't require you get a new seat cover. i'm not aware of any type of restorer that might help.

 

[peter_l]

windex

I've been told by 2 dealers to use windex. Or Pledge.

 

[marrahm]

peter, the ammonia in the windex is probably attacking the vinyl. Just use regular soap and water and skip the Windex. Scrub the seat with regular soap or look for a product called Vinylex to fix the current problem. I've used it on my car interior and it works great -- but test it on the underside first to see if its too slippery for use on the seats. Its not armor all, but it might make the seat a bit slippery.

Believe it or not ammonia can be pretty abusive to some plastics -- expecially acrylics. It will ruin acrylic sunglasses, winscreens, shields etc. by causing all kinds of crazing and haze. save the windex for keeping the non-plastic hard parts shiny.

mike

 

[TripleDuck]

james (mr. nipple) nunez hasn't been sitting on your bike has he?

That ain't right..................not right at all. However, I could say something about monkey butt ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[MarkV]

well i call fortune or misfortune maybe.... it all started out so innocently;

 

[Dean_Busby]

For some reason my seat gets sticky too, not all the time, but only after a thrilling ride.

 

[hammer]

THERE'S SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY NOT RIGHT ABOUT THAT DUDE ASSING A DUCATI!

Someone should be knocking that ass on the ground! ;D

 

[MarkV]

ow comeon you don't want mr. assmaster to visit your duc?

just goes to show you that alcohol (not proven but highly suspect), evil friends that run websites, digital cameras, and ducati's don't mix.

 

[MostroRodento]

Now judging from all the "pic of the days" on the Ducati Index web site...I am aware that beautiful women will strip to their thongs immediately upon the sight of a Ducati and then commence to drape themselves suggestively all over them.....every time I park my bike in NY I fully expect this to happen but maybe its just a left-coast thing....

but DUDE, that guy getting his salad tossed by your bike is just plain wrong...I mean maybe if Ducati is going for the gay market segment that might resonate with some potential buyers....but seriously green-clean that bike...your bud's crack don't look too sanitary

 

[tempdragon13]

I had that problem ALSO on an M620ie....coincidence? Sticky seat and black dye on my pants. I was using honda cleaner/wax on the tank and also used Maguires (right before the problem started). No amount of cleaning, washing, etc fixed it, so I bought a cover from Sargent and had it put on professionally. Looks better than new, now.

 

[DaffeDuc]

if the ammonia doesn't make your seat sticky, that pic surely will - i think i'm gonna start covering my seat.

 

[CRASH!]

I too had sticky seat syndrome on my M900. It was BAD. I couldn't move around at all. Forget about leaning off. Riding pants are black so that was cool. I rode out for lunch in Khakis once and the result was ugly.

Bruce at BCM said "oh yeah, it's acid rain" I dunno.

Interestingly enough, it hasn't been a problem this summer. I cleaned it over the winter a few times with isopropyl alchohol.

The cover is certainly damaged. Like yours, the color has faded. it's also stretched. I plan to re-cover it over the winter. I'll seek advice from a good upholstry shop on materials.

So all I can offer is that mine got worse.....before it got better.

 

[MonsterHooligan]

Here's another option:
http://www.sargentcycle.com/ducss.htm

 

[tempdragon13]

That's exactly what I bought. Got the c/f effect one...looks great!