4" high density foam added to seat with (NEW) pics

before and after

Here are before and after pics
 

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Re: Pics on sled

otis said:
Here are the pics on the sled. Also notice the 06 Apex RTX skid!!!! I am planning to add the ECP filters this weekend with a lighter battery and 04 CDI to fix the handwarmer problem. I already added a Pioneer Performance 45" front end kit this spring!! I cannot wait to ride.

If anyone has a good pic of the original 03 seat please post for a comparison.

Thanks

Otis

PS Don't worry about the handlebars. What I meant was that if you loosen the clamp and rotate them forward they fit the higher seat much better. There is a rivet which limits how much you can rotate, but just keep pushing and it will snap. That allows you to really rotate them forward in the correct position. Mine have hand guards installed and they just touch the windshield at maximum turn-in.
Click to expand...
HEY NICE JOB on the seat but???> WHAT ABOUT that 45" pioneer frontend do you like it let me know !
 
45" wide front end

The 45" front end kit really is fantastic. I wish I could say I had enough miles on it separate from the new skid to be able to tell that alone was the real ride improvement. I had both installed about the same time. The new skid seems to keep the front end planted more so there is naturally less ski lift. I can tell you I am now able to power thru the woods at stupid speeds and use the rear end to steer instead of simply pointing to the sky and lifting the skis. Last season I had only the simmons skis and was really disappointed in the handling thru the twisty wooded trails. It seem to need so much body english to ride fast that I was fatigued quickly. I first did the 04 longer links, then the stiffer springs, and then the 13mm swaybar. None really did it for me to make it handle how I wanted until I got the wider front end kit. The best part was Bruce at Pioneer Performance gave me a huge discount since I already had half the kit purchased from him already. Now I just hold on and keep er pinched. The rear kicks around and the front is flat biting nicely. Hope it helps, but I would highly recommend either changing to the vector front end which is narrower, but lower or to this which is wider and lower. If I had to choose I would take low and wide for handling. The only down side is that outside to outside of the skis with the wide simmons now measures almost 52" which makes trailering tough. It barely fits 2 wide in my enclosed trailer (I have to put an old Polaris next to mine to fit).
 
Re: 45" wide front end

otis said:
The 45" front end kit really is fantastic. I wish I could say I had enough miles on it separate from the new skid to be able to tell that alone was the real ride improvement. I had both installed about the same time. The new skid seems to keep the front end planted more so there is naturally less ski lift. I can tell you I am now able to power thru the woods at stupid speeds and use the rear end to steer instead of simply pointing to the sky and lifting the skis. Last season I had only the simmons skis and was really disappointed in the handling thru the twisty wooded trails. It seem to need so much body english to ride fast that I was fatigued quickly. I first did the 04 longer links, then the stiffer springs, and then the 13mm swaybar. None really did it for me to make it handle how I wanted until I got the wider front end kit. The best part was Bruce at Pioneer Performance gave me a huge discount since I already had half the kit purchased from him already. Now I just hold on and keep er pinched. The rear kicks around and the front is flat biting nicely. Hope it helps, but I would highly recommend either changing to the vector front end which is narrower, but lower or to this which is wider and lower. If I had to choose I would take low and wide for handling. The only down side is that outside to outside of the skis with the wide simmons now measures almost 52" which makes trailering tough. It barely fits 2 wide in my enclosed trailer (I have to put an old Polaris next to mine to fit).
Click to expand...
Might have to make some special mounting rail on your trailer so you can lift the sled up on one side to make up the extra wide frontend maybe lift the outside ski up and gain 2"?? Or might have to load the RX-1 on backwards?
 
I went to purchase some high density foam today from a auto upolstry shop and here was his advice.
Put the new foam underneith the existing foam. It Keeps the original contour as from factory. Less likely to shift or change position. Much cleaner lines then hand cut foam. I took his word as a profesional and will post when I get it finished.
 
That must have took some muscling to get it that tight. Turned out well and a big difference in comfort no doubt.
 
"WOW"------------------------pause-------------------
"WOW"................... Very nice indeed... ;)! ;)! ;)! ;)! MM.
 
That seat looks AWESOME i wish i could tackle that job how hard is it to raise the handlebars up i would like a little more room
 
I am going to try this on my 05. I have the Pioneer wide front end. It made a huge improvement. I am waiting for my Roxio pivoting riser (back ordered till the end of January).

The problem with the 05 seat is that it is low up front by the tank. This thing handles best when you ride the tank.
 
foam

I really like the extra foam and added height. The high density foam from Joann's fabric is decent, but if you could find it about 20% more dense or stiffer it would be perfect. I like the idea of placing it underneath the stock foam, but it's glued down to the plastic mold and I really doubt you would be able to get the height right since the foam is so rigid you'll unlikely be able to restaple the cover down.

Good luck and post more pics!!

Otis
 
Looks like mine - LOL :Rockon:

On the 20% stuff - Talk to an upholstery shop, they might have a remnant for ya.
 

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seat alteration

Nice job on the seat Otis. Thanks for the detailed description on how to "Git er done". I could not find any 4 or 5" high density foam. What I did was intall 3" on the lower part of the seat and then topped that with a 2" the entire length of the seat. Very happy with the results.
 
Seat

I have an 05 RX-1 and after riding it, I found the seat so much better than my 03 that I put an 05 seat on my 03. I was happy with the change until I rode 4-Band Dan's sled, which has the seat mod that Otis has described above. This seat mod on an RX-1 along with thge bars adjusted forward and up accordingly makes an RX-1 better than an Apex IMO. Here's why:

Although handling and ride are greatly improved, everybody knows that an Apex handles and rides better than an RX-1. Yamaha accomplished this by moving the rider forward on the Apex, and in doing so created other issues.

Many Apex owners are complaing about having a cold torso and especially cold hands when riding. Because of this rider forward position, Yamaha had to put a windshield that barely covers my bellybutton. An RX-1 with this seat mod can still retain it's stock windshield and therefore the rider is a lot warmer on those -30 below rides.

There's no doubt that a well studded Apex on the ice is faster than an RX-1. However is real world conditions, drag results vary. Many have stated that their RX-1 either stays on the side or beats an Apex. Why? Because of the rider forward position, weight transfer and traction are now an issue.

So rather than trade up to an Apex and pay $6000 I think I'm gonna do the $25 mod to my seat and make my sled better than an Apex. I'll be warmer, faster, richer, and on those 3-400 mile jaunts, I can just lean back and relax. So in my opinion, hang onto you RX-1's boys, because with this seat mod, they just became the best sled on snow. (My 2 cents)
 
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