Modern Vespa

Hi Everyone-

In the last couple of weeks I've noticed that when I'm done riding my pants are all covered with grease marks. Yeah, I know--it is actually kind of funny.

My seat doesn't feel greasy--or at least my hands come up clean when I wipe them on my seat. It's maybe a little sticky/tacky.

Here's my questions. What's the best way to degrease a seat? I've tried a variety of household cleaning products and nothing really works. Any tips?

Thanks

I'd just use some Goop wipes. I've used it a couple of times on mine when I got the seat dirty and it removed everything. Afterwards, wipe it down with 303 or Armour All.

Magic eraser.

Honda makes a seat cleaner that i use on all my scooters. Takes off all the grime and doesn't make the seat slippery. Not for leather tho.

Could it be some laundry product is leaving residue in the fabric that is building up on the vinyl?

careful not to rub too hard with the magic eraser. it took a bit of the finish off my vinyl seat, which i had to restore using all kinds of slippery products

or maybe a bit of deluted dawn dish soap on a rag, because it removes oil from my hands easy enough so i think that would work good on the scoot and also is cheap, you probably have some in the kitchen right now.

Yes, please do Armor All your seat. Then go to a parking lot and set up a tripod camera. Then film yourself riding around. When in view of the camera hit your brakes. I want to see how you steer while sitting behind the legshield on the floorboard.

ok....so I get that you feel that the Armor All is a bad idea ( I think that sitting on the floorboard is hilarious )

But good sarcasm always deserves a smiley, IMHO

Armour Alled my seat multiple times, never ended up sitting on the floor boards. Come on over, I'll teach ya the basics of how not to fall of your scooter. Tell the short bus driver you need to detour to Chicago tomorrow...

I use Simple Green mixed with water, then wipe off the residue with a clean damp cloth.

Hi Paul,

There could be a variety of reasons your seat is sticky or tacky and it may be caused by whatever you have been using to clean the seat. In addition, sun tan lotion can make seats tacky and destroy the vinyl finish after a period of time.

It's possible that the vinyl is simply shot from weather, cleaning solutions or sun tan lotion. However, if it is not shot, my guess is that the seat is not actually greasy but that you may have mold and/or mildew built up in the grains of the vinyl.

There are several marine vinly cleaners on the market but they are definitely not all equal. The best I have found which (happily) is also one of the least expensive, is "Knight's Marine Spray Nine". It is a strong cleaner but should do the trick if the vinyl finish isn't shot. See http://www.myboatstore.com/products.asp?id=64

After cleaning, use Nautical Ease Vinyl Conditioner. It has no silicones in it and does not make the seat slippery. It's great stuff! http://www.nauticalease.com/products/vinyl.htm

Hi Everyone--

Thanks for those great solutions.

Now, I'm a bit worried about if my seat is degrading or damaged instead of just greasy. How can you tell if the seat is damaged?

I'm certain that it isn't due to sun tan lotion or some other chemical. All that I've ever done to it was wash the seat with water. That is until this week when it's been some 409 and windex (and it was leaving marks before that time). But, it has been a pretty hot and sunny summer here in Seattle so my seat sure has been well baked the last couple of months.

I'll for sure try some of the suggestions this weekend after I track them down. (I'll also send video of driving from the floor board too).

So--if the seat is damaged... Any suggested courses of action?

No thanks. I'd rather not take the chance of applying a slippery additive to something that requires I not slip.

The only way to tell is if you use the products I mentioned and the problem doesn't go away. You have to get rid of the mildew and/or mold first ... if in fact that's what it is. I can tell in a heartbeat if that's what it is simply by putting my nose next to it. Makes me sneeze about 40 times without a break! Very allergic to both mold & mildew. Have it recovered ... but don't do that until you know for sure. Any good upholsterer can do it for you. It is unlikely it is shot if you have been washing it regularly. However, you may want to invest in a weatherproof seat cover. They do prolong the life of your saddle and they do protect it from sun, rain as well as mold and mildew to a certain extent!

Where are you parking it? If its under a tree or something, trees do "sweat" when the weather's hot. They drip sap. But then the whole bike would be covered in the stuff. If the seat is greasy it could be that something you might've used in the past left a film that's been attracting grime too.

As for the Armor All being too slippery etc, its not true. I've been been using Armor All on every rubber or vinyl part of my bikes for over twenty years. Never slid off a seat, never saw cracks from using it. But the modern Vespa seats don't seem to absorb it like the Japanese vinyl does so I just wipe the seat down when I clean the bike.

But... you could try spraying the seat liberally with Armor All and letting it soak for a while and then wipe the seat with a soft towel and see if the Armor All doesn't remove whatever the greasy stuff is. I've done that to get rims clean and it works well.

Harv

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I've used Armor All on a couple of convertible tops and I always thought it a bit greasy. Wouldn't want that shit on my seat or getting on my jeans in the first place.

Try something which isn't silicone-based?

And never use Amour All on Rubber, it is petroleum based product and will degrade the rubber. And yes I know it says it's safe on rubber, it's not!

Wayne B

sometimes mine sticks - talcum powder or better wash.
Redd Foxx said " you got to keep it clean!"

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Perhaps someone didn't like the sarcasm?

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I'll play. I'm giving you negative karma for this post do to your use of the word "ghey" as a synonym for being stupid. I'm not homosexual - I'm straight, and married - but I take exception to this kind of thing in this day and age. There's nothing stupid, idiotic, or dumb about being gay - you either are, or you aren't. It says nothing of one's intelligence.

I had previously no issue with your sarcasm in the posts above about Armor All. When you stoop to this level, however, I take issue.

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Let's get back to the greasy seat.

Have you checked your office chair?

HAHAHA you just can't stand when someone doesn't agree with you haha. I suppose you follow all disclaimers All The TIme instead of thinking things out for yourself then eh?

Listen, the OP doesn't have to agree with me. But you bickering in such a way to make yourself look like you're a more experienced rider than someone who doesn't agree with you makes you look adolescent.

So what now... am I supposed to one-up you by telling you some heroic sounding story about my mispent youth on fast motorcycles or something?

The point is the OP asked for ideas on how to clean his seat. The point ISN'T whether all the advice is always going to agree.


Harv

Seeing as you are in Seattle, is it possible this is a build-up of pollution and other environmental junk that collected and baked on to the seat during the summer and now that it's getting cooler and wetter it turned into a sticky black stain on your britches?

You could show it to an auto or marine upholsterer and they could tell you what is going on with the vinyl.

If you have difficulty getting it clean you could try the "303" brand of cleaners and finishes. They are not like the normal ArmorAll products. I have used his on my cars for last couple of years. The high end, car show competitors love the 303 products as they don't build up on or degrade the quality of vinyl like AA does. You may need to find the shop where the professionals and passionate car buff shop for chemicals and finishes. Most auto parts stores do not carry these better choices.

from a sales site:
303 is the world leader in ultraviolet blocking technology for protecting fabric, vinyl, leather and rubber. Their products are used by commercial airlines, boat & yacht manufacturers, the U.S. military, the aerospace industry and Walt Disney World.

Routine treatment with 303 can virtually eliminate UV induced fading and cracking. 303's premier product, 303 Aerospace Protectant, is the world's most powerful sunscreening treatment for vinyl. It is water-based, contains no petroleum solvents or silicone oils, restores lost color and leaves a surface that repels dust, dirt and oil-based stains.

303 High Tech Fabric Guard is used by Fortune 500 Companies like Walt Disney World to maintain and protect awnings, patio umbrellas, outdoor furniture, outdoor fabrics and carpeting. Routine treatment helps prevent leaking, resist fading and protect against staining. 303 High Tech Fabric Guard is recommended by Glen Raven Mills, the maker of Sunbrella awnings and Bimini tops.

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Honda seat cleaner.

Hey boys, a bit of spirited discussion is encouraged, but please avoid any name calling please.

Being called a muppet is an insult?

Ok...?

A.A. has to put that kind of disclaimer on their wares because of idiots like folks who can't figure out that a hot cup of coffee really is... hot. Or disclaimers like the ones on lawnmowers that tell users not to stick their hands under the deck while the engine is running.

But I suppose that there are people lazy enough not to clean a surface, apply a product, give it time to absorb, and wipe off the excess before they actually sit on their seat.

If the surface still feels slick, it hasn't been wiped down well enough. The material should take on a deeper hue but not have a residue which feels slick to the touch. I think I figured that out close to thirty years ago; that if the seat is still slick or oily feeling, I need to keep wiping until it isn't.

I'm sorry Benito, for responding, but most of these products people use would work better if we weren't in such a hurry to use them and to assume we used them correctly in the first place. Just a little extra thought and patience goes a long way.

Harv

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I didn't make any kind of disclaimer. I made a point. Further, I explained my point. That's not a disclaimer. And it couldn't be because I don't work for the company or represent the company. But knowing how to use a product is different. Just as accidents compounded by other things like the poor woman in the McD coffee incident. So... did the coffee melt the cup, or were there other extenuating circumstances which also contributed to that very unfortunate event? What about the other example? Do people need disclaimers to figure out spinning lawnmower blades can remove hands and feet?

You can cry foul but I'm not buyin' it.

To the OP, if you decide to use Armor All, maybe try it on the edge of the seat where you don't sit to ride. Let it soak in ten or fifteen mintues and wipe it very thoroughly away with a clean cloth. If after a few minutes of wiping that area you're not satisfied, then don't use it. Simple as that.

Harv

OK, so lets make it clear for any newbies out there, if you Armour All your seat, please for the love of god, wipe off the excess and then...and this is important...still hold on with your hands. Your seat will be slicker than normal for the first few minutes of your ride until your ass has effectively polished the remaining AA off or in (depending on how you look at it) If you don't hold on to the handle bars and plant your feet, there is every possibilty that you will shoot off your scoot like it was made of Teflon. Please print this notice out and paste on your Armour All bottle. Hi Paul, Are you taking the drug Alli by any chance? This may be the problem. http://www.thewvsr.com/alli.htm

Hey All--

I'd like to revive this thread. I solved my sticky seat problem by ordering a great cover from Pirate Upholstery--those guys rock. But, my seat seems to be getting worse. By worse I mean that the sticky patches are getting larger and nothing really seems to get it clean.

But, I just noticed in another thread that there was a problem with vinyl seats in 2004. My scooter is a 2007--so probably not an issue. But, can someone tell me more what that 2004 deal was about? I'm wondering if I have an faulty seat.

Thanks

Please note this is a revived thread from Sept 09.
The offending posts by Corsa have already been reported and his account banned.
I will block them out to avoid further reports.
Thanks all.

Vinyl does deteriorate in sunlight and due to exposure to various chemicals. If yours is getting worse under a cover, I'd say the vinyl is shot and it is time to have the seat reupholstered.

Paul S, you now have a wonderful opportunity to do the right - albeit pricey - thing for your scooter. Order a leather-covered, gel-padded seat from Pirate. Your posterior will thank you, your scooter will thank you, and you will be the envy of all your riding companions. Seriously, Pirate Upholstery does superb work!