PRODUCT REVIEW: DR TRIM ZEBRA SEAT
With all those horse powers your bike produces these days, it is getting tougher and tougher to stay planted on the seat. Nothing wrong with asking for a little help from time to time so why not ask Roger at DR Trim.
DR Trim specialise in motocross seat modifications and repairs and are probably the leaders in zebra seat design if not the innovators too. Let's start by listing exactly what they can do for your dirt cycle in the bottom cradling department.
● Straight covers in plain or Gripper vinyl
● Race Bumps for better body positioning
● Lowered seats for short legs
● Raised seats for long legs
● Hard Seats made soft (Road & Dirt)
● Narrow seats made wider for more comfort
● Enduro Card Holders
● Fork & Shock Bags
● Gear Bags
● Pit Mats (Branded or Personalized)
● Farm Bike Exchange Seat Service
So not just a one-seat horse, Roger and his DR Trim team can do just about anything for your steed when it comes to fabric. Ask the team to make you a cape to ride with and I’m sure they will oblige. Ask Batman for his recommendation.
The Dirt
Having used a DR Trim seat across 5 different brands (Honda, Suzuki, Husqvarna, KTM, Yamaha) and numerous models (YZ, YZF, CRF, RM-Z, RMX, XC-F, FC), we have had nothing but success with the DR Trim seats. Before the Zebra design was even a twinkle in Rogers eye, we got on board with the original gripper seat with hump to help with body position. Said to have been developed with some ‘King’s’ of the sport, the idea took off and evolved into what you know of toady.
After 3 seasons, the custom decal is starting to come away
Even though you can see some fabric wear, she still grips great
The seat with the ‘mixin’ gas - haulin’ ass’ personalisation is a tall zebra seat for a 2004 Honda CR125. It has been used twice so still obviously looks trey-flash and sexy AF. The ‘old timer’ seat is attached to a 2009 Honda CRF450 and was DR Trim’d in the beginning of 2016. It has done 3 NZ Enduro seasons and numerous trail rides and MX races. It's looking beaten up and the patches on the sides are starting to come off but that is where the cons end. It perform as good as the day it was hand stitched.
The pleated design is the key to all that ass grip
The perks of the Zebra gripper is that you get a really long lasting grip from the material and pleated design, so even when the gripper material starts to wear, the pleated designs more than makes up for it. Conversely though, that extra grip takes a bit more of a toll on your pants in the butt area. Riding pants have come a long way in 10 years and are now much more sturdy on the backside, giving you a longer wear life. This seat will slightly shorten that during normal use. Then, throw in a few mudders with sand and pumice and, well, I’m sure you get the idea. But in our opinion, the perks far outweigh the downsides. Being locked into the seat in any weather is conducive to better body position and overall better riding. You know what it's like to be hanging off the back of a bike when the seat is covered in mud. Not fun and very taxing on the arms especially.
Custom decals for the seat are no problem
These seat covers give more grip, are tougher and repel water better than standard covers. Plus, with a whole plethora of colours and designs available, DR Trim can hook you up with just about anything you want on your seat, giving you another avenue to customise your pride and joy even further. The added bonus of being able to raise or lower the seat foam adds a whole new dimension. Shorter riders especially - this can be life/ride changing.
CLICK HERE to check out DR Trim and maybe even sort yourself out a new seat cover. Or email me at chris@thedirt.co.nz and ill point you in the right direction.