Leather seat care - how?

[KillFace]

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How do you guys care for your leather seats; keep them shiny and new-looking?

I have a new Mustang seat on my bike, but it is starting to look less black and shiny even though it hasn't once been in the rain and the bike is stored underground and sees more night riding than sun.

Do Armourall leather wipes work? Lotions? Protector sprays?

I have some Danier lotion and some mink oil, are they appropriate? What else? How often and application methods?

 

[Sunny87]

Leatherique has worked wonderfully in rejuvenating my old leather seats. For Leatherique you simply apply their oil, let it soak, and then you clean it off with their cleaner. A lot of people also use Lexol with great success.

 

[CafeRay]

Most bike seats are not leather, for good reason.

Leather is leather, same stuff works as jackets. But you have to expect in won't last as long with UV or riding. All you can do is moisturize it, clean it, and waterproof it with something that won't make you slide off, or just transfer to your pants.

 

[KillFace]

Leatherique has worked wonderfully in rejuvenating my old leather seats. For Leatherique you simply apply their oil, let it soak, and then you clean it off with their cleaner. A lot of people also use Lexol with great success.

Is Leatherique effective at protecting new leather, or is more for just restoring old leather? My seat isn't old, it's brand new. I just want to keep it that way.

 

[KillFace]

Most bike seats are not leather, for good reason.

Leather is leather, same stuff works as jackets. But you have to expect in won't last as long with UV or riding. All you can do is moisturize it, clean it, and waterproof it with something that won't make you slide off, or just transfer to your pants.

After looking on the Mustang site, it seems you are correct. The seat is apparently Vinyl.

So then, I guess my question is still: What do you guys use on your vinyl seats?

 

[TorontoBoy]

You will need to determine if the seat material is leather or vinyl.

Most bike seats are marine grade vinyl, which has a UV inhibitor and is thicker than regular upholstery vinyl. Do not put Armourall on your vinyl seat or it will become so slick that when you stop you will slide forward. Clean with soap and water only.

For leather, if the colour is fading you will need to deglaze it to take off the wax/oil coating, then redye, then add a top coat such as Lexol. If you are Ok with the colour then clean with saddle soap, then use Lexol. Bickle also highly recommends Fiebing's Australian leather conditioner. All these products are available at Tandy Leather.

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