The Triboseat seat cover gets its name from the science of tribology.
Tribology, by the way, is not the study of tribbles!
Tribology is defined as “a study that deals with the design, friction, wear, and lubrication of interacting surfaces in relative motion” according to Merriam Webster’s dictionary.
I first heard the word used during a demonstration of “RPIvory”, a new type of synthetic piano key overlay that was designed to replace ivory.
Apparently, ivory has some specific qualities that transmitted a certain feel to pianists and the pores in the material absorbed some of the moisture from the fingers, keeping the keys dry.
It was supposedly a big deal to come up with a non-natural replacement and the tribologists played, if you’ll pardon the pun, a huge role.
The Triboseat Motorcycle Seat Cover
The Triboseat is a special type of motorcycle seat cover that’s designed to keep the pillion, or passenger, from slip slidin’ away.
There’s a Triboseat cover also available for the rider and the company has a huge selection of fitted Triboseat seat covers for a variety of motorcycle makes and models.
The best part about it is that the pillion version shown here only costs £9.99. Of course, U.S. customers would have to pay shipping and the mercenary exchange rate due to the current weak dollar, but nevertheless, the price still ends up at a fairly reasonable level.
The custom-fitted Triboseats still must be installed on the bike, and that’s where it can get a bit tricky. The seat cover shown here is fitted to Chris B.’s Yamaha FJR1300.
The rear half of the seat on this particular motorcycle is easily removed, but the Triboseat must be tied in place underneath the seat. The FJR doesn’t have a really good location for the string, so it’s kind of a compromise, but the seat cover does stay on once installed.
The Triboseat material is similar to some of the fuel tank protection material we’ve seen that can be fitted underneath a tank bag to protect the paint.
Conclusion
The Triboseat seat cover has received some very positive reviews from UK owners, so if your pillion is complaining about slipping back and forth and bonking helmets, you’re either not riding smooth enough or you need a Triboseat.
| wBW Review: Triboseat Motorcycle Seat Cover | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: Triboseat | List Price (2007): £9.99 |
| Colours: Black. | Made In: UK |
| Review Date: January 2007 | |
Owner Comments and Feedback
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From “H.S.” (March 2013): “I put a Triboseat (universal fit) on my Benelli Tnt driver’s seat last summer, and I’m very pleased with it; the hard suspension together with local harsh roads are a perfect combination for losing the preferred sitting position in just about half a minute.
The Triboseat grants the friction that normal seat materials lack, allowing a much more constant posture. Surprisingly it works best for me with technical jeans; average with Cordura, and worst with leather pants. Would have thought the opposite. Maybe with different brands the results vary? Only personal experience can help with that…
It certainly doesn’t help the aesthetics, but the great advantage in comfort more than matches that issue. The benefits for the passenger are even more noticeable. At a bargain price, and a very efficient delivery service, I cannot but recommend it!