RK Leighton Seats, Seat Covers and Foams for Classic British Motorcycles

Shop RK Leighton seats, seat covers and seat foams for classic Triumph, BSA and Norton motorcycles at The Bonneville Shop. The range includes complete dual seats, replacement covers with correct piping and gold logos, and foams shaped to the original contours.

RK Leighton is a family business in the English West Midlands that has been making and restoring classic motorcycle seats for more than 40 years.

Seat shape, cover pattern, piping color and hinge arrangement all changed from year to year. Check each listing’s model, years and market (UK or US specification) before ordering.

About RK Leighton

RK Leighton is a family business run by Andrew Leighton. It has been renovating classic motorcycle seats for more than 40 years. The company says its work appears on some of the finest restorations in the world and is on show in museums and private collections in many countries. It offers new seats, DIY refurbishment kits (cover and foam) and a full restoration service for original seats. Its workshop is at Unit 81, Empire Industrial Park, Brickyard Road, Aldridge, near Walsall in the West Midlands.

RK Leighton makes seats for many British makes, including Triumph, BSA, Norton, AJS and Matchless and Velocette. Its BSA seats are steel-based, and it makes the full range of Bantam, C15 and B40 seats. The company is also known outside the UK; Motorcycle Classics has featured a Norton Commando fitted with an RK Leighton seat, complete with chrome trim and gold Norton lettering.

Seat supply for 1960s and 1970s British bikes has become tight. Wassell stopped making replacement seats for these BSA and Triumph models in 2024, which leaves RK Leighton as the one well-known UK maker still supplying them. Because seat pans are now the limiting factor, stock can be intermittent. Our article A Word About BSA, Norton and Triumph Seat Supply explains the situation.

For other seat options and fitting hardware, see our Wassell brand page, Tricor-Andy for seat latches, or the full Brands directory.

What Makes an RK Leighton Seat Correct for a Restoration

A visitor’s account published on RK Leighton’s website describes the details restorers look for. Seat vinyl is chosen to match the grain, weight and look of the original factory material. Gold and silver logos are embossed in the workshop with dedicated dies. A wall of labeled templates covers the hundreds of seat variants. The foam is formed to original specifications, so the seat has the right contour instead of looking like a flat slab.

On the seats and covers in our range, look for:

• Correct top pattern: smooth, ribbed or basketweave, depending on the year.
• Correct piping color: white piping on grey tops, black piping on black tops.
• Gold maker’s logo on the back: Triumph, BSA or Norton, as appropriate.
• The right trim: chrome or silver trim strips, or sewn bands, to match the model year.

Complete Triumph Dual Seats

Complete seats are the quickest way to finish a restoration, because the pan, foam and cover come assembled. Hinge arrangement and pan shape are critical, so match the listing to your frame.

Early unit-construction twins, 1963–1966:

• The Triumph grey-top seat for 1963–1966 unit twins — 82-5366 / 82-4239 has white piping and a grey band. It also fits the 1960–1962 6T and T110, but not the 1960–1962 TR6 and T120 with integrated mounting brackets.
• The Triumph black-top seat for 1963–1966 unit twins — 82-5366 A has black piping. It’s generally regarded as the correct seat for the early TR6C and T120C competition models.

Ribbed-top seats, 1967–1969:

• The Triumph grey ribbed-top seat, 1967 — 82-7776 is for UK-market 500 and 650 models, with chrome trim.
• The Triumph black ribbed-top seat, 1968–1969 — 82-8204 is for the T120 Bonneville, TR6 Trophy and Tiger, and T100 Daytona and Trophy. It doesn’t have the mounting holes for the 1969-only lifting handles.

Basketweave seats, 1970–1977:

• The Triumph basketweave seat for 1970 650 and 1970–1974 500 twins — 83-1573 has a silver trim strip.
• The Triumph US-spec oil-in-frame twinseat, 1971–1972 — 83-3634 is for US-market T120R and TR6R models with right-side hinges, an 11-inch hinge spacing and a “lunchbox” latch.
• The Triumph T140 Bonneville and TR7 Tiger basketweave seat, 1973–1977 — 83-4786 is for the 750 twins.

Fitting hardware is listed separately. See the 1957–1967 seat hinge — 82-4222, the 1968-on seat hinge pair — 82-8026 / 82-7862, the T140/TR7 seat hinge set — 83-4782 / 83-7542, the seat check wire — 60-0374 and the 1971–1972 lunchbox seat latch — 83-3061.

Triumph Seat Covers

A new cover is the most economical way to refresh a sound seat pan. The cover is stretched over the foam and pan and held by sprags, pan tabs or adhesive, depending on the model.

• The Triumph smooth grey-top seat cover, 1963–1966 — 82-5418 has white piping and a sewn grey trim band.
• The Triumph black ribbed-top seat cover, 1967 — 82-7777 B is correct for UK and US-spec 1967 350, 500 and 650 models (not the competition models) and for UK-market 1968 500s.
• The Triumph black ribbed-top seat cover, 1967–1968 — 82-7489 is for many 1967 and 1968 500 and 650 models.
• The Triumph basketweave seat cover, 1969–1974 — 82-9715 fits 500 and 650 twins and 750 triples through 1970. It does not fit the 750 twins.

The 1967–1974 seat pans for the 500 and 650 twins are all the same shape. That means you can fit either the ribbed or the basketweave cover on any of them, if you prefer the other pattern. For a strictly correct restoration, use the pattern listed for your year.

Triumph Seat Foams

Replacing the foam restores the seat’s shape and comfort. It’s also a good idea whenever you fit a new cover, because a new cover won’t sit properly on a collapsed foam.

• Early unit Triumph seat foam, 1963–1966 — TBS-4322.
• Triumph 650 and 500 seat foam, 1967–1974 — TBS-4325: for 1967–1970 650 twins and 1967–1974 500 twins.
• Triumph T140/TR7 seat foam, 1973–1978 — TBS-4323: for the earlier seats, before the later drop-side design.

Browse all classic Triumph seats and spares, plus Triumph frame, body and trim, Triumph hardware and Triumph rubber spares.

BSA Seats, Covers and Foams

• The BSA pre-unit round-nose dual seat — 42-9072 is a complete seat for 1954–1959 A7, A10, B31 and B33 swingarm models.
• The BSA round-nose seat cover with white piping and sprags — 42-9072 C suits the A, B and C series round-nose seats fitted to many pre-1963 swingarm models.
• The BSA A50/A65 hump-back seat cover, 1966–1970 — 19-5599 / 68-9330 C has a gold BSA logo and is for the models before the 1971 oil-in-frame bikes.
• The BSA A50/A65 dual seat foam, 1962–1966 — TBS-4376 A is for the earlier flat-top seat.

See all BSA seats, BSA frame, body and trim, BSA hardware and BSA rubber spares.

Norton Commando Seat

• The Norton Commando Roadster ribbed-top seat with gold logo, 1971–1972 — 06-1766 has a pleated top, a pillion strap and a wide chrome inlaid trim strip. It may also suit other Commandos through 1974, but it doesn’t fit the 1975 Mk3. Pre-Mk3 seat pans have hooked stays, each held by a knurled knob on that side.

For related parts, see the Norton Commando alloy seat knobs — 06-4009, the Norton Commando seat foam — TBS-4321, all Norton seats, Norton frame, body and trim and our Andover Norton range.

How to Choose the Right RK Leighton Seat

1. Identify the model, year and market. UK and US-spec bikes often used different seats, hinges and latches. A Triumph parts book, BSA parts book or Norton parts book gives the factory part number.
2. Check the frame mounting. Look at the hinge positions, hinge spacing, latch type and any integrated brackets.
3. Decide between a complete seat, a cover or a foam. A rusted or bent pan means you need a complete seat. If the pan is sound, a cover and foam may be all you need.
4. Choose the correct finish. Match the top pattern, piping color, trim and logo to your model year.
5. Plan the installation. Fitting a cover takes upholstery skill. Our Triumph manuals, BSA manuals and Norton manuals show how the seat attaches to the frame.

If you’re unsure, contact us before ordering. Shipping and return details are on our Shipping & Returns page.

RK Leighton FAQs