Sophomore Rider
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Post by bigmac on Dec 8, 2013 15:43:40 GMT -5
Be careful if you have cats (or perhaps even dogs too) and plan to cover your scooter for the winter. I put my scooter in the basement so it'd be warm and dry all winter. After a few days of being down there, I covered it with a nylon motorcycle cover. The very next day I found the cover half pulled off. The cover was still over the seat but when I lifted it I saw claw marks on my scooter's once mint condition vinyl seat.
I placed the cover on the floor and walked away to blow off some steam and found the cats playing on the cover when I returned. Whichever cat did the damage apparently wanted to play with the cover but damaged the seat (and cover) in the process.
Never had issues with pets clawing my scooter before so I'm sure it was because they wanted to play with the nylon cover.
Any pointers on repairing a vinyl seat would be great. I was thinking of gently sanding it with some fine sand paper. The scratches are not all the way through to the foam padding so hopefully I can just sand them smooth.
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Post by shalomdawg on Dec 8, 2013 16:55:02 GMT -5
howdy, really , I have found cats are fascinated by anything added to sit on. they really like my gelseat also.
lotsa miles and smiles to ya
ken
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Post by scootnwinn on Dec 8, 2013 18:40:01 GMT -5
Cats are not allowed in my yard ever. My dogs make sure. I wouldn't sand the seat try just adding decent vinyl restorer to see of it won't help close the damage.
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Sophomore Rider
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Post by bigmac on Dec 9, 2013 19:11:04 GMT -5
The surface felt too rough so I had to smooth it some. I used a super fine foam like sanding pad. The pad was gentle on it and got the scratches smooth to the touch. Took me about two hours to smooth all the claw marks. I wiped it down with a wet and soapy wash cloth afterwards.
The seat was dull looking in the areas that had been sanded but I shined it up with some car body scratch and scuff remover. Was a bit unsure if it would come out alright since this stuff was not meant to be used on vinyl.
The scratches are still visible but are much less noticeable now. I'm still working on it though.
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Post by spandi on Dec 9, 2013 19:58:38 GMT -5
Put some party balloons under there. (after they pop a couple they'll find somewhere else to play)
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Post by bigmac on Dec 11, 2013 19:21:41 GMT -5
I'm so worried about something like this happening again that I plan to put some kind of fencing or box around the whole scooter. I don't want them to even go near it anymore. I'd love to simply close the door to the basement, but their liter boxes are down there and I don't want to have them upstairs.
I was tempted to get a Piaggio during this past summer but now I'm so glad I didn't. It's impossible to keep things nice around pets.
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2007 Yamaha Majesty
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Post by bigggroovy on Dec 11, 2013 22:19:39 GMT -5
I park my scoot outside and everytime I cover it and it rains, cats get on my seat and I have muddy paw prints.
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Post by kxj5906 on Dec 14, 2013 12:08:03 GMT -5
I had the same thing happened to me. I use aluminum foil and put a rock on it to keep the cats away. It work ever since
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Post by americanpsycho on Dec 14, 2013 14:09:49 GMT -5
Try placing some mouse traps under the cover, preferably upside down.
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Post by bigmac on Dec 14, 2013 19:49:20 GMT -5
Aluminum foil will keep cats away? I know it's often used to keep animals out of gardens but I didn't know domestic house cats would stay away from it, as well.
I do have some mouse traps around.
About two years ago I got one of those liquid leather/vinyl repair kits. Had it sitting in my closet but I decided to take it out for this. Only problem is my seat is textured with hundreds of little circular depressions so the liquid tends to fill in the little holes, making the patched areas stand out some.
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Post by wheelbender6 on Dec 14, 2013 20:11:10 GMT -5
Keep a dog around your covered scooter.
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Post by kxj5906 on Dec 15, 2013 0:24:30 GMT -5
Aluminum foil will keep cats away? I know it's often used to keep animals out of gardens but I didn't know domestic house cats would stay away from it, as well. I do have some mouse traps around. About two years ago I got one of those liquid leather/vinyl repair kits. Had it sitting in my closet but I decided to take it out for this. Only problem is my seat is textured with hundreds of little circular depressions so the liquid tends to fill in the little holes, making the patched areas stand out some. Yes it works. Put it on there once and the cat never goes on there again. Cats hate aluminum foil |
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Post by americanpsycho on Dec 15, 2013 4:36:06 GMT -5
Any cat I've ever had loved playing with foil when wadded into a ball.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Dec 15, 2013 13:45:12 GMT -5
Well... I do understand.
My problem is that I guess I love cats about as much as I love bikes. And the missus insists on sharing the scoot with the kitties anyway... I keep the Kymco I call "Minnie Mouse" beneath a car-port, under a regular nylon cycle cover, then with a heavy tarp over that. It really keeps it warm, clean and protected from weather. HOWEVER... it also makes a perfect "tent-home" for local feral cats in cold weather.
After getting some claw-marks on the seat of my old Xingyue, I found I could stop that by placing some weight (I use a few short 2x4 scraps) on the tarp, on the seat. This leaves the step-through floor open for "occupancy" yet keeps them off the vinyl seat... LOL! Once last winter, after a couple weeks of snow, I gingerly lifted the tarp to find a fluffy calico mom-cat and her litter, AND a pair of copperheads happily cuddled up on the floorboard. Cheesh... NOW it's SNAKES... There goes the neighborhood!
All "residents" kindly moved off the scoot, and waited under my car while I took a ride... The kitties returned when I returned, but the snakes moved on (OK by me...). This IS Texas, and copperheads, cotton-mouths and rattlers... AND 'possums, 'coons and coyotes are a daily part of life... I don't much like coyotes; they eat cats... LOL!
The kitties come and go, grow up and move on. But, I guess my place has a rep among the local felines to be "cat-friendly". I don't feed 'em. There are plenty of local eateries with dumpsters full of tasty morsels (and more and MORE cats... HeHeHe...) I did that one year and ended up with about 50 furr-balls climbing my front door. But I don't mind 'em temporarily renting space under the scooter tarp. So long as they stay OFF the seat! I'm thinking I need to charge rent for venomous snakes though...
I can't blame you for not wanting the kitties on your scoot. Most folks wouldn't... I'm just soft-hearted about cats... LOL! I think the aluminum foil would probably work. Worth a try anyway! If not however, when the scoot's covered, you can place something on the seat area to keep them off the upholstery. They seem perfectly happy to reside on the floor! In my "hood" that at least keeps 'em off the cold, wet ground and away from the roaming packs of cat-eating coyotes.
Good luck... and keep yer' sticky-roller fur-remover handy!
Leo in Texas
PS: For what it's worth, I've never had any of the pussycats ever "soil" the scoot. No pee, no poop... only a little excess fur, which blows right off in a block or two of riding. Most considerate of them, but then they don't want to dirty up their apartment! |
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Post by bigmac on Dec 31, 2013 14:50:24 GMT -5
I tried filling in the scratches with some shoe polish. It kind of worked, but still, the seat will never look quite right.
Maybe I'll get some vinyl sheets, preferable textured with little dots, and make a new seat cover. I can sew and have a sewing machine. With the right material, I could make a cover that would look just as the original did. But I don't know. It's probably not worth the trouble. Though it may be a fun project.
I'll post back if I decide to do it.
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