DIY lap cover for scooters.....

It's in the testing phase now....got about 100 miles on it, using it in the rain and at temperatures in the low 50s. It works great. My jeans hardly got a drop on them in a pretty good rainfall......and the difference it made to my knees was dramatic. All you need do is let down the cover while riding along (easy), and feel your knees start to get cold.

It does take some getting-used-to. You need to pull up the cover before you start moving....and you need to balance on your left leg when stopped. Once you start moving, you pull back the cover slightly on the left side......the right side stays in place when stopped. I added some weights along the edges, to hold down any cover movement when moving along. My testing was mostly around 50mph.....no problems at that speed. With the cover in the down-position, you'll have no problem at any speed.

I'm designing this thing to be used in cold, maybe rainy weather.....when most people don't ride very fast anyway. Version #2 is in the works. It needs to be about 2" longer, and a few minor adjustments. More on this invention coming.......

Oh...in case anybody is wondering how this device attaches, it uses the same Velcro attachment as this knee bag. You simply pull off the lap-cover and replace the knee/belt bag. The attachment Velcro is mostly invisible.

As usual...nice mod Blue.

Even in the proto stage yours is the one I'd want to ride with. I'm watching this closely. Already gonna have to have one.

Uhh.....no. You'll make one, if you want one. It's going to be rather easy, depending on how fancy you want it.

Why bother with something like that, I would think if you get into trouble it would get in the way and cause more trouble than its worth. Why not just get a good Pair of SKI pants, thats what I use. They are water proof and not a bit of cold gets through them. They also have Overalls which will also cover your chest area and back if your jacket is not doing its job.
Alleyoop

Ok.....since it's already cold in many places, and the cover itself is now on sale, Here it is. The magnets are the weights that rest on your lap.......and actually hold the sides together when the thing is folded. The folds should be obvious when you hold it up on your scooter. The overall length can be adjusted with staples....other things.

There are countless options available to you when you put this thing together. I did this first one in about two hours.....including all the measuring and marking.

Stuff used.....Industrial-strength Velcro, lead weights, staples, vinyl Gorilla tape, some snaps, and a strip of soft plastic to strengthen the edge that attaches to the scoot.

On to version #2.....using a new fender cover. This one will be about 1 1/2" longer than the first version, when resting on my lap. It's about as long as possible to still hang straight on this scoot, without bunching up on the floor-board. Start out with the plastic strip, a piece of plastic lawn edge molding 10" long. It's attached to the cover using chrome snaps. (this is the step where you adjust the overall length of the cover)



Flap the edge over.....add more snaps, and Velcro strips.



These are inside views of the folds....first fold.



And the final fold.....and this is the final shape when attached in a folded position, hanging on the scoot. (you can see the magnet/weights in this view, resting against each other. This is what holds the cover lower edge together, when in the folded position. And you can see some Velcro squares which hold the lower edge securely to the scoot.)



I haven't added the edge weights yet, and I think I might install a felt liner to the inside, making it a little warmer with the insulation liner resting on my lap. This version looks a little less "busy" when hanging on the scoot. More tweaking to come....



Another feature I forgot to mention. when parked, you can lock-up your helmet, sitting on the floorboard (using the chrome helmet lock visible in some of these photos)......then use this lap cover to keep rain/snow off the helmet. It could also be used to cover up packages, or whatever.

And one view I haven't shown yet......off-scooter storage. This version folds up completely flat......about 1/3 the size of when it's hanging on the scooter.

Here are a few more uses for the Harbor Freight fender cover (still $8). I had the original cover now cut up.....So I used one section to make a dash cover, which hangs on the windshield mount. Some weights on the bottom edge to keep it from flying off in the wind.



And here's another fender cover used to completely cover the seat, preventing sun damage when parked, or to just keep rain/snow off the seat. It can be used by itself, or attached to the raised lap cover (like the photo). It folds down into a small package that could be carried in the seat bucket. The built-in weights keep it from blowing around, and you can easily add more edge weights. In the photo it is attached to the lap cover with Velcro.



OH.....that last photo. Look at the sun-fading of the EMGO tail-bag. This thing is maybe 5 months old, and is stored in my garage when I'm not riding the scoot. So it's only sun exposure is of very limited duration. Not very happy about this.....but I like the bag. Some vinyl paint will fix it.

Here are the retention straps I made for the lap cover.....you really need only the center one, and it's adjustable using the Velcro attachment. I also made two belt attachments, which you just leave on the belt when you're off the scoot.

With a little more practice for me.....you can put your left leg down at a stop, and then lift it back up without touching the cover to reposition. Right now I'm at about 75% of the time. It does require some getting used to for sure, but it works very well.

Sitting on the seat, lap cover up and secured.



Belt quick-release......if you forget the thing is attached and get off the scoot, the Velcro just pulls loose.

Thanks.....this device is obviously for the hard-core rider who rides in all sorts of weather, even at winter temperatures, and for longer distances. For the rest of the people on two wheels.....your legs/feet get a little wet (big deal). Frankly....this particular winter around here was different from normal. There was ice and snow on the ground/streets for a big percentage of the time (don't ride under those conditions on my scoot). The rest of the time it wasn't that cold or wet.....so I didn't need the lap cover but a few times.

Those hand covers were made by the Vetter Fairing Company......called "Hippo Hands". The company is now OOB.....but there is another company using that idea and Hippo Hands name. I've used the things on a variety of cycles/scooters starting with my '71 Kawasaki. I don't see how anyone could improve on the design.....I've used them all winter. They'll come off in a month or so.