Best Staple Gun for Motorcycle Seat (2023)

2 Jul

Best Staple Gun for Motorcycle Seat (2023)

Are you looking to repair or recover your seat? Motorcycle seats get the brunt of the action for long periods of time. Over time they are bound to show signs of wear and tear. This is mostly due to friction. It will occasionally be as a result of an accident.

Some seats come as a single piece without any contours or stitches. You may prefer to have stitches on yours. There are also occasions when the lower part of the seats starts to come undone. This is when your seams begin to split.

The stitching may start to give. A good staple gun for your motorcycle will nip this issue in the bud. If ignored and left to continue, you will likely find yourself in a position where the entire material needs to be replaced.

What most people do not realise is just how attached and fond of these seats one gets over time. Finding the ideal seat can be very difficult. When most motorcyclists finally reach this point, they do not ever want to leave it.

Recovering a seat is the act of bringing back to life, a seat that would have otherwise been headed for replacement. We obviously don’t want to replace our comfortable companion with another random seat.

The entire process will include some trimming and a lot of upholstery. This is after you have found the perfect material to replace your old one with. Some stitching may also come into play, depending on the material that has been chosen.

Are You In A Hurry?
Our Test Winner After 35 + Hours Of Research:

Stanley TRE550 Electric Staple Brad Gun

Stanley TRE550Z Electric Staple/Brad Nail Gun

Our Rating

Why It's Our Top Pick?

After putting our top picks through their paces we have a clear winner. The Stanley TRE550Z comes in just ahead of its competitors.

We wanted a staple gun that you could trust. It made it easier to find that the brand is one that we are all familiar with.

 It offers the versatility of being able to use both staples and brad nails. The design is durable and compact.

It also has a switch to increase or decrease the depth of the staples. Seeing as this job will certainly be better suited to staples than brad nails, we wanted a stapler that offers a wide range of staples to work with.

The Stanley TRE550Z takes 5 different sizes of staples. It is incredible to be able to choose the way to tackle any job.

The tool should never be a limiting factor, rather one that enhances things. 

You will find a more detailed review further down.

Best Staple Gun for Motorcycle Seat Table

What Do Our Reviews Have To Say?

Stanley TRE550 Electric Staple Brad Gun

#1. Our Overall Top Pick

Stanley TRE550Z Electric Staple/Brad Nail Gun

Our Rating

The Stanley TRE550Z staple gun is electricity powered if the name didn’t already give that away. It is solid enough to offer durability, yet compact enough to reach the awkward angles under your seat.

You have the option to use both brads and staples. In the case of motorcycle seat repair, we know you will only need to use the staples. At 8 ft, the cable provides enough room for manoeuvering.

There is a power switch that allows you to lower or increase the intensity with which staples are released.

The material that is used to make your seat pad will determine what you need for this. Harder material will require more pressure than softer, more delicate material. 

Take your staple length into consideration.

One of the safety features that are great for this job is that this staple gun will only fire when the staple tacker is pushed against a surface. Not only does this minimise the risk of accidents. It also means that you have extra help in your quest for accurate stapling.

This feature is incredible for fire safety as well.

Clearing a jam is very simple in this staple gun. To do this, open it and get rid of all the staples that are in the magazine.

This will make it easier to see where the jammed staple is located. Be sure to unplug the stapler before opening it.

The staple gun is double insulated. It no longer needs a three wire grounded power cord. If you will use an extension, make sure it is heavy enough to handle the demand. Failing this will result in overheating.

For staple sizes, you can use 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" & 9/16". These would tackle most seat pads. The only trouble you may face would be if you are working on a particularly hard piece of wood.

Such surfaces are notorious for being difficult to staple to any depth.

You may also be interested in checking out our Staple Gun For Insulation guide.

Pros

  • Trusted brand.
  • Adjustable between Hi/Lo for hard and soft material.
  • Has a lovely contour grip.
  • Easy to use.
  • Compact and lightweight.
  • Has a low brad indicator.
  • Competitively priced.

Cons

  • Not as durable as you’d expect from Stanley products.
  • Prone to occasional misfiring.
WEN 61718 18 Gauge

WEN 61718 18 Gauge 2" 2-in-1 Pneumatic Brad Nailer & Stapler

Wen has always provided affordable tools. Their pricing has massively disrupted the market. This product is no different. It is easy for us to discount brands that are unknown to us and miss out on good deals.

The price is reason enough to take a chance. It will save you some money.

The Wen 61718 18 Gauge pneumatic stapler offers incredible versatility. It has a spring-loaded magazine that has enough room for 100 nails. Reloading it could not be any easier. The body is very light and easy to carry.

At the rear end is an adjustable exhaust port. This allows you to direct the air compressor’s exhaust away from your body. When working indoors or in a tight spot, this feature comes in handy.

The handle is rubber lined. This makes it easy to hold for long periods. Hopefully, you will not need this for working on your bike. For adjusting firing depth, there is an adjustable wheel for depth.

You also have a nail gauge to monitor the level of staples or nails that are in the magazine. The operating pressure ranges from 60 to 100 PSI. There is a 1/4-inch 18 NPT air inlet for even quicker connection to your air compressor.

If for any reason, you wanted to use the brads. It shoots 18-gauge brads that range from 5/8 to 2 inches in length. Although this feature may not apply to this job, but will certainly be useful in other instances.

As a bonus, you will also receive an impact resistant carry case, safety glasses, a pair of hex keys, one no-mar tip, and lubricating oil.

Our guide to Staple Gun for Picture Framing features more handy tools you can add to your collection.

Pros

  • Absolute Bargain.
  • Versatile.
  • Includes more extras than most staple guns come with.
  • Depth is adjustable.
  • Compatible with most air compressors.

Cons

  • Prone to misfiring.
Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

The Surebonder 9600B heavy duty is another air compressor powered stapler. As far as upholstery is concerned, this is highly regarded. It came onto the market about three years ago. It was recognised as a top 10 stapler within the category for that year.

The magazine is located on the front end of the stapler. This allows for quick release and fast reloading when the staples run out.

You can store up to 100 staples at any given time. There’s a well-placed monitor window that lets you know when the staples are running low. The versatility that it offers cannot be overstated.

You will find that the compact body and the attached grip make it very comfortable to work with. It sits well in hands of all sizes.

This will allow you to work for long periods without feeling strained. At the lower end is an adjustable air exhaust which allows you to point the emitted air away from your person.

To add onto to the versatility of the design, you can use this with regulated air compressors that range between 60 and 110 psi.

It has a male quick connector that fits directly onto your compressor. Where staples are concerned, you can use any of 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 1/2, 17/32, and 9/16-inch lengths.

The recommended ones included Surebonder’s own #4, the Arrow T50, and Stanley TRA700 Series Heavy Duty Staples.

The box will come with the Staple Gun, a pair of Hex Wrenches, 1/4-inch Quick Release Connector, and a carrying case.

If you are a teacher, or know one then discover the best staplers for teachers here.

Pros

  • Very powerful. Offers great depth penetration.
  • Competitively priced.
  • Very easy to use.
  • Easy to reload staples and clear jamming.
  • Compact design.
  • Lightweight.
  • Includes a beautiful carrying case.
  • Fits the common staples.

Cons

  • Will sometimes jam.
Porter-Cable US58 14-Inch to 58-Inch 22-Gauge C-Crown Upholstery Stapler

Porter-Cable US58 Upholstery Stapler

Porter-Cable is out of Jackson, Tennesse. The Porter-Cable US58 is their pneumatic staple gun that performs well on motorcycle seats. The body is made up of a combination of aluminium, steel and plastic.

The aluminium is what holds up the entire structure. The magazine is made of steel. The exterior and the handle are made of plastic.

It is a very small and lightweight, as staple guns go. As with the other ones that we have on this list, this also has an exhaust that can be directed away from you.

The staples that you can use in this are ⅜” wide and between 1/4-inch to 5/8-inch long. In comparison to other staples, this is one of the more user-friendly ones.

It weighs close to 2 pounds, which is within the common range for staple guns.

As far as pricing is concerned, you really cannot complain. It certainly offers good value for the money you pay.

The magazine offers a very high capacity, at 185 staples. The driver guide at the front end of the staple moves back quite easily.

This is something that works a treat for clearing out jams. It works with a psi pressure between 70 and 120, which fits with most regulated compressors.

Check out our Pneumatic Staple Guns reviews for more great pneumatic tools.

Pros

  • A lightweight and ergonomic design.
  • Affordable price.
  • Reliable and durable.
  • Rarely jams.

Cons

  • Porter offers very little customer support.
  • Occasionally misfires.
Valu-Air SF5040

Valu-Air SF5040

The Valu-Air SF5040 comes in at a heavier 3.3 pounds. It offers both stapling and brad nailing options. At the rear end is a directional exhaust that spins 360 degrees.

There is an arrow that shows you the direction in which the exhaust air is travelling. The body is housed in an aluminium casing that is weather resistant.

There is a jam-clearing quick release trigger on the top. This will make jamming a lot easier to deal with.

The magazine sits parallel to the ergonomic rubber grip handle. You can store up to a 100 crown staples or brad nails in it. 

When using nails, there a nail reloading indicator located on the magazine. This shows you when to refill.

For the more delicate surfaces, you will be pleased to know that you can adjust the depth of the staples without the use of additional tools.

There is also a no-mar tip that protects the surfaces that you are working on from being scratched. To open the magazine, you simply press the stop lever and pull the cover.

Reloading the Valu-Air SF5040is very easy. The staples slide right into the guide. You’d then need to push the magazine cover shut.

The air compressor should be adjusted to 60 and 110 psi. Your air compressor’s hose will be fitted onto the air plug.

Plier staplers are a solid addition to any toolbox too - check out our Best Plier Stapler Reviews here.

Pros

  • Has versatile uses.
  • It is beginner friendly.
  • Good value for money.
  • Comes with a carry case.

Cons

  • Poor customer support.
  • The instructions it comes with are inadequate if you ever get stuck.

Staple Gun for Motorcycle Seat Buyer’s Guide

We will now look at the staples in a more general light, as well as considering some of the skills and techniques that will come in handy when you are tackling this task. Some of the questions that you may have about it will also be covered in this buyer’s guide.

Does the staple gun have to be manual or pneumatic?

Having a manual staple gun with you when riding may come in handy on the rare occasion. This is not the norm. Most bikers will either work on their motorcycle at home or take it to a garage. It is almost unthinkable that you would have an emergency that would require a staple gun.

Based on our testing and extensive research, there is no doubt that the pneumatic staple guns are well suited to handle this job. You will get a decent job done with a manual gun or electric ones as well. It is the pressure control and depth gauge that give the pneumatic ones an edge. Our top pick is electric and meets this criterion.

Doing your own motorcycle seat recovery

There are some staples underneath the seat that attach its cover to the seat pad. These can be removed using a staple remove or a flat screwdriver. If you are replacing the entire cover, then you will want to completely remove the old staples. You would then replace them with a new set to hold the new seat cover in place.

You may not have to do as much work if there is a small tear. Depending on how big the tear is, you could patch it from the inside. Removing a small section of the staples will allow you enough room to reach the area that has unstitched or torn.

Depending on the size of the tear at intervention, you may not have to replace the entire cover. The best case scenario would be that you can stitch the inside back or patch it. Once repaired, you’d staple back the cover to the seat pad.

If you are to go with the patching option, you can use so glue to attach canvas on the inside. The glue patching does not cover the existing tear completely. It stops it from continuing. This would give you a lot more time with the same seat. When you have glued it shut, allow a few hours for the glue to dry. Two hours should usually do the trick. When it has dried up close it and use your new staple gun to reattach the cover.

Full Seat Recovery

If your current seat is too far gone, you can replace the entire cover. It is fairly easy to find the right seat cover for your motorcycle online. Once you have this in hand, we can move on to the next step.

Make sure that you stretch your cover out to get rid of any wrinkles that it will have developed in transit.

Slide the cover onto the seat pad. Start at the thinner end of your seat and pull in all around until it is installed all the way around. Once the seat cover is fully placed on it, you can now get your new staple gun to finish off the job.

Start stapling from one end, while making sure that the seat cover remains fully stretched at all times. You can begin by stapling each of the four corners to hold it in place.

If you are doing this for the first time, keep your staple remover handy. You will make mistakes and need to remove some staples. Make sure that your fingers do not get caught up under the cover. This is a common mistake among beginners.

Do not be too stingy with your staples. Use as many as are necessary to complete the job without overdoing it.

Can I glue my seat onto the pad before stapling it?

You can certainly glue your seat to the pad before fastening it with a stapler. However, that would be an awful idea. Using just staples without the glue allows room for error. You can still make adjustments to the position of your cover at any time. All you’d have to do is remove a few staples.

Once you have glued it, the proposition is entirely different. There is much less room for error. Even if you were to do a perfect job, you would still have an uphill battle the next time you wanted to change your cover.

What are the best staples to use?

The staple size that you use will depend on the material that you are working on. Motorcycle seats are made out of all sorts of material. There is no one size that will fit all of them. As a rule of thumb, always use heavy duty staples for this sort of work. They are strong and durable.

You will find that most staple guns on this list will offer 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 1/2, 17/32, and 9/16. Any of these would do a decent job at fastening your seat cover. The only consideration to remain mindful of is the material that makes up your seat.

Tougher material such as hyde leather will require stronger and more robust staples. This sort of material is generally more difficult to pin down, largely due to its stiffness. That being said, most of the hard material will be bespoke and measured to size, for ease of fit.

If you are working on a softer cover, you want to consider using staples that are not too hard or harsh on the material. It is easy to make a tear in soft material when you use the wrong size of staples.

Final Words

This best staple gun for motorcycle seat review will have introduced you to some of the top staple guns fit for the purpose.

Making use of any of the recommended ones will ensure that you get great results. Our buyer’s guide will also have furnished you with a lot of relevant information.

You will be well informed in completing the seat recovery yourself, and in purchasing the staple gun that you will need for the job.

Don't forget to check out our Upholstery Staple Gun post if you are doing other DIY projects.

What Are Others Saying?

We also gathered some extra video resources for you. These will help you make sense of what we have been explaining in this article.

You will also see how to handle some of the practical aspects of recovering your motorcycle seat.

How to Repair a Torn Motorcycle Seat Cover

Video Transcript

HOW TO RECOVER MOTORCYCLE SEAT LIKE A PRO

Video Transcript

ByChuck H

Chuck is from Durango, CO and he is a carpenter with 20 years of experience. ​He has a passion for tools, especially hand tools, and how they should be used and maintained.

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