Which Bucket Seats Should You Fit in Your Yamaha YXZ1000?
Off-road seat guide, Yamaha YXZ1000R
The Yamaha YXZ1000R is a sport side-by-side built for fast off-road driving. Yamaha give it a 998cc three cylinder engine, a sequential manual gearbox (six speeds on the current model, five on earlier SS versions) and fully adjustable FOX shocks. It is used for everything from trail days to competition, and a lot of owners want better seats than the ones it came with.
The cabin is compact and open to the weather, so the seats need to be narrow enough to fit, tough enough to live outside and easy to clean. This guide covers the steel frame and fibreglass seats we would look at, why vinyl trim makes sense in a YXZ, and how to go about fitting them. We do not hold fitting data for the YXZ, so measure the space in yours before you choose, and send us the numbers if you want a second opinion.
- The YXZ1000R has a compact, open cabin, so seat width is the first thing to check
- Measure the space for each seat in your own vehicle before you order
- Vinyl trim wipes clean and does not hold damp, which suits an open cockpit
- Steel frame picks: Sparco Sprint Sky, OMP TRS-E Sky and Cobra Monaco vinyl
- Fibreglass picks: Sparco Evo QRT X waterproof, Sparco Evo QRT Sky and Mirco GT
- Seats come without brackets; the YXZ needs mounts made or chosen for it
Start with the space in the cabin
The YXZ packs two seats and a centre console into a narrow body, so a wide road car style bucket will not go in. Before you look at seats, measure your vehicle:
- Width. The space for each seat between the side of the cage or body and the centre console, at hip and shoulder height.
- Depth. From the seat back position to the front of the seat area, allowing for the pedals.
- Height. From the mounting surface to the roof and cage bars, remembering you will be wearing a helmet.
- Mounting points. Where the original seats bolt in, and what is there to mount to.
Compare those numbers with the seat dimensions on our listings, and allow room for the mounts. If you want us to check, send the measurements with a photo of the seat area.
Why vinyl trim suits a YXZ
A YXZ is open to dust, mud and rain. Fabric trims are comfortable, but they soak up water and dirt and take time to dry. Vinyl, and Sparco’s waterproof trim on the Evo QRT X, can be wiped down after a muddy run and does not hold damp.
The trade is heat. Vinyl is warmer to sit on in summer than an open spacer fabric. For most YXZ owners in the UK the mud matters more than the heat, which is why the seats below are mostly vinyl versions. Several of them are the same seat as a fabric model with the same approval, only a different cover.
Steel frame seats
Steel frame seats are tough and cost less than fibreglass, which suits a vehicle that takes knocks.
Sparco Sprint Sky. Sparco's steel frame FIA 8855-1999 seat in black vinyl, for drivers under six feet with a 32 to 36 inch waist. It has six point harness slots and is HANS compatible. The Sprint can be base or side mounted.
OMP TRS-E Sky. The vinyl version of OMP's TRS-E, FIA 8855-1999, 10.8kg, with five harness slots and removable leg cushions. It is unusual among approved seats in offering base or side mounting. The YXZ in our photo above runs a pair.
Cobra Monaco vinyl. Cobra’s Monaco M-Sport Edition in vinyl, FIA 8855-1999, with an integrated headrest, four and six point harness compatibility and base or side mount options. Cobra point out that the vinyl is the same seat and approval as the fabric version, and that vinyl suits off-road vehicles and anything used in wet overalls.
Fibreglass seats
Fibreglass shells are lighter and stiffer, and they are side mount seats.
Sparco Evo QRT X waterproof. The waterproof version of Sparco’s Evo, made for rally, off-road and anything likely to get wet. It is FIA 8855-1999 approved, six point and HANS compatible, and comes in Evo, Evo L and Evo XL shell sizes. The standard Evo fits most drivers with a 32 to 36 inch waist.
Sparco Evo QRT Sky. The Evo QRT in Sky vinyl, FIA approved, if you prefer that finish.
Mirco GT 3D. A compact fibreglass FIA seat in breathable 3D fabric. If you want it for an open cockpit, ask us about vinyl trim.
Sparco Grid Q. Sparco’s entry fibreglass seat, with a road and track approval, not FIA. Worth a look if the YXZ is for trail days, not competition. A vinyl Grid Q Sky is listed as a sim racing seat.
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Steel or fibreglass?
| Steel frame | Fibreglass | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lower | Higher |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
| Knocks | Tolerant of minor damage | Shell damage needs checking |
| Mounting | Several offer base or side mounting | Side mount |
For a YXZ used on trails and play days, a steel frame vinyl seat is the sensible choice: it costs less and shrugs off rough use. If you compete, or want to save weight, a fibreglass seat such as the Evo QRT X makes more sense. If you compete, check your series rules for the seat approval they need.
Fitting seats to a YXZ
All of these seats are supplied as the seat only. In a YXZ you will need mounts that suit both the seat and the vehicle’s original mounting points, and for a side mount seat, approved side mounts for that seat. There is no one-size answer, and we do not hold fitting data for the YXZ, so measure the mounting points and send them with the seat you like, and we will suggest what to use.
Harnesses are the other half of the job. Most of these seats take a four or six point harness. Our guide on bucket seats for the YXZ 1000R goes further, and our off-road bucket seat guide covers more vinyl options. Garreth’s advice is to sit in the seats you are considering if you can, because a snug seat in a showroom can feel different in a bouncing cabin with a helmet on.
Which bucket seats fit a Yamaha YXZ1000R?
Narrow seats such as the Sparco Sprint Sky, OMP TRS-E Sky or Sparco Evo QRT X are good starting points, but measure the space in your own vehicle first.
Why choose vinyl seats for a YXZ?
Vinyl wipes clean after mud and does not hold damp, which suits an open cockpit.
Is there a waterproof bucket seat?
Yes. The Sparco Evo QRT X is a waterproof version of the Evo, FIA approved, in three shell sizes.
Do the seats come with YXZ mounts?
No. They are supplied as the seat only; send us your mounting points and we will suggest mounts.
Can steel frame seats be side mounted?
Several can: the Sparco Sprint, OMP TRS-E and Cobra Monaco offer base or side mounting.
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For mud and rainSparco Evo QRT X
A waterproof FIA fibreglass seat, in three shell sizes.
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