Barcelona - Santander - Plymouth - Bristol - Oxford - Newhaven - Dieppe - Barcelona. Cursed the seat after an hour on each of those legs but did wonder why there wasn't a seat shape and padding density that was adopted by all manufacturers as being anatomically correct.
Has anyone owned a bike with a comfortable seat and what was it.
Rather weirdly the most comfortable seat I've ever owned was on a Suzuki TL1000R, I think because it was flat as a pancake and padded well and evenly. Sculpted seats (including my current TDM900A) just don't compete for me. With a friend on a Triumph Daytona we did Bordeaux to Calais in "one sitting", did the ferry and then home to Yorkshire. (knackered obviously) .
Tdm Mk1 seat, nary a problem, did a 1000 mile stint back home from the Fatherland on it..
Bigred mk1 R1 Calipers- Braided lines- Givi wing rack-Crash bungs- Hi vis bullets-PR2's- and a hoot to ride.
Quad 900 Silver Laser duo tech pipes-Scott oiler-Engine crash bars- Radiator mounted see me ring LED's-Datatool system 3 alarm -Centre stand- Extender fender-Renthal bars-Handle bar risers-Mirror extenders-BMW GS Handgaurds-Acumen uprated horn & Nautilus-Stainless steel Radiator guard-Givi wing rack-OEM screen-Yammy touring screen-MRA Vario-MRA Double bubble cut down for fast as fk riding-Tiger screen-Tank protector-Stomp grip panels-Optimate lead  Gone to Heaven orry:
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1991 MK1 in need of some TLC watch this space   Sorted and on the Road Mick   it's the bike that Jack built  Gone to Heaven Â
My MK1 was much more comfortable than 9er and was improved by ditching the original stiff cover and fitting a stretchy one. I never did a long ride on it tho.
I have changed most of my seats one way or another. Mostly I objected to the scoop shape that was once popular though uncomfortable (not so much these days). I have therefore flattened most of them. My TDM was not too bad but I fitted a TerryLycette saddle (pre WWll type) - 11 springs between me and the bike... Had to make a frame up for it. It was firm but I never had num bumb. I sold it on here but it was not a solution for the buyer.Â
A number of years ago I nearly became the owner of an almost split new Ducati. Driving up through France and we noticed a red Ducati passing us several times on the autoroute. The same one every time ?
We pulled into a services and there was this red Ducati parked up with the owner sitting beside it weeping profusely. I turned out the young man had made a pile of money somehow or other in London and had treated himself to the bike of his dreams. He'd ordered it from the factory, flown out and intended riding it home. But by the time he's got halfway through France the saddle had destroyed him. I commiserated with him and advised him to do the rest of the journey in short stages till his bum and the saddle got into synch. "No!" he said, "I'm never sitting on that fucking thing again !! Do you want it ? Here's the keys and here's the papers ! And I'll give you a grand if you'll run me to the nearest airport "
We ended up getting the gendarmerie to look after the bike and we gave the lad a run to the nearest 5 star hotel to let him recover his wits a bit.
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So, there you are, I might have had a Ducati even if the saddle crippled me.
I've had saddle woes for years. Tried various sculpted, gelled and padding, with no significant improvement. I'm now back to standard seat and airhawk pad inflated to the optimum for me (I think) pressure. I now put it down to lack of fat / muscle on my skinny arse. I think most if not all "taller" or dual sport type seats seem to be going the same way.....maybe we all need cruiser armchairs..
Lock onto my co-ordinates and beam me up !!
04 900 - 92 mk 1 - r 1150 rs - Z550 A1 - 2x bonnies - plastic slug -XL185 - ...not in that order !! (and one or two i don't want / dare to own up to !!)
My guide has been the traditional dining chair - flat or mostly domed. (And diners were not expected to lean back against the backrest...). Always comfortable for me. Quite unlike any motorcycle seat. I suspect designers imagine the folded shape of a human backside and shape the seat around that. Their other objective is to make it look 'good'.
When I bought the new Tracer 7 I had a comfort seat on my wish list up front. A few thousand kilometres later I had forgotten all about it - I think it's super comfy! Best ever!
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Can't really say what there is to it - but no pain whatsoever.
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It seems to me seats may be like screens - there is no one-for-all-solution...
God i hear ya chaps. Did a run up to Fort William a few years ago. Could only go 30 mile before me arse was in bits. Did 800 mile in 2 and a bit days. It's put me off ever since - only do 20 mile a day now, back and forward to work.
I did AlmerÃa to Faro (600kms/ 7hrs) a couple of years back on my 30 yr old 3vd and not once did I get off the bike with a sore bum. Maybe it's more bone and bum shape that determines how comfortable a seat is,rather like touring screens. What works for one, doesn't work for others. Sheep skin does help a bit but it gave me Betty Swollocks.
I had the seat on my old KLE500 rebuilt using memory foam. Made a big difference, no more sore bum after a few hours in the saddle. Money well spent. On the 900 I am using an Airhawk Dual Sport. Great improvement over the standard saddle. Took a few adjustments to get it to the right pressure. In the ten years I have had it I have only needed to add air once.
I noticed the seat cover on the 900 is starting to crack so it may be going in for a rebuild in the next few years. We will see.Â
Heading off on a 900km ride tomorrow, the seat will be OK, not sure about the body though. 71 next week!
Quote:I had the seat on my old KLE500 rebuilt using memory foam. Made a big difference, no more sore bum after a few hours in the saddle. Money well spent. On the 900 I am using an Airhawk Dual Sport. Great improvement over the standard saddle. Took a few adjustments to get it to the right pressure. In the ten years I have had it I have only needed to add air once.
I noticed the seat cover on the 900 is starting to crack so it may be going in for a rebuild in the next few years. We will see.Â
Heading off on a 900km ride tomorrow, the seat will be OK, not sure about the body though. 71 next week!
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71 on a biggish bike - Good man (to use a phrase that I'm not even sure we're supposed to use these days) .
Had a Corbin saddle on the old mk1, really cushioned the buttox which helped relieve the pressure on the arse bone. All day comfy. I now have standard seats and an Airhawk which deffo helps.
Quote:I had the seat on my old KLE500 rebuilt using memory foam. Made a big difference, no more sore bum after a few hours in the saddle. Money well spent. On the 900 I am using an Airhawk Dual Sport. Great improvement over the standard saddle. Took a few adjustments to get it to the right pressure. In the ten years I have had it I have only needed to add air once.
I noticed the seat cover on the 900 is starting to crack so it may be going in for a rebuild in the next few years. We will see.Â
Heading off on a 900km ride tomorrow, the seat will be OK, not sure about the body though. 71 next week!