Must agree with all the above, how modern bikes call sold with such dreadful saddles is unforgivable !
I had mine rebuilt by Tony Archer in Huddersfield £80 bargin
Comfy seat
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Re: Comfy seat
Can recommend a doubled over sheepskin with a self inflating sit mat between, which transformed my standard Explorer seat from a 100 mile Pain in the Arse, into a all day riding pleasure. As for bikes I rode 30 to 40 years ago, my arse was 30 to 40 years younger and a hell of a lot more forgiving.
- gbags
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Re: Comfy seat
I feel your pain as I ride a GS800. The original seat is horrific, but my solution is different.
Relish the breaks. Ride B roads and you don’t get bored. Get a comfortable seat and then take a ten minute break every so often. Park up on a hill top and have a brew. Who cares about the f*cking mileage!
Relish the breaks. Ride B roads and you don’t get bored. Get a comfortable seat and then take a ten minute break every so often. Park up on a hill top and have a brew. Who cares about the f*cking mileage!
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Re: Comfy seat
I get your drift but can't fully agree.gbags wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2017 10:55 pm I feel your pain as I ride a GS800. The original seat is horrific, but my solution is different.
Relish the breaks. Ride B roads and you don’t get bored. Get a comfortable seat and then take a ten minute break every so often. Park up on a hill top and have a brew. Who cares about the f*cking mileage!
That only works when you have time to drift along...and you have a view and a kettle
There is no excuse not to make a seat reasonably comfy.
Any discomfort means loss of concentration, which isn't really recommended.
A bike should be comfortable enough for it's tank range and a few (10, as you say) minutes rest should be enough for the next tank full - assuming the bike is being used as intended. I wouldn't expect my Husky enduro bike to keep me comfy for 100 miles on the trot and it certainly doesn't but a tourer should be pretty much all day cosy without making it look like you're moving house and have a sofa on top of the seat.
2023 Husqvarna Norden 901
2014 KTM 690 ENDURO R
2014 KTM 690 ENDURO R
- PADDYTFIELD
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Re: Comfy seat
Hi All
Agree with everyone,I don’t seem to remember my younger days on bike being as painful 40 years ago,but that’s how memory works, it tends to gloss over all the negatives,that’s why “summertime always lasted longer when I was a kid”.it didn’t we just recall it like that.
I didn’t realise how many of you literally feel about the subject,I thought it was just me getting old.
During a brief period of lunacy I rode a mountain bike, I gave this up as I don’t have the physique for Lycra and a cycle helmet with a gopro on the top,Ilook like a deviant teletubby and the letter B from Sesame St had a child,but...my local cycle shop had a device for measuring pressure points on saddles,you just sat on it and a computer worked out the most comfy type and shape of saddle, I believe that some bed manufacturers have a similar device in their showrooms.
I’d have some of that..
I agree about taking more breaks,did St Malo to Bordeaux via motorway In one go;nightmare.
But when you’re running late for the ferry because you’ve been stopped by the Garda Civil because....we’ll because they were bored and you have 300 miles In front of you,that’s when you think “I’m getting too old for this” but once you get home you think “right where to next” because your memory glosses over the bad stuff.Brilliant!
Paddy
Agree with everyone,I don’t seem to remember my younger days on bike being as painful 40 years ago,but that’s how memory works, it tends to gloss over all the negatives,that’s why “summertime always lasted longer when I was a kid”.it didn’t we just recall it like that.
I didn’t realise how many of you literally feel about the subject,I thought it was just me getting old.
During a brief period of lunacy I rode a mountain bike, I gave this up as I don’t have the physique for Lycra and a cycle helmet with a gopro on the top,Ilook like a deviant teletubby and the letter B from Sesame St had a child,but...my local cycle shop had a device for measuring pressure points on saddles,you just sat on it and a computer worked out the most comfy type and shape of saddle, I believe that some bed manufacturers have a similar device in their showrooms.
I’d have some of that..
I agree about taking more breaks,did St Malo to Bordeaux via motorway In one go;nightmare.
But when you’re running late for the ferry because you’ve been stopped by the Garda Civil because....we’ll because they were bored and you have 300 miles In front of you,that’s when you think “I’m getting too old for this” but once you get home you think “right where to next” because your memory glosses over the bad stuff.Brilliant!
Paddy
Re: Comfy seat
Not sure that seats have got worse over the years, but I do know that my butt cheeks sure as hell ain't as firm as they used be.
Also remember that my bike used to be my only form of transport now like most it is mostly a toy that doesn't get used as much as it should.
So I definitely ain't get the saddle time.
Also remember that my bike used to be my only form of transport now like most it is mostly a toy that doesn't get used as much as it should.
So I definitely ain't get the saddle time.
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Re: Comfy seat
Another reason your Fireblade seat would have felt more comfortable is because your arms would have been also taking some of the weight.The downside of being sat upright on an adventure bike is all your weight is going straight through your arse.
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Re: Comfy seat
That's true.
Equal weight distribution through bum, hands and feet.
Perfect ergonomics.
except for long distance, when neck and wrists became torture.
Equal weight distribution through bum, hands and feet.
Perfect ergonomics.
except for long distance, when neck and wrists became torture.
Re: Comfy seat
I found that the standard seat on my MT-07 Tracer was very comfortable, no issues when riding well over 100 miles and several hours at a time.
However, the standard one on the MT-09 Tracer was terrible. After an hour of riding I had a numb bum.
For me, the answer was a Bagster seat. Not cheap, but I can now ride for 3 hours and not feel uncomfortable. I didn't go for the full "Gel" version, I went for the slightly cheaper foam version, but it is *so* much better than the standard seat.
Unfortunately, about a week after I put the new seat on, someone must have been smoking next to my bike and managed to flick ash onto the seat, resulting in two small holes in the rear, pillion, seat. I'm looking at the best way to get this repaired now.
However, the standard one on the MT-09 Tracer was terrible. After an hour of riding I had a numb bum.
For me, the answer was a Bagster seat. Not cheap, but I can now ride for 3 hours and not feel uncomfortable. I didn't go for the full "Gel" version, I went for the slightly cheaper foam version, but it is *so* much better than the standard seat.
Unfortunately, about a week after I put the new seat on, someone must have been smoking next to my bike and managed to flick ash onto the seat, resulting in two small holes in the rear, pillion, seat. I'm looking at the best way to get this repaired now.
- thebiggestjolly
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Re: Comfy seat
When I got my Transalp 650 I got my seat re done. It was the low seat so rather than buying a new saddle I took it to Sussex motorcycles. Guy there replaced existing foam and added couple layers extra for height. It's memory foam and has kept its comfort for 9 months/10k miles. Reshaped and Re-covered for around 100 quid.
I've done 400+ mile days with minimal butt ache. Any ache I do have is more from posture than saddle I reckon.
Tried a sheepskin for added comfort, but too slidey for my liking.
On a 3000 mile trip this summer I did put a wee cushion near the front just to relieve pressure on my coccyx a bit.
Good luck
Jolly
I've done 400+ mile days with minimal butt ache. Any ache I do have is more from posture than saddle I reckon.
Tried a sheepskin for added comfort, but too slidey for my liking.
On a 3000 mile trip this summer I did put a wee cushion near the front just to relieve pressure on my coccyx a bit.
Good luck
Jolly