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BMW Seat Technology
- Thread starter 83014
- Start date
Polarbear
Polarbear
BILL MAYER/ Visionary
I still have my original Bill Mayer seat and he is the earliest seat builder I knew. His Son's carry on with their indepedent shops. BUT, that old seat is STILL my best seat, bar none. Dozens of BMWs later. Today, my GSA1200 sports Rocky Mayer seat, but wish it had a tad more of Dad's comfort built in! Its fine. It went on to Russel and they too have lost the touch of the Master. Close, just not the same. Anyhow, friend Bill Mayer had to be mentioned here as quite the visionary from the mid '70s building what turned out to be ticket to comfort on a bike. He should and would be proud to see what he started. So many options today exist, so shop wise. Randy
I still have my original Bill Mayer seat and he is the earliest seat builder I knew. His Son's carry on with their indepedent shops. BUT, that old seat is STILL my best seat, bar none. Dozens of BMWs later. Today, my GSA1200 sports Rocky Mayer seat, but wish it had a tad more of Dad's comfort built in! Its fine
. It went on to Russel and they too have lost the touch of the Master. Close, just not the same. Anyhow, friend Bill Mayer had to be mentioned here as quite the visionary from the mid '70s building what turned out to be ticket to comfort on a bike. He should and would be proud to see what he started. So many options today exist, so shop wise. RandyI am happily here to tell everyone that a really comfortable seat that looks great does in fact exist. My Kontour seat upgrade is great
I too have a Kontour seat on my R1200RT. Great comfort, but very very slippery with textile bmw pants. Can't stay in one spot, the jewels get pushed up against the tank with every stop. And there is so much airflow through the mesh seat, the seat heater is useless.
Other than those two issues, comfort is there for sure.
42906
Themason
I am happily here to tell everyone that a really comfortable seat that looks great does in fact exist. My Kontour seat upgrade is great
I have heard great things about Kontour Seats. I absolutely love the color of your bike. It's one of those colors only the Germans could pull off.
ANDYVH
New member
Well, my new seat design will be put to the test this coming weekend, as I plan a five day circle around Lake Superior with my gal, and two other couples on their bikes. My gal did not like the stock rear seat or the Corbin Rumbleseat I had, especially since I had installed a Givi trunk with a backrest. The wide rear seam on the Corbin caused her to be almost sitting on the welt. The stock seat had practically no real padding as I found out after pulling off the vinyl cover.
So I stripped the vinyl off the stock seat set, built up the foam with high grade firm foam, and shaped it into two buckets. The rear I built up two inches for her cushy comfort. I built my section up a bit after cutting out some of the 20 year old foam, and shaped it into a subtle bucket, wider and flatter than stock. Then, for the vital airflow I need I cut a slot through the foam and pan. I have 1-1/4" flex tube, ducted from the front of the bike directly into the seat slot, for fresh air flow,....right, ya know "there". A bit like ram air flow for me, not the bike. Hopefully no more "swamp shorts" which is a level worse than Monkey Butt in my book.
After I did all the buildup, shaping, smoothing, layering, I took the seat set to a local professional auto upholstery shop to have the cover made. He charged me $211 to make the cover from high grade marine vinyl. The foam was $50, sundry other material was $40 (3M spray adhesive cans, 1/4" foam sheet, 1/8" acetate carpet). so my total is $301.
So I stripped the vinyl off the stock seat set, built up the foam with high grade firm foam, and shaped it into two buckets. The rear I built up two inches for her cushy comfort. I built my section up a bit after cutting out some of the 20 year old foam, and shaped it into a subtle bucket, wider and flatter than stock. Then, for the vital airflow I need I cut a slot through the foam and pan. I have 1-1/4" flex tube, ducted from the front of the bike directly into the seat slot, for fresh air flow,....right, ya know "there". A bit like ram air flow for me, not the bike. Hopefully no more "swamp shorts" which is a level worse than Monkey Butt in my book.
After I did all the buildup, shaping, smoothing, layering, I took the seat set to a local professional auto upholstery shop to have the cover made. He charged me $211 to make the cover from high grade marine vinyl. The foam was $50, sundry other material was $40 (3M spray adhesive cans, 1/4" foam sheet, 1/8" acetate carpet). so my total is $301.
Attachments
"Then, for the vital airflow I need I cut a slot through the foam and pan. I have 1-1/4" flex tube, ducted from the front of the bike directly into the seat slot, for fresh air flow,....right, ya know "there". A bit like ram air flow for me, not the bike. Hopefully no more "swamp shorts"
Better put a screen over that air intake,...otherwise that your "swamp shorts" will become ..."bug-butt"
Just teasin' with ya,...very nice job!
.... Let us know how the air flow [does] work! It really is a great idea.
Ron
Better put a screen over that air intake,...otherwise that your "swamp shorts" will become ..."bug-butt"
Just teasin' with ya,...very nice job!
.... Let us know how the air flow [does] work! It really is a great idea.Ron
Hmmmm.... Ahhh, Um...
boy can that seat photo make for some interesting captions that come to mind !
I was thinking the same thing...
ANDYVH
New member
You think I posted the photo just to talk about my new seat design?
C'mon,...bring it on,...I got a great twisted sense of humor. Be tough to offend me.
How bout, "I REALLY REALLY like my bike and I wanted to feel closer to it."
Better yet, "18 years, two divorces, one bike, must be something special about it!"
The 18 years and two divorces and one bike is the truth!
C'mon,...bring it on,...I got a great twisted sense of humor. Be tough to offend me.
How bout, "I REALLY REALLY like my bike and I wanted to feel closer to it."
Better yet, "18 years, two divorces, one bike, must be something special about it!"
The 18 years and two divorces and one bike is the truth!
arthurdent
New member
Hijack
Ok, to add to the discussion and potentially hijack the thread...
Just looking through the articles in July ON and find an article about Saddleman seats. does anyone have any experience with Saddleman seats for the GS?
Ok, to add to the discussion and potentially hijack the thread...
Just looking through the articles in July ON and find an article about Saddleman seats. does anyone have any experience with Saddleman seats for the GS?
ANDYVH
New member
I just finished a 1700 mile/5-day lake Superior lap with my gal on my new custom seat set. She said her seat section was far superior (heh, pun) to both the Corbin seat I had on the bike previously, and far, far better than the stock seat I built it from. I done good for her comfort,......means more riding time for both of us!
The front seat section is far more comfortable for me also. The ram-air cooling is perceptible, though not as much as I had expected it would be. Time. miles, and lower air temps will tell for sure. But I could feel the airflow at 60+ speeds. The air intake is directly below the front leading edge of the fairing, nothing blocking it, with 1-1/4" tubing from it to the slot in the seat.
The front seat section is far more comfortable for me also. The ram-air cooling is perceptible, though not as much as I had expected it would be. Time. miles, and lower air temps will tell for sure. But I could feel the airflow at 60+ speeds. The air intake is directly below the front leading edge of the fairing, nothing blocking it, with 1-1/4" tubing from it to the slot in the seat.
stock seats suck.
I'm sorry but nobody can convince me that the BMW stock seat is well designed and developed for the long distance rider. I put on 900 miles last weekend on my 2009GS and could hardly walk after getting off.
Anyone have a brand recomendation for a custom saddle that has really workded for long rides?
I'm sorry but nobody can convince me that the BMW stock seat is well designed and developed for the long distance rider. I put on 900 miles last weekend on my 2009GS and could hardly walk after getting off.
Anyone have a brand recomendation for a custom saddle that has really workded for long rides?
I don't care for the stocker on longer rides either. I saw an "almost new" Sargent seat for sale in the Flea Market. I asked the owner why he was selling it? He said because he didn't like it, I bought it anyway. LOL as far as I'm concerned he was right, I sold it too. Corbin's seat felt better, a bit more room F to R, but it is still sloped down to the front. Both seats were better with the rear of the seat in the low and front in the raised setting. But then they were too low which cramped my knees, plus it left a gap at the tank.
I called Corbin and took a chance ordering a seat but told them to raise the front so it's level. I really like it. Riding all day, day after day, I never even think about the seat. Someone else with a 1200GS sat on mine and liked it so well he called Corbin with my invoice number and told them to make him one just like mine. I can put the stock seat back on whenever I sell the bike, and then sell the Corbin.
I called Corbin and took a chance ordering a seat but told them to raise the front so it's level. I really like it. Riding all day, day after day, I never even think about the seat. Someone else with a 1200GS sat on mine and liked it so well he called Corbin with my invoice number and told them to make him one just like mine. I can put the stock seat back on whenever I sell the bike, and then sell the Corbin.
lkchris
Active member
And of course your physiology is identical to everyone else in the world.
Of course it's not, and that's not BMW's fault.
Woman tries on a pair of pants and they don't fit. Her response: I've got to lose some weight.
Man tries on a pair of pants and they don't fit. His response: There's something wrong with these pants.
Sorry you have buyer's remorse. BMWs are great bikes and are VERY well designed.
Kent, yes BMW makes great motorcycles. But many find R1200GS's have uncomfortable seats, especially 2005-2007. Have you ridden very far on a BMW F650 Twin with a stock seat? Your R80GS (and Weasel's 1975 R60/6) has a better seat than that. So while technology advances seat comfort sometimes regresses.
BTW Weasel I thought 1975 R60 was a /5?
Nope, /6 generally started with '74 models. I say that because I believe there were some long wheel-based '73's, though I don't recall if they were labeled /5's or /6's. Interesting, though - I was noticing the drivers seat on the RT and the /6, and they are basically the very same shape.
rxcrider
New member
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
mneblett
#32806
/5's from '70-'73 (released in '69)
/6's from '74-'76.
Easily distinguished by the speedo/tach/headlight shell: 1-piece on the /5 with the speedo/tach in a single instrument sitting in the headlight shell; separate headlight shell and dual-pod speedo/tach cluster on the /6.
The LWB '73's are /5's -- 2" longer swingarm and rear subframe/seat, but the same headlight/speedo unit, wiring arrangements, /5 engine label plates, etc. until the start of the /6 production.
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