How to improve pillion comfort?

[wanaride67]

I bought a 2022 R1250GS three months ago (my first Beemer) and my wife doesn't like to ride on the pillion seat. She says:
- the seat is high and the footpeg position makes it tough to mount the bike
- the seat itself is hard and uncomfortable
- the slant of the seat causes her to lean against my back
- she has no room to move around
- her helmet bumps my helmet
- the grab handles are uncomfortable

This is bumming me out. I had hoped we could ride two-up for overnight stays over a weekend, but that can't happen in stock trim. Is there anything I can do to make her experience on this bike more pleasant?

I was already planning to get a Russel Day Long seat for me. Would one for the pillion help?

Maybe the 1250RT would be more comfortable, but wouldn't that make my knees bend more than they already do on the GS (I'm 6'1" with 33" inseam)?

Is there another option?

PLEASE HELP!

 

[glenfiddich]

A decent seat customized to her is a good start, but age and body type have a lot to do with pillion comfort. My 5'8" 130# 63 year old wife considers my GSA a torture device with a view only of the back of my helmet, constant buffeting, and worse her knees are bent at an uncomfortable angle that causes her pain after half an hour. My 5'4" 120# 30 year old niece finds it extremely comfortable and has no complaints whatsoever

Pete

 

[grabcon]

I bought my wife her own bike.

 

[Stebe]

I can't speak for the GS, as I went with the RT, but some similar issues arose. I almost got the GS, had I been 20 or so years younger I would have. I am SO glad I got the RT. However, the RDL seat made it better for me, and the RDL passenger seat made things WAY better for my wife. I had them do the pad on the tour pack as well. Also, I added lowered floorboards in place of the stock pegs. Much better for our sexegenarian knees, and I have less of a tendency to drag my foot when leaned over, even though they're lower by about an inch and a half. Bar backs, Quiet Werks windscreen, tip-over bars to protect the saddlebags and assorted tupperware. Voila! The ultimate motorcycle experience for us.

Sadly, she died 2 years after we got the bike in 2016, but we did get in a few good rides before the end.

Fortunately, my girlfriend now likes to ride and says she can't imagine a more comfortable place than the RDL pillion seat.

I don't know how much of this translates to the GS experience, but if you and she aren't comfortable out on a ride, what's the point? I'm sure there's plenty of machismo out there spouting the view that they're willing to sacrifice comfort for marginally better performance that they'll probably never take full advantage of. I hope they enjoy their experience, but for me the outstanding performance of the RT, in comfort, is a win-win situation.

Hope that helps.

 

[nickrides]

My reaction is you might need a different bike.
A K 1600 GLE comes to mind or a Goldwing, something with a luxury big backseat with arm and backrests
And a nice big bucket style seat.
Just my 2 cents
Nick

 

[83014]

I added a RDL to my R1200R. My seat is a one piece but I had the pillion portion built up to elevate my wife a little so that we weren’t helmet to helmet. I recommend the RDL pillion seat. As well as being more comfortable, the rider’s position seems more secure.

Doug

 

[98lee]

I’ve found the one thing that makes the most difference in pillion comfort is a backrest, whether it be on a topbox or a stand alone backrest mounted to the rear of the seat. It makes it so they no longer have to be constantly hanging on (to you or to handles). It allows them to lean back, which helps with helmet banging. It allows them to relax instead of constantly being tense.

Most Corbin seats can be manufactured to accept a removable backrest. I would imagine other manufacturers offer something similar.

 

[wanaride67]

Thanks to all for the helpful feedback! We have a top case with padded backrest for my wife to lean back against.

Currently I can only ride the 1250GS for an hour without break as my knees are aching by that point and my bottom is uncomfortable from the seat. So I'm uncomfortable, and now I learn my wife is uncomfortable. RDL seats would help but they won't address the knee aching; unless the seat is taller.

I did not know you could change out the RT foot pegs for lowered floorboards. That could help with the knee aching. Maybe I need the RT instead?

 

[jgoertz]

Wunderlich Armrests

Wunderlich America sells an armrest kit for the 2022 RT. It's a stand-alone unit, but I've only seen it mounted with the large BMW topcase. I don't know if they offer a similar setup for the GS or not, but might be worth a phone call or an internet search.

 

[droveto]

If she wants more comfort she should buy you a K1600 or a 1250RT
It's the only way.
I had a similar situation and I went with divorce.

 

[Visian]

Arm rests and a Russell Day-Long saddle will fix this problem!

I recently sold this bike, what you see is a combination of a Jesse 65 liter top box and arm rests for a K12LT from Z-technic. The arm rests rotate out of the way to make it easier for the pillion to saddle up. Also playing a role is Ohlins suspension, which made the seat/peg ratio more comfortable. You can also buy peg lowering kits.

You'll probably no longer be able to find these specific parts, but I am sure a similar solution is out there.

I did this because I made the fatal error of touring the PNW with my wife on a rented GoldWing.

 

[ponch1]

Get a different bike. Goldwing, HD, Indian.

 

[PoorUB]

Thanks to all for the helpful feedback! We have a top case with padded backrest for my wife to lean back against.

Currently I can only ride the 1250GS for an hour without break as my knees are aching by that point and my bottom is uncomfortable from the seat. So I'm uncomfortable, and now I learn my wife is uncomfortable. RDL seats would help but they won't address the knee aching; unless the seat is taller.

I did not know you could change out the RT foot pegs for lowered floorboards. That could help with the knee aching. Maybe I need the RT instead?

I have to ask, what you rode before the 1250GS?

If you want your wife to ride you need to test ride a motorcycle with her on back. I went from a 2016 Harley Limited to a 2018 R1200RT. It was an interesting change. I had the Harley from 2016 until the spring of 2021. I bought the RT in the simmer of 2018. My wife rode the RT a couple times before we bought. So for about three summers we rode both bikes. In 2020 we put about 1500 miles on the Harley. When we would go on a ride I would give my wife a choice between the two bikes and she always picked the RT, so the Harley got sold. Part of me wanted to keep it, but the 1500 miles was one trip with other Harley riders. We still ride with a bunch of Harley riders, but on the BMW. We have been on a few long trips with the Rt and my wife likes it. We both miss the cushy seating position of the Harley, but neither of us miss the lumber wagon ride. If Harley could build a bagger with 4-5 inches of rear suspension and better front suspension I might go back to them.

Do you need an RT? Maybe, but your wife needs to go on a test ride.

Also, for long legs on an RT you can buy rider foot peg lowering kits.