Seat help !

[40427]

I am not looking to start another who makes the best seat thread , but do have a dilema. Every ones butt is individual and what works for you may not work for someone else , so lets not start a debate about who makes the best after market seat, please.

My bike is a 1985 R80,
stock seat foam was pretty dead after all these years so I called Corbin and had them make me a Two Up Touring seat, it does not work for me.

Sent my OEM seat to Sargent, had them re-foam it with their super foam and widen the riders section an inch in the rear, it's ok , but just ok.
After 150 miles my old kiester is complaining and by 200 miles I am done in.

I am considering having the Daylong folks , (you know the ones who make those tractor style looking seats)make one for me. ( they sure are nice on the telephone)
But it's an expensive proposition for a retired guy on a tight budget.

So I was wondering is there is anyone out there within say 150 miles of Winston Salem , NC. who has a Daylong and is willing to let me at least sit on the thing for a bit so I can see if it is a possible fit for me.

Call me @ 336 624 1810 , and let's get together real soon.
Thanks, Doug

 

[ISAMEMON]

there are lots of good seat makers out there and I hope you find the right one.

My 85r80rt has a seat by Mr ed's in albany oregon. It has served me well and ive done many long rides on it, my only recent complaint is that it has become slippery with my tourmasters, maybe the vinyl is getting old, thus slippery ??

it would be nice to be able to try one on ( a seat) , even "borrow" one for a few hun mile trip, but I have never really seen anyonme make that available

but we all know , there is an ass born for every seat

and everyone has a different "seat"

 

[lkchris]

Here's the dirty little secret about seats: it's you, not the seat.

Go on a big adventure and ride for a week or two--by the third or fourth day your seat will feel fine because you're now in shape.

The other secret? You need to be able to move around to remain comfortable.

What you don't need is some tractor-style seat that forces you continually into the same one position. You'll be sitting in a puddle if it rains and you won't be doing any knee dragging for sure.

Yes, if your seat is worn out and collapsed, it should be fixed.

 

[CTellman]

More Seat Questions . . .

I have an'93 R100RT with the OEM seat. It looks very good but has become slippery. The foam is OK and I can ride long distances with an Air Hawk on the seat.
Is it possible to buy a new cover and recover the seat? Is it a DIY project?
Thanks,
Campbell Tellman II

 

[40427]

Ikchris, may be correct on this.
I have heard it before that a seat gets better after the 3rd day on a trip. It's the first two that concern me

I saved my original seat cover because it was so nice and could trim the foam back and reinstall it at a later time or if i ever sell the bike.

I have in fact lost 15 lbs, and amped up my exercise program to get my self in better shape for a tour this summer.

Just thought there might be someone fairly local with a Daylong I could sit on a bit. Not asking to ride their motorcycle or swap seats, but am open for that if the opportunity came up.

 

[roncooper]

My 75 R60/6 original seat was so bad that I was in pain after 50 miles. There was no way I could do a multi day trip until I had the seat re done by Day Long.

Sitting in the same spot was not a problem.

 

[8ninety8]

seating butt on seat

First airhead, R60, USA bars, butt was killing me after an hour or two, tried the usual sheepskin fixes etc., then I ditched the PO's Windjammy, installed euro bend bars, stuck head into the wind, the rest is history.

Current scoot, R900S with its stock flat broad seat is the best ever, as sliding around, one foot back, other foot back, can go through both reserves before gassin up. When it cracks, simply go get a new flat smooth cover replacement. The Germans knew how to stay in the saddle, lean into wind, grin, move around a little, get some gas, maybe a brew late afternoon, get some gas, squint into the setting sun, look for campground. 3sense

 

[wecm31]

Can't help directly.....I am far, far, away.

But you are on the right track in seeking to sit on a Daylong.

Myself and one of the local posse both have 85/86 RTs and have swapped rides on occasion, mine with Daylong, his stock OEM. I have no regrets with the Daylong, worth every $0.01 to me, but I am not a knee dragger, not even in my dreams. Puddle issue best dealt with by getting those rain pants on before it rains.

How tall are you?? The Daylong will put you about an inch higher off the ground. My OEM pal is a bit shorter than me (I am 6', he is 5' 7") and it was too tall for him. Liked the ride, couldn't handle the feet down maneuvers.

 

[40427]

I am 5' 8" with a very short 28" inseam so most seats are a stretch for me anyway.

Only ever owned two bikes that my feet were actually flat on the ground, both were cruiser style so it's not that big a deal to me.
The BMW is pretty light compared to some of the sport tourers I have owned.

I'm no longer a knee dragger either , but do enjoy a spirited blast occasionally.

Right now I am setting the bike up as a tourer, and plan to do some longer rides this summer. That's why I posted about a potential purchase of a Daylong in the first place. The two recent seats have been less than optimal.

After I get that out of my system I will be making the bike over in to more of a cafe' style.

It will be used mostly for day trips and local stuff then, since my old back cannot assume that position for very long anymore

 

[44006]

"Here's the dirty little secret about seats: it's you, not the seat."

This is quite true - if you do not find the ideal seat quickly you can probably improve your situation by simply learning to pull your knees into the tank somewhat. There were knee pads on the tanks for many years for a reason - only one of which was turning technique.

When you sit totally relaxed and let your knees splay outward the big muscles in your butt roll out from under the lower loops of bone in your pelvis and now you are crushing only skin between the bone and the seat - not long before this hurts

If you train yourself to squeeze your knees into the tank for much of the time (takes some practice and feels unnatural at fiirst but gets better with time) you will be able to ride anything for quite a distance

 

[helmut_head]

Excellent explaination 44006.

I did sit on a Corbin once and I really appreciated the seat, but not the price. Tried a Daylong for a daylong ride on a Jap bike. It was nice too.

Honestly, I like the stock 83 RT seat. For some reason, without training, I'm always squishing the tank knee pads. Never have had an ass problem, but my right pinky toe keeps tingling....44006 any advice on that would be appreciated.

+1 on the slippery old seat.

 

[40427]

Thanks 44006 that's a great tip and i will work on my knee position.

Just sitting here in front of the computer I tried it and I do feel a difference in how my butt sits on the chair.

So much wisdom on this forum

 

[mymindsok]

Thanks 44006 that's a great tip and i will work on my knee position.

Just sitting here in front of the computer I tried it and I do feel a difference in how my butt sits on the chair.

So much wisdom on this forum

You know, sometimes it's the little things...

I've always been a great fan of the /6 seats but my latest one was a disappointment until I added a sheeps skin cover.

That one improvment has made it a all-day seat for me.

 

[40427]

Yes my sheepskin helps and when it's real hot and humid I use a Bead Rider.
It lets a lot of air flow under da boys.
I even bought an AirHawk, did not care for it at all.

I still feel i need better support under my butt and thighs, to lessen the low back pain I deal with on a daily basis.

I do exercise and try to strengthen my abdomen, I lost 15 pounds but fear i will forever live with an old mans damaged back.
Maybe i am chasing ghost's trying to get the best seat i can, but if i am to continue riding I don't see many other options.

 

[dwyandell]

You mention a bad back. . . this is a big factor in how long your butt will last. As your back stiffens up from riding, your position tends not to change and. . your butt gets pounded. As Kent says, seats that suck you down into one position may not be the best solution for YOU regardless of how well they're padded.

I've dealt with the same problem, including back issues and a similar stock seat on my '84 R80ST -- which I couldnt live with. There's no bolster at the rear of the stock seat to push back against to help you bring your knees forward and get some of the weight off your butt.

Everyone seems to bash the Corbin but for me it has been a good solution - it has a good bolster that allows you to change your weight around, including pushing back periodically to get your knees forward and give your back and rear end some relief. Corbins tend to be hard, so you need to ask them for some extra padding up front which they will do at no extra cost. You'll be about an inch farther from the ground with the Corbin . . .

Another thing with the bad back .. . make sure your suspension is set up so your spine isnt getting hammered. If you don't ride two-up a whole lot, you might be able to go softer and I think a softer ride helps your back a whole lot. I dont think the amount of padding in the seat makes much difference for your spine--but if your back is hurting when you ride, your butt will suffer greatly.

 

[40427]

Good information , thanks.

When I had Corbin make the seat we talked a lot about how it should be shaped.
I have had two other Corbins and they were good.
We decided that since my inseam is only 28" the nose of the seat should be narrowed a little,
well who ever made it , cut it more than I expected and then dished it out way deeper , so I am stuck in one position in the pocket and my man parts get smashed.

Several follow up calls to Corbin have not yielded any help at all. So I will probably either sell the seat at a big loss , or send it to Daylong and have them use the pan and make me a new one.

I have been shopping around for a new rear mono shock.
The old one works but is 27 year old and does not have much tune-ability. The prices for a good tune-able shock are pretty steep, but upgraded suspension is a sure fire way to improve lots of short comings over OEM so i will probably do that.

I have progressive fork springs and just flushed and changed the oil.

At this point i need to think carefully about how much I can justify spending on the motorcycle and my intended use.
I'm 68 and hope to get at least a few more years in the saddle ( already approaching 50 years of riding ) so this may be my last motorcycle ( hmm, seems like I have said that before )

 

[kantuckid]

Losing weight is one thing, improving your "core strength" is another all together. Read my posts for some discussions along that line from me & others. Sitting is the enemy of your back, no matter the seat. Stopping more often as a tactic & the previously mentioned moving around during the ride is beneficial. Signed, another 68'er trying for more years of riding...

 

[stanley83]

Core Strength

In early December, I slipped and pulled something in my back. A day or so later I went riding for a couple hours and the next day my back was a mess. Bad enough that I couldn't bend over, sit for long in a chair or drive a car w/o going into spasm. After trying the pharmaceutical approach, I had my MD send me in for PT. They've been concentrating on building my core strength and it has been helping. I've also noticed that they've been working on my gluteus medius, muscles that would occasionally cramp while riding. When back on the bike, I'll see if it's helped.

I also discovered http://www.caferacerrelief.com which has a number of MC specific core strengthening exercises. There's some amount of overlap between these and what the P-Thererapists have given me.

 

[BMW Triumphant]

Stanly83,

Did you buy the $29 book? Was it a good value? Are there any pieces of equipment needed? Are you getting results with it?

I looked at the site and found a lot of claims, a lot of rah rah, but no examples. Not likely to part with the money just on what i read there.

 

[stanley83]

Did you buy the $29 book? Was it a good value? Are there any pieces of equipment needed? Are you getting results with it?.

I did buy the book, but it's too early to tell if it's worthwhile as I'm still on the mend and haven't yet been cleared to ride. I hope he spends some of the money on an editor, as it's a bit rough. The only equipment needed is a Russian Kettlebell, but he provides plans for building a substitute from black pipe and used weights.