Seat comfort question

[Smith]

Hey LT Brethren,

A friend of mine and myself are planning a three to four week ride next year in June. We will start from Greensboro, NC to Jackson, WY and go up through Yellowstone. We plan to ride the Beartooth Hwy, chief Joseph Scenic Highway. We want to take-in Cody and Billings and maybe even Sturgis if time permits before we get back.

This ride will be several thousand miles and much of it morning to night in the saddle. My SO (and my friend’s SO) has graciously given us permission to make this a “boys” trip so I don’t have to consider passenger issues and can make myself as comfortable as possible.

My question to all you “long distance riders” is this: Should I consider upgrading my seat to BMW’s “soft” whatever - or Corbin’s aftermarket seat? On the other hand, maybe I should simply look into some sheepskin or beads.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice y’all can offer.

Smith
’05 Dark Graphite
Greensboro, NC.

[PATTERSON]

What's the longest trip you've been on to date (how many days)? What's the longest 1 day mileage to date? How did your Glutes feel after these? Will you be wearing bicycle shorts.........or any thing like UnderArmor? (That will make a difference....)

A couple of good long days in the saddle will tell you a lot about what you need to do. Plus, everybody is going to have a different answer........ We can give you a LOT of suggestions and you'll have to be the one to weed thru them all and find what works best for you.

[zippy_gg]

How comfortable are you on the stock seat, and how long was your longest ride?
Some actually like the stock seat and cannot justify the cost of a custom one.
Many factors come into play, such as your height and weight, age, shape you are in... Do you want/need a riser if you are on the tall side and need to unfold your legs? Do you need a lowered seat because you are inseam challenged?
Then contact Kontour (a vendor on this site), Russell, Corbin, etc... and tell them your specs (discussed above) and you should be able to make a better informed decision.
I rode my 2003 LT back from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles in 4 days. Day 1 was just fine. On day 2 I started to feel the seat on the back of my legs and I would get some pain where the seat cut my circulation on the back on my legs... On days 3 and 4 it was quite painful when I had to extend my legs to stop the bike. I was getting saddle sores worse than I ever experienced riding horses. I still can do 400-500 mile days but I feel it the next day.
Maybe a Russell or Kontour is in the future for me...

[gr8fulfred]

On my RT I tried the BMW comfort seat (definitely mislabelled), Russell, Corbin and Rick Mayer. The Rick Mayer was definitely the best, and I have one of his on my LT. The Russell was very good but ugly and too tall for my short inseam. Forget about Corbin for any ride longer than 6 hours. I have done Saddlesore 1000's and Bunburner 1500's and Rick's seat made it easy. I plan on having one of his seats on any bike I will own in the future. I hope this helps, but like anything else, personal preference is entirely subjective.

[rickcavanaugh]

The 05 stock seat is the worse piece of crap ever made. Period....

I would highly recommend an aftermarket seat for any long trip.

I have a corbin. Not the most popular on this site. But I was good for 300 miles on the stock seat. 1000 miles on the corbin. The corbin is very hard and wide. If you have short legs, you will not be able to touch the ground.

I think most on this site would recommend Rick Mayers seats.

[usmctpdog]

The stock 05 seat is a POS... comfort or otherwise.

I have both a Corbin and Russell Saddle made for me.

Seat Scales of 1 - 10

Stock - 2

Russell - 8 Custom made for me .. Love the one on my V-Strom,
Not on the LT.

Corbin - 10 DING DING - The winner!!!!!

[dshealey]

The BMW "Soft Touch" seat, which was an option on the pre-'05 models, is NOT a good long distance seat. The pre '05 standard seats were MUCH better, and have suited a great many of us for LD riding as is. No seat is good for everyone, and some will absolutely need a custom seat for comfort. I rode 120,000 miles in 4 years on the stock '01 seat, and had no reason whatsoever to get a custom, so I was one of the luck ones that stock suited very well.

I don't know anything about the '05 seats, but it seems that they really screwed up a good thing when they changed it from previous years to make the bike more suited to people with shorter legs. Seems they narrowed the front and dropped the front down a little, which has caused "standard height" people to hate it.

If you have an '05 or later, before putting a lot of money in a custom, see if you could beg, borrow, or steal a pre '05 standard (NOT the Soft Touch)seat to try out for a few hours.

[Big_E]

My Kontour seat is a big help, but the bottom line is no matter how much money you spend on seats & under drawers your ass will hurt the first couple of days & then you will forget about it. Myself on my LT & my 75 year old riding buddy on his Valkyrie made pretty much that same trip this past June, about 6,000 miles in 10 days. Awesome trip, I will do it again. Be ready for lots of road construction. In South Dakota we got stuck with 25 miles of limestone & got escorted across 5 miles of grass. When you hit road construction out in that open country there ain't no other roads to take. Good thing my wife wasn't with me, she won't ride in gravel, she would have done plenty of walking. If you can, watch the movie "Broken Trail" before you go, you will recognize alot of the scenery.

[gr8fulfred]

[QUOTE=Smith]Hey LT Brethren,

.
. My SO (and my friend’s SO) has graciously given us permission to make this a “boys” trip so I don’t have to consider passenger issues



Do you think your SO could talk to my wife?

[info]

You've got some time, try an Airhawk. You've obviously been OK with the stocker on your 05 so far?? Airhawk is a cheaper alternative and not a new seat so you can take it on and off.
I had a Corbin on my 04 RT and liked it but so far I am "feeling out" the 06 seat on the LT. No long trips yet.

[DavidTaylor]

I wouldn't use eiter of those options. I would go with a Rick Mayer saddle custom built to you so you can get the most comfort and support possible. I have his saddles on my LT and my GS and wouldn't ride on anything else.

[Sunderland]

I use an Airhawk too and it helps, however, I would rather have a $700 +/- custom seat. This is the best price I have seen for the Airhawk:

http://www.derbycycles.com/

[lord_helmet]

Strictly speaking it's not 'seat', but I would mention backrest (Bakup, or other models) when it comes riding long distance in comfort. IMHO it's also a worthwhile investment.

[RonKMiller]

Hey LT Brethren,

A friend of mine and myself are planning a three to four week ride next year in June. We will start from Greensboro, NC to Jackson, WY and go up through Yellowstone. We plan to ride the Beartooth Hwy, chief Joseph Scenic Highway. We want to take-in Cody and Billings and maybe even Sturgis if time permits before we get back.

This ride will be several thousand miles and much of it morning to night in the saddle. My SO (and my friend’s SO) has graciously given us permission to make this a “boys” trip so I don’t have to consider passenger issues and can make myself as comfortable as possible.

My question to all you “long distance riders” is this: Should I consider upgrading my seat to BMW’s “soft” whatever - or Corbin’s aftermarket seat? On the other hand, maybe I should simply look into some sheepskin or beads.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice y’all can offer.

Smith
’05 Dark Graphite
Greensboro, NC.

http://www.bmwlt.net/ubbthreads/viewpoll.php?Cat=&Board=K1200LT&Number=307116&Board=K1200LT&what=showthreaded&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1&poll=1127862613BillyOmaha

[Big_E]

Oh yea a backrest, or pile up enough luggage on the passenger seat to lean back on.

[va899]

Seats are like bikes, it's a personal thing which is for your riding style, butt build, and time on/off it on any given ride.
I had a Rick Meyer seat made for my 01. The comfort was better than the stock seat after breakin but didn't have the longevity I thought it would. 35k on stock seat and it was gone. 40k on Rick meyer seat and it was as bad a ride as the stock seat. Put a used Corbin seat on this past spring. After initial rebreakin to my butt (about 700 miles) it gives ME the most comfort of them all. Dayton to Scranton PA 17.5 hrs in October butt and legs felt fine. I've put over 20k on it since installation. It is wider than the stock seat and the Rick Meyer, but I have Ilium floor boards so my legs have to spread out to touch the ground anyway. (5'9").

[BlackBMW]

Lots of proponents of Rick Mayer seats here. I never owned a Mayer so can't comment personally, but the positive talk makes them a good bet. I don't particularly like the look of the wide "wings" on the seat but they probably provide good lateral support.

For me, its Corbin and I had mine built with an extra 1/2 inch seat height added. With my longer inseam, it made a big difference in my seating position.

http://blackgs12.smugmug.com/photos/108291519-S.jpg

If you embark on your trip with the stock seat you will be sorry :(

[UncleMark]

Hey LT Brethren,

My question to all you “long distance riders” is this: Should I consider upgrading my seat to BMW’s “soft” whatever - or Corbin’s aftermarket seat? On the other hand, maybe I should simply look into some sheepskin or beads.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice y’all can offer.

Smith
’05 Dark Graphite
Greensboro, NC.

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16160

[WildernessJeep]

I just finished a 3200 mile ride in 3 and a half days, back-to-back. I wore a Rallye 2 suit with long-johns, sweatpants, and non-padded biker shorts underneath. While towards the end of the day, my butt would start getting a little sore, by far the most painful experience of the trip was in the knees. Maybe I'm just a taller guy with weak legs, but after about two hours (even on the first tank of the day), my knees were screaming.

The safety nazi's are gonna piss themselves over this one:

However, since you have an empty back seat, try sliding back onto the passenger seat (especially in places like Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas). It has a totally different feel for your butt, and more importantly your knees are nearly fully extended if they stay on the driver's pegs. To really wind up the safety nazi's, you can set the cruise control, lean back, and steer by shifting your weight (no hands). I'm tall enough to reach the handlebars and controls from the backseat, if need arises. I probably spent half the day in that position when I was going across AZ/NM. Wide open roads, little to no traffic, and the bike just humming along. Great.

Have a good trip, stay smart, and know that yer gonna be sore no matter what you buy.

R

[meese]

However, since you have an empty back seat, try sliding back onto the passenger seat (especially in places like Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas).Or just get a set of Mick-O-Pegs (http://www.ridingiswonderful.com/ridingiswonderfulinc/index.html).

[UltraLT]

I have said this before on this forum . BMW contracts out the seat to a French company called: Marque de Sade.

Did a 5200 miler this last summer on the "Soft Touch" BMW seats and used an Air Hawk. The absolute most uncomfortable motorcycle seat I have ever ridden on. I was numb in certain parts for 2 weeks after I got back. I would not recommend the soft touch seats to anyone, especially if you have to pay extra for it.

Ultra LT

Riding is Life. All else is just waiting.

[BlackBMW]

The safety nazi's are gonna piss themselves over this one:

However, since you have an empty back seat, try sliding back onto the passenger seat (especially in places like Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas). It has a totally different feel for your butt, and more importantly your knees are nearly fully extended if they stay on the driver's pegs. To really wind up the safety nazi's, you can set the cruise control, lean back, and steer by shifting your weight (no hands). I'm tall enough to reach the handlebars and controls from the backseat, if need arises. I probably spent half the day in that position when I was going across AZ/NM. Wide open roads, little to no traffic, and the bike just humming along.

Hey, you might want to try turning around when you are driving from the passenger seat, like this guy! Not only helpful for sore knees, I understand it really takes the tension out of the lower back! :rotf: :histerica
http://blackgs12.smugmug.com/photos/116241215-M.jpg

[namrehwp]

i have purchased a bill mayer. i do not see it mentioned much on this site, but it is far superior to the stock seat, and if looks matter to you the bill mayer seat is identical in looks to the stock seat. they will build the seat to your body style and type of riding you do. on long trips i will travel 5-600 miles per day and i have been most comfortable in the bill mayer. the stock seat on the other hand was most uncomfortable. stay away from the corbin for the lt. good luck.

[WildernessJeep]

Hey, you might want to try turning around when you are driving from the passenger seat, like this guy! Not only helpful for sore knees, I understand it really takes the tension out of the lower back! :rotf: :histerica
http://blackgs12.smugmug.com/photos/116241215-M.jpg


Safety Nazi...... :rotf:


At least he's wearing a helmet...

[meese]

Yep, my Bill Mayer seat works great for 20-24 hours straight. No problems here, as long as I use riding gear with no seams in the seat area.

[ronlray]

I average about 15,000 miles a year and ride from South Carolina to Washington DC to see one son then down to Miami to see another son. I have a 2004 LT with the standard seat. I have tried the bicycle shorts from Aerostich ( they help) and I have the Airhawk. I find that I will get the best mileage before Monkey Butt sets in if I start out with the standard seat. Once I feel "any" discomfort, I put the airhawk on the seat. Then several hundred miles down the road when I get tired of the Airhawk, I go back to the standard seat. This seems to work quite well but the key is to switch as soon as you start to feel discomfort! Another thing that seems to help is baby powder ( messy... but you smell good and it makes you feel just like a baby!). At my age ( 57) I need to be pampered! That's why I bought an LT. Safe Riding! Ron Ray