Australia Safari

[ahurcombe]

Have just booked myself on the 7 day Australia BMW GS Safari for August this year. We are travelling from Cairns to the top of Cape York ...trouble is, I live in Sydney 2500kms away !!

Any tips on comfort would be appreciated as I have to make the 2500km trip in about 4 days on regular highways before we even start with the safari.

My new GS Adventure is AWESOME, but that seat can seem like a piece of iron after a number of hours ..

[dyvking]

Have just booked myself on the 7 day Australia BMW GS Safari for August this year. We are travelling from Cairns to the top of Cape York ...trouble is, I live in Sydney 2500kms away !!

Any tips on comfort would be appreciated as I have to make the 2500km trip in about 4 days on regular highways before we even start with the safari.

My new GS Adventure is AWESOME, but that seat can seem like a piece of iron after a number of hours ..
I ride a standard R12GS, and have had issues with ill-fitting seats as well.
Absent the obvious cure provided by a custom seat, there are several other methods that folks have tried with varying degrees of success:

1. Wear cycling shorts, the kind with the padded crotch, rather than standard underwear. I've tried this as I'm a cyclist as well, and have the shorts on hand. They help a little. One extra benefit is that the legs are pre-formed in a 'forward' position, and the shorts have less tendency to bunch up in unpopular regions. Also, the type I use rinse out easily and dry quickly so one pair can be used on a multi-day trip. The padding in the crotch and seat area help a little.

2. Powder your butt. A little talc in the shorts may reduce friction, absorb moisture and therefore help prevent the dreaded "monkey-butt" condition.

3. A sheepskin cover. I've used this too, and find it's best use is to keep it in a pannier until the last 'hurtin' hundred' miles, then bring it out. This helps me a lot in that final part of a long ride.

4. An "AirHawk" or wooden-bead seat cover. I've never used either and so can't vouch for them. But, I've talked to others who say they like each kind.

5. Take a 2-3 minute break every hour OFF the bike and walk around it, admiring it's beauty and checking for loose parts. This will help keep circulation moving in your butt.

6. Stand up on the pegs frequently and let some air pass through those hot spots!

You could certainly mix some or all of the above to find a reasonable temporary solution until you get a custom seat made to fit your arse properly. Not much can beat that!

I hope this is of some help. I envy you of your tour. I retire in a couple more years, and this is a trip I plan on doing myself. I'm not sure how I'm going to get it done yet, but I'd like to ride all the way across the country!

Cheers!