[Pwhoever]

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I too am in the boat of having tried several different seats on my 97 and am still on the quest to find that elusive comfortable one. I have tried stock, stock with utopia backrest, stock fitted with gel pad on top, stock with gel pad under the seat cover, Hartco, Hartco with sheepskin, now a Low Boy Travelcade with gel, Travelcade with sheepskin, Travelcade with sheepskin and driving beads, and even tried a Corbinthat Reinyrooster was selling but that one was definitely for a shorter inseam than I have. And after meeting him, I got started thinking on seating positioning. Now at work, I ride a horse and use an english saddle. I have in the past been accused of slouching too much instead of sitting up straight. I have been working on that and it seems like I can spend a lot more time in that saddle (several hours at a time) and still be fairly comfortable. I have now been paying more attention to the way I ride the bike. I have a backrest on the Travelcade that I use pretty much all the time and I'm thinking it may be adjusted a liitle too far back causing me to kind of slouch in the seat. I'm wondering if this may be affecting my comfort while out riding. I'm usually good for about 1-1 1/2 hours but not much more. I am also using Kuryakyn foot pags mounted on the engine guards so I can stretch out a bit when needed.

So my questions are: How should I be positioning myself in the seat to get the proper sitting position? What is the proper position? Should I be sitting with my back straight up and down (not slouching)? What would be the proper positioning of my backrest or should I just remove it completely, once again concentrating on sitting straight up? And how far forward should I have the footpegs adjusted? Should they be set so my knees are fully extended? Thats kind of how I have them adjusted right now but when using them I have recently noticed that I am back in the slouching position (kind of like when you are relaxing on the couch).

I have just been wondering if it is more my seating position rather than the type of seats I have tried.....

 

[Richardrwg]

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OK, first problem, you need to get yourself a proper saddle. Them english saddles are fit and formed for skinny, tea drinkin'cowboy wannabee's. Also for yuppie harley tralerin'posers.

You need a good old-fashioned smooth leather (not fancy quilted for show) western saddle with a bucket meant for a mans bucket load.

OK, now that you want to hunt me down and fit me for a gag bit, onto your question.

The same applies for a motorcycle seat, both are relative to time spent in saddle, the fancier it is, the less comfort over the long ride. And as with saddles, there's no such think as the perfect seat that will allow comfort after an extended period, it's just the fact of having something that's wedged between your legs. The best I've found is to take both a pad and a sheepskin and when you feel the pinch, effect a change.

 

[FeButter]

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Maybe it's not the saddle, but rather yourbutt that's the problem.

 

[FREESPIRIT]

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back straight up , imagine sitting at the kitchen table ,

straight back. same using a english saddle straight back.

takes time to get used to it,

alternatively talk to your chiropractor.

 

[JerryH]

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I agree on the horse saddle, if practical, get a John Wayne type REAL saddle. I don't ride a horse for work, but do ride them for fun. There is a local horse property area not far from my house, and I know someone who lives there. I have ridden 3 of their horses, unfortunately just around the pasture. Also unfortunate is that they are into the English style of riding, and even have one of those setups to jump over sections of fence. They were a little reluctant to let me use my western style saddle, but I assured them it would be ok. I ride only on a western saddle, wearing a Stetson and Tony Lamas. AZ is after all, a cowboy state, though I certainly don't claim to be one.


As to the bike, I have not had a lot of experience changing seats around, but have found that usually the stock seat is as comfortable as anything else. I have done two Iron Butt Saddlesore 1000s on my Vulcan 750, and surprisingly enough was not all that sore. If you really want to feel PAIN, try riding a sportbike. You will never complain about your Goldwing again. 2 things I have found that help on really long rides are Anti Monkey Butt powder (yes, it really does exist) and a beadrider seatcover. Also shift yourself around once in a while. Unlike a car seat, a motorcycle seat gives you a lot less seat. You said you tried it, but I highly recommend a backrest. I have used Protac backrests on three bikes, including the Vulcan 750. Thay will help you sit up straighter, if you have them positioned properly, and sit up against them.

 

[peterbilt]

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on the hd's i tend to slouch my back which isnt very comfortable, on the wing i sit at a posture which isnt bad either

there really isnt a screcet to the "perfect position" i know ask my wife lmao.... i couldnt resist....


anyway each person is diffrent in what they interperet comfort as so just play around and see what you can do many people ive ran into have to have the seat modified to them, the stock seats welll they are stock they cover many butt sizes but not all heights, and all that

so i wish ya luck

 

[Pwhoever]

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Hehehe. Richardrwg and Jerry H, I fully agree. If it was up to me I would be using a western saddle. When I rode years ago, I only rode western. However now, the choice of saddles is beyond my control so I am stuck having to use the english. We all here have to use the same style Stubben saddle. Something about uniformity and having more contact with the horse, whatever....

FeButter, you may be on to something there because I have never had a lot of padding in that region. That was one of my earlier thoughts as well.

FREESPIRIT, funny you mention a chiropracter because I have been going back and forth about making a visit to one just to see what they might be able to do. I have been hearing a lot of positive stuff from buddies who have gone to one.

JerryH, I have heard of the Monkey Butt powder but I usually haven't had an issue with sweating but I guess it still couldn't hurt to try and I am still testing out a beaded seat cover with sheepskin over it. I just haven't had a chance to try it on a longer ride yet.

I appreciate all your insights...

 

[FREESPIRIT]

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The reason i mentioned a chiropractor,

was i worked with horses for eighteen years.

and its beneficial to have good posture.

It will stand to you,

just my opinion.

 

[jwhitmore44]

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I have a Travelcade which I guess is now the Saddleman Road Sofa. I seem to be quite comfortable for about the first 60 to 80 miles, then the "hot spots" start happening. I usually do some squirming, change my feet to the different pegs, till things get numb enough to continue I have always used the back rest, but recently have been trying some shorter jaunts with out it. I'm not sure if it's causing me to slouch, although I have a tendency to slouch with out it, but it may be causing me to scoot towards the front of the seat more. Course the front of the seat has less room to spread your weight. Without the back rest I seem to be able to keep back in the "pocket" of the seat more. The biggest problem without the back rest is slouching and eneding up with a sore back.

 

[FREESPIRIT]

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I know a guy who has a yamaha dragster 650 , he had problem

with his seat, after around 70/80 miles he found himself slouching.

So he got a guy to modify the frontof his seat, by all accounts ,

it has stopped him from sliding forward.

 

[Bob W]

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Mike, i find that by sitting up straight (my mother would be proud) I can last longer. What I find I need is to be able stretch out with my foot pegs .. Thats why I love my highway pegs. It alters my seating enough that I keep from getting soar spot. I use the stock saddle and I am pleased with it because I can shift with the highway pegs. When I travel I use my T-Bag as a back rest and that gives me even more options. Funny thing is I have having lots of back problems this last year. But I can ride all day long.

By the way. I got that light hooked up and I installed a spoiler running light convetter yesterday.

 

[AZgl1800]

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a chiropractor is my best friend.

w/o him, my back would be toast.

 

[DaveO430]

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I wear a back brace which keeps me upright and helps a lot with how long until I start squirming. Adjust your back rest where it keeps you upright and your highway pegs to where your knees are slightly bent so you are supporting some of your weight on them. Locking your knees is not a good thing as those who have stood at attention for long periods can attest.

 

[FeButter]

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pw, Seriously, I do fine with my stock seat, but I feel for you if your not comfortable. If I was in the market for a betterseat, I would give these guys a call.

http://www.day-long.com/

Back in the 90's I sent him a stock seat pan from a Norton Commando. He welded some side wings onto it and manufactured a custom seat. He would not do it until I sent him a side view picture of myself sitting on the bike in riding position. I bought this seat, put a sheapskin on it and drove my Commando to the west coast and back with many 6 and7 hundred mile days. After I was back it occured to me that I had never had any butt pain on the whole trip.

They use the photo, and other info to set the angle of the seat so that your weight is evenly distributed and you don't get hot spots.



We used to call that seat the tractor seat because that's what it looked like, but it was perfect in the comfy department. I no longer have that Norton, but I kept the seat just in case.

 

[Richardrwg]

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Two points to add,

pwhoever, I will NEVER be stuck to an english saddle, mainly because I can't stick to one of them. I did try it once, much the amusement of many children who were of an age to call me sir, even when they were laughing their britches off at me. I got up off the ground feeling like Barney Fife. I probably would have been better off sitting backwards on the blasted contraption.

Dave, I hadn't thought about the back brace. My uncle recently was fitted for one and I haven't thought to ask him how it's working out for him when he rides. I will ask him.

When I bought my 1100, it came with a backrest, a hard stiff one. I figured that when I got it home, it was gone. All it took was the 8 mile ride home for me to realize how valuable it was. I rode home from Ohio without it once and paid the price when that night and the next day.

Pwhoever, spend some time playing with that backrest, to far backward and it's useless, too far forward and it's doing more harm than good.