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Message started by Coleman on 08/09/08 at 08:06:48

Title: New Seat
Post by Coleman on 08/09/08 at 08:06:48

Well I plan on taking a 9 day trip here at the end of August / Start of September on my bike. I just really started riding a lot back in April and I've put about 2k miles on the bike thus far.

I really only have two complaints about the bike. First it has a small gas tank. I have looked at modding it up with a 4-5 gallon tank later on this winter. Second it has a crappy seat. I just raised the front of the seat yesterday and will probably ride around a bit today to see how it all feels.

Anyway this topic is to ask a few questions about seats! First off I have looked at possibly using the airhawk but it would make the seat look kinda stupid. I ride in the rain a bit so I am not really interested in a sheep skin. The Sportster seat mod looks pretty good. Now I am not sure if I wanna unload $200 for a Mustang / Corbin seat because I can't try one out first. Well I probably will stop by the Harley shop sometime.

I was wondering how much comfort there was between the regular sportster seat which looks like it won't be much better than our stock one, to the pillow stype seat for the sportsters, oh and the touring style. The pillow and touring style look about the same since they both look pretty cooshey (sp?). Anyway its coming down to the grinder here and I need to make a decision on which one I'm gonna pick up a new seat and get it put on.

Opinions and such would be awsome!

Title: Re: New Seat
Post by Rockin_John on 08/09/08 at 11:07:01

Sorry I can't directly answer your question about the different types of Sportster seats; but what I can do is relay my experience with the several types of seats that I have tried>

Of course my first experience with a Savage seat was the stock seat on my 87, and we all know how terrible those are. Raising it did improve it considerably, but not nearly enough.

Next I tried the "stock" Sportster seat which still resides on my 87. It is indeed a decent improvement over the stock Savage seat; but for my nearly 6' and 250+ pounds it still keeps me pushed too far forward for real comfort.

Then I bought my first 99 model, and it had what appeared to be a "stock" old style Savage seat; but upon close examination it appears much more curved or "dipped" than original. It seems that someone had previously modified it; not by adding material as one might guess; but by cutting foam or removing layers somehow making it almost an inch thinner.

I've not taken the seat apart to see exactly what was done to it. Amazingly, this modification made the seat comfortable for 2-3 times the distance of the original configuration. At some point in the future I may disassemble that seat; remove a bit more material and add a thin gel layer in hopes of improving it yet more. As it stands it is my most comfortable seat of the three... I have on my three Savages.

There is a custom re-upholstered late model single piece S40 seat on that first 99. That seat looks a lot like the ones you see on a lot of the German bikes. I have since bought another 99 which now has the modified stock old style two-piece on it. Until I get a really comfortable police style solo seat on it, as a "road" bike, I expect that seat will remain the most comfortable I have.

Addition: BTW, here is a link to a German maker of rather expensive alternatives.

http://www.gts-seats.de/english_index/programm/suzuki/modell/SUZUKI_LS_650/index.htm

The seat on my "chopped" bike was bought because it reminded me of their "Cobra" seat, and I got a good deal on it! 8-)