SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Help making my new savage more comfortable!
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1274461468

Message started by eriver on 05/21/10 at 10:04:27

Title: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by eriver on 05/21/10 at 10:04:27

Hey guys,

I just got a 2002 Savage about 3 weeks and gotta say, I love it so far. The main problem I found is, I can't really ride for long periods of time without my back screaming for some rest/stretching. I am 6'3" and after some research, I've found that forwarding controls may actually solve my problem. I can't seem to find them cheaper than $500 anywhere though, which seems a bit ridiculous considering that's about a 1/4 of the price I paid on the bike itself. I also considered the gel seat for the s40, but I don't know how much it would fix my problem. This is my first bike so I am not that skilled in intricate modding it yet. Any suggestions?

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by Oldfeller on 05/21/10 at 10:15:25

Contact ED L here on the list. He makes and sells forward controls.

Look up forward controls on search or just manually go through TECH or MARKETPLACE until you find him.

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by dasch on 05/21/10 at 10:26:46

If you're not too heavy - loosen rear shocks a click or two. It might help.

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by babyhog on 05/21/10 at 10:29:13

For 6'3", you may also want to consider Routy's set of 6" forward controls. Ed L makes 4", Routy makes 6". Sit on the bike, and move you feet out a few inches, and see which might work better for you.

Here are the threads from The Marketplace, but there are more threads all over the forum.

Ed L - 4"
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1202177312

Routy - 6"
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1274063295

As far as the seat, I'd say try the forward controls first, then worry about the seat after you see what difference it makes in how your behind meets the seat. Saddleman makes a nice gel pad, fur covered, that you can put on top of the seat. Also a raw gel insert you can put inside your seat. I tried the raw gel inserted first, and it made a big difference. But I didn't like the shape of my seat, nor the looks so I got a Mustang seat from a Sportster (which didn't fit the bike) but took the cover and guts from the Mustang seat and transferred it all to my stock seat pan. Love it now.

There are alot of seat mods available here too. Just use your Search. (Be sure to change the drop-down menu on the "Post in the last..." because it defaults to "week").

Good luck!

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by bill67 on 05/21/10 at 10:44:15

Difference rear shocks with longer shocks to me did more than the seat,I have a Suzuki gel seat I wouldn't recommend it if your over 5 ft 6. It pushes you forward about 3 inches,I'm 5 ft 6 and it justs works for me.Its 1 inch narrower than stock seat,But it does have more cushion which is good.The one advantage to being pushed forward it puts more weight on the front end which seemed to me to help a lot.

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by verslagen1 on 05/21/10 at 11:34:37

Try a taller seat. The sportster mod is good. Similar to the extended pegs.

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by Bigzuk on 05/21/10 at 12:13:12

My ride improved with the front seat mount lift that can also be found in the tech. section. Easy to do, I used 1/2" PVC pipe couplings and longer bolts to raise the front of the seat about 1.25"

Bigzuk

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by omahasavage on 05/21/10 at 12:39:16

I got an AirHawk for my seat, and it is amazing. I can ride for hours. I found it lots cheaper online somewhere, but here's the official webpage.

http://www.therohostore.com/Products/AIRHAWK-Seat-Cushion---Medium-Cruiser-Seating-System-wCover__CRUISERMEDIUM.aspx

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by spacepirates on 05/21/10 at 12:58:23

There were two seat mod's I did:
1) raise the front of the seat. I used some rubber gaskets that were about 1/2" thick i found in the plumbing department and longer bolts

2) I cut out a 2"x2" square from the plastic underneath the seat where your tailbone would be

can't say it improved a bunch, but it did a little, and for a total cost of maybe $3

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by DirtySavage on 05/21/10 at 19:01:32

You could start by changing the seat and doing a seat mod. I'm selling the seat I had made from the original seat pan. Check it out: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1274493261
It was done for my wife, but then she decided she wanted it chopped and bobbed so I have this leather covered seat just chillin.

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by siriusjoe on 05/21/10 at 19:50:39

I tried a Suzuki gel seat, and it was only slightly better than stock.

Then I got a Corbin seat...

http://www.corbin.com/suzuki/ss40.shtml

...and all of the seat problems magically disappeared.

Expensive, but worth every penny.

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by Mr. Hyde on 05/22/10 at 06:46:37

One of the first people who actually said they liked the Corbin. I changed my mine about buying one after so many members put theirs up for sale.

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by EJID on 05/22/10 at 07:00:18

003F63053429284D0 wrote:

One of the first people who actually said they liked the Corbin. I changed my mine about buying one after so many members put theirs up for sale.

I agree, there seem to be more who dislike the Corbin than those that like them on this board. It seems like the ones who like the Corbin are either of "larger" size or were willing to ride with it for a long enough period of time to properly break it in. Apparently the foam that is used in the Corbin is very dense and needs broke in before it is comfortable. :-?

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by Skid Mark on 05/22/10 at 07:42:15

I got a sheepskin tput over the seat. It was realtively inexpensive ($50) and helped. Keeps the old butt warm when its cool out and cool when its warm, plus it provides extra padding.

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by james may on 05/22/10 at 15:52:33

Hey this guy has a website with alot of cool little mods you can do to your savage.. one that may be of particular interest is one that raises the front of the seat by an inch or two to give you a better riding position and seat angle for better comfort.. check it out

http://www.jonline.org/savage/Tips___How-to_s/Tips___Tricks/tips___tricks.htm

I think his bike looks pretty good too..
http://www.jonline.org/savage/falls.jpg

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by eriver on 06/03/10 at 23:15:51

thanks for all the replies guys. i'm getting the fcs from routy and doing the spacers seat mod. hopefully it'll do the job!

Title: Re: Help making my new savage more comfortable!
Post by WD on 06/05/10 at 09:54:29

I'm 6'2", 230 lbs. I pulled the too soft stock foam and replaced it with 2 layers of 3/8" Ensolite camping pad foam and water buffalo leather. Much better, even with the stock foot controls.

When it was stock I'd just scoot back onto the pillion seat and control the bike from there.

If you can find a short person with an 800 Intruder (now called S50) trade shocks with them. Both bikes will ride and handle better, and you can still just walk on over the rear fender, plus they will no longer tear up the p-pad and backrest trying to throw a leg over their bike.