Onetogo wrote on 09/02/08 at 08:48:53:

This tells me you need to raise the front or lower the back.  The seat is rotating you hips forward, and if you sit straight up, your curved back will ache.

I feel your pain.  This is my one serious complaint about the Savage.  I raised my stock seat one inch and that helped.  This weekend I removed the seat, peeled back the cover and got to thinking.  I was going to take photos, but it all happened fast.  I laid out the stock foam pad, took a 12" x 16" piece of 2" Memory foam and placed it over the stock pad, marked the contours of the stock pad and trimmed the memory foam.  I then outlined the memory foam on the stock pad, used a hacksaw blade to cut out a section -- about an inch deep int front and back and a little less in the middle in an effort to give it a little more altitude in the middle.  (hacksaw blade worked like a charm -- clean cut/shape and only took about 2 minutes).  

I then stuck the memory foam into the cut-out, stretched two plastic bags over the pad and placed it back on the pan and put the cover back over it and reinstalled.  Re-tacked with a medium-duty stapler, which will be OK as a temp., but need something stronger for permanent fix.  

First long ride was today and it definitely, absolutely, positively makes a big difference.  Total time: 45 minutes; total cost was zero, as I already had the foam.  

Few tips:  Memory foam is great stuff, but I don't think it was designed for concentrated pressure as in a seat cushion -- it really compressed.  Even though I put 2" of foam in a 1" space, it still compressed a lot.  If I were to do it again I would only shave about 1/2" off or look for a 3" thick piece to insert.  (Part of the explanation might be that the seat cover has stretched over the years.)   When removing the seast cover, I only took the staples out at the front, back, and one side -- this gave me plenty of room to remove/install the pan/pad, but kept the cover anchored for easy re-attachment. erm. fix.  I am thinking of taking it back down and inserting a piece of 1/2" carpet pad between stock pad and Memory foam.  Am also thinking about a really radical fix and if it changes my life I will report back.   Meanwhile, if you have a hunk of Memory foam, a hacksaw blade, and an hour of your time, your butt will thank you.

I like the look of that seat( The whole bike looks good to me). Are there pics that are from the sides? Who built the cargo carrier? Looks like a good job. I have a gym bag strapped on behind me & have noticed it's a more comfy ride when its loaded with stuff that works to, even slightly, support the lower back. The tilt, front to back, is something you'll need to figure out. What suits you may not suit me( which NATURALLY means You are wrong! )  I prefer a lower front of the seat when I am driving the car & others want the front all jacked up, I even keep the chair at the puter set with the front low, my lower back feels better that way. The Savage seat( check Sandy K's unabridged dictionary) suits me pretty well, but a lumbar support, offering only ounces of pressure, makes it ( pick one: Nicer/ less Savage).
Maybe some kind of pad coming off the uprights that would work with you a bit, so that every little vertical move of the seat didnt rub you raw, would help with the back & help keep you off the front of the luggage carrier?

I cant find the folder.I would appreciate a link.

Here is what I copied from the url line at the top of the page. However, I don't know if clicking this link does anything.

http://www.bikepics.com/pictures/1391995/

Otherwise one can go to bikepics.com, click on the manufacturer heading, select Suzuki, in the sttreet/cruiser (maybe road/cruiser) select Savage, go down to 2003, select All pictures of this model. Following all these steps is a hassle but there are a lot of Suzuki Savage photos to be had.

Freespirit - when you say you clicked on the link, do you mean the box with the red x? That's what appeared on my screen when I pasted the above link between the "insert image" brackets. That x don't do nothin' when I click on it.

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