► Seats (too high, too hard, pillion...) and suspension

Gel seat inserts

If you're interested in the gel insert (like the one in the flex gel video) talk to Custom Seats in Coventry (http://www.customseats.co.uk/). Not cheap but they did a seat with the gel inserts for the FJR1300 I had before the GSA and I went from struggling to do 80 miles to doing 400 mile days.

As someone else said though, rarely does one solution work for everyone. I tried a Baglux seat which was reputedly the best thing since sliced bread and as far as I was concerned it was worse than the standard FJR. Similarly I've heard people criticise the standard Blackbird seat but I never had any problem with it. SWMBO swears by the Airhawk but I found it kept on trying to push my nuts up to my waist whatever amount of air I put in it. And I tried it for around 1000 miles around part of Spain before I chucked it in the top box so it wasn't a whim.
 
I am having my 800 GS seat redone by the same person who fixed my '08 KLR seat. He is removing 2.5 cm of the original foam and replacing it with memory foam. I did not have it cutout since I did not want to loose any height due to my legs.
I asked him about the gel pad, which he put in my KLR seat, and he thought it was not necessary since these bikes ran very smooth compared to the vibration of a KLR.
When I get it back I will take a 400 mile run to go look at a new Sahara Ural and let you know about how it worked out.
My problem is I have what is called "A White Man's Ass." That is all I have is skin over bones and no other padding. Hence, the original seat killed me.
The person who is fixing my seat said that his observation is that bike companys are using a much harder foam now.
 
"sit on it" test!!

I just picked up my 800 GS seat. All I have done is sit on it and it already feels 100% better. The orginal foam, which was cut off and given back to me, was hard as hell and had a dome shape to it. So when they cut it off and replaced it with memory foam the seat is now flat.
When I sat on it my boney butt just oozed into the memory foam. It instantly felt better.
I will ride it today or tomorrow and let you know how it worked out compared to stock.
 
Numbum

Thinking of buying a airhawk seat for my F650gs 09 but not sure which one is it the trally type or would my arse prefer the medium:nenau also is it worth saving a few pence and buying the budget or go for the dogs wotsits:comfort
Anybody got any good ideas:pullface
 
Hi,
i bought an Airhawk cruiser small for my F800GS, and used it last march on a 4.000km trip around Spain, and all i can say is that is money well spent! it saved my bottom and even on the long days i was comfortable and had no need to move around on the seat to find some relief.
My friend with the Africa Twin tried it, and wanted to buy one immediately!

Now that I am back home, i have removed it, but after 40/50 kms i immediately notice i haven't installed, and am planning to put it back also for short rides.

I got the budget version, not the neoprene one, as it was too expensive, and I was not sure whether it was worthed or not.

hope this is useful
cheers
Gianluca
------------------------------
www.gianlucamarucci.com
 
Like R80 I also bought the standard one and it has been perfect. Used it over the 5000 miles of the Eastern / Western legs of the Sibirsky Extreme Project. Maybe the Neoprene one is waterproof but that could also mean sweaty botty.

For me the basic one is perfect and more than adequate! :thumb2
 
Have you tried ...

... sheepskin ? Some people find the airhawk type pads disconcerting as they 'move around' much like an airbed; sheepskin pads are much more 'stable' but offer similar comfort levels :nenau

Bespoke versions can be obtained here but lots of people make up their own :thumb2
 
R80GS_basic said:
Hi,i bought an Airhawk cruiser small for my F800GS, and used it last march on a 4.000km trip around Spain, and all i can say is that is money well spent! it saved my bottom and even on the long days i was comfortable and had no need to move around on the seat to find some relief.My friend with the Africa Twin tried it, and wanted to buy one immediately!Now that I am back home, i have removed it, but after 40/50 kms i immediately notice i haven't installed, and am planning to put it back also for short rides.I got the budget version, not the neoprene one, as it was too expensive, and I was not sure whether it was worthed or not.hope this is usefulcheersGianluca------------------------------www.gianlucamarucci.com
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info i'll give it a try, might also pick up a sheep skin as well they seem cheap enough. I like the look of the corbins but lots of money to lay out on a chance it would be ok, sergent seats only do a seat for the K & R series? Cheers Ian
 
800GS seat fix....memory foam

As noted earlier I could not go 30 miles without my "skin-over-bone" butt absolutely killing me. I had an upholstery shop take off an inch of the stock foam...which was domed and hard as hell...and replace it with one inch of memory foam. They used the same cover.
Well..I went for a ride from my house, in Duanesburg, New York, west to Cooperstown...the home of the baseball hall of fame....beautiful little town, and then down I-88. I wanted to get a bit of all kinds of paved road surfaces.
The seat "fix it" was great. First, my aging little butt just oozed into the memory foam. Second, I decided to try a "panic" stop to test whether my aging reproduction system was going to get crushed against the tank. So at 80 mph I grabbed all the brake this bike has and stopped in a nice straight line...quickly. My butt did not move forward at all!!
I guess I went about 130 miles zipping along around 65-85 miles an hour.
I can report that the seat is great!! Is it better that 500 custom built seat....I'll never know.
A can tell all of you that it is 500% better than stock and it is something that you could do yourself. Take off the seat cover, cut off the thickness of the foam..glue it on to the old foam...replace the cover and staple it back together.
One advantage of doing this is that you do not loose any leg room because the seat is the same height as the stock seat...but you do NOT slide foward.
Hope this might help a few of you with a better ride.
 
Mr. Pete said:
A can tell all of you that it is 500% better than stock and it is something that you could do yourself. Take off the seat cover, cut off the thickness of the foam..glue it on to the old foam...replace the cover and staple it back together.
Click to expand...
That sounds good, thanks for the tip . Are you taking the foam off the bottom of the stock seat or the top ? Do you have any more specific details regarding the foam, other than "memory foam"?

When we bought our memory foam mattress we tried a huge variety of foams, all different with varying properties.
 
Hi Citybum

I have a task for you...

At the Hastings ride out last weekend, some kindly soul put a leaflet for Viking Vinyl on my bike who specialise in memory foam on bike seats. Seeing as they are only 23 miles from you, how's about you popping over to have a chat?

Tim
 
type of memory foam?

The foam was cut off the top of the seat to get rid of the slight dome shape of the original seat. For me, the slight dome shape basically came between my two cheeks...if you get the point!
I will call my friend, this week, and try to get the specific name of the memory foam and who made it. I remember that it was a light blue color. It is the same foam used in making wheel chair seats.
For a little work...and a few pounds...you can make a BIG difference in your comfort.
As noted, the next best thing would be a Day-Long-Riding Saddle. Those are like riding in a expensive chair. They are...great...but look odd. My friends, who have them, cannot believe how comfortable they are.
 
Pain in the but!!!

Ok I thought I could put up with it but I can't
After a couple of hours riding I feel like I've done a night in the cells with mr big!
Does anyone know what seat I can fit to sort this out. I have looked at the Touratech one online but would prefer someone told me they would do the job before parting with my cash!
Any advice welcome although I don't want to butcher the original as want to be able to put back to standard when she goes eventualy.
 
airhawk all the way

pt0310 said:
Ok I thought I could put up with it but I can't
After a couple of hours riding I feel like I've done a night in the cells with mr big!
Does anyone know what seat I can fit to sort this out. I have looked at the Touratech one online but would prefer someone told me they would do the job before parting with my cash!
Any advice welcome although I don't want to butcher the original as want to be able to put back to standard when she goes eventualy.
Click to expand...

I solved the problem with an airhawk seat. Now because i am vertically challenged, I had an upholstery guy take about an inch out of the seat to compensate and had him shape it so I did not keep sliding forward .

http://www.therohostore.com/Departments/Comfort-Products/AIRHAWK-Motorcycle-Seat-Cushions.aspx

I think it's an awesome product and I know people who are global riders and sweat by them.

BTW I used the small pillion seat cushion for the 800.
 
Touratech Low Seat

I have a F800GS with a low seat. Having a bony rear end I find the seat very hard. Has anyone experience of the Touratech Low Seat? How do you rate it for comfort? I know it is a lot of $$$$ so I really want to be sure its worth the dosh!!
 
seat

patricmurphy said:
I have a F800GS with a low seat. Having a bony rear end I find the seat very hard. Has anyone experience of the Touratech Low Seat? How do you rate it for comfort? I know it is a lot of $$$$ so I really want to be sure its worth the dosh!!
Click to expand...

I have had mine on for about 7 months and covered around 4000 miles it has been excelent ,i did a 650 mile trip one day with not a numb bumb in sight,i also have found that with using the seat and the high BM winshield i dont have an issue with the wind or buffeting anymore neither,but i am short arse 5ft 7'!
The only issue is the cover material holds stains,no amount of bike washing will get them out,so worth keeping your old one for trade in purpose.:thumb
 
TT seats

I was in the same boat as you and could get no advise so bit the bullet and bought one
What a difference!
Go for it. You won't regret it!
Also I have had no prob with getting marks and stains off my one?!!!
Ps don't go for the breathable one though as it's harder as designed for use in hot countries. No good to us here!
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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