Definitive GS1150 seat discussion

[rdover]

Very interesting thread. It seems that most (ie more than 75%) of GS owners dislike their seat enough to do something about it, so to summarise at page 2 ....

In decreasing cost

Bill Meyeyeyer Saddles - very well regarded - £400+
Corbin - mixed reviews but generally very good - £400+
Sargent seats - also well regarded available in the UK - £250 for rider only
Touratech/wunderlich/KLOTZ etc - no opinions yet- about £220
Melvinised - mixed results dependant on natural padding - £200 max for both
Sit on gel pads - I've got one and its OK but small - £20 - £150
Sheepskin - for all us sheepshaggers - cheap so worth a try
Washers, tubes etc - cheap and maybe effective so as per Flossie
Pies - likley to be effective in combination with all of the above so why not?

I've still to do a long enough run to form a proper opinion but the reason I bought the GS was the good riding position. I can do 500 miles in a day so having a hard arse comes with the territory but £200 spent on real comfort is money well spent as you can still get at least 50% of it back on resale. Looking at other popular mods like HID lights, LED indicators and switchy things a good seat seems an investment.


I do like pies, though they'd have to be kosher. But chicken soup and kneidlich & lokshen followed by roast chicken and potatoes .... MMMMmmmmmmm Now That's What I Call Fattening (tm).

 

[Firegus]

Megasorearse

Picked my GS up Monday, rode 150miles home - arse ache - done more than that on the Blade without problems.

Certainly seats will be first on the agenda before cans etc.

 

[Kropotkin]

Re: Megasorearse

Certainly seats will be first on the agenda before cans etc.

First try adjusting the seat height, and possible playing with the bars, before splashing out the dosh on a new seat. Lots of options though...

David

 

[guitarman]

I'm going to buy a pair of padded cycling shorts tomorrow, some people swear by them - go to be worth a go? Cheaper than new seat that may not work, healthier than pie eating (I'm Veggie) & less painful than buttock implants

I've worn cycling shorts for years under my leathers (the lycra goes well with the suspenders) but the padded bit just gets compressed and makes no real difference. What they do though is to stop your leathers sticking to you and are much more comfortable than a pair of pants or boxers.

I've tried a number of options. The Corbin was great but too high and wide for me, my Melvyned seat is better than the original but too high now since I got extra padding put in. Gel pads made no difference and 'apart from the fact they look stupid, sheepskins also don't work for me.

I can't afford to try anything else now so I'm just going to stick with the standard seat. Contrary to other peoples opinion I reckon losing weight might help as there'll be less weight on yer bum.

I dunno, I give up ..........

Cheers

Dick

 

[judge]

Contrary to other peoples opinion I reckon losing weight might help as there'll be less weight on yer bum.

What a frankly absurd idea! Go back to the Corbin and wear some of those platforms still in the cupboard from your gigging* days



















* busking

 

[guitarman]

What a frankly absurd idea! Go back to the Corbin and wear some of those platforms still in the cupboard from your gigging* days
* busking

The good thing about shoes (unlike my leathers, jeans, shirts, suits etc.....) is they don't shrink.

Just a pity that I sold my last lot of platforms on ebay

Maybe I can buy them back for a vastly inflated price (hmmm.... but then I couldn't afford a Corbin)

Cheers

Dick

 

[Sherringford Hovis]

I've heard of the sheepskin option but it looks silly and ocne wet its smelly.

Are you in the habit of smelling bicycle seats?

I have standard seats and Alaska Leathers sheepskins and have yet to take the nose challenge after 4000 mles..... Not had a great problem with comfort on short runs.... i.e under 200 miles.

I have noticed that my 'bars are leant back towards me more than other GS's I've seen. I think the previouis owner was either a dwarf or simply had short arms. I ride with the seat usually on the highest setting and am 6ft and 1/2 inch (very important that last 1/'2 inch ) althiough I have no more problems when it's on the lowest setting. Curiously SWMBO says the back is okay, which is like anyone elses good.

 

[Twotter]

Now how much do you think that Touratech seat on Ebay (mentioned in the For Sale section) will go for ???

 

[rdover]

A Klotz seat went for ~£87 plus say £20 for carriage so a touratech one with unknown history ...... ummmmm ......... £125.

I'd rather pay £175 for a Melvinsed seat knowing that I'd get a good one.

 

[The Moose]

Sargent Seat

I've used a sargent seat on my 1150GS. its really comfortable. I've sold the bike now but still have the saddle...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7930370512&ssPageName=ADME:B:LC:UK:1

 

[rdover]

£350 starting price? Phew.

I've done a reasoable mileage on the sargent seat and I'm not very impressed. Miles better than the original but not £212 worth.

 

[Spanish Bob]

It is going to depend on what you are built like and what sort of riding you want to do. But if you want comfort and long days the answer is clear. SOmething like 45% of the iron butt competition riders (not me - the ones that do 1100+ miles for ten straight days) ride russell, a similar percentage ride billmayer.

I am large and heavy and I can say 1000kms+ days with the saddle are easy (at least the problems you will face wont be a sore arse). MikeO uses similar but a two piece version. My adv seat cost me something like 450$ plus postage.

350gbp for a sargeant seat. I must be missing something here, what is it made of?

By the way I have never had any other aftermarket saddle in my life - never felt the need - until I bought this bike.

 

[rdover]

Nippy Norman sells Sargent seats for ~£420 for a pair (rider/pillion) I paid £212 for a rider only as I seldom take a passenger.

I'm a reasonably rotund person but (apparently) I have a bony bum and I do a combination of 400 mile days of motorway and B roads.

On relatively short hops ie Glasgow to Aberdeen the Sargent is good but on really long hauls .... dunno, heading to Leicester from Glasgow tomorrow for a meeting then back on Tuesday in hopefully good weather through the lake district. Wednesday sees me in Fife for lunch. 900 miles in 3 days? Do I get iron butt membership?

 

[Spanish Bob]

Nippy Norman sells Sargent seats for ~£420 for a pair (rider/pillion) I paid £212 for a rider only as I seldom take a passenger.

I'm a reasonably rotund person but (apparently) I have a bony bum and I do a combination of 400 mile days of motorway and B roads.

On relatively short hops ie Glasgow to Aberdeen the Sargent is good but on really long hauls .... dunno, heading to Leicester from Glasgow tomorrow for a meeting then back on Tuesday in hopefully good weather through the lake district. Wednesday sees me in Fife for lunch. 900 miles in 3 days? Do I get iron butt membership?

no you need to do 1000+miles in 24 hours. Buy a Bill Mayer saddle and stop piddlin about

 

[BawdyMonk]

Don't worry about having a soggy sheepskin. Do what I do and leave it in the topbox when it's monsoon time. If you're anything like me you're far too busy concentrating to think about your backside ....

On the assumption that you wear waterproof trousers , don't bother taking it off in the rain, it gives you as much comfort when wet as dry and dries out easyly enough.

 

[rdover]

Is that a gauntlet being thrown down? Does it have to be verified or is it simply taken on trust, cos that's the kind of stupid thing I'd love to do.

BTW all the bad things about my sargent seat are being taken back. 5 hours riding and 400 miles in crappy weather and nary a numb bum. A little leg discomfort but that's injury related.

So who wants to do a winter Iron Butt then?

 

[Spanish Bob]

Is that a gauntlet being thrown down? Does it have to be verified or is it simply taken on trust, cos that's the kind of stupid thing I'd love to do.

BTW all the bad things about my sargent seat are being taken back. 5 hours riding and 400 miles in crappy weather and nary a numb bum. A little leg discomfort but that's injury related.

So who wants to do a winter Iron Butt then?

http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm

consider it lobbed!

you´ll find the rules there.

I did one two weeks ago ta very muchly

 

[GSAde]

Bar Risers/Backs

Just my tuppence but I'd been considering a replacement seat as I also got the cocxy pain as well. However I was also getting a lot of shoulder pain so got some NippyNormans £25 1.25" bar backs to see if this helped the shoulder - which it did, but I then realised that the painful bum syndrome had also disappeared! One 600 mile day, several 3-400ers & loads of 200ers & not an ounce of pain since. One very well spent 25 quid

Ade

 

[Twotter]

Re: Bar Risers/Backs

got some NippyNormans £25 1.25" bar backs to see if this helped the shoulder - which it did, but I then realised that the painful bum syndrome had also disappeared!

Another vote for this fix. The standard seat is now comfortable for the distances I'm doing with the added benefit of relaxing neck and back muscles which were unknowingly tense from the previous riding position.

Suits me sir

 

[rdover]

That answers my next Tech question!

I've got knackered shoulders (all 4 ends of my collarbones ahev been 'stabilised') which means that the hamndlerbars are about 1.5" too far away.

Job done then!