Why are the OEM seats on a 1200GS so bloody uncomfortable?

BOBAD

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I had never had a problem with uncomfortable seats before buying a (model year 11) 1200GS, in spite of doing huge mileages over the years, but when I got my twin-cam GS, suddenly, overnight, pain crept in after only an hours riding.

It felt just like somebody had installed a miniature golf ball under the rear of the seat and was excruciating - after only 50 miles.

Unbelievable - and if I hadn't solved the problem I would have been forced to sell the bike - it was un-rideable.

I bought a Kahedo which was a huge improvement but restricted movement a little so I changed it for a Sargent which was the answer and now I have no problems with comfort issues.

How do these original seats get past the factory riders on road-tests before the bikes are offered up for sale? ...... I mean, 50 miles range - Jeez.


Going back to the days of the old twins with carbs. instead of fuel injection, I remember that if you you stalled the bike on starting off, your left shin would slam into the carburettor and a sharp pain resulted......... So, when I was talking to a factory test rider one time, I mentioned this to him and asked how it had gone un-noticed by the test riders during research & development riding...... "Simple", he replied, "we always wear high leather boots and wouldn't ride without them."

It seems that so many people complain about the original seat so it can't just be me !





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Agree 100%, a Sargent seat is way better, although the beaded edge on the rear of the front seat can dig in after a few hours in the saddle, I tend to slouch back into the seat and can feel the seat pan rubbing. I intend to add a thin layer of upholstery foam later to help cover it. Even with this issue its still the best seat for me personally.
 
No issues here for me - even with thoroughly smashing the Iron Butt Challenge on it.
Personally I think a lot of it is down to the “usual” size/shape of the average UK Tosser.
Stop eating so many pies and things wouldn’t dig in when you compress the foam past its design envelope.......
 
You obviously didn't try the 1150 Adventure seat . The 1200 adventure seat is like a mattress in comparison.

Joking side, I think the seat on the 1200 is pretty good - for a stock seat. I did wonder if you'd employed the full adjustability of the stock seat? I think it's possible to alter its angle by moving the bars underneath? Or it's that for height only?


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You obviously didn't try the 1150 Adventure seat . The 1200 adventure seat is like a mattress in comparison.

Joking side, I think the seat on the 1200 is pretty good - for a stock seat. I did wonder if you'd employed the full adjustability of the stock seat? I think it's possible to alter its angle by moving the bars underneath? Or it's that for height only?


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The front and rear can be adjusted individually although the handbook says you mustn't. I assume that's because if you made the motorcycle comfortable people would ride far enough to wear them out within the warranty. High at the front and low at the back allows me to complete the ACU national rally with my backside and saddle still on amicable terms. It also means I don't crush my testicles every time I brake firmly as I'm no longer sliding forward on a seat that slopes like a fairground slide.
 
Stop eating so many pies and things wouldn’t dig in when you compress the foam past its design envelope.......

Pies ?? I can squat almost twice my bodyweight, you could bounce coins off my arse cheeks. Hardly a case of more padding needed. :D
 
...... if you made the motorcycle comfortable people would ride far enough to wear them out within the warranty..........
:jes:jes:jes



I have to admit to having a beef about finding it necessary to upgrade the seat, horn and headlight on the stock bike (which wasn't cheap to buy) to make them fit for purpose...... :)






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I had my seat redone by Tony Archer as it was very uncomfortable after a couple of hundred miles. When i dropped it of i was chatting to him and he was telling me that the problem with the gs seat was that the foam splits at the base of your spine so you basically end up sitting on the plastic seat tray. Had no problems since he put all new foam and a gel pad in.
 
....the problem with the gs seat was that the foam splits at the base of your spine so you basically end up sitting on the plastic seat tray. .......

On mine there was a round metal bar which ran across the rear of the rider's seat and seemingly had no foam protection of any kind........ and this was where the bass of my spine wanted to be on the seat - excruciating !

Sargent seat solved the problem but it shouldn't have been necessary in my view...... I've never had a seat comfort issue on any bike in the past and I'vc done plenty of 600 miles+ days over the years .......




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I had never had a problem with uncomfortable seats before buying a (model year 11) 1200GS, in spite of doing huge mileages over the years, but when I got my twin-cam GS, suddenly, overnight, pain crept in after only an hours riding

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world's worst motorbike seat if you ask me, agony after 20 minutes, you need a week away from the bike recovery time if you ride it for more than an hour and a half
swap to the adventure seat (identical fitment) feels far plusher and comfortable…. then you can ride for an hour and a half, but after 3 hours you need 4 hours away from the bike to recover

fit an air hawk to the adventure seat and you can do 12hrs every day
fit a Sargent seat and you can't ride the bike properly, you can't move about to chuck the bike round... almost bought one with these and was shocked at how whilst it may work for long runs, it ruins the bike and I would have swapped back to stock !!


I'd do something about the screen. Turbulence and noise is phenomenal. Adventure screen bracket worth having on a vstream, but the std screen and adventure screens are a joke.

The real fix is to run without any screen SILENCE and NO Buffeting.... but you do look a twat. However, temper that idea with the fact riding a BMW with a screen has given me permanent hearing damage, even after various mods and always using ear plugs.
 
No issues here for me - even with thoroughly smashing the Iron Butt Challenge on it.
Personally I think a lot of it is down to the “usual” size/shape of the average UK Tosser.
Stop eating so many pies and things wouldn’t dig in when you compress the foam past its design envelope.......
6ft and 12st, the seat on my 2009 was shit so your theory doest work.
 
The base of the 12’s seat is very U shaped, rather than flat like previous 11models. I found my TC forced you into one position, basically the bottom of the U. I modded mine, using hard foam to create a flat base which allowed some movement for and aft. Big improvement, but if I had to do it again I’d do more to improve the next layer too.
 
If anyone would like to take a test ride on a KTM super adventure sport to realise that the seat on it should of been on game of thrones as a torture method for the Unsullied (ok if you’ve got no nuts) I bought one new in 2018 and rode back from Bulgaria. I still have the KTM but have also just bought a 2011 R1200GS Triple black which is like sitting on a cloud by comparison to the KTM just thinking if gel for the KTM though so does anyone have the number for tony ????? Who builds the seats please
 
world's worst motorbike seat if you ask me, agony after 20 minutes, you need a week away from the bike recovery time if you ride it for more than an hour and a half
swap to the adventure seat (identical fitment) feels far plusher and comfortable…. then you can ride for an hour and a half, but after 3 hours you need 4 hours away from the bike to recover

There's obviously more to this than just the seats. I have spent just under 8 hours in the saddle today, with three breaks, the longest being about 45 mins. (Standard GS Rallye) I suffered no rear-end issues whatsoever. I am wondering about getting a screen extender but even that's not really a necessity, it's just that long motorway blats in grotty weather make you question everything (although, perhaps surprisingly, not the seat though...)
 
There's obviously more to this than just the seats. I have spent just under 8 hours in the saddle today, with three breaks, the longest being about 45 mins. (Standard GS Rallye)

the rallye is an LC ? with a totally different seat design
 
Ive got an 06 hexhead,

I changed the Standard seat to a low seat asthe standard is too high ...

Cant honestly say the seat is uncomfortable -

I did W. Sussex to Dent & back last month, no problems with seat comfort, just the peg knee angle lol..
 


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