Here is a tip from an old long haul friend of mine who was a pro cyclist in his youth. Get a pair of cycling undershorts and wear them under your normal riding gear. It feels like you have a nappy on till you get used to it but it makes a huge diffrence to comfort levels and is much cheaper than buying/making new seats.
Seat Cushion advice needed
- Thread starter RocketJockey
- Start date
Barbary Coast rider
.040 Over
I hear the sheepskin works pretty well....but what my wife has settled on (and she has broken her tail bone 2 times in her working career)..she found an air cushion at K Mart of all places...it self inflates and sits on a 5 gal. bucket for duck hunters in a duck blind...fits (straps) over her pillion seat pretty well and would definitly fit my seat..she adjusts the air to suit her and can go in between tank fill ups pretty well...on the stock pillion she only could stand it for about 20 min. Air pad at K Mart 8$...her not harping in my ear...priceless.......Good Luck!!! :lol:
gR3yWolf
Turbocharged
I liked Ogre's idea of sheepskin underwear, with the fur side in. Sounds really comfortable. If you're going to be in the saddle for any length of time, I don't care how comfortable the seat is, you have to be able to move around. I'll start out in the normal riding position, then the feet are up on the crash bars for a while, then I tuck them back under me and put 'em up on the passenger foot boards for a while. Backrest of some kind is a must as well. Even if it's your luggage strapped onto rear seat so you have a "sort of" backrest. It really goes a long way. I'll be on the road for 14+ days next month and that's how I'll enjoy the ride. 8)
RHD47
.020 Over
Alaskan Leather Sheepskin and Utopia back rest.
REGULATOR
Turbocharged
I have used a plain aerostch sheepskin pad, with no extra gel or anything
the beauty is it provides a bit more cushion but allows airflow.
Ive also worn cycle shorts with pads in them to help too.
BUT posture is important,
and moving around a lot and not staying in one place.. I sometimes rotate my feet to the passenger pegs, then various places on my floor boards, and also highway pegs.. and shifting so I sit more upright, so maybe adjusting your bars more will help, less recliner more upright.
you can also get a piece of foam at various hobby shops and try cutting it to size and slipping it under the sheepskin.. havent needed it yet.
the beauty is it provides a bit more cushion but allows airflow.
Ive also worn cycle shorts with pads in them to help too.
BUT posture is important,
and moving around a lot and not staying in one place.. I sometimes rotate my feet to the passenger pegs, then various places on my floor boards, and also highway pegs.. and shifting so I sit more upright, so maybe adjusting your bars more will help, less recliner more upright.
you can also get a piece of foam at various hobby shops and try cutting it to size and slipping it under the sheepskin.. havent needed it yet.
Navigator
Living Legend
Re: Airhawk
You got a hell of a deal and I predict you will be totally satisfied with the Airhawk. I bought one during my ride from Pensacola to Seattle in 2007 when it became apparent that I wasn't going to make it due to the excruciating pain caused by the cheap stock seat with it's lousy foam. The Airhawk saved the ride. I now have a Corbin on the Rocket but I used the Airhawk on my VStrom while riding from OK City to San Antonio. I'll be doing so again for my May ride from San Antonio to Washington state.
Be sure to follow the directions on the Airhawk. Some fill it with air until it is firm but this is not he way it is designed with the interconnecting air bladders. You put air in it, sit on the seat and then let the air out until you can just feel the seat. Close the valve and adjust to ride in comfort.
RocketJockey said:
You got a hell of a deal and I predict you will be totally satisfied with the Airhawk. I bought one during my ride from Pensacola to Seattle in 2007 when it became apparent that I wasn't going to make it due to the excruciating pain caused by the cheap stock seat with it's lousy foam. The Airhawk saved the ride. I now have a Corbin on the Rocket but I used the Airhawk on my VStrom while riding from OK City to San Antonio. I'll be doing so again for my May ride from San Antonio to Washington state.
Be sure to follow the directions on the Airhawk. Some fill it with air until it is firm but this is not he way it is designed with the interconnecting air bladders. You put air in it, sit on the seat and then let the air out until you can just feel the seat. Close the valve and adjust to ride in comfort.
BinDerSmokDat
.040 Over
+1 on the Airhawk. It does what no gel or sheepskin can do; it actually provides some suspension for your butt. It cures monkey butt by flowing air through the cover and between the cells, it makes the R3 stock suspension livable by preventing hard jarring of your spine and it keeps your ass from falling asleep on the inadequately padded stock seat.
Since it solves so many of the R3's ills and extends your saddle time it's cheap at twice the price. And remember; when you are comfortable you are a better rider, less distracted/tense and better able to scan for and react to trouble.
Since it solves so many of the R3's ills and extends your saddle time it's cheap at twice the price. And remember; when you are comfortable you are a better rider, less distracted/tense and better able to scan for and react to trouble.
RocketJockey
.040 Over
Re: Airhawk
I think so too, I'm quite excited about it. Thanks again Mitch!Navigator said:
finkenator9
.020 Over
seat
I have the Alaska sheepskin and it's nice, takes the hot away in the summer and is warm in cold weather. But I wish I had the backrest. I went on a solo trip and turned my bag around and leaned on it....wow!
Now if I didn't have to buy a special seat just to get the backrest, I'd be happy....
I think back support is just as important as butt support on longhauls.
I have the Alaska sheepskin and it's nice, takes the hot away in the summer and is warm in cold weather. But I wish I had the backrest. I went on a solo trip and turned my bag around and leaned on it....wow!
Now if I didn't have to buy a special seat just to get the backrest, I'd be happy....
I think back support is just as important as butt support on longhauls.
theBarzeen
.060 Over
The real solution is a custom seat.... the stock saddle is shaped just right to slide you forward or force you to sit right on the bone......
last year I made pretty good due on my 3500 mile trip with an unpadded sheepskin and a towel.... I folded the towel and put it under the sheepskin allowing me to move it around when we stopped for gas and change my seating position enough to keep me feeling good, even on our longest day ( just over 900 miles).......
with my custom seat ( 3" wider, 2" back, 1.5" up ) and the unpadded sheepskin I have only done 400-500 mile days ( big trip is in June this year) but I can't even begin to describe how nice it is.........
last year I made pretty good due on my 3500 mile trip with an unpadded sheepskin and a towel.... I folded the towel and put it under the sheepskin allowing me to move it around when we stopped for gas and change my seating position enough to keep me feeling good, even on our longest day ( just over 900 miles).......
with my custom seat ( 3" wider, 2" back, 1.5" up ) and the unpadded sheepskin I have only done 400-500 mile days ( big trip is in June this year) but I can't even begin to describe how nice it is.........
