Comfortable seat?

[Foghorn]

Hey All,

After going for a cruise today I feel I may need to get a new seat for my Suzuki M50.
Any ideas or experiences of what sort of seat to get and where to get it from?

Thanks All.

[blackdog]

Corbin. Never heard a bad word. Expensive though.

[Paul M50]

I use an Airhawk with a sheepskin over it. With a ten minute break every few hours I'm good for an all day ride. This is a cheapo option however. A custom solution from McDonald Motor Trimmers of Tauranga would be my preferred option.

[Blackbird]

I use an Airhawk with a sheepskin over it. With a ten minute break every few hours I'm good for an all day ride. This is a cheapo option however. A custom solution from McDonald Motor Trimmers of Tauranga would be my preferred option.

+1 on both counts. Had a McDonald seat on the Blackbird and could ride all day (1600km) without a sore butt. (http://www.trimit.co.nz/) Bought an Airhawk for my Street Triple for last year's Grand Challenge 1000-miler with the same excellent result. They don't look so good as a custom seat though, but wasn't worried about looks. Imported mine directly from the USA as it was hugely cheaper.

[Paul M50]

Got my Airhawk from Aussi. The price was close to the US price but delivery was only a few days. I'm not convinced though that the M50 can be made properly comfortable. I suspect the feet forward and low seat combination puts too much weight on your lower back. The sports tourers that I have ridden are just sooo much more comfortable.

[Hitcher]

Get hold of Mac McDonald at McDonald Motor Trimmers in Tauranga. Corbin and other seats of that ilk are expensive and just as generic as the ones that come on the bike in the first place. Indeed a Corbin seat for a Bandit doesn't have height adjustment as the standard seat does. Mac will build a seat that fits your arse. You'll love it.

[hellokitty]

Get hold of Mac McDonald at McDonald Motor Trimmers in Tauranga. Corbin and other seats of that ilk are expensive and just as generic as the ones that come on the bike in the first place. Indeed a Corbin seat for a Bandit doesn't have height adjustment as the standard seat does. Mac will build a seat that fits your arse. You'll love it.

I got a quote from them to do my seat - apparently they do VT750C2 seats all the time, because they are shit :yes: I couldn't afford $800 so didn't do it... :crybaby: They come highly recommended from the bike shops I have spoken to.

[jaffaonajappa]

Damn, thought this was a review of my Ex missus.

Arghhhhhhh.

[Maha]

Any motor trimmer will do it...
Ask around locally.

[hellokitty]

Any motor trimmer will do it...
Ask around locally.

I tried a few people - but no one was too keen - the attitude was "Yeah... I'll give it a go..." :facepalm: If someone is ripping my seat up, I want a good job done.

[Maha]

I tried a few people - but no one was too keen - the attitude was "Yeah... I'll give it a go..." :facepalm: If someone is ripping my seat up, I want a good job done.

I am suprised at that...

[clint640]

Best value way is to do the foam yourself, trial & mod as required until it's right, then get a new cover made. Should only cost ~$100. Check the interwebs for info on DIY seat mods.

Clint

[rustyrobot]

I had the seat on my Spada recovered at a marine upholsterers (in Hamilton mind) and it was only $150 all up. Would have been more for extra padding, but still a much better job than I would have done with my staple gun. If the difference is only $50, I'd rather shell out for a 'proper' job.

Also looked at the trimmit seats and they look amazing - but would have cost almost half of what I apid for the entire bike :shit: Probably worth it if you have a $10k bike tho.

[ynot slow]

Any upholsterer with a brain will ask you to sit on foam befor they cover the seat,and go for a ride,if it takes an hour riding so be it,the bandit seat is tough for pillion,I got it softened but isn't that flash after 3hours or so lol,an upholsterer(not guy who did good price fix for me)gave me a quote of $200-250 to do complete seat,he would cut foam and glue,get me to try and adjust etc,then recover,worked on about half a day,i.e not adviseable to pop in at 2pm and ask him to do it.

Also many people go for a soft foam when a firmer foam is needed,the reason is a "hard" seat can be caused by air expelling from foam and usually from softer foam.

[Blackbird]

If you want to be really anal about it (an appropriate metaphor under the circumstances :innocent:), you should use different density foams for different positions on the seat. I'm pretty sure that's what Mac at Trimit did when he completely rebuilt the seat on my Blackbird. A lot of the discomfort comes from the 2 bony protuberances at the base of your pelvis (Ischial or Sitz bones if you want to be REALLY anal) pressing into the foam and causing local pressure points. Ideally, you need softer foam just here to spread the load. That's what makes the difference between a good seat and one which is so good that you can literally ride all day without discomfort. Guess that's why the Trimit seats are at a premium price.

Alternatively, you can buy an Airhawk pad as I mentioned in a previous post. They don't look as good as a custom seat but they work really well. The trick is to only just inflate them slightly. I think my small Airhawk pad was around $130 inc postage from the USA

Cheers,

Geoff

[Ratti]

Actually you dont want soft foam on your sitbones.
You need a firm closed cell foam in several densitys and layers.
Soft foam compresses and causes direct pressure on these bones. It is useful as a comfort layer, which is all I ever use it for.

Yes, I am an upholsterer by trade :yes:

[crash99]

Hey All,

After going for a cruise today I feel I may need to get a new seat for my Suzuki M50.
Any ideas or experiences of what sort of seat to get and where to get it from?

Thanks All.

The problem with sorebumitis is compression - so build up the ability to better absorb the compression and stretch. Now I'm not trying to be a smart arse (oops, sorry) but best way to do this is build up your glutes/butt muscles (not fat . . . ). Serious. Not only will you feel better but the extra muscle in your butt, legs etc means that you can balance better, ride better/safer. And importantly you can more easily "lift off" slightly over bumps/corrugations etc which also means that you take the pressure off your butt and exercise the muscles at the same time. Might sound like sh1t (sorry again) but its basic physiology and it works. Now of course all you have to do is the exercise . . . :facepalm:

[FJRider]

So much for Bikers being hard arses .... :lol: :facepalm:

Just get a good sheepskin ... :yes: :woohoo:

[ynot slow]

Yep sheepskin and even glue a piece of foam to it,get a few offcuts of various foams(elephant type is ok,likewise packing foam which is firm but has give)from upholsterer or para rubber,place them on top of each other,sit on and glue together.Using small pieces(scrap offcuts) can give an idea of density,then buy the required amount is another way