Pillion seat on HD Street Glide, Road King

[Old Steve]

When I come back to NZ in a couple of months, I'll be looking for a tourer with a good pillion seat for the pillion princess. I'm thinking along the lines of a Honda Goldwing, HD Street Glide, Road Glide and Road King with the tourpak top box, or the Harley Ultra Glide.

But why does the standard pillion seat on Harley Street Glides, Road Glides and Road Kings slope backwards? Has no-one from the Harley design team ever ridden on the back of a motorbike? I know that HD have a wide range of aftermarket seats that can be changed out, but such an obvious error in basic design for what appears to be just the image of the bike makes me wonder if there are other downfalls of these Harleys that have crept in in the interests of image over function.

The Moto Guzzi California Custom is another one. I'd like to put a sissy bar and trax panniers on it to make a bagger, but the bloody pillion seat slopes backwards. Don't like the California Tourer either, I think those swoopy panniers ruin the look of the bike, and the pillion seat tapers backward even though it doesn't slope backwards.

If you don't intend that your bike carry a pillion, then leave the pillion seat off. Don't put on a non-functional pillion seat just to make the lines of the bike look cool. And I object to buying a bike, then having to shell out for a new seat (OEM or aftermarket) just so it does the job it should do in the first place.

Guess I'll have to restrict my thoughts to the massive tourers, the Goldwing and the Ultra Glide

[nzspokes]

We will be changing our pillion seat next week to slope back a bit.

[Old Steve]

Spokes, why? Does this give the pillion better support against the sissy bar?

[Akzle]

dont be silly. no-one with a harley has friends to go on the back.

[Crasherfromwayback]

But why does the standard pillion seat on Harley Street Glides, Road Glides and Road Kings slope backwards? Has no-one from the Harley design team ever ridden on the back of a motorbike? I know that HD have a wide range of aftermarket seats that can be changed out, but such an obvious error in basic design for what appears to be just the image of the bike makes me wonder if there are other downfalls of these Harleys that have crept in in the interests of image over function.


It helps the pillion slide back into the sissy bar a bit more (giving you and her more room and stops annoying helmet clashing). Std...without the sissy bar they're a bit of a pain in the ass cuse the pun. But they're actually a very comfortable seat. I have a demo here you're most welcome to ride if you ever make it to Welly.

[nzspokes]

Spokes, why? Does this give the pillion better support against the sissy bar?
Well im our case against the top box. Will also mean she uses less energy to stay put.

[Ender EnZed]

I'm thinking along the lines of a Honda Goldwing, HD Street Glide, Road Glide and Road King with the tourpak top box, or the Harley Ultra Glide.

Have you got a Harley itch that needs scratching or are you just looking for a bike in the big-as-they-come size? I'd add a K1600 to the list if the budget reaches that far.

How does your pillion find your ST1100?

[Flip]

I have the Sundowner glide seat on mine. I am told it is a fine bum rest.

[Old Steve]

Thanks for the offer Pete, but there's a couple of reasons why I probably won't be able to take you up on the offer. We'll be based in Auckland, and I've been warned about your coffee!

My wife wasn't ever interested in riding on the back of a bike until she saw the ST1100, my previous bikes were a Hyosung GV250 (my learner cruiser) and a Suzuki Boulevard M50. She does worry about being exposed sitting up there, that's why I have something like the Goldwing or Ultra Glide in my sights with their wrap around throne pillion seats.

My wife has a hip problem too, so she's limited to the mileage she can do on the ST1100, but for 100 km she's a happy camper. She notices the wind buffeting, I've got an 80 mm higher aftermarket screen but she still notices the buffeting, especially if the wind is a little from the side. With the aftermarket top box on the bike, she attached some Velcro to the front face of the top box and sewed some of the matching strips to a cheap cushion and whenever she's riding with me we Velcro on her top box pad. We also bought an Airhawk cushion for her seat, she loves that.

[nzspokes]

We went through this trying to find the right shape. We went down a different track in the end. But we sat on this bike and its very good. well looked after to. Really nice people selling it to.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/tourers/auction-801731176.htm

[Old Steve]

I've always liked the look of the GL1500, I'd remove that rider's backrest though. But it'll be a few months before we're looking for a bike as we'll be moving into an apartment in Auckland CBD when we move back with no secure motorbike parking. We'll need to renovate and sell or rent the apartment before we move out to a house with secure parking. Then it'll be research time, and buy a new bike.