TLC for my butt and knees
Discussion
I have a new bike which I'm generally happy with, except for a couple of things which I need to work on. Maybe with the same solution to both.
1. The pegs are too high in relation to the seat so I have to bend my knees too much.
2. My butt starts to hurt after riding it for a while. 4 hour ride yesterday; sore knees and butt at the end.
I'm thinking that a softer seat which is also 15 to 20mm higher might be the answer for my backside and my knees.
Thinking of an add-on cushion on the existing seat. There is a OEM complete seat replacement high seat option for my bike, but it is £300+ to buy and the reviews are it isn't any softer than the standard seat.
The seat cushions I've looked at are Airhawk, sheepskin covers, cheap stuff off Ebay and mid-priced cushions such as this one https://posture-cushion.myshopify.com/products/mot...
Checking in to see if anyone has used a seat cushion, what you liked and what you didn't like. I'm liking the sheepskin option but I don't know how that would go if I was to leave the bike parked in the rain.
1. The pegs are too high in relation to the seat so I have to bend my knees too much.
2. My butt starts to hurt after riding it for a while. 4 hour ride yesterday; sore knees and butt at the end.
I'm thinking that a softer seat which is also 15 to 20mm higher might be the answer for my backside and my knees.
Thinking of an add-on cushion on the existing seat. There is a OEM complete seat replacement high seat option for my bike, but it is £300+ to buy and the reviews are it isn't any softer than the standard seat.
The seat cushions I've looked at are Airhawk, sheepskin covers, cheap stuff off Ebay and mid-priced cushions such as this one https://posture-cushion.myshopify.com/products/mot...
Checking in to see if anyone has used a seat cushion, what you liked and what you didn't like. I'm liking the sheepskin option but I don't know how that would go if I was to leave the bike parked in the rain.
Be wary of aftermarket seats they aren't always better than OE, I had a Sargent on my MT09 and it was all day comfortable, the Sargent I bought for my Z1000SX was a bit better than standard but not £350 better and still gave me a numb arse after 90 minutes, my latest Z900RS came with a fancy seat made by ARSE Seats, it was incredibly uncomfortable and the standard one is much better.
It is probably a better idea to send your seat away to have extra height added to it, I think SAS Tom sent his gsxr seat to Tony Archer who added a couple of inches of height to it, softer isn't always better as it will compress more, I tried an airhawk and didn't get on with it, sheepskin is ok until it gets wet.
You can also get footpeg lowering kits https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bmw-f800gt-Footpeg-Lowe...
It is probably a better idea to send your seat away to have extra height added to it, I think SAS Tom sent his gsxr seat to Tony Archer who added a couple of inches of height to it, softer isn't always better as it will compress more, I tried an airhawk and didn't get on with it, sheepskin is ok until it gets wet.
You can also get footpeg lowering kits https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bmw-f800gt-Footpeg-Lowe...
Edited by Jazoli on Thursday 17th September 08:47
https://cycle-ergo.com/
This is a really good site for checking the knee angles of any bike you are considering buying to see how it compares to your current bike.
This is a really good site for checking the knee angles of any bike you are considering buying to see how it compares to your current bike.
Dr Jekyll said:
If the 4 hours were in one hit not many bikes would leave you without any discomfort at all. I've had some bikes generally acknowledged to be more comfortable than most and I don't think I've ever managed 4 hours without at least a fuel stop.
Hmmm! Not sure I agree with that. Most of the bikes I have owned have been up to long days. Even my current bike, which has a crap seat thus needs an AirHawk seat cushion, is comfortable for 12 hour/600+ mile day, with nothing more than "splash 'n dash" fuel stops and a Mars and Red Bull lunch.Dr Jekyll said:
If the 4 hours were in one hit not many bikes would leave you without any discomfort at all. I've had some bikes generally acknowledged to be more comfortable than most and I don't think I've ever managed 4 hours without at least a fuel stop.
If you are out all day though a 30 minute break or a 10 minute fuel stop every couple of hours isn't enough for your arse to recover, 10 minutes after getting back on the bike the pain returns (for me anyway) I have had 1 truly comfortable all day bike and that was the MT09 with the sargent seat, the others in the last 10 years have all been uncomfortable after 2 hours, which makes long days out a pain (literally) and makes me ride like a t
t on the homeward leg just to get home.Rather than buy cushions,it could be worth getting your standard seat reworked with gel insert and covered with material of your choice.
I had a custom seat for my V-Rod, which made it all day comfortable. Reality is you get a break every 150 miles for fuel anyway.
The only bike ive not felt some discomfort on when touring was an Indian Roadmaster ...which is kind of built for comfortable touring....did 300-450 miles a day for 2 weeks no issues
I had a custom seat for my V-Rod, which made it all day comfortable. Reality is you get a break every 150 miles for fuel anyway.
The only bike ive not felt some discomfort on when touring was an Indian Roadmaster ...which is kind of built for comfortable touring....did 300-450 miles a day for 2 weeks no issues
Softer isn't necessarily better, and it's often about the shape rather than the material on seats. You can get gel inserts for seats, but for a cheaper option I know a couple of people who wear cycling shorts which have built in arse padding.
I had a sheepskin on an previous bike and found it pretty comfy but rain was an issue, also tried an airhawk and couldn't get on with it at all.
Best thing I've found for combatting numb bum syndrome is training your arse, I've often had a bit of a numb bum the first few long rides after having not ridden in a while, but my arse seems to get used to it after a few longer rides.
I've got dropped footpegs like those linked above, with shortened dogbones on the suspension to lift the back up a little bit so I don't lose any ground clearance, and find it makes it more comfortable for my knees, but make sure there's enough movement available on your gear and brake levers, my brake is a little bit higher than I'd like, if I went any lower it catch on the exhaust under braking, could solve it with an aftermarket brake pedal but it's not that big an issue.
I had a sheepskin on an previous bike and found it pretty comfy but rain was an issue, also tried an airhawk and couldn't get on with it at all.
Best thing I've found for combatting numb bum syndrome is training your arse, I've often had a bit of a numb bum the first few long rides after having not ridden in a while, but my arse seems to get used to it after a few longer rides.
I've got dropped footpegs like those linked above, with shortened dogbones on the suspension to lift the back up a little bit so I don't lose any ground clearance, and find it makes it more comfortable for my knees, but make sure there's enough movement available on your gear and brake levers, my brake is a little bit higher than I'd like, if I went any lower it catch on the exhaust under braking, could solve it with an aftermarket brake pedal but it's not that big an issue.
I highly recommend Viking Motorcycle Seats near Brands Hatch: https://www.facebook.com/Vikingpage1/
Though I’d also recommend contacting Viking by phone (not email). You can either post them your seat or, if you’re within reach of Kent, they will do everything while you wait. Top-quality, top comfort, but not a top price unless you want a fancy design too.
Though I’d also recommend contacting Viking by phone (not email). You can either post them your seat or, if you’re within reach of Kent, they will do everything while you wait. Top-quality, top comfort, but not a top price unless you want a fancy design too.
RizzoTheRat said:
Best thing I've found for combatting numb bum syndrome is training your arse, I've often had a bit of a numb bum the first few long rides after having not ridden in a while, but my arse seems to get used to it after a few longer rides.
This times 1000%. First ride on the pushbike in spring and you feel like you've been at a Barrymore pool party. A bit more exercise later and you can ride for miles. Whilst clearly some bikes are better than others, no motorcycle is truly comfortable but miles in the saddle are the best solution. The last few bikes I had have been full size touring bikes. Big plush seats. All day comfortable.
This bike F800GT Is 100kg lighter, so better for city work but it just is not as comfortable after about an hour. It’s mainly the knee angle. A higher comfy seat would straighten my knees w bit and give my backside a bit of help as a bonus.
This bike F800GT Is 100kg lighter, so better for city work but it just is not as comfortable after about an hour. It’s mainly the knee angle. A higher comfy seat would straighten my knees w bit and give my backside a bit of help as a bonus.
RizzoTheRat said:
I've got dropped footpegs like those linked above, with shortened dogbones on the suspension to lift the back up a little bit so I don't lose any ground clearance, and find it makes it more comfortable for my knees, but make sure there's enough movement available on your gear and brake levers
Do you mean adjust your gear and brake levers? How do you do that? I thought they were fixed position?Iminquarantine said:
Do you mean adjust your gear and brake levers? How do you do that? I thought they were fixed position?
My gear lever has an adjustable length spindle connecting it to a clamp on a splined shaft, so I moved the clamp round one notch on the splines and changed the linkage length a bit. Can't remember exactly how the brake is set up but I think it's an adjustable linkage as well.Random example brake lever https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-TDM850-4TX-TDM-8...
Have done some research. Rear brake pedal is non-adjustable. Even the people who have adjusted it have had to do some metal work on the lever and some of them ended up with a fried rear brake and warped disc. So scratch that.
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On the seat height, I guess if I get the OEM seat padded out and with a new cover, I can have whatever heigh I want. If I get an Airhawk seat, how much does this raise the height.
For the sheepskin seat in the rain, how did that go? Wet butt I guess.
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On the seat height, I guess if I get the OEM seat padded out and with a new cover, I can have whatever heigh I want. If I get an Airhawk seat, how much does this raise the height.
For the sheepskin seat in the rain, how did that go? Wet butt I guess.
The AirHawk cushion I use does not noticeably raise the seat height. If it’s used properly, it has very little air in it, it just spreads the load over a larger area and avoids pressure points.
The down side is that it does make the bike feel vague. Not a problem for long motorway/main road runs but not something I enjoy when on fun roads. I tend to take it off for fun stretches so I can better feel what the bike is doing.
I did have a gel pad fitted to my seat originally. It raised the seat a noticeable amount but only extended the time before the seat became uncomfortable. It still became uncomfortable. With the AirHawk, I can ride all day, and all the next day.
The down side is that it does make the bike feel vague. Not a problem for long motorway/main road runs but not something I enjoy when on fun roads. I tend to take it off for fun stretches so I can better feel what the bike is doing.
I did have a gel pad fitted to my seat originally. It raised the seat a noticeable amount but only extended the time before the seat became uncomfortable. It still became uncomfortable. With the AirHawk, I can ride all day, and all the next day.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Sussex Motorcycles say memory foam is better than gel. But don't the two materials do different things (gel absorbs shock while memory foam moulds to your body)? Ideally, wouldn't you want a mix of both – gel underneath to absorb tiresome bumps, plus memory foam on top for comfort?NS400R said:
This times 1000%. First ride on the pushbike in spring and you feel like you've been at a Barrymore pool party. A bit more exercise later and you can ride for miles. Whilst clearly some bikes are better than others, no motorcycle is truly comfortable but miles in the saddle are the best solution.
You may not find any motorcycle truly comfortable but I have owned bikes that will do 600+ mile/12+ hour days, one after the other, with no discomfort. I happily rode my BMW K100RS to the toe of Italy in three days - just over 1700 miles with no discomfort (rode the journey back in two days) and rode my K1300S for 3 10+ hour days riding from Spain through France, with no discomfort. (and I wasn't alone on that trip, the other K1300S riders with me had the same experience.)Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff