Seat option for those who want something more comfortable

After done one trip around Europe and planning to go on another one, I've finally decided to do something about seat. I ride VFR 1200, 2010 and seat is made out of wood, well pretty much. Anyone who rides it knows that after 1 hour on motorway your bottom starts to feel... bad...

So decide to upload few picks for anyone that is looking for some options on DYI, for improvement. It has now been a year and seat is in perfect condition, as well as I did a 2 weeks ride from London all the way to Gibraltar and have to say, its probably best thing to change in VFR

Hope it helps

 

Wow!!! Well done!!! Thank you for sharing

 

That's one huge chain- I guess BB is around the area!:boink:

 

Two things:
1. What type of gel insert is that?
2. Why did you not put it under the fabric, instead of cutting it? It looks great how you did it, I'm just curious.

 

yeah...bikes are not safe in london

 

its a medical gel insert, it has been developed for medical use, but company decided to make some for motorcycles really good stuff

You can't as gel pad insert is rather thick, would not look, nor would it last..

 

The gel material was developed for use in hospital and hospital type beds for patients who are bedridden. The gel material has improved over the years. The earlier type "stored" heat. The material can be purchased as a seat "cushion" or in larger chunks for use as a insert in a seat. IOW the material can be cut to fit a custom seat and custom buns.

The usual install is to replace all the foam in the seat or cut away part of the existing foam, replacing same with a foam of a different density pre cutting the actual dimension for the gel insert in the new foam material.

This from Rich's Seats.. Yep, another shameless plug for good stuff.

The first time I dealt with Rich was in 1980. Rich was not doing seats yet. What he was doing was a total re-do on a 1956 MB 300SL and a (year unknown) Aston-Martin DB that may have been a DB-4. Dropped in once again later, no parking... The area was full. Rich was doing the cabin of the Miss Budweiser.

 

Interesting project. Instead of a gel insert though, I would have installed the air bladder from say the sport touring pad http://www.longeride.com/Products.html

extend the line for the air valve to a remote location.

 

If installed underneath the seat cover might the seat cover eventually imprint the pattern of the cushion?

What would really be cool is to get one that has a whoopee cushion valve. This would sell like crazy at harleydoodfests. Dude could pull in, park, rev the shit oot of the engine, shut it down, wait a few seconds and let off a loud farting noise.

In another scenario, the cushions are probably comprised of at least some closed cell foam that would respond to the effects of the Mixed Gas Law with emphasis on Boyle. On a real scorcher the cushion could grow enough to make it difficult for the vertically challenged to reach the foot controls on a bike or the ground.

The whoopee cushion valve would of course solve this problem making it the best modification possible. ( IMO)

 

You need to be Einstein to figure out what BB is trying to say- I just would say rubbish belongs in the garbage!

 

Then jump in Einstein. ..
You must have a hard on for BB, thats all you talk about...

 

sow rides on a cat carcass filled with packing peanuts

 

Or filled with hairballs...

 

Not to worry, I don't sweat the small stuff..

 

sargent seat -private Baily

 

sounds like duccumman might be another troll on the bridege

 

Nice Aruvis. Thanks for posting the project.

I have done some mega rides with mine and though the butt gets a little sore, it was not too bad. I bought a Sergent seat a few years back thinking it would be a vast improvement over stock, I was kinda let down. For the price, for my toosh, there was not a "great" improvement over stock.

I have read and heard nothing but good things about Rich's down in Seattle. Not just from BB who really supports him. I think he used to be in Bellingham a few years back but maybe wrong on that. I understand his product is pricey, but he has done many and custom fits them to the rider. I still have my stock seat, so maybe I will ride on down there sometime and get one built for me. One more thing to put on my wait list.

 

Its dumb ass appreciation day, just showing some ...

 

Good idea. Might try this out on one of my spare scooter seats. I seem to have acquired two new old stock ones, a Corbin, and a used one. I don't have a parts hoarding problem if that is what you are thinking.

The first time I rode the black scooter across Australia (4700km in 7.5 days) my arse (buttocks and upper inner thigh where the change in seat angle is) got so sore that moderate bumps in the road really started to hurt.

The second trip across I bought a pair of cycling shorts with gel inserts. No pain whatsoever. Best $20 I spent for the trip. Aside from the whole line of work pain in the arse jokes,it was no laughing matter.

The other huge assistance on such a long trip was the full electronic cruise control from MC Cruise Australia. No hacking of the wiring harness and worked perfectly right out of the box even with me installing it. The owners were incredibly helpful with my long list of stupid questions.

 

a seat is not a all in one fix, for me the sargent did work well.