My Aching Backside!

[ECX585]

OK guys. I finally splurged and bought myself a Sargent saddle after years of riding around painfully on the stock seat. The problem is..........MY BUTT STILL HURTS!! I like the look and initial feel of the Sargent much better, but I honestly hurt just as much, just as quickly on this new seat as on the stock one. Anybody know of a good solution, either DIY or sending it out for better padding?

[jeremy556]

What kind of physical shape are you in?

Are you using proper form - back straight, leaning forward at the waist, arms bent, weight on legs?

Dunno about motorcycle seats, as I have never had a problem with stock on 500++ mile days, but in the bicycling world, newbs think a bigger/softer/cushier seat is the solution, when in reality the opposite is true. A small, well shaped, hard saddle is the most comfortable.

[ECX585]

I'm carrying some extra weight around, but the stock seat bothered me even when I was thin. My form could probably be a little better, but it's not terrible.

[jeremy556]

How is your form? How many miles in what time period have you put on the bike?

I find that even with riding bicycles a lot, if I don't spend more than 1000 miles a month on the VFR my MC muscles get out of shape and ache if I go for a long ride.

Try doing a warm up (brisk walk, jog, stairs, whatever) before your ride to get blood flowing, then do some basic stretching - especially if you leave early in the morning. While you are riding, take time to stretch your legs by dangling them (off the pegs) and standing up on the pegs and stretching your calfs. The key is to do so before they start to hurt. Stretch your hamstrings, calves, and thigh muscles whenever you stop.

[jeremy556]

Oh yea, another key: make sure you are wearing synthetic fabric. Get some underarmor or bicycling shorts. Stay away from killer cotton.

[magellan]

:idea3: to all the above. If you have a gym membership, back extensions are a great habit for keeping the low back strong, posture correct, and hamstrings loose. They make a huge difference for me. If you don't have a gym membership, well... :blink:

[spud786]

Vfr seat is a board, I'd take my klx dual sport seat over the vfr. The vfr can be modded to make as comftortable

If seat height is not an issue, build you own cushion, I've ridden that way way quite a while. The stock vfr seat is alo hard on the prostate

[ECX585]

You mean I have to lose the beer belly and start wearing spandex?? Oh, cruel world!

[cbar]

I just put a Corbin on my 3rd Gen (they still make a 3rd Gen seat out of the box, Sargent doesn't), and I'm happy with it.

It's harder, flatter, and more "butt shaped" than the stocker. Seems to suit my bony ass just fine (I'm 148 lbs soaking wet).

[keithbob]

I have been happy enough with Corbins, but have had terrible service from them.

For the present bike, I went where the long-haul BMW guys go, to BillMayerSaddles.com and have been tremendously pleased. They custom make the seat for you, and the cost is not much more than a Corbin or Sargent. You can talk to them about just the kind of shape you want, cover materials, patterns, and colors, etc. When we did Jalene's pillion portion, we went to the factory in Ojai, CA and had a great time with them.

Now our butts are happy butts. 500-mile days two-up are not a problem anymore.

[cbar]

Oh yeah, Corbin's service sucked ass....

Ordered it through Corbin Canada in late March. Waited. Waited. Emailed the Corbin Canada guy. Waited. Phoned the Corbin Canada guy. CC guys starts to apologize. Still no seat, it's now mid-June.

CC guy goes down to factory, finds out that they made me a seat, then found something wrong with it, then forgot to make another one.

Finally got my seat just last week.

Guess when the CC guy charge my credit card though!? Yep, the day I ordered it, in March.

Corbin - their seats are nice to asses, and their service sucks them.

:unsure:

[Guest]

hmmm.... I put about 1200 miles on my '97 in 4 days after just purchasing it 2 weeks ago and I couldn't say enough good things about the seat (stock) on my motorcycle! I actually went from Maysville, KY to Burlington, then to Frankfort, all over some back roads between Frankfort and Pleasureville (yep, real name) and then long-hauled it across the state on route 22 - about 500 or so miles and no complaints whatsoever! Then again, I'm 6'3", 275# and have been riding a Hawk GT the last couple of years! I feel like I'm on a La-z-boy now!

[sPOTO]

Well I've heard relly good things about these: Airhawk Seat Cusion

sPOTO

[Guest]

Well I've heard relly good things about these: Airhawk Seat Cusion

sPOTO

The Airhawk is almost $200 and I've heard mixed reviews on them, go ahead and spring for the Corbin or Sargent.