Worlds most uncomfortable seat

[joeb]

To be fair. I'm sure it feels good to someone, butt  , my 09 gs is a torture device after a 100 miles. Last week I put on 2200 miles mostly in the Smokys and the pain is still lingering.

My bike doesn't have an adjustable seat. It is cut way low with the front and back way high. In contrast my buddies 2020 seat is flatter, thicker and wider. A real comfy seat from my perspective. 

Any suggestions on a replacement? ( the seat. Not the bike or friend )

[lkraus]

After ~200 miles on my stock RT seat, I'd have sworn I was straddling the narrow edge of a 2x4. Could barely walk after 400 miles. Needed two days to recover from one 600 mile ride. A used Russell Day Long fixed the problem for good. Came back from Utah (~1500 miles) in 28hours once, just because I was enjoying the ride and didn't feel like stopping.  Never had a single thought about my butt.  

[Skywagon]

BMW seats suck. The most popular replacements I see are

 

Russell Day Long, Corbin, Sargent, and Lamm

 

Ive been using Russell on the last 3 bikes and they work for me. Turns the bike into an all day bike. 
 

 

 

[Rinkydink]

+1 on the RDL. I’ve had four of them now. That and LD comfort riding shorts. 👍

[Lowndes]

Hey, John, I've got a real nice seat on my '06 SV650 and I'll swap you even-steven,  but just for you, John.  

 

My K1200RS came with a very nice custom seat cut down for an altitudinally challenged PO.  It felt just like joeb said, 'cept worse.  Like sitting in the V-notch of a tree, or a Holiday Inn, no ballroom.

[joeb]

Thanks all for the suggestions. Will check out the Russell.  I had a Corbin on my RT and replaced it with my original. The original was much more comfortable and 1/4 the weight.  BTW if anyone wants a Corbin 03 rt1150 seat cheap,  let me know.

[joeb]

22 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

Hey, John, I've got a real nice seat on my '06 SV650 and I'll swap you even-steven,  but just for you, John.  

 

My K1200RS came with a very nice custom seat cut down for an altitudinally challenged PO.  It felt just like joeb said, 'cept worse.  Like sitting in the V-notch of a tree, or a Holiday Inn, no ballroom.

Leave it to German engineering to figure out how to 1)  complicate a oil fill cap ( needs special tool instead of 2 fingers )   and 2) manage to destroy BOTH the front and back anatomy of the rider at the same time.

[superhawk]

Good timing on the seat question - After years of riding the stock seat on my 07 GSA I finally broke down and bought a sargent seat - night and day difference. Makes riding much more enjoyable. My riding mainly consists of local short distance riding - long distance may be a different experience.  I had a sargent on my superhawk and that seat was great for all day rides. I had a Russel on my 04 RT - I can say it was great for all around and distance. Did alot of long days in that seat.

[MichiganBob]

It makes no sense. I have sat on a tractor for hours on a metal seat. No pain. No discomfort.  No mystery, the seat is shaped like a rear end so there are no weird pressure points. Harley figured this out decades ago. But most mc brands have not. I expect it's partly due to looks over function. I never complained a whole lot about my 03 and 12 RT seat. Drove many 500 consecutive 500 mile days. However, I used an Alaska Leather seat cover which was great. Now I'm that old guy so sprung for the RDL on my 18RT. Damn fine seat and worth the cash plus I liked working with them. They want it to be right and they listen.

 

Ride safe.

[syntorz]

21 minutes ago, MichiganBob said:

It makes no sense. I have sat on a tractor for hours on a metal seat. No pain. No discomfort.  No mystery, the seat is shaped like a rear end so there are no weird pressure points.

I believe this is the reason Corbin saddles work for me, one on a recumbent bicycle and on two K1300s. Consensus seems to be they are firmer than others but the shape and feel is just right. At least for me.

[joeb]

Metal tractor seat ? Sounds like an improvement.  I agree with the comment that many comfortable miles can be had on the 03 rt seat. Shaped totally different than my gs seat. As I stated initially, that seat is probably comfortable for someone. Not for me.

 

[Stiggy]

Sargent now on my 2017 RT with an AirHawk air cushion strapped to that. (But I have to keep in mind that as I get older, the rear end gets crankier and harder to please too.)

A RDL or custom made equivalent, since I have the original stock seat, may well be in my future. I am forever shifting around.

(I could sit on a slab of plywood when I was a kid.)

 

Dave 

[glove]

On 5/29/2023 at 7:56 AM, joeb said:

To be fair. I'm sure it feels good to someone, butt  , my 09 gs is a torture device after a 100 miles. Last week I put on 2200 miles mostly in the Smokys and the pain is still lingering.

My bike doesn't have an adjustable seat. It is cut way low with the front and back way high. In contrast my buddies 2020 seat is flatter, thicker and wider. A real comfy seat from my perspective. 

Any suggestions on a replacement? ( the seat. Not the bike or friend )

sargent is what i use no monkey butt

[Yuro]

It is not true that the world's most uncomfortable seat is the stock seat on the '09 GS.  The worlds most uncomfortable seat came on the 1996 - 2000 BMW RTs.   Those seats put your private parts to sleep...you know, like "my leg's asleep!" but it's your nether-region instead.   It only takes about 50 miles.    

 

I've been using Sargent seats for my last 5 BMWs.  4 were RTs.  I have a GSA now.   I like them because, no waiting.  They use their own trays so you don't have to supply the stock seat.  You can sell the Sargent when you trade the bike.   On my '22 GSA, I use the high setting in front and low setting in back of the rider's seat.  This keeps the seat from pushing me into the bars.  

 

Note that the rear seat on new GS's has a forward and a rear mounting position.  When the rear of the front seat is set low, put the rear seat in the forward position to eliminate that space between front and rear edges.  This also gives you a nice tail-bone/lower lumbar support.  I didn't know about this rear seat forward position until last week...and I've owned the bike for well over a year and have put 22K on it.  ...Doh!

 

So...new BMW?  Budget a good seat, the right touring windscreen and bar-baks.  Don't stop poking at it until it's right for you.  Then, you'll love the bike.