cris nitro Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I have another topic on the "ride and event planning" section about going to California this summer and renting a bike for a week. As I am thinking about buying an 1200RT in several years, I feel it would be wise to rent one and see how much I like it for a week. That being said, do you guys have any advice for me for this particular bike? I have read about seat comfort issues and I have seat issues on my 1150RT after more than 3 days in the saddle. I would hate to have a bike for a week and hate it after 3 days. Link to comment
Penforhire Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Seats are very personal thing. My RT's seat is the most comfy OEM saddle I've ever owned. On long rides I need another leg position no matter what I'm riding so highway pegs (Ilium Works) are my choice. I keep thinking to buy a custom saddle after full day rides but it is too low on my priorities list. Link to comment
Deadboy Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I rented one in Europe in the fall and brough along a sheepskin cover (off of my K75 actually) that really helped. Link to comment
Mister Tee Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 If you have seat time in an 1150RT, I can't imagine a 1200 would be that much different to ride. Link to comment
Dietrich Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 A couple of years ago I rented a R1200RT in San Jose. Rode it for 5 days and about 1800 miles. My butt hurt so bad that I cut the trip short. If you have trouble with the seat on the 1150 you most likely will have the same on the 1200. When I rent now I bring my Russel with me. A sheepskin will help a little and so will lots of breaks. Good luck. Link to comment
Alan D Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 The stock seat on my R1100rt was good for 60 to 90 minutes. The stock seat on my R1200rt was good for 2 to 3 hours. Sargent seats solved the problem both times. Link to comment
rous44 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I suggest buying an Air Hawk and bringing it with you. I've tried then on several bikes, with and without custom seats, never failed to improve the ride. Link to comment
Lmar Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I could only stand a couple of hours on my OEM saddle. Shortly after I bought the RT I took a trip to Arizona. Most uncomfortable trip I have ever made. Ordered a Sargent when I got there and the trip back was very enjoyable. Link to comment
gfountain Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Different strokes for different folks on this subject. I have an '05 with a stock seat that has worked great for me. I have done a lot of 300-500 mile days, a 1000 mile iron butt ride and have never considered a change to the seat. I broke my back in '02 and am fused from L1 to L4. When I got back into riding when I bought the bike in '05 I thought for sure I would be looking for a new saddle. Another seat may be more comfortable but I am happy with the stock seat and have spent the money on Ohlins, a GPS, Autocomm, etc. Link to comment
cris nitro Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 If you have seat time in an 1150RT, I can't imagine a 1200 would be that much different to ride. I agree, that is why I am renting a 1200RT. But as a two edged sword, my 1150 seat can be down right painful on long trips. I just jacked up the front of the seat 3/8", but it has been too cold to ride it for any length of time. Link to comment
cris nitro Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 A couple of years ago I rented a R1200RT in San Jose. Rode it for 5 days and about 1800 miles. My butt hurt so bad that I cut the trip short. If you have trouble with the seat on the 1150 you most likely will have the same on the 1200. When I rent now I bring my Russel with me. A sheepskin will help a little and so will lots of breaks. Good luck. That's what I am worried about also. Link to comment
notacop Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Rous44 has it right. Take an Air Hawk. Your bootie will thank you. You can get the 100 dollar model and have it for years. You get custom made and it fits only what you're riding. Link to comment
BeemerLover Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I have an R1200RT with a Russell saddle on which I can ride for hours on end with little if no discomfort. I also have rented in Europe and Colorado. I always take my seat with me. Link to comment
Jon_M Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 The most straightforward issue with the RT seat is the height. For anyone with an inseam less than 32", which includes me, the stock seat is just too damned high and you end up on tippy-toes in some tricky situations. If you are not tall, be sure to insist on the low seat option. I find that seat to be tolerable, not perfect, and I can easily do a four- or five-hundred mile day on it. It's still a bit high for my 31" legs, but I can handle it. Otherwise, the bike richly deserves its reputation. After nearly half a century of riding, I can say it is the best I have ever had. Link to comment
cris nitro Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 Thanks guys. I like the idea of buying an air hawk. Jon M, I am shorter than a 32" inseam, so now you have me thinking. I have to tippy toe my 1150, which I am comfortable with, but I hope the 1200 is not any taller. Link to comment
VinnyR11 Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Thanks guys. I like the idea of buying an air hawk. Jon M, I am shorter than a 32" inseam, so now you have me thinking. I have to tippy toe my 1150, which I am comfortable with, but I hope the 1200 is not any taller. The Airhawk will only exacerbate this. If you're stretching, every extra 1/4" is a big deal. For what it's worth, there's a mixed jury on the Airhawk. I hated my Airhawk and sold it after about a month. Felt like I lost connection to the bike and not very comfortable. (Yes, I tried many inflation settings) Many others love them. If you could borrow one to try before buying, that would be a smart move. Link to comment
Jon_M Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Jon M, I am shorter than a 32" inseam, so now you have me thinking. I have to tippy toe my 1150, which I am comfortable with, but I hope the 1200 is not any taller. As I said, with the factory low seat and my 31" inseam, I do just fine. There are more comfortable seats out there, but this one is not a torture rack. Unless you are doing ten hour days, the worst you can expect is to be a little saddle sore at the end of the day. They make the seat low by removing padding, not by redesigning, so it is hard. Link to comment
notacop Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I have a 29" inseam. Using the Air Hawk on my RT-P I could still get the bike on it's side when my footing slipped. Oh, that's right. That's why I got rid of that beast. Why not rent an F800 or F650 and enjoy being able to handle the bike comfortably when stopped? May even save money on rental costs. Link to comment
Quinn Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 My answer for the seat problems was to get a gel pad kayak cushion from an outdoor recreation. Not too thick so it doesn't add much height and gives enough padding to spread the pain nicely. It's shaped like a tractor seat and fits nicely on my 1150 comfort seat with a couple of tiedowns. ---- Link to comment
cris nitro Posted January 16, 2011 Author Share Posted January 16, 2011 I am going to go to my closest BMW shop and sit one to make sure it is not too tall. Then I will make up my mind. Link to comment
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