Thanks for taking the mystery out of seat construction. Having the seat rebuilt isn't in my budget this time, so you've given me some tips on how to do it myself! On another note - both my bikes gave me the same grief in the same spot. Obviously everyone has a tailbone - why the heck don't bike designers make seats designed for the human butt???
It looks like we have similar ideas. I filled a crack in my foam last year with foam insulation spray (the same foam in the video) thinking that this would resolve the problem. It filled the gap, but what followed was pain on by butt after long rides. The problem I found was that the spray foam is so hard after it dries, after my seat cushion compresses all the way down (235 lbs of pressure), the only material left to support my body is the hard, dense spray foam. After 2 hours of riding, the pain was there and it turned the ride into an uncomfortable one. I agree that this was a good idea, but it didn't work out well for me.
In my experience pads work the best. I used to have an Airhawk but the shifting of air in those air cells created a weird riding feeling. I took that pad, took out the air cells and filled the cover with good quality cushion foam and ….that's it. I now have a pad that's perfect for even 1000 miles/day rides which I've done several times.
Numb bum is a huge problem for me as I've zero butt padding. I have alleviated it slightly with no seam underwear but will no doubt have to scallop the seat foam to make a hole so my legs take more pressure than my butt. Also a sheepskin cover on top of the seat helps also.
I have an ex cop 08 FJR that had a really uncomfortable, modified drivers seat. I decided to ditch it in favour of a new saddle man combo. It was an improvement, but, like you, I still found it to be somewhat of a pain in the tailbone. I'm going to give your mod a go. Thanks for the tip.
I respectfully disagree..you dont ADD MORE foam under your tailbone to alleviate pressure on your tailbone..you remove it..one of the most popular cheap mods thats been around for years is to cut & remove the part of the seats bottom plate thats directly under under your tail bone..Ive done it and it actually helps
You might disagree, but it's his ass that is now much more comfortable! Why argue with what works for him? If a knob or ridge without enough padding is creating too much pressure in too small an area, then creating a softer buffer will help as long as it is in balance with the surrounding area, thus not increasing that ridge.
Agree with you on this because i use to own a honda rebel 125. even though it was a small bike, it was damn comfortable. Then i found out that the seat is kind of hollow under the tailbone. Another thing is, i had a back pain and the physiotherapist recommended me to sit on a doughnuts shaped cushion on long drives.
Spot on. I fractured my tailbone (thru-hiking injury). Recovery involves the use of a coccyx pad (had to lug one around for three years). A coccyx pad has a section cut out to place the tailbone in a state of suspension. There are coccyx seats for bicycles using the same methodology. So, remove foam below the tailbone.
If you let the foam in the tube dry you can use something thin and hard like a coat hanger to push the foam out of the tube. That will allow you to use it again (the tube/can). Ride safe. Glad you were able to fix your seat...
Have you had any issues with degradation of the foam over time? I am planning on redoing the piece of lumber that is my MT07 seat and I like your idea, but I'm wondering how durable and resilient that foam is. Not exactly made for this application lol
Motorcycle seats are all designed to be a pain in the ass sooner or later on your day long ride. You can spend big bucks (and wait some time) for a refit. When my BMW GTL 1600 seat became intolerable after 4 hours in the saddle, I finally realized that the bike may be designed for countless miles, but the rider may not be. So, what I'm going to try this year for the long cruises is to sit on a high density foam waterproof hunter's seat pad (12" square, 1-1/2" thick) I found at a sporting goods store for $5.00. I will glue on a black sheepskin cover to one side, and keep that in my saddle bag until I think I need it for the long highway miles. It compresses very comfortably down to about 3/4" inch when sat on, plus whatever the shearling cover is. So, I haven't actually tried this yet, but it seems like it could turn out to be worth it's weight in medical marijuana, as far as pain relief. Ride on!
I was about to head out on a 10,000 mile trip and I injured my tailbone so it hurt to sit anywhere. I built up my seat a little by adding two strips of closed cell foam (sill gasket, life jacket foam material) onto my seat leaving a gap in the centre to keep pressure off my tailbone and it was the ONLY seat I could comfortably sit on. Like sitting on one of those donuts for tailbone injuries. I thought it would be temporary for one trip so I used Gorilla Tape to put in onto the seat rather than peeling off the seat cover and then covered it with a mesh cover I found online. It worked so well it's still there 12,000 miles later. It made 600-700 mile days coast to coast and back across Canada comfortable on a dual sport which have notoriously uncomfortable seats.
A tip on using expanding foam: Use aerosol carb cleaner to clean out the tube. Clean out the top of the can as best as you can too. USUALLY, you can use the can again.
The person who did your seat (Lamb?) sure was skimping. That fabric should overlap your seat pan more and double staple rows are the way to go. I just put a gel insert into my seat and it feels better. I did everything myself and it cost me about 20 bucks total. A good hand (spring) stapler works just fine with chisel point staples. Glad you solved your seat situation yourself and thanks for sharing
Whatever works or helps is great,,, but I use whole boars,, 1 inch up to 2 in 1/8 in,,. Like lightning holes,, turns that hard bass into like a spring,,. Lets the air out faster on a hard bump,,. Soft foam just collapses to nothing,, harder more dense foam acts like a shock absorber,, a 3-inch round hole under the tailbone really helps,, a extra layer of memory foam helps,,, a heavy duty handheld stapler works fine if you put 90 lb of pressure on the nose with your left hand before pulling the handle with your right hand,, you need to do this on electric stapler or an air-powered stapler too,, !!!
thanks you gave me the idea to use that good stuff to solve the problem I have with over 10 years og owning my cbr600rr my seat cushion foam some how has shrunk and looks like the seat is to small for the bike and i will try to use that spray to re form my swat back to fitting size its worth the try compared to down time and the cost thanks for your great video and sharing your idea love it way to use the ole hat rack
Although I have no need to replace/modify my seat, I still find the video very interesting and, as usual, enjoyed the manner in which you explained with good video shots all aspects of it.
Thanks for the information. I don't know why motorcycle manufacturers haven't figured out how to design a comfortable seat for long rides. Why do riders have to buy custom seats or seat pads? Why do riders have to invent a way to make their seats comfortable?
I've had Corbin, Sargent, Rich's, tried numerous seat pads, and the Russell is by far the best seat I've ever had. I believe the springs and added width which supports the entire width of your butt are the reason.
I will have to respectively disagree with you. The problem is pressure on the tailbone. not, enough padding. More padding does not alleviate pressure. I have a scooter with a big seat and had a sore tailbone until I fixed the problem. After I cut a 4 inch hole in the seat pan so as to relieve the pressure in that area. Problem solved. Thanks for your videos!
I am bicyclist and a motorcycle guy. I've long found it fascinating you get "fitted" for a bicycle seat and counter intuitively, narrower is better based on the width of your "sit bones" (ischial tuborisites if you're into anatomy). So, why is it that motorcycle seats are always made wider and deeper and more comfortable bicycle seats are generally only 20 mm wider than your sit bones.. in my case 160 mms (and I'm 5;10", 180 lbs) BTW, 150 mms are probably about four and one half inches. My prior seat was 163 mms and it was suitable for use at Gitmo as a torture device. Yeah, yeah, the work of bicycling is different than motorcycle riding, but still there must be some parallels that apply someohow.
wider seats have more surface area it is not just about the material used compared to stock tough material seats...the wider the surface area the less pressure places your ass takes because the pressure is spread out more versus a narrow seat all your weight is being placed in a more central area.
You are meant to slide left to right to shift your weight on a motorcycle (not to turn, but to limit the bike's lean angle in a turn), so any bike with any sporting aspirations at all has a wide flat seat. Dirt bikes are made for you to stand up on, so the seat is narrow so you can straighten your legs. Touring seats are dished out, and that's the style most aftermarket companies produce because they are much more comfortable than a flat seat (try a Corbin, if you haven't. They are awesome). Most people modifying seats are going for more of a touring seat shape and/or trying to lower the seat. If you are used to sliding across the seat in sharper turns, most aftermarket seats will be really frustrating. The manufacturers don't do more of this because the seat also provides impact protection, which you lessen when you start removing foam.
The part where you were riding i noticed your new shield. i saw the install. i was just wondering about it and wanted to know how tall you are? i love the way the new one looks. My stock shield is too low at its highest point and creates a whirl of wind noise. I'm 6'1" and i cant enjoy my shield. Did you have any of the same issues? Why did you get a new one?
Toss some coathanger wire down the tube when you're done w/a use and you'll have a path later. Also, you can simply cur away the excess foam w/a utility knife, rather than crumbling it off so it's got less induced cracks and faults. Good video otherwise and thank you.
"Great Stuff" sells "Foam Cleaner" yellow spray can. Acetone dissolves the spray foam instantly. So immediately after you finish squirting foam take the straw off the spray foam canister and connect it to the foam cleaner can and spray the acetone though the straw and the straw will be just like new. Also take the spray applicator and spray a little into the top of the spray foam can top nipple and turn upside down and the can will not be wasted ever again just because you could not use it all in the one application. Make sure you wear thick nitrile gloves and eye protection.
I would recommend a Russell Day Long over any other seat, and many Iron Butt riders would agree. They're actually not much more money for a custom made seat than buying a Sargent, or Corbin off the shelf.
Thanks for taking the mystery out of seat construction. Having the seat rebuilt isn't in my budget this time, so you've given me some tips on how to do it myself!
On another note - both my bikes gave me the same grief in the same spot. Obviously everyone has a tailbone - why the heck don't bike designers make seats designed for the human butt???
It looks like we have similar ideas. I filled a crack in my foam last year with foam insulation spray (the same foam in the video) thinking that this would resolve the problem. It filled the gap, but what followed was pain on by butt after long rides. The problem I found was that the spray foam is so hard after it dries, after my seat cushion compresses all the way down (235 lbs of pressure), the only material left to support my body is the hard, dense spray foam. After 2 hours of riding, the pain was there and it turned the ride into an uncomfortable one. I agree that this was a good idea, but it didn't work out well for me.
In my experience pads work the best. I used to have an Airhawk but the shifting of air in those air cells created a weird riding feeling. I took that pad, took out the air cells and filled the cover with good quality cushion foam and ….that's it. I now have a pad that's perfect for even 1000 miles/day rides which I've done several times.
Numb bum is a huge problem for me as I've zero butt padding. I have alleviated it slightly with no seam underwear but will no doubt have to scallop the seat foam to make a hole so my legs take more pressure than my butt. Also a sheepskin cover on top of the seat helps also.
I used a handheld staple to do the seat concepts and it worked fine
I like the way way you analyzed this problem using your head and thinking this thru to the finish without paying and arm and a leg.
I have an ex cop 08 FJR that had a really uncomfortable, modified drivers seat. I decided to ditch it in favour of a new saddle man combo. It was an improvement, but, like you, I still found it to be somewhat of a pain in the tailbone. I'm going to give your mod a go. Thanks for the tip.
I respectfully disagree..you dont ADD MORE foam under your tailbone to alleviate pressure on your tailbone..you remove it..one of the most popular cheap mods thats been around for years is to cut & remove the part of the seats bottom plate thats directly under under your tail bone..Ive done it and it actually helps
You might disagree, but it's his ass that is now much more comfortable! Why argue with what works for him? If a knob or ridge without enough padding is creating too much pressure in too small an area, then creating a softer buffer will help as long as it is in balance with the surrounding area, thus not increasing that ridge.
spdklls7 just started road cycling again and the seat has no foam support in the coccyx area so I guess you are correct.
Agree with you on this because i use to own a honda rebel 125. even though it was a small bike, it was damn comfortable. Then i found out that the seat is kind of hollow under the tailbone. Another thing is, i had a back pain and the physiotherapist recommended me to sit on a doughnuts shaped cushion on long drives.
Spot on. I fractured my tailbone (thru-hiking injury). Recovery involves the use of a coccyx pad (had to lug one around for three years). A coccyx pad has a section cut out to place the tailbone in a state of suspension. There are coccyx seats for bicycles using the same methodology. So, remove foam below the tailbone.
Perhaps Lamm will incorporate this improvement into his future FJR seats. Good job !!
electric staplers also work fine, just need to make sure the stapler has a long neck for getting into deep spots and only use short (6mm) staples.
If you let the foam in the tube dry you can use something thin and hard like a coat hanger to push the foam out of the tube. That will allow you to use it again (the tube/can).
Ride safe. Glad you were able to fix your seat...
Have you had any issues with degradation of the foam over time? I am planning on redoing the piece of lumber that is my MT07 seat and I like your idea, but I'm wondering how durable and resilient that foam is. Not exactly made for this application lol
Motorcycle seats are all designed to be a pain in the ass sooner or later on your day long ride. You can spend big bucks (and wait some time) for a refit. When my BMW GTL 1600 seat became intolerable after 4 hours in the saddle, I finally realized that the bike may be designed for countless miles, but the rider may not be. So, what I'm going to try this year for the long cruises is to sit on a high density foam waterproof hunter's seat pad (12" square, 1-1/2" thick) I found at a sporting goods store for $5.00.
I will glue on a black sheepskin cover to one side, and keep that in my saddle bag until I think I need it for the long highway miles. It compresses very comfortably down to about 3/4" inch when sat on, plus whatever the shearling cover is. So, I haven't actually tried this yet, but it seems like it could turn out to be worth it's weight in medical marijuana, as far as pain relief. Ride on!
I was about to head out on a 10,000 mile trip and I injured my tailbone so it hurt to sit anywhere. I built up my seat a little by adding two strips of closed cell foam (sill gasket, life jacket foam material) onto my seat leaving a gap in the centre to keep pressure off my tailbone and it was the ONLY seat I could comfortably sit on. Like sitting on one of those donuts for tailbone injuries. I thought it would be temporary for one trip so I used Gorilla Tape to put in onto the seat rather than peeling off the seat cover and then covered it with a mesh cover I found online. It worked so well it's still there 12,000 miles later. It made 600-700 mile days coast to coast and back across Canada comfortable on a dual sport which have notoriously uncomfortable seats.
Hi, can you share picture of your seat after alteration?
A tip on using expanding foam:
Use aerosol carb cleaner to clean out the tube. Clean out the top of the can as best as you can too. USUALLY, you can use the can again.
Yup...Not everybody is Scotch enough to figure that out! :D Dribbling acetone in the straw works too.
Rick Brinkman good to know thx!
An even better tip is to not use it at all.
0
The person who did your seat (Lamb?) sure was skimping. That fabric should overlap your seat pan more and double staple rows are the way to go. I just put a gel insert into my seat and it feels better. I did everything myself and it cost me about 20 bucks total. A good hand (spring) stapler works just fine with chisel point staples. Glad you solved your seat situation yourself and thanks for sharing
just got a new straw tube and / or clean the residue with acetone ... then contents can be used later !
I wish I had seen this before I bought an Airhawk. I love my Airhawk but I might have been able to modify my seat like this. Good video.
An inventive solution, well done!
Whatever works or helps is great,,, but I use whole boars,, 1 inch up to 2 in 1/8 in,,. Like lightning holes,, turns that hard bass into like a spring,,. Lets the air out faster on a hard bump,,. Soft foam just collapses to nothing,, harder more dense foam acts like a shock absorber,, a 3-inch round hole under the tailbone really helps,, a extra layer of memory foam helps,,, a heavy duty handheld stapler works fine if you put 90 lb of pressure on the nose with your left hand before pulling the handle with your right hand,, you need to do this on electric stapler or an air-powered stapler too,, !!!
thanks you gave me the idea to use that good stuff to solve the problem I have with over 10 years og owning my cbr600rr my seat cushion foam some how has shrunk and looks like the seat is to small for the bike and i will try to use that spray to re form my swat back to fitting size its worth the try compared to down time and the cost thanks for your great video and sharing your idea love it way to use the ole hat rack
Although I have no need to replace/modify my seat, I still find the video very interesting and, as usual, enjoyed the manner in which you explained with good video shots all aspects of it.
hi, just an idea. i think you can use rubber/ silicone sealant which more chewy and last longer
Like your windshield, looks higher than normal and wider, what is the brand?
optional yamaha touring
Tks and a great New Year@@TwoWheelObsession
Great idea! I'm a huge fan of inexpensive fixes!
Thanks for the information. I don't know why motorcycle manufacturers haven't figured out how to design a comfortable seat for long rides. Why do riders have to buy custom seats or seat pads? Why do riders have to invent a way to make their seats comfortable?
Same reason the manufacturers sell upgrade option seats.
Motorcycle cigar and motorcycle pro, interresting ! 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Question, you didn't finish commenting on the "Russell Day Long." What was your overall opinion?
I've had Corbin, Sargent, Rich's, tried numerous seat pads, and the Russell is by far the best seat I've ever had. I believe the springs and added width which supports the entire width of your butt are the reason.
I will have to respectively disagree with you. The problem is pressure on the tailbone. not, enough padding. More padding does not alleviate pressure. I have a scooter with a big seat and had a sore tailbone until I fixed the problem. After I cut a 4 inch hole in the seat pan so as to relieve the pressure in that area. Problem solved. Thanks for your videos!
In the 80's the best seat for long hauls were the goldwing seats
Hi, can I ask a question
My buddy and I were wondering what action cam you are using on the part where you are riding. 1080p at 60fps looks amazing.
Go pro 3+ black I have vids on all my gear
Can the product Great Stuff be spread with a putty knife to fill uneven area on a foam seat?
I am bicyclist and a motorcycle guy. I've long found it fascinating you get "fitted" for a bicycle seat and counter intuitively, narrower is better based on the width of your "sit bones" (ischial tuborisites if you're into anatomy). So, why is it that motorcycle seats are always made wider and deeper and more comfortable bicycle seats are generally only 20 mm wider than your sit bones.. in my case 160 mms (and I'm 5;10", 180 lbs) BTW, 150 mms are probably about four and one half inches. My prior seat was 163 mms and it was suitable for use at Gitmo as a torture device. Yeah, yeah, the work of bicycling is different than motorcycle riding, but still there must be some parallels that apply someohow.
152mm is 6 inches (25.4mm per inch)
wider seats have more surface area it is not just about the material used compared to stock tough material seats...the wider the surface area the less pressure places your ass takes because the pressure is spread out more versus a narrow seat all your weight is being placed in a more central area.
The most obvious thing: on a bicycle your legs keep moving, a wide seat is less comfortable because it creates more friction on your inner thigh.
I’ve read several articles about higher testicular issues in Bicycle riders. Maybe they should rethink the seating if its true.
You are meant to slide left to right to shift your weight on a motorcycle (not to turn, but to limit the bike's lean angle in a turn), so any bike with any sporting aspirations at all has a wide flat seat. Dirt bikes are made for you to stand up on, so the seat is narrow so you can straighten your legs. Touring seats are dished out, and that's the style most aftermarket companies produce because they are much more comfortable than a flat seat (try a Corbin, if you haven't. They are awesome). Most people modifying seats are going for more of a touring seat shape and/or trying to lower the seat. If you are used to sliding across the seat in sharper turns, most aftermarket seats will be really frustrating. The manufacturers don't do more of this because the seat also provides impact protection, which you lessen when you start removing foam.
Have you done a long (500 miles or more) ride with this modification yet? If so did it make a big difference?
The part where you were riding i noticed your new shield. i saw the install. i was just wondering about it and wanted to know how tall you are? i love the way the new one looks. My stock shield is too low at its highest point and creates a whirl of wind noise. I'm 6'1" and i cant enjoy my shield. Did you have any of the same issues? Why did you get a new one?
+flyby2474 See my vid on the Yamaha Touring Screen
Excellent tip well presented, thanks you really put some great vids together.
If you know how to contact Reuben you would make a brilliant team.
You would not believe how just narrowing the front of the seat makes the bike feel shorter,smaller and more comfortable.
i stand UP
Toss some coathanger wire down the tube when you're done w/a use and you'll have a path later. Also, you can simply cur away the excess foam w/a utility knife, rather than crumbling it off so it's got less induced cracks and faults. Good video otherwise and thank you.
"Great Stuff" sells "Foam Cleaner" yellow spray can. Acetone dissolves the spray foam instantly. So immediately after you finish squirting foam take the straw off the spray foam canister and connect it to the foam cleaner can and spray the acetone though the straw and the straw will be just like new. Also take the spray applicator and spray a little into the top of the spray foam can top nipple and turn upside down and the can will not be wasted ever again just because you could not use it all in the one application. Make sure you wear thick nitrile gloves and eye protection.
the collest thing, your windscreen :)
michelle hopikop Optional OEM - I have a vid on it :)
Why didn't you show the top of the seat?
There's nothing to see.
what is the website you got your seat from?
+NoCommentate laam
TwoWheelObsession thanks homie, I thought you meant it was the material. :)
Nice work sir.
So are you recommending the Russell over the Laam?
I have no idea how you got anything close to that, from this vid.
2:20 mark your expounding on the Russell's extra padding
That's simply explaining one of the big difference between it and the others, not a recommendation.
how is it holding up? has it shrank down after this long or is seat still just as comfortable?
I would recommend a Russell Day Long over any other seat, and many Iron Butt riders would agree. They're actually not much more money for a custom made seat than buying a Sargent, or Corbin off the shelf.
Straight up brilliant!
My butt thanks you forever.Lol.Great vid.
Cut the tube from the spray foam into 1/3s. Now you have 3 uses out of it.
Would have been helpful to see the work as it was being done rather than just photos of the work once clamped.
Hey! hi cigar friend ✌😎
very clever.
Just helping you to understand how the idea occurred to me. :)
Subscribed - thumbs up!
Great idea
Well, you just void that lifetime replacement.
I just use a basket of kittens. Nothing softer.
Amusing video, false premise that expanding foam is good for this type of application 🤣😅🤣
Great tip.Nothing like a comfortable butt.,lol.
Clever
Damn man, put some shoes on and talk less.
Wtf! Hahaha
ur not a real navy seal...
+Dennis Morris huh?