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Old 29th January 2012, 08:36   #46
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

I have run several trips on a KB100 RTZ, the original seat was very comfortable for the driver. Had done a 160 km "3 stop" trip without any trouble.The same experience went for a toss when an extra padding was put on top of the original (the original cushion had given up).

Currently have a Pulsar 180 in which the privates go numb after 25 ~ 30 kms of driving.

I think this happens because of the underpants being pressed against the seat cushion which in turn reduces the blood supply. The driver portion of the seat in RTZ used to be tapered off near the tank and widening towards the pillion. I don't think it is designed that way anymore.

I thought the Bullet / Avenger style cruisers should have a better seating, which I see is not from this thread.
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Old 29th January 2012, 08:53   #47
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

Quote:
Originally Posted by pugram View Post
I think this happens because of the underpants being pressed against the seat cushion which in turn reduces the blood supply.
Whoops, I forgot to add this to my original post. Thanks for bringing this up

If on a long ride, avoid the temptation to wear underwear, especially the ones whose seams run across the length of your butt area.

I use shorts and team it up with my riding pant. Whenever I stop and its too hot for comfort, I let the riding pants go & roam around in shorts & flip flops, super comfortable & works wonders.

Second is, avoid fat wallets protruding out of your rear pockets. Its a royal PITA. Most of us folks riding around carry back-packs or waist pouch. Use that.

Google Nick Sanders, the bloke goes around riding w/o his undies
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Old 29th January 2012, 13:03   #48
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

Apache RTR should also be added to this category, the pilot seat is very slanted narrow, very tiring for longer commutes as I have found out. The rear seat is not much of a seat either. The only saving grace is slightly softer suspension than fz.
I find FZ to be excellent in seating, and I guess we have to add that most back seats are generally for the fairer sex who are both lighter and slim.

I think the height and weight of rider also plays a big role in almost every bike, most Indian bikes give better comfort to 5'2 to 5'8 riders so those 6 footers are always going to got thought a design which was not build for them.

C500 have one of the most thoughtless seat designs ever made for man kind, I belong to 5.8 group so it should be comfy for me but no, they forgot to add slight bevel at front thigh area, resulting in stretching of legs, thereby reducing the rider height which in-turn results in shorter footing height. c500 designers/engineers forgot to design top of seat in a high-low-high(curve) instead its almost flat akin to a 'flat rui wali gaddi', slippery cheap material for cover means hard breaking results in pilot sliding on to tank, unless he can put pressure on paddles so as not to slide

The less we talk about the cheap rear seat of c500 the better, none of the folks who I took for a drive as pillion ever wanted to sit on it again.
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Old 29th January 2012, 13:40   #49
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

DOnt think seats get worse than this. Coupla sheets of packing foam was all that saved my butt. Used it every day for 3 weeks then finally reverted back to the original seat.

Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles-img20110912104110edit0e.jpg
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Old 30th January 2012, 14:56   #50
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

[quote=torquecurve;2661826]The scariest seat I have been on has to be the gen1 pulsar. Hit the brakes at anything higher than 40 and if you have a pillion facing the front, kiss your 'manliness' good bye. I almost had a crushing experience which made me stay away from the pulsar range for a very long time.

1st Gen Pulsar were one of the first commuter bikes in India to get front disk brakes. People didnt knew the proper way for braking with discs. So if you break hard, invariably you slide forward on the seat. With the fuel tank protusion, it was like seeing stars in broad daylight. You really learn the 'hard' way.
So I would say the seat for 1st Gen Pulsar not bad for cushion and shape. But combined with the disk brakes and awful tank design, it was
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Old 30th January 2012, 16:53   #51
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

kbrtz125 is right. I am 6.2" tall was not comfortable in the old pulsar even on a solo ride. Some of the modern bikes do not have the best of seating position. Is the reason being that new bikes are designed on the moto racing platform? Experts can throw light on this.
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Old 30th January 2012, 17:17   #52
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

My first bike was Enfield Fury (Zundapp) 175 cc back in 1990. It was the first Indian bike to have stock alloys and disc brakes with 17 BHP. It has the best seats I have seen on INdian bikes till now. Me and my wife have done very lomg trips on it without any fatigue. Of course riding postion and seat/peg geometry helped a lot.
A pulsar gave me a sore back and aching wrists in 10 mts flat.

I have'nt tried but CBR 250 may be better.
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Old 30th January 2012, 23:23   #53
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

Quote:
Originally Posted by SunnyBoi View Post
DOnt think seats get worse than this. Coupla sheets of packing foam was all that saved my butt. Used it every day for 3 weeks then finally reverted back to the original seat.

Attachment 879168
My First reaction -

My Second Reaction -


Man, that is amazing. How and why did you subject yourself to this torture! Hats off to you, given our roads it is great you did not need an andrologist at the end of that! (My friend whose Pulsar G1 I mentioned in an earlier post had needed one. )
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Old 31st January 2012, 13:20   #54
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

OK folks.. enough of cursing and cribbing. I had undertaken trip along the east coast from Bangalore to Mahabalipuram and down to Rameshwaram-MAdurai on a pulsar-150. The seats were horrible. I kept cursing Bajaj for such a design. But these discussions just give me a sadistic consolation that I am not the only one who suffered with a bad seat and soar bottoms.

Now as I plan to head to a bike trip of Arunachal pradesh, my bike options have not chnaged. Might still have to stick on to P-150. Need your help or guidance on what kind of modifications can be done to the seat so that the next trip is more comfortable. I am fine even if it involves completely chnaging the seats.. But the question is which seat to replace it with? This time I need to be careful not only with the bottoms also also my back.

Last edited by recker_us : 31st January 2012 at 13:21. Reason: .
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Old 31st January 2012, 15:59   #55
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

In early 70's, I used to drive Lamretta Scooter over long distances (Petrol used to be as costly as @ Rs. 1.60 /Lit.). Never felt fatigue as we had enough leg space even with basket fixed internally.
In 80's, Bajaj Chetak was sightly less comfortable as we had to keep straight posture because of shorter leg space. With basket, even that privelege was lost.
Now with Pulsar 180, while everybody has commented on the tussle between seat and groin, aching backs, I have felt a strain on my hands as the weight of the body is borne by Hands. Is my driving posture incorrect? Stooping forwards, driver cannot bear the weight of the body on spine. His hands take the weight. Nor can the Handle grips be left loose. The Bikes of the day are probably not designed to take a pillion rider.
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Old 31st January 2012, 16:35   #56
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amrik Singh View Post
In early 70's, I used to drive Lamretta Scooter over long distances (Petrol used to be as costly as @ Rs. 1.60 /Lit.). Never felt fatigue as we had enough leg space even with basket fixed internally.
In 80's, Bajaj Chetak was sightly less comfortable as we had to keep straight posture because of shorter leg space. With basket, even that privelege was lost.
Now with Pulsar 180, while everybody has commented on the tussle between seat and groin, aching backs, I have felt a strain on my hands as the weight of the body is borne by Hands. Is my driving posture incorrect? Stooping forwards, driver cannot bear the weight of the body on spine. His hands take the weight. Nor can the Handle grips be left loose. The Bikes of the day are probably not designed to take a pillion rider.
Singh sahab ji, You are correct in seventies period,those days a new Lambretta used to be delivered with a stiff rubber board seat and the new owner used to go straight to scooter parts shop and buy dunloppilo (not U Foam) padded seats having cheap black rexine over it,and the new fixture was to be fixed over the seat by long strips and other side was a metal buckel.
These buckels used to break on the very first attempt, to tighten them.
The only alternative was "tie them".
After all this the seats were very nice and most comfortable ones and far far better then TODAYS bike seats.They used to cost 60/- a pair.
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Old 31st January 2012, 22:26   #57
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amrik Singh View Post
Now with Pulsar 180, while everybody has commented on the tussle between seat and groin, aching backs, I have felt a strain on my hands as the weight of the body is borne by Hands.
This was exactly my complaint. Keeping the arms slightly bent at the elbow provides comfort over short distances. And as you said just like the cars, its only the drivers who get maximum comfort in a bike, if you can call it comfortable. The pillions are only for design sake.
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Old 1st February 2012, 00:16   #58
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

Another important aspect in having a comfortable long ride is to keep your hands relaxed and not tighten the grip which is bound to hurt you after about 50 odd kms. Keep them firm on the handle, but not too tight.
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Old 2nd February 2012, 16:54   #59
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

Folks , we've got a new King(for the pillion) , and its the new Duke 200!

Last edited by fz_rider : 2nd February 2012 at 16:55.
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Old 2nd February 2012, 17:40   #60
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re: Most Uncomfortable & Most Comfortable seats - Indian motorcycles

I haven't kept a count but I think we have covered every bike in market.

Wait a few more days Pulsar 200NS will be added to this list
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