How to increase the Seating Comfort of a Motorcycle?

mithun · 7th September 2009, 15:25

One of the Pulsar's greatest -ve points and one of few things that the Bajaj has forgot to fix in every upgrade is it's seat. The seat is equally painful for both the rider and the pillion. After riding on that seat even for less than 10 KMS, my thighs aches and it's really a pain. The width of the seat is very less even for a lean fellow !

So I'm planning to modify the seat without jeopardising the safety & handling aspect. I don't want to increase the height of the seat since I'm only 166 CM.

Should I simply put some padding on the left & right sides from an upholstery shop ?

Which is the best way should to modify the seat ?

Please help me.

Abhay · 7th September 2009, 16:11

Maybe some additional padding will help. But the seat probably will still be bad for the crotch/thighs even though it may get better for the bottom.

But yeah from personal experience I agree that it has very poor comfort..on bad/broken roads its torture even going 5 kms at a stretch. :(

predatorwheelz · 7th September 2009, 17:55

Mithun, save the stock seat. There are plenty of after market seat covers available which have an additional layer of padding under the top cover. You can even get one custom made from a seat maker. Should not cost you more than 1-1.5K. This is what I used to do, get padded seat covers made from Wellington area, which is like 2 wheeler mecca of Kolkata.

Only problem is, the padding will sag in a year or 2, and the seat will come down to its original height. You'll have to replace it with another cover.

srijit · 7th September 2009, 19:29

Got my seat re-upholstered for about 200 bucks. Slightly more comfortable now.

straight6 · 7th September 2009, 20:09

I got a custom made seat for my RX for 500 bucks. Its superb now. Let me know if you want to get one made.

mithun · 9th September 2009, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by straight6

I got a custom made seat for my RX for 500 bucks. Its superb now. Let me know if you want to get one made.

Could you please post the pics ?

Thanks for everyone's advices.

Today, I met a bike seat specialist and he told me that he will put some padding on both the sides and also he'll re-stitch the entire seat with additional cushioning. Costs about Rs.550.

Anyway found a good site : DIYMotorcycleSeat.com - Home Page

Fountainheader · 9th September 2009, 19:13

Guess phamilyman has put on the bullet seats or something like that. He calls it the "mini sofa"

msvg · 22nd September 2009, 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by mithun

Could you please post the pics ?

Thanks for everyone's advices.

Today, I met a bike seat specialist and he told me that he will put some padding on both the sides and also he'll re-stitch the entire seat with additional cushioning. Costs about Rs.550.

Anyway found a good site : DIYMotorcycleSeat.com - Home Page

Plz post the pictures and give me the contact details of the seat specialist

mithun · 25th September 2009, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by msvg

Plz post the pictures and give me the contact details of the seat specialist

I haven't done the work yet. I'm also in the lookout for other guys.

mithun · 27th December 2009, 09:32

Finally modified the seat and removed the slope of the seat(rider's side). And, slightly increased the width also.

Here are the pix :

How to increase the Seating Comfort of a Motorcycle?-seat_top.jpg

How to increase the Seating Comfort of a Motorcycle?-seat_side.jpg

Cost : Rs.375

jaganm · 4th May 2010, 11:52

Mithun, do you have any feedback on using the bike after the modification?

GreenmachinE · 4th May 2010, 12:06

Nice work, looks comfy hopefully fells the same. There is a trade off in seats between looks and comfort. For short city commutes over broken patchy roads , soft sofa like seats are the best. Sleek good looking hard seats are good for long journeys but are a pain in the in *** for city use.

I too had the same problem in my unicorn. Solved it to some extent using a seat cover with lots of padding in it.

mithun · 8th May 2010, 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaganm

Mithun, do you have any feedback on using the bike after the modification?

There is a drastic difference between the old & new seats. In the olden times, if I travel for about 20 KMS at a stretch, my thighs would have been paining now it's almost gone.

I would recommend it any day for a Pulsar !

YaeJay · 8th May 2010, 23:59

Long drives ? put a towel under neath

jaysmokesleaves · 9th May 2010, 06:44

Buddy you need to do what I did on my Pulsar. I put a modified bullet seat for long distance riding.

it was an almost direct fit and was bolted from the backside with a single screw through the mud guard. Worked damn well. The coushioning needs to be trimmed a little bit since the original bullet seat cushion is like a sofa. Ive ridden on that seat for over 80k kms.

Will try n did out a pic if i can.

Cheers,

Jay

7th September 2009, 15:25	#1
mithun BANNED Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cochin Posts: 2,195 Thanked: 268 Times	How to increase the Seating Comfort of a Motorcycle? One of the Pulsar's greatest -ve points and one of few things that the Bajaj has forgot to fix in every upgrade is it's seat. The seat is equally painful for both the rider and the pillion. After riding on that seat even for less than 10 KMS, my thighs aches and it's really a pain. The width of the seat is very less even for a lean fellow ! So I'm planning to modify the seat without jeopardising the safety & handling aspect. I don't want to increase the height of the seat since I'm only 166 CM. Should I simply put some padding on the left & right sides from an upholstery shop ? Which is the best way should to modify the seat ? Please help me.
	(1) Thanks

7th September 2009, 16:11	#2
Abhay BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 727 Thanked: 11 Times	Maybe some additional padding will help. But the seat probably will still be bad for the crotch/thighs even though it may get better for the bottom. But yeah from personal experience I agree that it has very poor comfort..on bad/broken roads its torture even going 5 kms at a stretch. :(
	() Thanks

7th September 2009, 17:55	#3
predatorwheelz Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Delhi/Kolkata Posts: 1,716 Thanked: 1,829 Times View My Garage	Mithun, save the stock seat. There are plenty of after market seat covers available which have an additional layer of padding under the top cover. You can even get one custom made from a seat maker. Should not cost you more than 1-1.5K. This is what I used to do, get padded seat covers made from Wellington area, which is like 2 wheeler mecca of Kolkata. Only problem is, the padding will sag in a year or 2, and the seat will come down to its original height. You'll have to replace it with another cover.
	() Thanks

7th September 2009, 19:29	#4
srijit BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 598 Thanked: 8 Times	Got my seat re-upholstered for about 200 bucks. Slightly more comfortable now.
	() Thanks

7th September 2009, 20:09	#5
straight6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bombay Posts: 2,548 Thanked: 296 Times	I got a custom made seat for my RX for 500 bucks. Its superb now. Let me know if you want to get one made.
	() Thanks

9th September 2009, 19:13	#7
Fountainheader Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Silicon Valley Posts: 1,501 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	Guess phamilyman has put on the bullet seats or something like that. He calls it the "mini sofa"
	() Thanks

27th December 2009, 09:32	#10
mithun BANNED Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cochin Posts: 2,195 Thanked: 268 Times	Finally modified the seat ! Finally modified the seat and removed the slope of the seat(rider's side). And, slightly increased the width also. Here are the pix : Cost : Rs.375
	(1) Thanks

4th May 2010, 11:52	#11
jaganm BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 370 Thanked: 422 Times	Mithun, do you have any feedback on using the bike after the modification?
	() Thanks

4th May 2010, 12:06	#12
GreenmachinE BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Salem Posts: 89 Thanked: 35 Times	Nice work, looks comfy hopefully fells the same. There is a trade off in seats between looks and comfort. For short city commutes over broken patchy roads , soft sofa like seats are the best. Sleek good looking hard seats are good for long journeys but are a pain in the in *** for city use. I too had the same problem in my unicorn. Solved it to some extent using a seat cover with lots of padding in it.
	() Thanks

8th May 2010, 23:59	#14
YaeJay BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: . Posts: 489 Thanked: 131 Times	Long drives ? put a towel under neath
	() Thanks

9th May 2010, 06:44	#15
jaysmokesleaves Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mostly Mumbai Posts: 1,702 Thanked: 1,452 Times	Buddy you need to do what I did on my Pulsar. I put a modified bullet seat for long distance riding. it was an almost direct fit and was bolted from the backside with a single screw through the mud guard. Worked damn well. The coushioning needs to be trimmed a little bit since the original bullet seat cushion is like a sofa. Ive ridden on that seat for over 80k kms. Will try n did out a pic if i can. Cheers, Jay
	() Thanks