Love my bike. Great for in town. But I want to go riding long distance.

Right now I'm bone stock everything. I cannot go more than about 30 miles without having to stop and encourage the blood to flow back into my ass. :doh even before that, I'm wiggling about on my seat, shifting back and forth and standing on the pegs to try and make it a bit farther. I also think my ride is a tad rough - the shocks seem awfully hard on the old bumps.

So then I'm assuming I probably need a new seat, and perhaps shocks too. Which ones would y'all recommend for maximum ass comfort on a long hauler.

Oh yeah, one small caveat. I'm a cheap stingy B-stard. So make those suggestions cheap.

Oh and is there anything else I'll be needing.
(I have luggage, and I should be getting a windshield next week)

My butt thanks you in advance....

Eva

Aftermarket shocks longer in length than stock in order to give more suspension travel. Aftermarket seat, probably a Mustang. And to make it cheap, I'd look go to ebay or a swap meet to buy both items.

Oh boy do I wish I could answer this one for you I am so close to buying another bike it isnt funny I have had 2 sets of shocks 4 seats and two sets of handlebars and I still cant hit the 200 mile mark.

Just enjoy the breaks, it's the journey that matters not the destination.

Shocks & fork springs - progressives, you can buy them in many places.

Seats - the choice is yours, what is your butt worth?

Cheers,

Brett

...Believe it or not.... The more OFTEN ya ride the less ya notice it.

My solution for many long days in the saddle was the
wide regal touring by Mustang. And I've done some 700+
mile days too.

After a 1700 mile ride over the course of 3 days, my butt was so sore, I bought a Heritage..............butt's been thankful ever since. The Sporty is for short runs, the Heritage for the long runs. No particular seat and no particular set of shocks helped my butt numbing on the Sporty.:tour

A good seat should make a world of difference. A comfortable reach to grips and pegs, and a windshield seem to finish the job for me. I'm ready for a break when the bike's ready for gas. That seems about right. :tour

I bought an Air Rider Gel pad this past summer. Its the best $120.00 I have spent on this bike so far('03 Sporty 1200S). See www.airrider.com
They make different sizes/models. You can use them as a temp pad or install in your seat. Prices vary according to size. If you have a seat you really like, this might be a good option for you. I was ready to trade my bike for something more comfy until I found this pad at the '05 Tennessee H.O.G rally in Nashville. If i go on a ride any longer than 50 miles I use it. Makes a big difference.

Darrell

I gt a Sundowner seat for my Sporty the day I bought it. I think I've ridden maybe 20 miles on the stock seat.

A month later, on one weekend, I did 2 days of 670 miles each with no monkey butt.

Other seats may also be great, but this one was enough for me. I weigh 225 lbs. I have stock shocks (set at the highest setting) and use a windshield for long trips or bad weather.....

Oh boy do I wish I could answer this one for you I am so close to buying another bike it isnt funny I have had 2 sets of shocks 4 seats and two sets of handlebars and I still cant hit the 200 mile mark.
lol

you have THE worst seat for comfort ever made. even worse than the stocker imo. but it's frikkin goooooood looking.

as for seat comfort, if you really want comfort, you're going to have to give up looks. unfortunately afaik there is no middle ground.
check into either some of the bigger, thicker corbin or mustang seats for comfort.

A good seat should make a world of difference. A comfortable reach to grips and pegs, and a windshield seem to finish the job for me. I'm ready for a break when the bike's ready for gas. That seems about right. :tour

heh, that's what I forced myself to do on my trip last summer to colorado.
the stock seat isn't that bad really.
that or my arse is made of iron

If ya really want to eat up tons of highway miles in comfort, a bagger is the way to go.

To maximize the comfort of the Sportster, I went with a Mustang seat, 1200S shocks and Progressive fork springs. These mods made a substantial improvement in my riding comfort.

Although I'm not crazy about them on a Sporty, a windshield will help you out if ya do a lot of high speed miles.

Good luck!

I ride an 05 883 Custom with stock shocks and a mustang wide vintage solo and wide glide bars and I rode over 150 miles today with a couple of stops in between with no probs. Could've gone longer if my legs weren't cold

My butt was the same way until I bought a Mustang vintage wide seat. Took about 1000 miles to break it in but I wouldn't do any long distance rides without it. A good seat is going to be cheaper than a new bike.

If you've got short arms and legs (like moi), consider switching to more pulled-back bars. I replaced my stock drags with 883-style buckhorns, and it's made a huge difference. Not hunched over any more, and any bars where you aren't resting on your palms will reduce fatigue.
Second, I found the MoCo touring seat w/ driver's backrest on eBay for $150. It's normally a $500 seat (which explains why you don't see it much), and I don't think they make one for the '04+ models, but it's essentially a Sundowner with a removable driver's backrest. VERY comfy. Used to be, my butt and back would be aching at the end of a 30-min commute. I just finished a three-hour jaunt in the Indian Summer today, and absolutely no worse for wear.
From what I hear, Corbin makes more Euro-style firm seats, while Mustang's are more cushy. Depends on your personal pref. Corbin definitely wins on style points, IMHO.

Best way is to remove seat. While you are holding the seat about waist high, have a friend roll your Sporty out from underneath it. Roll a Road King back in it's place. Re-attach seat.

Seat fix??............easy......

Do a 2 day trip on a rigid shovel with a small Bates seat and ape hangers..............you'll never sook about your sporty seat again........

If that dont work tell your mates to bitch slap you [HARD] every time you whinge about your seat............problem solved......:D

Mustang Wide Vintage Solo and Pad, and the seat is frigging comfy. The gel pads are a less pricey way to go as well, J and P Cycles has em in sheepskin and vinyl.

Mustang seat, progressive shocks and fork springs and a windshield make a huge difference.

I definately suggest the Mustang Wide Vintage Solo seat.

If that dont work tell your mates to bitch slap you [HARD] every time you whinge about your seat............problem solved......:D
great advise!

i think

I just replaced my mustang solo with a corbin solo and the corbin is twice as comfy on my rear I am 5'6" 160lbs 30" inseem and I feel no pain

Had the same problem with my stock 04 solo seat. Met a guy named Andrew from Bar Enterprises at Las Vegas Bikefest. I liked his work, saw it in person so I sent him my stock seat, had it modified, recovered and the best part the millennium foam he put inside the seat. This stuff is great and it forms to your butt ! This is the website so poke around. If you want call Andrew himself at

(818) 353-3888

http://harleyseats.com/Bar_Enterprises_Welcomes_You.htm

I did a 1300 mile trip in August with ease with a 430 mile leg the first day. No seat is perfect but this made my life a whole lot better.


http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b179/paxman1/home2004005.jpg

Good luck

Mark:)

I bought the Mustang Vintage Solo seat. Not quite as good looking as the stocker (as mentioned above), but it is totally comfortable. 220 miles today-no problem. With the stock seat, after about 80 miles I was in serious lower back/butt pain.

I did notice that my wrists had some pain after I put the new seat on though. I moved the bars forward (maybe 1/2") and it made all the difference in the world. To me, the bike handles better now too.

Well I'll second a bigger bike for long trips ( I love my bagger:D )
If you've got to do it on a Sporty get a touring seat as others have suggested.
Unless I missed it I didn't see anyone mention a sheepskin seatcover.
A lot of long haul guys on baggers are swearing by them for added comfort on long trips in both hot & cold weather.
I haven't got one yet but it's in the plan for next season.
:cheers ........Y2K

I have a different and less popular solution. If your butt hurts, don't put all your frigging weight on it! I swapped handlebars for a pair that are radically lower and farther forward. On long trips on the highway, I spend 95% of the time on the passenger pegs. Riding like this is infinitely more comfortable. Just lean on that wind, it'll do all the work for you. When the legs start to get a little cramped up, I stretch them out on the forwards.

I've ridden multiple consecutive 700-mile days with NO discomfort like this - stock seat and suspension

http://images15.fotki.com/v245/photos/1/163242/1046966/bike-vi.jpg

Granted, you're probably not going to go wildly change the setup of your bike based on what I've done, but keep an open mind - there are many solutions outside of the normal ones.

I have a different and less popular solution. If your butt hurts, don't put all your frigging weight on it! I swapped handlebars for a pair that are radically lower and farther forward. On long trips on the highway, I spend 95% of the time on the passenger pegs. Riding like this is infinitely more comfortable. Just lean on that wind, it'll do all the work for you. When the legs start to get a little cramped up, I stretch them out on the forwards.

I've ridden multiple consecutive 700-mile days with NO discomfort like this - stock seat and suspension

http://images15.fotki.com/v245/fileySQl/457f6/1/163242/1046966/bike.jpg

Granted, you're probably not going to go wildly change the setup of your bike based on what I've done, but keep an open mind - there are many solutions outside of the normal ones.

I do that that too....put my feet on the passenger pegs and lean forward on a long run on the interstate...my arse has gotten used to the stock seat,but I plan on going to yhe sundowner by spring.

I have a different and less popular solution. If your butt hurts, don't put all your frigging weight on it! I swapped handlebars for a pair that are radically lower and farther forward. On long trips on the highway, I spend 95% of the time on the passenger pegs. Riding like this is infinitely more comfortable. Just lean on that wind, it'll do all the work for you. When the legs start to get a little cramped up, I stretch them out on the forwards.

I've ridden multiple consecutive 700-mile days with NO discomfort like this - stock seat and suspension



Good suggestion. With the forward controls and drag bars, I can't get over 200 miles a day even with a windshield and Mustang seat. My tailbone just kills me. No comment on my Hollywood solo with the 50 mile limit :)

But I can easily put 400+ miles on my little Ninja, leaning forward makes a world of difference.

Okay, here's my suggestions, at least they worked for me.

You need to make the bike fit YOU not some imaginary person the engineers thought was going to ride it.

First Get a good seat, nothing even comes close to the comfort of an aftermarket Corbin, Mustang, Ect. I bought a Corbine Gunfighter and Lady and am overjoyed!

Second, after you have the seat sit on the bike with a freind close at hand. Close your eyes and put your hands where they are comfortable and have him measure where that is. Then go to someone with a tubing bender and have them bend you 1" bars, you can get them chromed later. This takes the guess work out of buying bars 18 times, putting them on, and sending them back

Third, Get a backrest! There is no way you will ever be as comfortable as you are in your car without this. Think about it, would you sit in your car without a backrest? Most Corbin or Mustang seats have optional backrests.

Forth, get road pegs somewhere to give your legs another place to stretch out.

Fifth, and this is the last one. Get some sort of windshield, you will not regret it!

These suggestions may not be exactly what you want to do, but, they worked for me! I did my Saddle Sore 1000 this summer without a problem. And that was after 7 days of an aveage of 350 miles a day. I love my sporster and think it's just as comforatble as a touring bike, it just took me some work to get it there.

Here's my touring rig (less the kuryakyn grantour bag that goes on the rack). The buckhorns and H-D touring seat have done wonders for my long-distance riding. Now I'm only limited by the gas tank instead of back spasms. The seat is REALLY comfy. Why the MoCo doesn't make this for the '04+ bikes, I have no idea.

do the buckhorns let you sit back a little more than stocks??

I'll tell you what...the Sundowner is an awesome seat. Mine just arrived in the mail...put it on the bike...I can already tell how comfortable it is. I didn't really have a problem with the stock seat but heard how nice the Sundowner was...

Even though its wider in the ass area its more narrow in the leg area close to the tank and I can actually get my feet flat on the ground even better than the stock seat...

I think I just have to drive to work tomorrow.

One more thing to add...I like that everyone always recommend getting a RK or a RG. You can make your Sportster comfortable enough to do any distance you want to do.

I don't have alot of Harley experience but I use to ride a Yamaha FZR 600 and a Katana 800+ miles per day with no problems. My '06 sportster feels like a hammock compared to a sports bike.

i am looking into the Sundowner myself

tcspannerwrench,

You can take a look at mine if you would like...I'm local to you.

tcspannerwrench,

You can take a look at mine if you would like...I'm local to you.
Oh we will ride just a matter of when:tour

Sheepskin seat cover will do wonders, esp. to keep a sweaty butt dry, but you still need a good seat underneath. Or, you could ducttape two bags of marshmellows to your butt, if you're cheap.

Shocks will be a good second step, but remember, there's no set of shocks that will make a sporty ride as nice as a softail or bagger. 'Course, the baggers are much slower thru the corners.

Third, floorboards may be in order if you're primarily touring. However, they will drastically affect your lean/corner abilities.

I am in the process of making my sporty into some sort of a sport-glide. So far I have the Mustange studded wide two-up seat, h-d supersport detatchable windshield, iso -pegs, tall sissy bar w/ removable backrest pad, and luggage rack. This winter I'll be adding 12" narrowglide apes, iso-grips, nelson-rigg weekend pack, and possibly iso-pegs for my crash bars. I should be good to go. I have a couple of 1,000 mile trips planned for next summer.

i am looking into the Sundowner myself
Just chimin' in that I LOVE the Sundowner :clap - a great 2-up seat and long hauls no problem...

Jack's instructions will work. Might change the pain in yer rump to your head though. I like the LePera 2-up stuff but it's a little pricey. E-bay is the way to go for deals, or check here, sometimes a deal or two can be had. I'd change the shocks also when I had the extra coin! The bike can be made pretty comfy. What do you consider a long haul? Adjust everything to fit you!
60 MPH seems to lug a little and is slight vibe spot on mine also. I either leave it in 4th so it doesn't lug or run 65 where it is fine. Don't think the seat or shocks will change that. Will get rid of the sore rump thing though.
Live to Ride!

I'll throw in another vote for the Sundowner (which is what I've got, plus a driver's backrest). You sit up noticably higher than a stock seat, but I've got stumpy legs and have no reach problems. With the backrest and forward controls, I can slink back and enjoy the ride. The wife is also a big fan of the rear seat; it's much wider and softer than a standard two-up or most pillions. Her reaction the first time she got on was, "Yeah, it's nicer...actually...wow, it's a lot nicer. Damn, this is actually comfortable. Can we go ride now?"
The bucks got me from hunched over to sitting straight up, which relieves a lot of back discomfort. Plus it looks a lot cooler. With the stock drags, you're also resting on your palms, which puts strain on your wrists and shoulders. Longer bars also help damp down on the vibration effects on your arms and hands. If I was going to seriously turn my scoot into a long-range sport glide, I'd go for a bigger tank and a set of hard bags (National Cycle, probably) as well.

I also am very happy with my Sundowner. No numbness after a 100 mile trip. Also received 20% discount from the dealer.

While this may be somewhat late, its still pertinent. I'm an upholsterer, a rather good one at that, and one of my favorite activities is making biker butts more happy - watch those comments you perverted-minded sporty jockeys - that having been said, for a replacement seat I highly recommend Mustang both for comfort and quality. Now, though I think highly of Mustang, I more recommend you look around for an upholsterer like myself. Someone who's a rider and puts some pride in their work. I guarantee unconditionally, the comfort of any seat I make. I'll just keep at it until the customer is happy. I'm known for that kind of service, and I guarantee you won't find a better seat than that custom-made by a local upholsterer, where you can fit your saddle to your ass exactly - WHICH IS THE RIGHT WAY TO MAKE A SEAT! And my motto is:
"I'll knock your socks off, and empty your pockets." It's on my business card. Anyway, after all that - you spend so much on making your bike run and look nice, why is it most folks skimp on the seat? As far as I'm concerned, its as important as any other function.

Wow, thanks for all your suggestions.

Especially about looking on Ebay - I found a pillow-look touring seat for under $50, and it should be here on Monday. I'll let y'all know how it works out, although for future reference, I noticed that my stock seat is wearing in a bit, and seems to be more comfy - I still couldn't do a long tour on it, but after 1000 miles or so, I could go longer than the 30 or so I was limited to before.

I'm doing a 150+ mile run next month with my HOG chapter, so hopefully I'll get my new seat settled into my butt shape by then :smoke

I also noticed that my shocks were set to the lowest preload, so I'm going to up that a notch or so and see if that helps the ride out too.

I scored a stock seat off a 1200R for about $50 on Ebay and it's a world more comfortable than the stock solo seat. I rode about 150 miles yesterday and no more numb but and crotch after only 30 miles. Time will tell on longer rides.

As for the suspension, I too have to do something. The stock suspension makes an almost smooth road feel like railroad crossings. I'm 240 so I think heavier springs is the first thing on the agenda. Some serious rear shocks and cartridge emulators for the forks if there's any made for it should correct the suspension.

Well as far as the pillow-look touring seat goes - very comfy, I could sit on it for hours and not have a problem...

If only I could reach the ground with my feet.

Great seat, but its a good 2 inches or more higher than my stock seat, leaving me struggling to tippy toe the ground and also pushing me back so that I'm over-reaching for the handlebars. Not a comfy riding position, although my butt was about the only thing happy :doh

Now I have no idea what I'm going to do. I hate to spend upwards of $250 on a new seat only to find out its going to change my riding position to where its no longer safe or comfy. Its an awful risk to order something that says its low profile, only to find out its not low profile enough or its just as uncomfy as my regular seat.

I'm also considering getting a gel pad installed in my present seat to increase the comfort without changing my riding position too much.

Sometimes it seems to me that if you want to go long distances you should consider a long distance bike.Better to rent some diferent bikes to see what fits your style of riding best no mater what the make.Then to buy a bike then spend a thousand dollars and hours trying to make it work for you and ending up pissed cause money runs out and still no satisfaction.I have seen a site where an older chap rode to alaska and back twice and his bike looked stock not once did he mention discomfort from the bike.Then i see 25 year olds complain only can go 30 miles on stock bike.There is a 1200c in the shop here a 2004 the lady that bought it put 43000 kilometers on it traded it this year for a road king.The 1200 only had some bags and a windshield everything else was stock.So i think the bike should fit your needs in the first place and renting is a good way of discovering that pays in the end.I think anyway.

I am glad this came up. Old Black Betty is a 1997 883/1200 with a big old Mustang set, Memphis Shades windshield, still a stock midshift with forward pegs and Progressive shocks and springs. I am the youngest of my group (56) and all my riding buddies ride Wings with one Valykerie. Our rides are normally day trips of 400 to 500 miles and I usually set the pace and lock the throttle at 72mph. For some reason they like to listen to my Sporty. I, of course, need to stop for gas every 100 miles or so which works out because the old guys have to pee about then anyway. The oddest thing I have to contend with is that all of them try to trade me bikes during the runs. They all like their Wings, but they miss riding a real motorcycle. The last two rides we took, I rode mine until the first stop and then I was on a Wing the rest of of they way. Those are really nice bikes, but they are the most boring things I have ever riden. Sportys can be very easily made to ride the distance. Just take your time and consider the options and give alittle when it come to looks, but don't sacrifice comfort. Keep her in the wind.

A more enjoyable way to reduce numb butt would be to eat more and get some fat on that arse!!!

Hey Dave, you beat me too it, I was going to say: Put on some weight! LOL

Hey Dave, you beat me too it, I was going to say: Put on some weight! LOL

LOL......sumpin' to be said about junk in the trunk!

I already have waaaaaay to much extra padding on my ass, and besides, who in the heck tells a biker chick to get a fat ass. Boys, boys, boys, go put on your dunce doo rags immediately...:smoke

I'm currently waiting on an airhawk cushion to arrive, hopefully that will help my butt survive an upcoming trip to the Smokey Mountains. Should be a 2000 mile round trip - first day is 441 miles, all interstate.
I'll let y'all know how it turns out.

Take up smokin'. It'll make ya stop every once in a while.

Take up smokin'. It'll make ya stop every once in a while.

Dude, it took me 15 years and 7 attempts to finally quit :doh

Anyway, an update.

I now have an Airhawk Cushion.

OMG, I :censor LOVE it! No more numb butt, and I can go a full fuel tank (100 or so miles), without feeling discomfort. When you get back on after filling up, its like starting the day afresh.
All on my stock - torture's dream - seat.

:clap :clap :clap

IMHO the H-D Sundowner is the best for the money. Had one on my '99 1200 & loved it. That said, I've a Mustang wide solo with a Butt Buffer pad on my '04 1200C & love it ,too. The BB pad has a fabric cover & it prevents monkeybutt when it's hot & sweaty.

Oh yeah, one small caveat. I'm a cheap stingy B-stard. So make those suggestions cheap.



you don't want much do you? its hard to have champagne taste on a beer budget. but you can always do what i do. you can get some good (ie progressive) shocks and a seat from someone on ebay, or the xlforum swap pages, or the sportster.org swap pages, or on a supporting vendor site (sorgys, or trak tek) (not necessarily in that order :))
i got a set of progressive 440s for my bike for 135.00 (msrp is over 400) and a mustang wide vintage solo seat for 150 (brand new, used very little)
so i got top of the line stuff for a very good price (i'm a cheap bastard also :roflblack, just ask my wife). the problem with that is that sometimes you have to wait a while until 'the deal' comes along. i haven't had to wait too long, but i think i've been lucky.

No problem, get a touring seat! Iwas in France last year with amate and he was on a dyna, he had to get off before me. I also fitted the anti- vibration pegs and handlebar rubbers, no bother whatsoever.:luvsport Took two weeks just bummin' around and had a great time! great touring bike. :drinkbeer :drinkbeer

my instructions on touring
1) get on bike
2) remember to bring cash
3) go somewhere

my instructions on touring
1) get on bike
2) remember to bring cash
3) go somewhere

That second one always recks it for me!

My Sundowner seat made the difference I needed. It's great. I have gone on long runs and no problems. I also use the quick detach windshield and have SE2 pipes.
I'm getting 412 shocks and buckhorn bars this spring for more comfort as I do longer runs with Honda owners now.
The big thing with Sportsters is the lousy stock shocks and seat.
With that done, you'll cruise in more comfort and everyone loves a Sporty rumbling along with SE2 pipes.
Yes the Goldwings are smooth, but do you want a car with 2 wheels or a bike?

I've got a Sundowner seat and have gone about 400 miles without monkey butt so I guess it's fine. Not the look for those sport looks but if your putting saddle bags and wind visor then the seat will look right in place.
Here is mine...http://xlforum.net/photopost/data/500/IMG_2314.JPG

and after looking on E-Bay I found this for ya...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Harley-Davidson-Sportster-SUNDOWNER-Seat-Super_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35566QQitemZ46173 27175QQrdZ1

good luck and By the way I still have stock shocks and dont really see a total need to replace them as of yet...

Well as far as the pillow-look touring seat goes - very comfy, I could sit on it for hours and not have a problem...

If only I could reach the ground with my feet.

Great seat, but its a good 2 inches or more higher than my stock seat, leaving me struggling to tippy toe the ground and also pushing me back so that I'm over-reaching for the handlebars. Not a comfy riding position, although my butt was about the only thing happy :doh

Now I have no idea what I'm going to do. I hate to spend upwards of $250 on a new seat only to find out its going to change my riding position to where its no longer safe or comfy. Its an awful risk to order something that says its low profile, only to find out its not low profile enough or its just as uncomfy as my regular seat.

I'm also considering getting a gel pad installed in my present seat to increase the comfort without changing my riding position too much.

Well it had been a while since I tried this seat, and approaching my third day of doing 200+ miles in a row, desperation got me to try it again (the airhawk/stock combination was just not cutting it)
Since I last tried it I have boots with a bigger heel, added pullback risers to my bars, and had another 6000 miles under my ass.

Well color me stupid, but the touring seat was wonderful, this time I could flat foot the ground, and I didn't feel like I was perched precariously on top of the bike. I don't know whether its the boots, the ass time (probably), or if I've run my shocks into submission by keeping them on the lowest preload.
I wanted a sundowner, but I got a pillow look jobbie off of ebay for $60 including shipping, and I couldn't pass that kind of a deal up.

Anyway, moral of said story is don't immediately discount a seat until you have plenty of ass time on the bike - and are truely comfortable with its weight distribution and handling.

Oh and on my 3rd 200+ mile day in 3 days, my ass was not sore in the slightest, and I didn't need to shift around (from passenger pegs, etc) at all, whereas on the other seat, I had to move every 2-3 mins, to keep any feeling in my nether regions.
My husband, who has bravely been riding with the stock seat on his sporty, is inheriting my airhawk.

I fitted aftermarket shocks that are 2" shorter than stock, cos I'm a shortarse and I also fitted a touring seat, done runs last year of up to 350 miles without a numb backside.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/1961littledave/DCP_1048.jpg

I have a different and less popular solution. If your butt hurts, don't put all your frigging weight on it! I swapped handlebars for a pair that are radically lower and farther forward. On long trips on the highway, I spend 95% of the time on the passenger pegs. Riding like this is infinitely more comfortable. Just lean on that wind, it'll do all the work for you. When the legs start to get a little cramped up, I stretch them out on the forwards.

I've ridden multiple consecutive 700-mile days with NO discomfort like this - stock seat and suspension

http://images15.fotki.com/v245/photos/1/163242/1046966/bike-vi.jpg

Granted, you're probably not going to go wildly change the setup of your bike based on what I've done, but keep an open mind - there are many solutions outside of the normal ones.

This is a unique look. I dig it. I promise not to copy it though!

I got a touring seat cheap (Harley) off a mate of mine, great for long runs, I use it for touring, rallies etc. No problems, see previous post!

Fournales rear shocks have been a real comfort and handling improvement for the last six years on my XL1200C.

evalea,
It's a personal comfort thing. For me the seat and fork springs had to go and I'm thrifty also. Definately rear shocks for two up. Wife can ride on the back for 250 miles and that's about it (and she road with the clubs on rigids back in the day). Just age takes it's toll. I do know on a 300 mile trip the last 50 still suck at times. I get kind of oblivious myself but I'm responsible for her comfort also. Never got a numb butt on any bike except a stock sportster though. I think that's how they design them! You know cheapen it up until it's uncomfortable and then soften up the suspension to boot. Don't seem right for the coin we spend does it? Got a friend with a fxdwg and we have been 3-400 miles regularly with no complaints.
Lucifer
Live to Ride!

ditto the Sundowner....
j

I had the same complaints with my stock seat and went back to the dealer and purchased a sundowner for my wife and I, however it looks so crappy (like the bikes wearing Depends adult diapers or something) that I switched back to the stock seat for solo riding around town until I save up for the Corbin or Mustang. However I discovered that as the past few weeks have gone by my rear end has gotten into riding shape or something as it doesn't hurt anymore. And I'm really surprised as my first week or so of steady riding really hurt. After 45 minutes I couldn't find my rear end with both hands.

fyi

I had the same complaints with my stock seat... my rear end has gotten into riding shape or something as it doesn't hurt anymore.
I experienced the EXACT same thing... my first day riding after I got my bike, my tailbone was numb after 30 minutes, and it even hurt to walk the next day. I have ridden more and more each day... just this past Sunday, I did 130 miles/2+ hours non-stop... only some slight discomfort at the end of the ride. Strange...

I experienced the EXACT same thing... my first day riding after I got my bike, my tailbone was numb after 30 minutes, and it even hurt to walk the next day. I have ridden more and more each day... just this past Sunday, I did 130 miles/2+ hours non-stop... only some slight discomfort at the end of the ride. Strange...
This is an accepted fact among long-distance bicycle riders and their seats. The process of starting out with short rides and then slowly increasing the distance "breaks-in" both the seat and the rider.

mustang wide touring seat with drivers backrest, windshield, and floorboards. next will be new rear shocks.

After about 12K miles, the Harley Touring seat was toast. First I bought a Mustang Wide Touring. Too high, cut off circulation to my legs. :frownthre Next, I bought a Le Pera. Beautiful seat. Fine around town, but a killer on the road. :doh What to do? I've taken the advice posted here and found a local upholsterer who does motorcycle seats. He's starting with the pan off of the touring rig and will be fashioning a custom seat with gel insert and flame stitching. It will cost a bit more, ($400-500), But having it done right and not having to buy another seat, and another, and another, should save some change in the long run.

I have put 1100 miles on my 1200L with the stock seat and after only 50 miles or so, I have to stretch, to get blood to my gluteous maximus. My sundowner was order almost 2 weeks ago, and I am still waiting for the call that it is in at the dealer....