Numb bum... very numb bum.

Phill Elston · Aug 13, 2017

I did "The Ride For Life Beyond Sight Loss" yesterday, and very good it was too. Met several other GS riders and swapped good info with many. As well as that, we helped to raise awareness off the Blind Veterans organisation.

The ride wasn't far; Morton in Marsh - Middle Wallop - Portsdown - Brighton.

I was honoured to be asked to carry a blind veteran as a pillion, a lovely septuagenarian who was as good a pillion passenger as I've ever carried before and a fir bit smaller than the long haired admiral who usually sits behind me.

The only trouble was... the dreaded BMW BUM!

I love pretty much everything about my GSA LC but the seat comfort is bloody horrendous and I think that kind of a general view.

What is the usual solution that all you Tossers are finding?

I know that at the top end there's the "Russell Day Long" seat - sadly though, my budget won't stretch to £500. I guess that at the lower end, there's an air hawk but to my mind, that's akin to a ford escort with a beaded seat cover and looks pretty shabby.

So where is the solution... Having a gel insert fitted to the standard seat? Slaughtering a sheep or goat for their hide?

What do you guys think?

R1200GSAPilot · Aug 13, 2017

Don't spend your money on anything except a Sargent seat. I was in such pain on comparatively short journeys I was considering giving up my bike. I tried gel seats, Airhawkes, lower seats all to avoid the expense of a Sargent seat. They come up very rarely so I decided to buy one new (knowing I could get most of the cost back).
What a change, I regularly ride on long European trips with absolutely no pain.
It worked for me.

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stonehenge · Aug 13, 2017

Have a sit on mine - I have an easirider sheep skin cover and have no issues. Sheep Skin makes you less sweaty in the nether regions, thus increasing comfort. Also try to put the front up one notch to level the seat out and take pressure off your tail bone.

ninjarich1971 · Aug 13, 2017

I enjoyed exactly the same feelings as yourself in the numb arse dept and have tried various things with various results.
First was the air hawk, brilliant bit of kit but takes a little bit of experimentation to get the air pressure just right. You basically want it almost flat so that when you sit on it what air there is in it cushions the pressure points. If you put too much air in it then it's just like sitting on a normal seat.
My main issue with the air hawk is that you don't feel safe leaving it on the bike if your not around as some scrote will just unhook it and take the thing.
I tried to cover it with a good sheepskin, first problem was that I was suddenly a lot further from the ground than I used to be. It was a decent ride but I was just not happy with the whole affair
I took the air hawk off and tried just the sheepskin, not really any different comfort wise than the seat alone.
So bit the bullet and ordered a standard Sargent seat. If your not already familiar with it then it comes as a bit of a shock as it's as hard as wood when you sit on it. It's got a scalloped feel to it but once you get over the fact that it feels weird and get used to it then it is actually flipping good. I stuffed the sheepskin over it and now can do many more miles without the numb bum. Still hurts like hell after 450 miles but that's probably because I weigh 18stone and sit like a sack of spuds on the thing but I do think that for me it's the best option.

Phill Elston · Aug 13, 2017

ninjarich1971 said:
Still hurts like hell after 450 miles but that's probably because I weigh 18stone and sit like a sack of spuds on the thing but I do think that for me it's the best option.

LOL Doesn't bode well for my 20(+) stones then!

Thus far the Sarge scores 2-1 over sheepskin (though that appears to be a supplement on top of the seat)

Becksy · Aug 13, 2017

I went with a Sargent and an Airhawk for longer journeys. Much better. Able to do 400 miles or problems. . Now I have an XR, eagerly awaiting the release of the Sargent for that.

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Phill Elston · Aug 13, 2017

Well I guess £375 is less than 500+!

brut33 · Aug 13, 2017

Not sure how you've got your seat adjusted.
Try high at the front and low at the back. It makes for a slightly different seating position that may help.
It worked for me on 2,800 mile tour sat on a stock seat. It's worth a try.
If it doesn't work out, try Tony Archer....

http://tonyarcher.co.uk

Deleted account 191119001 · Aug 13, 2017

Stock seat n GS1200 exclusive is really comfy, gt mine set at low front and rear, and it is perfect, if I need to support the back a little, I just raise the back seat to its high position.

Hairyweasel · Aug 13, 2017

I added a dead sheep (£25 eBay for a cosmetic reject rug) and that improved things a lot.
Then on advice on here I dropped the rear to the low notch but left the front high, again makes a big difference.
I would try this before spending any serious money.

stever1 · Aug 13, 2017

Be glad you don't ride the previous iteration of the GS. The saddle was terrible, I could only do about 200 miles a day. On my 2016 GS with a standard saddle and 2 up plus luggage I recently did 750 miles in a day with a very numb bum but no pain. Mind you, I'm 125kgs so any saddle will struggle to support me.

PS. I believe Airhawk do a complete saddle now as well as pads. May be worth looking at.

Neil W · Aug 13, 2017

My R1150gs standard seat was bloody awful, on my 2011 r1200gsa tc the seat was even worse (put a r1200gs seat on and it was much better ) but the standard height seat on the r1200gsa lc is in the opinion of my arse the ultimate sadistic weapon of torture. I have never known a seat that whatever height or angle you set it at is so bloody painful.

The BMW Exclusive Seats are a huge improvement but still not perfect and needs an Airhawk to cover any great distances

Davy F · Aug 13, 2017

I had my 800 Vtec seat altered by a well known chap who inserted a gel pad into the seat. Didn't really make much difference. My GS seat was rubbish too, tried an AirHawk which I didn't get on with no matter how I altered its inflation. Best cure was a Sargent seat. Went from 50 miles being sore to 300 miles and needing a wee rest. I've now ordered a Sargent for my Africa Twin (150 miles before pain on the stock seat) in the hope its as good as the Sargent on the GS.

team duvet · Aug 13, 2017

funny one this I have a 15 plate WC GSA ....Kevlar jeans = numb ass after 50 miles, put my Halvarseen trousers on and no problems...did the Iron Butt (1,000 miles in 24 hours) with no issues.

Guess its also down to what you wear :nenau

BigAlEly · Aug 13, 2017

Just did my 2500 miles tour of the Alps etc. With air hawk pads for me and the missus. Generally very good, but as mentioned you have to get the pressure right. Also, +1 for the comment on always being concerned that some scrote will nick them. The best tip I got from bikermates on here was to have the rear of my seat on high, and the front on low. Did 630 miles home from Lyon in one day... arse hurt like hell by thread time I got home from 13 hours in the saddle, but I guess no seat would help with that.... moving around hanging off the side of the seat works well with the air hawk.... stil wish I could afford a Sargent seat though.

Oldrat · Aug 13, 2017

Sheepy, all day long comfy.

Jimeroo · Aug 13, 2017

Has anyone apart from myself tried padded cycling shorts? Akin to wearing a nappy I know, But they seem to do the job. For £20 of our finest cant be bad can it.

Davy F · Aug 13, 2017

Yes, I occasionally wear cycling shorts and have also bought a pair of Skivees shorts. Both help, but they can only help so much.

tanneman · Aug 13, 2017

As others have said. Try with the front set high and rear set low. I have ridden both the Hexhead and now the LC like that. Makes a big difference to the feel of the seat and take the pressure off your tailbone. Sheepskin helps with the ventilation in the neither region.

Cardinal · Aug 14, 2017

Try standing on the pegs for a few minutes every hour - combined with cycle shorts it makes a ten hour day a doddle, even on a standard seat.

Numb bum... very numb bum.

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