K1600GTL aftermarket seats?

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Jesim1

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Hi Guys

I got my GTL a few days ago and have put around 400 miles on it in two trips - one with a the standard low seat and another with a BMW high seat I bought new. Unfortunately I'm not comfortable on either and getting a numb bum, so I'm looking for options to resolve this. :mad:

The biggest problem is not being able to try a seat unless you buy it - e.g. - like the new high BMW one I bought and does not suit me - money down the drain :blast

RDL in the USA offer a money back guarantee - is there anything similar in the UK? or can anyone suggest something/someone to try? I've ordered an Airhawk just in case it does the job, but I'm not convinced it will be a total solution?

Any information appreciated.

2018-06-20_16.56.31_HDR.jpg


Thanks

James
 
Given that the GT (as opposed to the GTL) is supposedly one of the most comfortable motorcycles around, I’d suggest getting one of those.

Very few regular correspondents to this site own a 1600, let alone a 1600 GTL. If I were looking for advice (beyond the usual, buy a Sargent seat / it’s the way you are riding / sitting on the bike) I’d be looking at one of the European or American forums. Here’s a sample:

http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-accessories/158362-aftermarket-seat.html

Here’s another, found by putting ‘seat’ into the US forum’s search box:

https://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-accessories/91385-opinion-best-seat.html

As the opening post in the first link says, there’s lots of posts on the subject of seats. Not surprisingly, as there are lots on posts on UKGSer about seats (and the ‘best’ gloves) too. The second link shows that there are as many suggestions on seats, as there are arses sat on them.

Have fun working out what seat really is ‘best’, remembering that your ‘best’ may well not be the same as Iron Arse Bob’s from Bumfeck, Arkansas.

Whilst you are doing that, maybe consider this: You are getting a numb bum in about 200 miles. Didn’t you discover this on a test ride? From your other post, you started talking about the seat and the screen very early in the piece. Are you sure you are not, as so many GS owners do, looking for excuses for changing things? 400 over two rides is nothing. Ride the bike some more. Try altering the suspension; try it on two-up, fully loaded, when you are solo, try it in comfort, normal and sports or whatever it is they call it. Relax on the bike and get to love it. If you are tense, your muscles will tense. If you set off thinking thinking your bumb will numb, it will. Not so long ago you were telling us that you were more at home on the ‘full tourer’ bike than you were on the GS. Now, barely 10 days later, it’s making you uncomfortable in about 200 miles. Maybe the bike just isn’t for you, no matter how many pictures of it you post and / or ride-out to Matlock, with 100’s of others.

:beerjug:
 
Thanks Wapping.

I had my GS for under a year, I didn't really want to change it, but after a couple of thousand miles over the winter and 4 seats and two sets of risers I though it just wasn't for me, and to go the tourer way as they are designed more for comfort, which is where I was struggling.

I could not get anyone to give me a GTL for a whole day - 2 hrs was the best I could get after trying 5 different dealers, and from two of those I tried the GT and the GTL, and for the 50/60 miles I had on both of them they were fine - but 200 miles of twisty roads taking the best part of a day with a couple of stops tells a different story of comfort, and my ass is sore.

The reason I was looking into seats even before taking delivery of the GTL was my experience of the GS and I wanted to be prepared if the original seat did not pan out. I also bought a high seat when I bought the bike as the original standard seat was too low, the GT seat was taller and gave more room at the knees, so a high seat was ordered for the GTL - and it does not work for me either although it's the right height.

The American forums are ok for some stuff, (and I am a member) but most people go for an RDL seat in the USA - which would mean me sending my seat back and forth to the US if it was not right first time - which could mean paying for several air fares at over £100 a go and being more expensive than the actual seat its self :blast If there was a similar quality service in the UK I would be very tempted to go for it - hence the post :D

As for feeling more at home on the GTL than the GS - I do. I have over 100K on bikes, and probably 70k of that is on sports tourers, and 20k in Europe, so although I don't consider this a massive mileage by some peoples standards, I do have a good understanding of bikes in general, and the feel the GTL with it's 100% road tyres and solid feel is better suited to me, even though I did like the GS, but in a different way if that makes sense?

So in the short term I've bought an Airhawk to see if that helps things? Short journeys are not a problem, but I don't want it for those, I want to do more 2/300 mile days as I recently retired so now have the time.

Thanks again for your input, I can assure you this is frustrating me a lot more than anyone else.

James
 
I guess that after just two thousand miles of new ownership of a GS - along with two sets of risers and no less than four seats (I make that 500 miles per seat) and still not comfortable - I’d suggest the problem maybe lies more with you than the two bikes, the GS and now the GTL.

Before you shoot any more money down the tubes, I’d suggest:

A. That you give the GTL more of a chance

B. You look at yourself to see what is maybe causing the uncomfortableness you are suffering

C. You try some more bikes. They do not have to be the big CC uber bikes. Try a Yamaha, a Honda, a KTM. You’d even save some money

D. Try going away with some bods on a decent jaunt; anything to take your mind off the belief that your butt is going to ache. Motorcycle seats take a while to break in. You have done 400 miles, in two stints. It’s nothing. Give it a go before you dig your wallet out.... again!

Richard
 
Jesim, I also use an airhawk on my GTL and find it a real help. I'm 6"2 with a 31-32 inside leg.
 
Airhawk for me too on long motorway days. Seats comfotable enough when I’m not on the motorway though.
 
Airhawk for me too on long motorway days. Seats comfortable enough when I’m not on the motorway though.

I use an Airhawk on my K1600GT for longer days (i.e. 200 miles/4 hrs or more riding). I find the seat gives me the same kind of pain I get if I sit in most car seats or even my sofa at home with my feet up for too long. That all leads me to think the problem is with me as much as the various seats.

The Airhawk staves off that pain until something else starts hurting instead.* It's not without its problems though - even adjusted to have the minimum possible amount of squidge, it can still be disconcerting moving around on the saddle during twisties or heavy braking/acceleration. It's quick enough to remove but (as I found out last week) when travelling two up for a fortnight's trip, there isn't always enough luggage space to store it!

*Solving the numb bum will just allow you to concentrate more on other areas of discomfort - the ache in your wrist, the cramp in your knee, etc etc etc
 
I got an Airhawk today, it will take a couple of weeks to get some miles on it, but I'll give it a good go for a few trips and see how it pans out.

I'd still like a supplier like RDL in the UK though - I've got in touch with them in the states, and for what I want your looking close to a grand when the shipping and import tax is added - if I were in the states it would be £600 - a big difference.

James
 
Why not contact one of the US subscribers to UKGSer to see if they can help you? It’s free to ask. I did it with one former participant on the site, when I wanted some Powerlet pieces that were not available in the UK and reciprocated with another who wanted some theatre tickets for their mum, visiting London.

In the meantime, I still think you just need to put some more miles in on the bike, breaking in the existing seat and playing with the suspension. At least it’s (reasonably) free whilst you do it.
 
All good advice which I'll take :thumb

I'm on the American K1600 forum, so after a while trying to break in the seat as you suggest if it's still not right I'll look at buying a seat over there to save on initial shipping and ask them to send it direct to RDL. I'm currently trying to find out the position on import duty as technically I've had a seat modified, not bought a new seat - I don't know if customs will see it that way and it's hard to argue with them?

Only time will tell now as there does not seem to be a service like RDL in the UK/EU, although there are lots of people who would - "give it a go". :rolleyes:

James
 
In the UK Tony Archer is your man ................ http://tonyarcher.co.uk/services/bike-seats/. He can lift that rider seat area up & pad it to your requirements. There are probably other seat trimmers around too.

Have you seen the K16 RDL seats; they are a bit of an aquired taste TBH, a bit OTT with the padding to my eye, probably good for Iron Butt participants. Still, each to their own.
 
Isn’t the problem that, as you have done only 400 miles, you have no idea why your rear is uncomfortable, so having a seat resculpted to suit - based on nothing more than some other bod’s recommendation - is never going to be straightforward and (probably) never cheap?
 
Yep, I agree, it's why I'm going to try the Airhawk for a while and see how I get on with it, I've also spoken to a couple of modifiers now, Tony Archer included, and now do a service like RDL in the states, but all will give it a go to get it more comfortable but with no guarantees. So for now I've done as much background checks as I can on this, the only thing to do now is give it time, ride the bike more, try the Airhawk and perhaps lose a bit of weight:nenau

Only time will tell, so I'll close the thread for now as I don't see myself or anyone else gaining any more from it running.

Thanks for all the contributions and ideas, sometimes you just need to ask around when your not sure:thumb

James
 
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