Modified stock seat or DP comfort seat? Any thoughts? - Ducati.ms

Hypremotard · Jun 6th, 2009, 10:18 pm

Hi all,

I haven't had any time to modify my stock seat and add some memory foam or something but this has been my plan for months. I am wondering if its a waste of time and I should just go out and buy the comfort seat. Anyone have any feelings? I'm 6'2 about 215 if it matters. I got in a 300 mile ride today and the seat was the only bad part.

TIA,
Tom

Activator · Jun 7th, 2009, 8:53 am

I've tried a few mods to the stock seat... stuck a gel pad in there, extra memory foam, sliced out a "trough" in the center to ease the pressure on central nerves (like a modern bicycle seat), etc. The cut-out center definitely keeps the boys from getting numb - that's a keeper - but the gel pad and extra foam didn't help at all with glute numbness and made the seat feel weird. Some say the seat should actually be FIRMER, not softer.

Funny thing... I bought a new stock seat off of eBay so I would have an un-modified one for future sale of the bike, or just for comparison... I put that on yesterday and took a pretty long ride. I tried "moving around" during the ride... shifting for turns, sliding a little left, a little right. Just subtle position changes during the ride, and I was surprisingly numb-butt-and-nut free when I got home!

The only thing I got a little tired of is that feeling like you're sliding forward the whole time... the "comfort" and "racing" seats are flatter, which sounds like a good thing. My only problem is that they are lower - I don't want to be any lower since I'm 6'4"! (205lb)

Sargent has a new Hyper seat coming out this month.

http://www.sargentcycle.com/ducwshyper.htm

Looks like they're going to offer a "stock height" version (doesn't lower the height) and a "lower" version! Looks good, too! This might be the way to go!

boaterboy420 · Jun 7th, 2009, 9:35 am

I got the performance seat for me and i love it.. But i had the stock seat modified for my wife i had them cut out 2in out of the foam and add some gel. The seat height is alittle to low for me but it is very comefy.. I post acouple pic's not the best but you can get the idea..

mountainrider · Jun 7th, 2009, 9:37 am

I love sitting on a Sargent! They made an all day seat out of my old DR650's stock (torture rack) pan. It also looked like it belonged on the bike. The one they show on their site looks like it belongs on a Goldwing.

If your aesthetic sense is in agreement with mine, send them your spare stock seat and tell them lose the taper to the seat top. It will be about the same width as the touring seat they are offering us. That said, I'm getting a spare stock seat next week to shave the fore/aft slope off.

heffergm · Jun 7th, 2009, 9:46 am

It's probably just me: the way I sit after years of riding dirtbikes (all the way forward up on the tank) and the fact that I'm not terribly big (understatement of the year: I'm 5'10", 135lbs (wet)). I like the stock seat. It's a whole lot more comfy for me than other bikes (Bandit 1200 for example, which is supposed to be a really comfy bike, always gave me a numb butt).

Aside from the crown jewels getting tucked under (which is a problem on every bike I've ever ridden) I don't have any issues with numbness or soreness. I'd be curious to try the comfort seat, but don't really have much inclination to do so at the moment. Probably worth noting I never really ride more than 60 miles at a shot either... that's my commute.

Activator · Jun 7th, 2009, 2:17 pm

I just got back from another fairly long ride today on a 100% stock seat - over an hour, which is a "long" ride for ME! I kept shifting around slightly during the ride, like I did yesterday, and I had no numb-butt or nuts when I got home!

It also could be that the seat is forming itself to my body a bit, and my body may also be getting used to it.

sick50ford · Jun 7th, 2009, 6:12 pm

I modified the stock seat -cut out a butt shaped section and replaced void with 2" of memory foam AND I run in high quality bicycle shorts with excellent padding. The padded shorts take me from 100 miles max to around 300 in a day.

Monstaman · Jun 7th, 2009, 6:33 pm

I modded the stock seat and with great results, that way I got what I wanted!

Mine was also based on lowering the seating height as well as I am just 5'7"

MTScott2 · Jun 7th, 2009, 7:22 pm

Had my stock seat modified By Mikes Custom Cycle Seats in London Ontario I wanted it lowered and softer , Making it softer will lower it at the same time. He made it more saddle like and left the passanger part as is By looking at it you can't see any difference . It feels better every ride , probably just getting used to it .I would say that I doubled my mileage before I even start fidgitting my butt around.Charged me $50.oo!! took him a couple hours. Someone here said the gel seat is hot and you need a half hour to get your butt out of it after a ride??? I think the correct density of foam is the trick.There is some good looking seats in the works out there ,you don't need two of them though .

kyle_01 · Jun 7th, 2009, 8:51 pm

200+ miles at a crack feel just fine on a dp race seat. i agree with the firmer is better (to an extent) school of thought in regards to numb butt/nuts. after 3 days of 200 milers, my butt is doing well. i'm 5'-10 185lbs.