Longest mile trip on stock seat? Comfortable?

[willieb]

Hi all,

I've just been searching and researching your views of the stock seat on this forum.

I am planning a 6 hr non-stop (except for gas, food) trip from extreme South GA, to N GA on the border in November. This is about ~330 miles or so. Last weekend I road on an hour trip 2up and my butt was "ok" but I am worried about a 6hr straight trip. I new to road trips and the bike is new (600 miles at the time). I am 34, 175lbs, 5' 10".

In this thread I am interested in your views of the stock seat on longer road trips. I understand these answers can be butt specific, but (haha) I am looking for an overall view here. Here are a few questions, answer what you feel like:

What is your longest continuous road trip on the stock seat? How many times did you stop and what was your over all comfort on the stock saddle?

Did you find the stock seat to get better over time? If so, in detail, what have you noticed?

Has anyone tried a gel seat cover and where did you get it and what is your opinion of it? I read somewhere that you can get an ATV gel cover at Wally World but I couldn't find one locally.

If you did not find the stock seat adequate, how many stock seat miles before you gave up and what aftermarket seat did you go with and how do you compare it to the stock seat?

Any other views/opinions welcome. Thanks in advance for replies.

[Cgo100DoElRey]

I recently did about 250 miles and I was ok with the stock seat. On the way back I was using a wally mart ATV seat and it was a much better ride. I got my ATV seat cover used from a fellow KLR rider who didn't really like it. He rides an 07, and I understand the stock seat on an 08 is stiffer, maybe that is why I am loving the atv gel seat and my buddy didn't care for it.

Some wally marts carry it, some don't. Seems you can't order it online (at least I was never able to find it). My suggestion make a new post to see if someone has seen one at their local wally mart, and ask them to buy it for you and ship it. (3 months ago I would have said it was a far fetched idea, but the willingness of people here to want to help one another has really surprised me).

Good luck, and dont forget the monkey powder

[Toto]

I find the stock seat pretty good for a couple of hours non stop.
But I am 51 years old and have a permanent back injury.(not too severe)
I have no plans to upgrade the seat as I find it perfectly acceptabe for my needs.
I am sure here are better seats out there for longer rides though.
BTW...this bike is great therapy!

[Jim Bob]

I just cruised up through the Texas Hill Country on 281 last weekend from San Antonion to Dallas and I was very comfortable (280 miles).

I stopped twice, once to get gas and once to stop and watch a little bit of the Cowboy game at some kinfolk's house outside of Hico.

I stood up everyonce in a while to stretch and enjoy the scenery. I'm jones'n to go again.

Green 2008 with 1545 miles so far and I love my KLR.

6' 210lbs.

[jonny Utah]

I did 14 hrs on a stock seat. That long on any seat will do you in. It wasnt bad though. The next day I rode 145 miles off road, then the next day 800 miles home. I have no complaints about the stock seat.

[ernst]

around 2-3 hours is all my 35 year old butt could take for the on-road riding contant. Then it gets a bit uncomfortable at times. Off-roading, your fine all day since you sit and stand more.

I have the Africa seat (around $180) that I recommend for longer periods in the saddle.

[gregjor]

I rode 550 miles, 12 hrs, on the stock seat. To ease my butt I wore padded bicycling shorts and a used baby powder. I stopped approximately every 100 miles. Not bad. About 400 miles of that ride I was fighting wind and bad weather, which kept my mind off my rear end.

[Highwayman]

I rode 620 miles in 12 hours on mine, stopping about every 110 to 120 miles. Ordered the new Corbin flat when I got home.

It is okay for 300-400 mile days, but no more.

Mike

[mattadam]

I did a week long trip from Calgary to Reno and up the Oregon coast (total of about 4000 km) back in September with EVERYTHING stock. Seat was uncomfortable on long days of riding...so for long trips an upgraded seat would prove to be well woth it!

[notapickle]

WilleB,

My longest ride was 8 hours across Oregon, west to east on two-lane. I stopped twice, once for fuel and once for lunch. Just make sure that you walk around some at every stop. My only issue was that it was pretty warm on the day I made my ride and cotton isn't the best material for keeping "Monkey Butt" from making an uncomfortable visit. It will take a while, which will seem like forever, when you get back on the bike to get comfortable again. I have a pair of bicycle shorts on my wish-list. I've seem them for as little as $35.00.

I think you should be fine, just be ready for the Monkey cause he will show up.

Have a safe ride,
george

[littlepeter]

My wife and I rode the Cabot Trail here in Cape Breton last weekend (440 kms round trip). It is a paved highway but lots of twists and turns. It took us about 8.5 hours with one hour stop for food and a couple of quick stops to enjoy the scenery . We were both a little stiff when we got home but I think it was as much to do with the cold as with the seat . We rode again the next day for about 2 hours.When I ride solo I find the seat quite comfortable but I used to be a mountain biker and I think I still have callouses on my butt.

[Davest]

I just did 4000km on the stock seat with the last day being a 12 hour 800km stint of freeway,backroads,gravel,dirt and sand. Overall very comfortable with the odd stretch by standing on the pegs.

Plus the stock seat one day got caught up pretty bad in some drift wood, glad it wasn't an expensive corbin I was trying to cut free and push through before the oncoming tide.



Cheers,
Dave

[anythingon2wheels]

You must train your gluteus maximus for longer rides. Just as in bicycling, you increase your duration in the saddle over time and train yourself to stand, stretch, and change position. I think bicycling shorts with their extra cushion and absorption layer help too. My longest ride is 5 hours thus far and on the stock seat it was no problem.

[JetPilotAlabama]

I rode 275 miles on the stock seat one day. I had a sheep skin pad on the seat and bike shorts on also. The seat was new however with only 200 miles on the bike when I left. Most of the ridding was paved road with 20 miles of dirt logging roads. My a_ _ hurt at the end of the day. I am however 6'2" and 280. I am waitting for the breakin point of for Sargent to make me a seat. Good luck.

[kawmads]

I have done one two day trip that totaled just over 1,000 km and found that the seat could be better, but at no time was I hurting. The one thing that I do find bothersome is the vibration fom the engine , and would like to know if having the stock seat redone with gel will dampen the felt vibration ?

[R_W]

I have read trip reports of guys doing iron butt rides on stock seats.
A lot of it is how much you weigh (vs. the density of the foam), what you are used to, and riding posture/technique (do you know how to stretch and adjust your weight while you ride).

[Zentropa]

I did 14k miles in 30days on the stock seat, my butt hurt for a month.
On the next long trip, (10k) I used a sheepskin, it helped a lot but I really should get a better seat, not sure if I ever will though.