Seat comfort

[cokerb]

I currently own a VTX and have an after market mustang seat. The stock seats on them are almost unbearable for any length of time. Never had any interest in any other bike and never saw one I liked better until I saw the F6B. Trying to educate myself on them as I look around for a used one to possibly by and replace the VTX. I have a couple of questions as I have not been able to find one to test drive as of yet. How comfortable are the stock seat. I am assuming they are pretty comfortable as I have not seen many aftermarket ones. Also how comfortable is the handle bar position and can pull back risers be added if wanted or needed. I am 6 ft tall and weigh 210 lbs if that helps. Thank for the input

[BadDawg]

so much of that is subjective and lot depends on your build. I came over from a VTX 1800C. My seat is home made on it. I'm 5'6" and I'm more concerned with elevation. I'm happy with the stock handle bars on both but I hate being on my tip-toes. with the help of a good friend of mine I got the VTX seat height down to 24"

As you can imagine going from that to the B was a big change. The seat feels wider than my VTX felt high. I changed the B's seat to the Mustang day tripper. It got my feet on the ground and I think it is plenty comfortable. I do long distance riding and have had no problems.

[Sorcerer]

I may not be that much of a help as I'm 5' 6" and weigh 190lb with a 29" inseem. I'm running the stock seat with a short nap sheep skin. Most of the time a 500 mile is not a probolm. By the end of a 790 mile day it's time to get off. If you buy a B, get to the rally. There should be a good cross section of seat, riser, heli bar, windshield set ups to check out.

[stevenolts]

5'8" 29" inseam Mustang Day Tripper works great.
Steve

[pitcherd]

I am 5'6 200lbs+- desert. I put 10,000 miles on the stock seat and was very impressed with. I recently switch to an Ultimate Seat and the comfort is beyond approach. The only problem for me is it raised me up a bit and backing the bike is not as easy as it once was.

[Old Ryder]

I too had a VTX 1800. It was a challenge to get a seat to fit. It took a Corbin to finally make it work after a Mustang and Mean City tried to fix the stock saddle. The F6B is the same. The Ultimate King Rider was my answer and Kury mini boards lowered the feet. I am 6'1" @ 250 with 34/35 sleeves and 32" inseam.

I think Honda builds ALL of their 800+ pound bikes for 5'8" Asian guys that weigh 170 lbs with 32" arms. Go figure!

[stevenolts]

They are not built for 5'8" to tall. (But close)
Steve

[opas ride]

5'8" 29" inseam Mustang Day Tripper works great.
Steve

+1 for me also..same physical size and weigh about 195lbs..Mustang seat works great for me..Usually a slight discomfort between shoulder blades and some tiredness in my neck after about 100 or so miles, so I just take a 10 minute break and get ready to ride again.....I prefer this seat over the stocker as it lower and more comfortable for me...Ride safe

[Aardvark]

I recently went on a 1,600 mile ride in the heat, and the stock seat was OK.
Try getting a good quality sheepskin to put over the seat. Much cheaper than going to Mustang, Ultimate, etc.
I had the skin on the previous bike and loved it.

[Audiochris90]

I came to the F6b from a Vtx1800r. I had to put an ultimate seat on the x right away. To me the F6b seat is very good but i keep getting monkey butt from the heat. Im 6'1 220 lbs and find myself standing up on the pegs to vent and stretch. Just a guess but im thinking since the factory f6b seat is waterproof it does not breathe. However of all the bikes ived had the F6b factory seat is the best. I did just buy an ultimate for the F6b from another great forum member here. Everyone is really helpfull on this fine site.

[VStarRider]

I came to the F6b from a Vtx1800r. I had to put an ultimate seat on the x right away. To me the F6b seat is very good but i keep getting monkey butt from the heat. Im 6'1 220 lbs and find myself standing up on the pegs to vent and stretch. Just a guess but im thinking since the factory f6b seat is waterproof it does not breathe. However of all the bikes ived had the F6b factory seat is the best. I did just buy an ultimate for the F6b from another great forum member here. Everyone is really helpfull on this fine site.

x2

I am fussy with seats (had an Ultimate on VStar cruiser and sent it back; settled on an AirHawk R), but the stock seat on the F6B is pretty good. It is wide, so it provides a lot of surface area over several square inches of butt to settle on. Plus, the backrest allows the rider (with long enough legs) to wedge their arse against it to take some pressure off the cheeks.

Today, I rode about 60 miles on the way home, and it was starting to get a little warm and sore after being on the seat for well over an hour.

Seats are very subjective; two guys the same size may despise the same seat because of minuscule preferences. I like the idea of going to the rally and sitting on as many as possible, though you need several hundred miles on a seat before you know if you like it. I was a rare dissatisfied Ultimate buyer; I was glad they had a 30 day return policy.

[Ridlikhel]

5' 10" with 32 inseam at 200lbs and it's a great ride with tons of comfort, IMO. 7 hrs. is my longest ride so for.

[MisterB]

For me, 5'11", fat, bad back, 51 yrs old the stock setup can give me a 360 mile day with a lot of stops and doesn't feel too good with swamp butt on top of back discomfort.
I used to think "what could a backrest possibly do?" and "god, those beads make it look like an old man bike!".
Took a little solo ride out west and tried out some beads and a backrest in the form of my bag and realized I was wrong.
Backrests rock, seat beads work. No sweat on butt and, seriously from a guy who has back pain most of the time, 760 miles first day with no pain. I could've kept going. Could not do that without backrest.

22302

Regarding risers, here's one owners opinion: http://hondaf6b.com/showthread.php?8729-helibarsaretheshit

[stevenolts]

I use a pack behind my seat as a back rest on my last trip to Florida (800+ miles each way) and it worked great.
I bought the Rok straps after the trip and before I go on my next trip to Florida for the fall bike week in Panama City Beach I will perfect this setup. I plan to get it just right in the week before I leave rather than just throwing things on the bike and leaving as quick as I can.

The Rok straps (seem to be very secure way to strap things to the bike) I highly recommend them. I bought a few extra just to have on the bike all the time (you never know).

https://www.amazon.com/ROK-Straps-ROK-10025-Black-Motorcycle/dp/B00SXJLLBW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1469101984&sr=8-3&keywords=rok+straps


Steve

[MisterB]

If you are curious about seat beads but don't want to spend a lot you can get a cheap set of beads for a car and remove the end and it reveals a base section that works well on our seats. It's as if they made the base section and attach different length additions to it for different size car seats.
Heres what I got: Zone Tech Wood Beaded Seat Cushion (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EDSTV00/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_KnpKxbP4G7V1D

I cut a few strings at the thin end and removed beads until I got to the large base section.
I wove some of the string back into the front of the base for strength, but it might have been overkill. Ran some paracord through and attached to bike.

22305

[ddoug]

The factory seat works great for me and my wife. I did add a driver backrest.
I'm 5' 11" & 190#

[Steve 0080]

Sooooooooooo.... The beads are the way to go?

[MisterB]

Sooooooooooo.... The beads are the way to go?
Everyone is different, some more different than others.
I'm a 300 lb rider that comes from a family of sweaters. I'm fat and out of shape, dad had no discernible fat and work hardened muscles, brother is former Army Ranger instructor and climbs mountains, does amazing stuff, no fat, hard as a rock. Anyway, as soon as it's humid we always are the first to sweat and we sweat buckets. So maybe my experience won't be like yours.
In my pre-bead experience my butt would start sweating right away, sometimes I'd stand up to dry it off or hopefully get my underwear un-stuck.
Now I have no butt sweat if I'm not sitting in stop-go traffic. 760 miles to Amarillo in dry butt heaven. I love the beads.
A very thin person might not have any problems because of less surface area on the seat, or people who DON'T sweat like a cold glass of water on a hot day might be able to go all day dry.
The beads I linked to would be a good choice to test the waters. They are probably not as good as the bead riders or other premium solutions but would at least give you an idea if they are for you.
Oh yeah, you posted something about 98 degrees with 100% humidity as current weather, good God, I can't imagine....wait, yes I can. Got to 99 with 86% humidity today. Getting close!

[Dirtstiff's F6B]

Same size as OP;
3000 miles on stock seat this trip. 700 in one day.
Stock seat isn't bad.

I also have a backrest, bar risers and highway pegs, which give me options to comfortable positions.

J

[98valk]

I have a Mustang seat for around town, for looks. I use the stock seat for long trips. I start getting sore after 400 miles or so. Just get to tough it out for the rest of the day.

I would use the stock seat all the time, except it looks like it came off of, or should be put on a moped. What's up with that Honda? A bit more styling would have gone a long ways. :stirthepot:

[BIGLRY]

I have a Mustang seat for around town, for looks. I use the stock seat for long trips. I start getting sore after 400 miles or so. Just get to tough it out for the rest of the day.

I would use the stock seat all the time, except it looks like it came off of, or should be put on a moped. What's up with that Honda? A bit more styling would have gone a long ways. :stirthepot:
:lolup: How very true. Would it have hurt them to look at what some of the aftermarket saddle makers are doing and have been doing for many yrs, it ain't rocket science and as we all know some of the first things done to a new scoot that don't fit perfict is change the bars and saddle. Get a clue Honda.:banghead:

[nvmyf6]

I have had my B for about a year and a half, and have never had an issue with the seat until recently. The seat is pretty darn comfortable, nice and soft, plenty wide.

I'm 5'6", 31" inseam. I have no issue being flat foot sitting on the bike.
22358

Just last month, I rode from California, to West Virginia, then up to the top of Maine, I rode with 3 of my friends. Just under 8000 miles of riding. 21 day trip. Some days were 600 mile days on the super slab, others were back roads. All were long 9 to 12 hour days. We would stop and get off the bikes every 100 miles or so.
22359

Being in the saddle for that many hours, the seat did become uncomfortable, my boney butt. On the way back from Maine, I decided to try and get some relief. I stopped by a Harley Davidson Dealer and purchased one of those Air Circulator pads, which work out great. A little extra padding and a much more cooler seat.
22360

There is an alternative to the beads.

[ehulien]

Everyone is different, some more different than others.
I'm a 300 lb rider that comes from a family of sweaters. I'm fat and out of shape, dad had no discernible fat and work hardened muscles, brother is former Army Ranger instructor and climbs mountains, does amazing stuff, no fat, hard as a rock. Anyway, as soon as it's humid we always are the first to sweat and we sweat buckets. So maybe my experience won't be like yours.
In my pre-bead experience my butt would start sweating right away, sometimes I'd stand up to dry it off or hopefully get my underwear un-stuck.
Now I have no butt sweat if I'm not sitting in stop-go traffic. 760 miles to Amarillo in dry butt heaven. I love the beads.
A very thin person might not have any problems because of less surface area on the seat, or people who DON'T sweat like a cold glass of water on a hot day might be able to go all day dry.
The beads I linked to would be a good choice to test the waters. They are probably not as good as the bead riders or other premium solutions but would at least give you an idea if they are for you.
Oh yeah, you posted something about 98 degrees with 100% humidity as current weather, good God, I can't imagine....wait, yes I can. Got to 99 with 86% humidity today. Getting close!


We may be brothers... 60 years old, 5' 10", 260. and Sweat when I think about going outside in the heat. Just did the first weekend trip on the new F6B (700 miles over 2 days in 95 degrees) and wanted to change pants every 30 minutes. I never thought of beads. Thanks.

[Switchmonkey]

I've had my 6 for three weeks now. I did an 800km (500mi) ride today on the stock seat. Wasn't bad. I installed Kury Ergo II with mini arms and Trident Dually pegs. I am 6'3" with 36" inseam and I am going to need short arms for those Kurys to pull those pegs just a little closer. Never in my life would I have thought I would ever have too much stretch! With a roll pack on the back seat for a backrest and the ability to stretch out the legs from time to time, it really is a comfortable ride. I'm on the fence about switching out the seat to either Mustang or Ultimate. I could use the 1" further back for normal peg riding, but the 1" lower will make the knees bend too much. The 1" further back will also aggravate the highway peg stretch until I get longer arms to bring them back to me a bit. The Ultimate may be the way to go. I don't mind moving higher a bit but do not want to move forward at all. Maybe just get that slope of the stock seat shaved more vertical.

Short answer. Stock seat works for now... maybe a sheepskin...

[Kolsch]

Call Mark :yikes:'gw-smiley''gw-smiley''gw-smiley' at hartco, he will custom build you a seat!