Suzuki M50 Seat Questions

[mscuddy]

I'd use Orafix.

[pdad13]

I'm not sure it's just the seat. The cruiser riding position is generally tough on your tailbone. A better seat might help the situation, but I don't know if it will solve it.



Suzuki will probably offer different seats since they're trying to follow the H-D sales model, so start there. Corbin, Sargent and a bunch of other aftermarket seat makers are out there, but their stock models are usually for more popular bikes. Some of them will actually build you a seat to spec. You could also look into having the stock seat rebuilt on the stock pan. Google it.



Welcome to motorcycling. It's freakin' fun.

[mikenomad]

It sounds like the problem was as much the rear shock as the seat.



You might want to check Progressive Suspension to see if they make a better-quality replacement shock.



As far as seats go, Mustang seats are very popular with cruiser owners.

[Tigercub]

Your seat would be much better if your footpegs were directly below your thighs and you were leaning slightly forward. A softer rear shock would help as well. Do you really have to have a cruiser?

[Gabe]

Here's what I said:



"[Y]our ass starts to hurt after 20 minutes, since all your weight is resting on your tailbone." I want to make clear that I did NOT bash the Suzuki seat!



The seat is quite nice. It's neither too soft nor too hard. The problem is that the basic cruiser seating position is designed to look comfortable rather than be comfortable.



The cruiser position puts your body's weight on your lower spine and limits the rider's movement so he can't shift his weight to his feet, wrists or thighs like a standard motorcycle, so your ass and tailbone just go numb after a certain amount of time. You might like it, you might not. If you don't like that and you want to ride for protracted periods, a cruiser-from any brand- is probably not for you.

[seruzawa]

Strap something onto the pillion that you can use as a backrest. This takes much of the weight off of the tailbone.



You are pretty much screwed by the insistence on the stupid forward controls which in turn force you into a posture that is reminiscent of someone trying to hump a camel.



You still have regular footpegs on several of the Dyna Glides and the Sportsters.

[piinob]

I have, in the past, bought a Corbin seat for an 1100 Virago which would set your butt on fire after about thirty minutes for the very reason mentioned above. That is, all of your weight was on your tail bone. I also bought one for a 1400 Intruder for the same reason. They were a Godsend. I now have a Corbin double Touring Bucket on my Wide Glide and it makes all the difference in the world. The stock seat was ok for riding around town, or two hundred mile days. But for traveling I have seen nothing that beats a Corbin Seat. I do not normally hawk a product in this manner, but this has been an outstanding solution to the problem of MC comfort for me.

[Vlad]

I second tigercub's comments. I can't ride a cruiser for more than 30 minutes without getting a backache. I like it until then, but it gets irritating shortly. A sport touring bike like a VFR is far more comfortable for distance. Check out the Suzuki SV 650. It has a standard riding position, as do several other bikes in the price range, like the FZ6. Or you can go to the Katana 600, which I find to be comfy, if a little down on power. Then again, it can wipe the floor with any of the cruisers under 1100cc. For control, your feet need to be under you, not sticking out in front of you. See Burnsie's review on the R1150R from a while back. As he says, the feet forward seating position is "Stooopid."



Francis

[mikenomad]

I've put 80,000 miles on my cruiser in four years. How many of you crotch rocket posers have done that? Go to the Motorcycle Tourers Forum and you'll find a lot more long-distance riders on cruisers.

[dylanmo]

I can't believe that no one has executed the "just go to the gym more" crack, yet. LOOK ALIVE, PEOPLE