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23 Apr 2006
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avoiding getting saddle sore and tired ?
I just finsihed a short trip on a 1150GS doing bout 2000km in 3 days, and am looking at going up from South Africa to Tanzania in a few weeks on a R80GS, and been wondering how I can reduce the strain I put on my rear. After the three day trip, I have to honestly say I was seriously saddle sore. I am looking at putting a sheepskin cover over the old GS to limit the strain, but is there some general advise out there that one can do to train the rear to not complain so much.  
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23 Apr 2006
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Seat sore!!!
I have a similar problem when I did a 2 week trip. By the end of the trip it was painfull!
I have now bought an airhawk pad http://www.airhawk.co.uk/
Check it out
Ken
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23 Apr 2006
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I think the seat is the worst thing on the 1150GS. I hated mine riding from the UAE to the UK. There are a lot of posts on the boards about the GS being too heavy for a RTW, maybe so, but when you’ve got to do a long distance on tar in a limited time it’s fantastic.
As for the seat, try a sheepskin, an Airhawk pad or a better seat. I swapped mine for a Sargent which is an improvement though not cheap.
http://www.sargentcycle.com/bmwwsrgs.htm
Stephan
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24 Apr 2006
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Sheepskin how?
I've been thinking about going down the sheepskin route. Does anyone have any info on the best way of fitting it and getting it to stay put?
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25 Apr 2006
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Sheepskin
All I did to fit the sheepskin was to cut it slightly bigger than the seat and then I had some of the wide white elastic that they use in the clothing industry sown on the inside around the edge.Remember to put some tention on the elastic when sowing it in. This sheepskin has been with me for many miles and still stays in place on the saddle. Also serves as a good pillow when required, just stuff it with some clothes.
First time round you may have to put some pressure on the seat to refit it but if you have the time just shave the sheepskin where required(At the tank and around the back of the seat on my bike).
Regards
Frank
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25 Apr 2006
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Biggest improvement I've found is the right underwear!
Cotton really hurts, synthetic bicycling shorts are very good - so long as you get the ones without the chamois.
One of our advertisers, www.LDComfort.com, the sponsor for the " Camping Equipment and all Clothing" forum, sells some great underwear just for motorcycle riding. I just got a pair, will let you know how it turns out - I've heard a lot of rave reviews, so I'm looking forward to trying them.
Edit: - update - yep tried them - FIRST CLASS! Big improvement, so now that's all I'm gonna use. 
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Seek, and ye shall find.
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Last edited by Grant Johnson; 6 Aug 2006 at 18:07.
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25 Feb 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wildbill
I've been thinking about going down the sheepskin route. Does anyone have any info on the best way of fitting it and getting it to stay put?
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I hear sheepskin works great, but it's so dang hard to keep them still! On top of that, you have to pack too much grass hay- the ride is just unstable with two bales stacked up like that. 
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5 May 2007
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I got myself a sheepskin last summer while touring Poland. I actually got a really thick and heavy one at some small-town-saturday-morning-market for roughly 20 bucks. It's the most comfy thing I've ever had my precious butt sitting on, and my girlfriend also agrees and even refuses to go anywhere without the sheepskin.
The fitting and keeping-sheepy-in-place is a bit tricky though. Fitting takes a while but it can be done with patience, a pair of scissors and at least four bottles of  . For the keeping-sheepy-in-place part I have used a self-adhesive velcro that I bought at Walmart. Works like a charm.
PS: Don't ever get sheepy wet... it smells like a thousand rotting sheep right underneat your heinie and trust me, that's the last thing you'll want
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18 May 2006
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New Seat May be Only Answer
Dear Mr. Shark, I have tried sheep, gel, wooden balls. I even thought I had some sort of skeletal problem. Nothing fixed my discomfort on the 1100RT except a new seat. I bought it from Russell for the price of a semester's tution almost. But I recently put on 550 miles in a day and felt good at the end.
Polecat
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18 May 2006
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The R series BMWs from the late 70s and early 80s had great touring seats, the /7 series had the very best though. Often used to see R100s with /7 seats on them. The other comfort thing I've found is the use of spoked wheels over mag wheels - for whatever reason I "feel" as though the ride is softer on spokes, probably a load of crap but then again I've never seen a spoked wheel crack through like I've seen a mag wheel.
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18 May 2006
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I've met other long distance riders along the way who swear by 'x' brand seat , or sheepskins , but the single easiest thing to try is ( as Grant suggests ) the right underwear. I tried on our 3-month tour of N africa to find the best undies , I took a batch of 6 different types to try. Some were ok ,some were great and some were truly excruciating after a day in the saddle.
The best I found by far were:
1) close fitting ( but not tight) lycra-style stretchy briefs with wide waistband, similar to the sort of 'cycle shorts' , but available in the high street.
2) silk boxers.
The crucial key appears (at least for me) to be NO SEAMS anywhere where you will be experiencing pressure or rubbing. The wide waist-band helps with comfort, and the softness of the silk boxers was very welcome.
As a bonus, silk boxers are strong, harder wearing than cotton and lighter. They are also easy to clean and dry in no time.
After 7 or 8 hours in the saddle you really will appreciate the extra comfort - and it's a gain you can still have after you have bought the fancy new seat
RayT - wishing he was back on the trail again....
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20 May 2006
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by RayT
The crucial key appears (at least for me) to be NO SEAMS anywhere where you will be experiencing pressure or rubbing. The wide waist-band helps with comfort, and the softness of the silk boxers was very welcome.
As a bonus, silk boxers are strong, harder wearing than cotton and lighter. They are also easy to clean and dry in no time.
After 7 or 8 hours in the saddle you really will appreciate the extra comfort - and it's a gain you can still have after you have bought the fancy new seat
RayT - wishing he was back on the trail again.... |
As I will do a lot of riding this summer (hopefully...) I'm going to try that one, it has never appeared to me before it was mentioned here that undies can make a difference...
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4 Aug 2006
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On our 650 GS I didn't experience any problems, not even on a 2 day trip from ljubliana to brussels. I guess my substantial intake sorts out the padding of my rear, but other than that think of the following: Road cyclist have NO suspension at all and still they ride hundreds of KM with just a padded cycle short..... I can't be in the saddle of a mountainbike without rear suspension for more than an hour, but I can ride all day with bib shorts.
Get one from a good brand and you'll be a happy camper. Good makes include Cannondale, Pearl Izumi, Fox, Gore Bike wear. They exist in numerous varieties of lengths, and can also serve as a warm base layer on those icy days. Prices -from 15 euro- will also keep your wallet's padding up.
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2 Feb 2007
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One of the best solutions is to stretch your legs, cross your feet once in awhile, and sit back in your easy chair against the back rest so that the gel pad changes a bit. Oh! This doesn't apply to those who ride motorcycles, only the really grinning ones who ride Maxi-scooters. Otherwise, just keep your coffee cup full enough in the dashboard holder so that you can have a sip once in a bit. be sure to have your cruise control set up right though so you can rest your right hand. When all else fails, shut down and go for a short walk doing some jogging in place. We do use bicycle shorts without the padding as a result of the decades of riding a touring machine before the knees went bad. Take a little extra niacin to help keep the blood running well, and the person above said: lots of water, but don't orget to replace the electrolytes so that the body can continue to get rid of the buildup of acids. 9 1/2 months to go.
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2 Feb 2007
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Soggy Sheepskin?
Hi,
I too suffered long and hard on a seven-week trip a couple of while back. (I think it took a week or more for the numbness to leave my butt-cheeks once I arrived home!) I was on a Honda Dominator, and thought the vibes of a single-cylinder didn't do me any favours either.
I swore the next time I'd go on a long trip that I'd get a sheepskin (and a twin-cylinder). Thing is though, what's it like if it's raining? Does it turn into a soggy piece of carpet? That probably smells too?
And one other thing I often wondered (although I think I know the answer): which side out? Hide or fleece? (I'd go for fleece out.) And does it really make a difference which way round you mount it?
The Airhawk and its ilk sound like the way to go, but they cost a lot.
Thanks!
Ken.
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5hark74 
Seat sore!!!
Sheepskin how?
Hybrid Mode
