Sore Butt

Look into a good quality pair of cycling shorts. I wear mine under my jeans of I'm going on a long ride. 8 hours yesterday and I was fine. Local bicycle shops or places like mec will carry them. It's that or look around for a different seat for your ride. Saddleman is one example. Hope this helps :thumbup:
 
Cyling shorts? How would that help? You get hotter and you still have to deal with your blue jean pants and the bike's harsh seat.
 
2 hours to hell sounds about right. That was my limit on a stock GS500 seat. Seat comfort is a pretty personal thing--what works for one won't work for others. There are some basic biological factors at work though:

--Circulation: without adequate bloodflow, nerves become irritated and tissues become starved for nutirents, resulting in aches. If the seat foam is too soft/hard/thick/thin (it depends on temperature, the rider's weight, age and fitness) then the tissue under your "sit bones" is the first casualty. Narrow and slanted seats compress the edges of your thighs in a similar way. Pant/underwear seams add additional hotspots to compress tissue.

--Ventilation: it's ugly, but we're primates and primates sweat to regulate body temperature. Most motorcycle seats are vinyl and most gear is leather/nylon. This means your (salty) sweat has nowhere to go, collecting on your skin. Damp cloth chafes, tugging at your skin and bacteria love it, resulting (eventually) in the dreaded "monkey butt", which is basically diaper rash. It's no joke, despite the name.

Manufacturers of custom seats, seat covers, wicking underwear/shorts and various topical creams do good business catering to the discomforts of the modern motorcyclist. Start with the cheapest options first and try to narrow down WHY you feel uncomfortable. None of the options look stylish, but remember your seat was designed to fit the bike, not you.

A beaded seat cover is probably the best place to start. It's simple, inexpensive, you can leave it on the bike, spreads your weight out and ventilates too. It looks a bit goofy, but nobody can see it while you're riding (least of all you) and it's easy to take off if you're trying to impress a date with your ride. It's more slippery than the stock seat cover and some dislike that.

There's volumes of testimonials out there. Start digging and good luck.
 
^^^ Good info/advice. I will agree though that the beaded covers are slippery in comparison to the normal seat and that would stop me from using one.

I'm still waiting for my lecture from peggy up there. Do tell us how cycling shorts are hotter than boxers under your jeans. I'm dying to read your wealth of knowledge on the subject of cycling shorts.
 
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Go for a stretch, piss break, or food/drink every 2 hours or something. Works well for me (cbr125). Longest ride was probably 8 hrs + 1 hr of breaks.
 
Get boxer briefs of the Under Armour style that wicks moisture and make friends with Gold Bond Powder. If you do wind up with a serious rash then a zinc oxide cream like Penaten is the best option.
 
Under armour briefs and a nice gel seat do wonders for the bottom.
Corbin makes some really sweet seats.
 
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Thanks for all the advice, I will consider them all. Not too fond of the beaded seat idea however, due to it being slippery. Impress a date? Ha ha ha, I am far and away beyond that point in my life.
 
PLau said:
Go for a stretch, piss break, or food/drink every 2 hours or something. Works well for me (cbr125). Longest ride was probably 8 hrs + 1 hr of breaks.
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Also good advice. I can't tell where it comes from, but there's that strange idea to not stop until you're somewhere. Unless you need to catch a ferry or something, a few short breaks make all the difference. When do you think people take all those roadside photos anyway?
 
I find that switching riding position between upright and a full tuck helps a lot, and standing up a few seconds at a time to get the blood flowing works well too.
 
I ordered a beaded seat cover. With leathers it's not supposed to be that slippery and from reviews it gets less slippery as you use it. I never found cycling shorts to work well for me and I had an airhawk but didn't like the way it made you feel disconnected from your bike. My new bike has a gel seat and it's vastly more comfy than any bike I've had before but I still need a little something extra. One of the problems I have though is a bad leg angle on the bike so I may need adjustable pegs.
 
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