A low cost great seat mod...

[tallannie]

This is not really new...both of these things have been around a while...but I just got a long ride in on my newly modified seat from Allen at Mean City Cycles Custom Seat Werks and with a backrest from Lonnie at www.grasshopperlimited.com and my tailbone doesnt hurt for the first time ever.
Allen sculpts the stock seat better and added density under my tailbone and it works great... still looks stock but it aint. Costs about 1/4 or less of those fancy seats and works fine. Thanks Allen !!
Lonnie just made his first-ever backrest for Honda VTX 1300S for my husband and now he also enjoys the back support. Thanks Lonnie !!
All we need now is that little lever down on the side of a Lazyboy chair that you flip to bring up the footrests.....

Here are some pics

[uturn]

Boy-Howdy do I agree!! I had my bike down at Allen's and he did the mod on mine. He used the hospital grade memory foam on my seat. He cut a little then put it on the bike and I sat on it, then Allen cut a little and repeated the process. But that hunk of plastic the bracket mounted to kept me uncomfortable, so Allen cut it out, bridged the hole with metal, made a new mounting bracket, polished it up. Bingo, Damn what a difference a easy sitting seat makes. Got back to Norfolk and after a couple friends saw the work and feel, rode down to get their VTX and Harley seats rebuilt. It's only about 350 miles to Maiden, NC from Norfolk, VA. Easy morning ride now with a great seat. Thanks to Allen Austin at Mean City Cycles. Ph 828-291-1322MIKE aka Uturn

[raycogxxx]

Annie-how long did it take to get your seat back?

[BadX]

Originally Posted by uturn

Boy-Howdy do I agree!! I had my bike down at Allen's and he did the mod on mine. He used the hospital grade memory foam on my seat. He cut a little then put it on the bike and I sat on it, then Allen cut a little and repeated the process. But that hunk of plastic the bracket mounted to kept me uncomfortable, so Allen cut it out, bridged the hole with metal, made a new mounting bracket, polished it up. Bingo, Damn what a difference a easy sitting seat makes. Got back to Norfolk and after a couple friends saw the work and feel, rode down to get their VTX and Harley seats rebuilt. It's only about 350 miles to Maiden, NC from Norfolk, VA. Easy morning ride now with a great seat. Thanks to Allen Austin at Mean City Cycles. Ph 828-291-1322MIKE aka Uturn

Toll free number now 1-866-550-SEAT and we are in the new shop, it was being built when Uturn was there. The only way that the seats can be done as Uturn's seat is the bike has to be there and I might add all the metal parts fabricated for Uturn's seat was hand fabricated which was cool but it took about 5 hours start to finish.

[tallannie]

Ray,
Allen quoted me 2 weeks turn around in his shop... (so add shipping days)....and for a while I was trying to buy or borrow a replacement....but then I wheedled and whined that I was going on a trip....and offered to pay for faster shipping and he turned it right around in one day and sent it right back...
I suspect normally he will tell you 2 weeks ...but he is open to anyone who needs to talk to him about how to accelerate that....

Annie

Originally Posted by raycogxxx

Annie-how long did it take to get your seat back?

[SNAFU]

I tried doing this mod myself.
http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/fo...-seat-mod.html

I still have to do a little more work on it. So far I like the seating position I get, but I still have some issues with comfort on longer rides. I will look at maybe using some memory foam around that bracket area.

[tallannie]

Snafu,
yep I saw your thrread while you were doing that...it inspired me. looks like a great mod... It looked like it took some skills that I didnt want to learn...and Allen was right there so I used his skills instead ... and he went out of his way to make sure mine came out great....

Originally Posted by SNAFU

I tried doing this mod myself.
http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/fo...-seat-mod.html

I still have to do a little more work on it. So far I like the seating position I get, but I still have some issues with comfort on longer rides. I will look at maybe using some memory foam around that bracket area.

[SNAFU]

Inspiring!? Skills!?

Awww shucks Annie, that's the nicest thing anyone around here has said to me. Thank You.



Check is on the way.

[tallannie]

Lol... :d :d

[hndrx1223]

Hello tallannie & uturn,

I was just wondering since it has been awhile since you both modified your seats from "meancitycycles" are you still happy with the results?

I'm very close to sending my (c50) seat for some modifications in comfort. I recently just purchased a replacement seat for my bike. If and when I do ship to "meancitycycles" I'm not sure I can hold back from riding for at least 2-3 weeks. I'm trying to prepare myself for the worse I guess.

So once again, any status of your newly modified seats would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time,

hndrx1223

[tallannie]

I have put about 3500 miles on this seat mod now......and it really was worth it. When Allen modded my seat, I could ride about twice as far before having to get off the seat and walk around some. Ask him for the memory foam as well tho..... I added lonnie's backrest as well... and that helps extend my ride a lot too.

someday I still will go for a better seat even than this.... as I, uh, need a larger surface area than the stock seat gives you...and Allen can do nothing about that...

I have sat upon mustang seats now...and on Suzuki's upgrade seat...and they both sit better than meancity's mod.....but they cost several times as much also.

Annie

[tallannie]

... ok... I need to update this thread Allen's seat mod helped me a bit....but I was still not happy...as I said below "someday I would still go for a better seat than this". My tailbone still hurts to ride on the stock -Meancitycycles modified seat after too short a time.... honestly maybe only 75 miles.
I believe that this is only due to my body size being a bit too big for the C50 frame however. I am 6' 3" and long legged (34" inseam) and really need to sit farther back / stretch legs more / etc. I finally bought an Airhawk cushion and this has allowed me to sit a couple inches farther back and a couple inches higher up. This was finally my magic fix. Between the new seat position and the aircushion I am finally able to ride long rides....easily doing a full tank (~150mi ) without my tailbone and sciatic nerve acting up.
From my learnings about seat mods ( and I tried Allen's mod, gel pad(s), DIY bubblewrap cushions, and Airhawk.... I think the secret to finding a good long distance cruiser riding position is matching your seat location to the length of your legs ...so that you dont end up with knees higher than your lap. This takes the focus off your pelvic bones and spreads it onto the whole seat. For me, on the smaller frame bike I own, being higher and a bit farther back was the key.

Note that this discourse has NOTHING bad to say about Allen's Meancitycycles mod....Allen is a great guy and does a great mod that almost everyone apparently loves. I only suggest that for some body size - bike size mismatches, it might not solve your problem completely.

Regards
Annie