I first learned about aftermarket motorcycle seats during one of my first motorcycle tours. I had stopped at a rest area on I-271 near Cleveland, Ohio, where I met a BMW rider who told me all about his Sargent-brand motorcycle seat. It looked a lot more comfortable than the stock seat I was touring with on my 1997 Honda Nighthawk 750.
It took a couple years for my poor college student self to amass enough wampum to buy my first seat upgrade, and I’ve owned seats from two of the popular aftermarket seat companies since then.
For me, a seat upgrade is a must for touring. I’ve never owned a stock seat I liked — including one that was unbearable after a couple hours of riding. Also, thanks to my many interactions with MSTA members over the years, I’ve learned about the several options out there for seat pads. From from air to wood beads or sheepskin, there are lots of ways to further increase rear-end comfort on a motorcycle.
What is your preferred seating setup on your sport touring motorcycle? Do you drop the dough on a Russell Day-Long on every bike you own? Or is stock just fine by you? Email your responses to webmaster@ridemsta.com, and I’ll pen a follow-up article with your responses.