Tipping my toes back into the water?

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I may have found a way to get back on two wheels.

What has kept me off bikes is a neurological problem that causes a blister like burning sensation in my perineum when I sit on a bike for more than about 20 minutes. It crept up on me over a period of several years and gradually got worse. I eventually sold my ST because of it.

This spring, completely miserable and depressed that I was without a motorcycle for the first time in 17 years, I started thinking about the fact that I could sit in a chair for long periods of time but I could not do the same on a motorcycle. When I thought about the difference between a MC saddle and a chair, it occurred to me that a chair is flat all the way across whereas the saddle on most motorcycles swoop up as it approaches the tank. And because where it swoops up is more arch shaped than flat, it exerts more pressure on the perineum than a chair would. Maybe part of the cause?

Another thing that occurred to me was that my last ?real? ride on my ST was in March of last year when the temps ranged from about 45 to the mid 50s. I had zero problems on that particular 350 mile ride! A few weeks after that, I did a much shorter ride but the temps were in the 80?s and I was very uncomfortable. That particular ride and other related things led me to believe that heat may be the real trigger and that seat pressure may just make it worse.

So, thinking the seat configuration was at least part of the problem, I began to look at motorcycles that had relatively flat seats. The first one I sat on was a Harley Electra Guide Ultra Classic. It felt like it might work but I REALLY didn?t want to flirt with cruiser ownership for a number of reasons. Then I saw the seats on the new BMW?s, in particular the GS. Note in the picture below how the 2012 seat swoops up near the tank whereas on the new generation (2013 to present) it is almost flat all the way to the tank:



After seeing this, I decided that I would rent a GS during the summer to test my suspicions out. Summer arrived and this week I rented a new gen, wet head, BMW GS in Dallas and rode it to Ardmore, OK and back, an approximately 200 mile round trip:



It was a perfect day for the test, clear and hot as hell. 92 when I left and 102 at one point on my return trip.

Results... I was a little uncomfortable on the way up but nothing like on the ST1300 and it took longer to come on. The discomfort was also much easier to manage because of cooling wind that was hitting me in places that the ST1300 would not have allowed. On the way back, it gave me almost no problem at all.

To possibly help things out, Saddlemen now makes a "liquid cooled" saddle with a channel down the middle that might help with the perineal pressure.

So, anybody want to buy a Miata?...
.

I may try one more test of the BMW in either the fall or winter. Even though I'm leery of BMW's because of their less than stellar reputation for reliability, I may get a GS sometime this year if all works out. My long distance days are probably over but at least I would be able to be on two wheels occasionally. Even in retirement, I need that two wheeled therapy.


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ST Gui

240Robert
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Not a fan of the beak or the adventure look but if it works for you: GREAT!

A lot of bicycle saddles have a channel built into the length for somewhat related reasons. Maybe customizing a seat for further flatness fore and aft and left to right (port to starboard) would help.

It looks promising so here's to your successful research!
 
OP
OP
Mick
Joined
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Weatherford, TX
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'16 Versys 650LT
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Not a fan of the beak or the adventure look
You're not alone but I gotta tell you, the only good looking bikes to have come out in the last 15 years IMHO have been the 5th gen VFR and the FJR1300. The BMW GS looks like something dreamed up by an engineer who's use to designing things with an erector set.

At this point, I'm not picky. Whatever it is, if it will allow me to be back on two wheels, even if I can only ride it in the winter, I'm all for it.
 

okckeith

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To possibly help things out, Saddlemen now makes a "liquid cooled" saddle with a channel down the middle that might help with the perineal pressure.
I had a Saddlemen seat on my BMW G650GS. It was terrible. Sounds to me like you should have a RDL built for you. I like Sargent seats myself. I have one on my ST and my Tiger. They work great for me. My DR650 came with a flat hard Corbin seat. But it just works. It is very comfortable also.
Best of luck on finding what works for you. So many good choices of bikes and seats now days.
 
OP
OP
Mick
Joined
Dec 12, 2004
Messages
1,282
Age
76
Location
Weatherford, TX
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'16 Versys 650LT
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1134
I had a Saddlemen seat on my BMW G650GS. It was terrible.
I had a Saddlemen on an ST1100 that I once owned. Did a ride from Seattle to Houston and it did well. Not as good as the RDL that I later had but it was one heck of a lot better than the stock saddle.
 
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