Sargent Seat Question

[SMSW]

Glad to read this thread. I just picked up a '07 ST 1300 and the one issue is not being able to flat foot the bike. With a passenger, I did not like being on the balls of my feet loading or at stops especially on an incline. The bike came with a Sargent seat. Sounds like a stock seat would lower my feet substantially. That would be a great thing. I'm familiar with Spencer in FL. But what do you guys mean by a "Spencer Lowered Long Distance" seat? Does that mean you sent the stock seat to have your seat lowered and foamed? Thanks, Mike

Exactly that. Cost me $75 + shipping + making a box big enough to hold the seat. The Sargent is wider than the stock seat and that pushes your legs out a bit. Try a stock seat and see how you like it before you Spencerize it.

 

[Ashley]

Mike, would you be interested in trading your Sargent for a stock seat?


Ashley

 

[Highway STar]

Not universally. I bought a used one and it is marginally better than the OEM (which I never really hated but certainly felt could be improved on) but neither "THE BOMB" nor "What a POS". It's more of a "Meh. This is kinda better but still leaves room for improvement" for me. Maybe a sheepskin or a Bead Rider will tip the balance. Or maybe I am just needlessly frittering away cash on my way to getting a made-for-me RDL.

I took a 13.5 hour ride yesterday, of which probably 11 or more were actual saddle time. By about hour 9 of saddle time I was ready to be headed for the barn but that had as much to do with my knees getting stiff as my bottom being sore. I do find that there are a couple of contact points that seem to concentrate my weight (yes I hear all of you snickering and saying "lard butt" to yourselves and I cannot entirely deny that fact, sadly, but its more than that). After a while it is time to stand up for a moment, and also to get off the bike.

My knees are the weakest part of the equation. Since I keep the Sargent on the lowest height to facilitate bike management at stoplights, my legs (31" inseam) and more bent than they might otherwise be. I may try experimenting with different seat heights to see how I far over long distances; lowest will probably be the default for commuting and day rides of less than five or six hours; higher might work out better when I know I'm on a ride where there will not be a lot of situations where I need to put boots to pavement for extended periods.

Do any of the rest of you take that approach?

You might try to lower your pegs to ease the angle of your knees. When I got my 2003 it had a set of peg lowering jigs. I took them off because I was dragging them in the corners two-up and it hasn't bothered me but it might give you some comfort without sacrificing seat height.