Ergonomics and seating position

[ski_rush]

I have a 2004 ST1300. It has the stock seat. Actually, the whole bike is completely stock. I am 5'11" and 230 lbs and I have a 32" inseam. I can't seem to get a comfortable seating position on this bike. The seat seems to always want to push me forward towards/into the tank (which isn't comfortable in the groin area at all, by the way). I've tried adjusting the seat with different tilt angles. That didn't seem to make a difference. Overall, I think the stock seat is pretty uncomfortable. I have a air seat cushion, which helps a bit on the softness of the seat, but I'm still finding myself pushed up against the tank. So, I'd say that I'm not that happy with the ergonomics of the bike for me.

My previous bike was a 2006 Honda VTX 1300. This was obviously a very different kind of bike with a much more laid back seating position. I really liked how I could stretch out my legs. I also seemed to sit further back in the seat and never felt that I was "cramped" up against the tank. I still miss that bike...it was a great bike...but I digress.

Does anyone else find that, no matter what you try to do, you find yourself pushed forward, against the tank and sort of "cramped"? I know that seems like a weird thing to say, to be cramped on bike as big as the ST1300, but that's how I feel. I miss the way I could stretch my legs out on the VTX and I never felt cramped.

Is there anything I need to be doing in order to stay situated further back in the seat on the ST? I was wondering if highway pegs would help push myself back away from the tank, but I'm not paying $360 for the PSR highway pegs...not in the budget.

Thanks.

 

[dduelin]

The seat can be forced into a position that raises the front and lowers the rear thus flattening out the seating area. If you have tried that and it doesn't work then I'm out of ideas.

I had a VTX1300 just prior to my ST1300 and I haven't given it a moment's thought since trading it in on the ST. Goes to show how different people are .

 

[STRider]

Hi @ski_rush , I share similar biometrics.

I didn't have the same issues you describe with the stock seat. I found I could combine the forward height adjustment with different levels in the rear to produce a wide combination of heights and tilts? But the angle, and sliding into the task was never my problem.

But like my 1100 that preceded the 1300, the seat foam was just too soft. It feels great sitting in the garage, but two hours down the road and my cheeks were in agony.

If you're happy with the firmness but not the angle, I don't have much to offer except you could modify the shape of the stock seat's foam either yourself, or by a professional, or you could go aftermarket and let them do it.

The seat I ride the most is a Sargent two-piece I bought used on ebay. I have every reason to believe it's their default offering - no customer requested modifications. But it's night and day compared to the stock seat.

I also bought a Russell Day Long rider's seat which is a much flatter and wider design (think farm tractor seat) which absolutely would not angle me into the tank. I plan to take that for its first long trip this season. Its greater width is noticeable at stops and the Sargent is plenty comfortable enough for my daily commute and day trips around my area, so the RDL has yet to go for more than a shakedown cruise.

Both Sargent and RDL will customize the shape and cover material to your specs for additional fees. As will Corbin, Saddleman and others.

Good luck!

 

[STRider]

As @dduelin described... With a little effort you can combine the high front with rear low position to angle the seat upward in the front.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Playing with front and rear seat position combinations.
Aftermarket seat.
Custom aftermarket seat.
Seat riser brackets- These were initially made by a company called MCL. They are out of business. They replaced the brackets that the front of the front seat latches in to raising it up to prevent the forward slide. It is not a complex design. Several people on this forum have made their own since MCL ceased operations.

Re: Highway pegs. A member of this forum is currently working on making some similar to the original all metal MCL design. I don't recall seeing a price.

 

[dduelin]

I rode the stock seat 10,000 miles then 170,000 on a Sargent.

 

[Larry Fine]

I'm sold on RDL seats. Both of my 1100s have them.

 

[jfheath]

What is pushing you forward ? I am 6'4", but my height is in my back. My inside leg measurement is 33 " so just 1" more than you. I find my leg to be rather cramped - my foot on the peg lifts my knee a bit higher than I would like. I can flat foot on both sides and stand up straight and I am not on the seat. I never feel pushed forward into the tank. So at 32" I doubt that your legs or the seat are causing the problem.

That leaves body height and arm length. My arms are long. 6'6" span fingertip to fingertip, so when riding, I have a good bend in my elbows - which suits me because these days, a broken elbow fragment prevents me from straightening my right arm.

I needed bar risers to make my ride more comfortable, to take away some of the lean-forward. The change in height isn't much, but it is enough to make a big difference.

And here's the point that I am working towards - the bar risers also move the bars towards me a fraction. I'm wondering if your being pushed forward' problem is actually a 'having to lean forward' problem. There isn't much scope for changing bars on the 1300, but a little bit may be enough. My risers are the ones from bike-quip.

Just a thought - you'll know better than me whether it makes any sense to your situation !

 

[ski_rush]

I’m not exactly sure why I’m feeling like I’m being pushed forward. I have the seat tilted such that the front is at the high setting and the rear of the seat is at the low setting.

In addition, I do have Heli bar risers installed. I was hoping these would help push or tilt me back more so that I would not keep sliding forward, but it didn’t help.

Maybe my size specs just don’t fit the bike well. I’m not sure what the problem is, but I’m constantly feeling pushed forward and having to try to push myself back. But even when I do that, it doesn’t help really.

I don’t want to go back to a cruiser motorcycle because they all look so plain to me…like you can’t tell them apart from one another. But…I never felt pushed forward or cramped on the VTX.

I was thinking that highway pegs would help my situation, but I’m not sure the PSR wing type pegs will be the fix. I read a few people post on this forum that those pegs are mounted too close, so they really don’t provide the leg comfort that people were hoping for. And, those pegs are essentially the only option right now for highway pegs.

 

[jfheath]

How about knee pads fitted to the fairing to give your knees something to push against ?

You could try it out, see if it helps, by wearing a pair of those gardeners kneeling pads. They are hardly the coolest bit of motorcycle clothing that you will see, but you would know almost immediately whether they would work. Put them on, quick ride, come back and take them off. No one will even notice. Don't racing motorcyclists wear knee-down protectors ?

If they work, a better solution could be developed. I have seen one st1300 with rectangular padding stuck onto the fairing.

edit . Just remembered - If there is any heavy or downhill braking, my pillion naturally uses me for support. That extra weight goes straight into my arms and to the bars. I tend to take some of my own weight onto my knees to stop myself from being pushed too hard against the bars. My knees are normally
quite close the the fairing, and it provides a surprisingly sturdy thing to push against in that situation.

 

[Chris09]

I was thinking bar risers as well; bike ergonomics are a funny thing.

 

[Larry Fine]

What pushes you forward IS the slope of the OEM seat, even if you mount it for least slope.

PSR blades, which I have on my 1100, are said to be better for longer legs than MCL blades.

Something to play with: http://cycle-ergo.com/

 

[gbrand42]

Took me a while to dial in my perfect ergonomics. It needed a Top Sellerie long seat, bar risers from Bike-Quip and Gold Wing footpegs. Now it's perfect.

 

[Kevcules]

The stock seat does seem to make you slide forward on my bike also. I've tried an RDL (expensive waste of money) with no benefit and then making a seat height position peg out of hardwood which helped a lot.
I've removed the seat covering also a few times experimenting with different foam placement and firmness. I still need to find a better more firm foam as the stuff I got is still too soft. Short trips are ok though.
Most of the custom seat manufacturers have very very firm foam which helps for longer distances.
For a budget, take a look at the front seat position peg and make one a little taller.
Good luck....

 

[Ryan_B]

I am shorter than you, but had a similar issue that felt like I was always sliding into the tank. I was correcting for this by keeping pressure on the handle bars to push myself away, which was really throwing everything off and causing pain in my wrists.

I ended up with the Helibar Horizon that you can pretty much adjust to wherever is comfortable. And a used Russell Day Long seat. The combo is a much more upright/neutral seating position for me. I can still tuck forward if desired, but I am more towards the back of my seat now which gives my legs a little more room as well.

I did try a couple of different seats, the Sargent was better than stock in my opinion, but the RDL was night and day difference.

Ryan

 

[Weaselinsuit]

I have the exact same biometrics as you but with a shorter inseam. I had the exact same issue with sliding forward into the tank. Any ride over an hour was agony. I bought a Sargent seat and it was night and day. Was able to do a 11 hour day, granted with breaks. I would seriously look into an after market seat, you can often pick up a used one here for a reasonable price.

 

[motornut]

I also have had a problem of easing forward which made certain articles uncomfortable, I also peeled back the vinyl and put a section of foam inside which worked great as I ran the thickness from thick to thin from the front to back to half way to the rear of seat.
The heli-bar risers were the choice I used for the bars, standing up periodically helps shake the pants down too as they tend to wad up as you creep forward. the nice thing about the pegs up front is being able hang your foot over for a while.
As far as seating goes I rode a 2015 concours to the east coast, the STs seat is a lot more comfortable than it is...... until you start scrubbing turns. Then moving right to left on the seat works very well.
The thing is the pegs being below you gives you nothing to hold you away from the tank except the bars, a couple of inches would be good, they are closer to the front than the Connie and it matters.
I always meant to go to Riches Seats and have one fitted for me, but was to cheap to go there, Friends have and were extremely pleased. Next time you ride Washington go across the pond and check them out.

 

[Rob20111]

Adjust the seat height bracket to middle position, then gently stretch the front end sides such that the plastic pockets in the seat base do not engage the metal tangs on either side of the bike below the tank, while at the same time forcing the back end of the seat into the lowest position (highest step).
This raises the front and flattens out the rear of the seat.
This is how I keep mine.
Along with bar risers, is most comfortable for me.
5’11”/ 207 lbs.

 

[ST1100Y]

But like my 1100 that preceded the 1300, the seat foam was just too soft. It feels great sitting in the garage, but two hours down the road and my cheeks were in agony.

Which comes with age... that of the bike I mean...
On my '00 ST @ over 100,000km the foam was simply worn... got me a Top Sellerie tailored with gel inserts...
Worse on the '94 ST, I literally sank fully in and felt the hard plastic pan; grabbed a NOS OEM seat from the shelf and was suddenly sitting like 2" higher...

So considering that the OP's bike is already 20 years old (plus the known decrease of material quality on "newer" products) I'd suspect simply the foam being worn through...

 

[Larry Fine]

I did try a couple of different seats, the Sargent was better than stock in my opinion, but the RDL was night and day difference.

When you guys say the Sargent seat or the RDL seat, please understand that most aftermarket seats are custom-made, meaning that each one is different in seat height, firmness, angle, front-to-rear position, etc.

I have an RDL on each of my 1100s, and they are very different. The seat on the '01 is very tall, flat, and rear-ward, while the one on the '96 is lower and more traditionally cupped, but both are very comfortable.