Seat Options?

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R65_Steve
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Seat Options?

Post by R65_Steve »

I bought a 2004 Rockster a couple of weeks ago. I'm 6' tall and I think I need the taller seat. My right leg is cramping at the ankle due to the angle of the peg and brake pedal. The tall seat is way expensive new ($400) so I want to see what other options are out there. The RTs seem to have an adjustable seat. I thought of taking the mounting blocks off and putting some material under it to jack it up a bit, but the point where it catches the tank will be an issue. So I'm thinking of my options:

- BMW Tall seat
- Jack up the stock seat and figure out the connection to the tank
- Seargent
- Corbin
- ?

I don't know about the aftermarket items...anyone provide any feedback? Would a seat from another BMW model fit if I found a good used bargain?
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riceburner
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by riceburner »

Take the cover off the seat and re-pad it?

The taller seat could be found 2nd hand (it's just difficult to identify from ebay ads unless the seller actually knows what they've got).
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kirby
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by kirby »

Add an Airhawk air seat pad or a fleece pad with some kind of padding underneath to suit like foam pad.
That would be the cheap(est) was me thinks or do what I did and order a custom seat. I got mine 12 years ago from sergeant seat co. and it still looks new.
Comfort for me is a must as I put in long days in the saddle. If you are going to ride allot then don't skimp on the seat, get it right.
I have a 34" inseam (6'4") and never (almost never) use the rear brake, in fact haven't had to replace the pads since new. If you only have a cramp on the peg to brake angle you might look into adjusting the brake pedal.

Just say'n
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sykospain
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by sykospain »

In many countries there are specialist bike-seat modifiers working out of small back-street workshops who'll re-shape the standard BMW rider's seat. Like the genial Tony Archer in Huddersfield, Yokk-shurr, who whips off the seat covering with his special de-stapler, where there's usually enough spare material on the "other" side of the staples to allow more seat-foam to be inserted on top of the OEM fitment. If not, he'll reach for his big roll of seat-cover textile. Then re-staple all round - kushtie.
Saves hunting the Bay or even worse, paying the ridiculous profiteering cost required by The Greedy Berlin Pig.
Tony lowered my Rockster seat a year ago for a mere ten snoojits after 15 minutes' work.
AL in s.e. Spain
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sweatmark
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by sweatmark »

R65_Steve wrote:I bought a 2004 Rockster a couple of weeks ago. I'm 6' tall and I think I need the taller seat. My right leg is cramping at the ankle due to the angle of the peg and brake pedal. The tall seat is way expensive new ($400) so I want to see what other options are out there. The RTs seem to have an adjustable seat. I thought of taking the mounting blocks off and putting some material under it to jack it up a bit, but the point where it catches the tank will be an issue. So I'm thinking of my options:

- BMW Tall seat
- Jack up the stock seat and figure out the connection to the tank
- Seargent
- Corbin
- ?

I don't know about the aftermarket items...anyone provide any feedback? Would a seat from another BMW model fit if I found a good used bargain?
Not aware of any other BMW original equipment (OE) seats that fit besides R1150R Roadster/Rockster parts, including GS, RT, earlier R850/1100 Roadster.

Corbin standard 2-place seat is dished and low, tried it for 1 season and sold to rider who it fit better. But I loved the very firm foam and smooth, quality leather. Hated the heavy Corbin seatpan.

Sargent is taller - not as high as OE Tall seat option, but adds a bit of seat height compared to the OE Roadster standard height. The Sargent I used for 10 years was second-hand, older seat cover material, tired foam; uncomfortable when in saddle >8 hours. But I'd buy another Sargent.

Sheepskin adds maybe 0.5" if dense... tried it for a season but not my preference.

Airhawk pad or equivalent is magic for iron butt rides or >8 hours; best suited for highway/slab/Interstate droning because of the slightly "disconnected" feeling you get at the all-important butt-bike ergonomic interface. I often carry an Airhawk during trips for emergency use only.

For reference: I'm 6ft, 31" inseam, "tall in the saddle" ergos.

Rockster2 I bought last month has the BMW Tall seat, OE for Rockster models. I've ridden 1500 miles and am reminded that it's a comfortable option. Provides a grippy (if slightly wedgie) human/machine interface, with seat height maybe 2" taller than OE Roadster seat. I have a custom seat that will replace the Tall, so PM me if you want to buy it.
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FloridaNative
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by FloridaNative »

The confusion in OEM seat heights is because the Roadster and Rockster have different "standard" seat heights. There are 3 OEM seats that fit the Rockster/Roadster...

1. Roadster Standard
2. Roadster Tall = Rockster Standard
3. Rockster Tall

I am 5' 10" and prefer #2 on my Roadster. My father who is 6' 2" preferred #3 on his Roadster.
R65_Steve
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by R65_Steve »

I got a "tall" seat from Sweatmark. Might be the standard. It's much better for me. Still I have trouble with my ankle cramping a little. I could slide back onto the passenger seat to stretch out a little. :)
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sweatmark
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by sweatmark »

R65_Steve wrote:I got a "tall" seat from Sweatmark. Might be the standard. It's much better for me. Still I have trouble with my ankle cramping a little. I could slide back onto the passenger seat to stretch out a little. :)
Steve - you've got the OE Rockster seat, which was Tall option for Roadster. The previous info is incorrect.

R1150R Roadster had 3 driver seat options: low, medium (which was OE), and tall.

Rockster OE was the tall, with the low & medium Roadster seats as options, though parts fiche has changed over the years.
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sykospain
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by sykospain »

I wouldn't really recommend the option I chose in order to give me more legroom - and less knee cramps - on my Rockster. I decided to fit a used set of GS pegs, both sides.

Many many mods were needed; too many to go into detail here, but certainly gives me a much much more comfy seated knee-angle and a relaxing 'stance' on the bike.
But a load of hassle as it turned out.
Your left-hand boot's access to the sidestand is different; the rear brake rod-to-master cylinder length is different, as is the gearshift linkage, etc., etc.
Better go the Wunderlich, Verholen or Hornig lower-pegs route.
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Photoguy
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by Photoguy »

My rant: My old 850R had a 3 way adjustable seat. It was a pretty basic system or relocating mounting blocks under the seat, but at least it worked. I'm surprised that they abandoned this idea as it allowed at least some small adjustability vs having to buy a new seat.

I lowered the pegs with a generic lowing kit that helped a lot. My only issue was that the rear brake lever was a little difficult to reach but I solved that by making a short extension for it (after lowering it to it's lowest position).

I don't think these bikes were ever intended to be the 'easy chair' riding position like a big Harley, but with only a few small changes they can become much more comfortable for a long ride.
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by Maitre »

Sargent.
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riceburner
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by riceburner »

Photoguy wrote:My rant: My old 850R had a 3 way adjustable seat. It was a pretty basic system or relocating mounting blocks under the seat, but at least it worked. I'm surprised that they abandoned this idea as it allowed at least some small adjustability vs having to buy a new seat.

IIRC the seat mounting on the R1100R (which the R850R was a sleeved version of), was quite different and I assume that BMW were looking to save some pennies on the production of the 1150s. That adjustable seat height system is more expensive to produce than simply putting thicker foam on the same seat pan (a la R1150R)
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Tigcraft
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by Tigcraft »

sykospain wrote:I wouldn't really recommend the option I chose in order to give me more legroom - and less knee cramps - on my Rockster. I decided to fit a used set of GS pegs, both sides.

Many many mods were needed; too many to go into detail here, but certainly gives me a much much more comfy seated knee-angle and a relaxing 'stance' on the bike.
But a load of hassle as it turned out.
Your left-hand boot's access to the sidestand is different; the rear brake rod-to-master cylinder length is different, as is the gearshift linkage, etc., etc.
Better go the Wunderlich, Verholen or Hornig lower-pegs route.
Out of interest Alan how tall are you? I ask because I’m 5’6” and my rockster is too tall. Mine came with a second lower aftermarket seat which has a compartment underneath and completely different vinyl pattern that looks badly made. When that’s fitted it’s a bit lower to the ground but it’s not nicely shaped and now I noticed I’m more cramped when on the footpegs. I noticed you mentioned swapping foot pegs.
Part of me wants to put shorter shocks on as a better mod than the ugly aftermarket seat I’m using.
Have you any pics of your mods? Eric
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sykospain
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by sykospain »

Yes, Eric - loads of fotos of the lower GS pegs and the requisite feckling that was needed to make them fit. PM me with your e-mail as they're hi-res fotos.

At 5'10" - I'm the archetypal standard male height and build - or so the department store outfitters tell me - the only prob I have with the Rockster standard-height seat is the width just beneath your tackle when you're standing at lights.

I got Tony Archer in Hudds to lower the seat height by shaving a couple of cms off the top surface, but later decided the problem was that pesky over-wide padding immediately behind the end of the tank.
So I took the seat back to him and he thinned that inner-thigh part.
Wonderfully transformed comfort.
The Germans that they used at the factory to design the seat shape must all have been former cowpokes with chaps, spurs, six-shooters and bow legs.
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by Tigcraft »

sykospain wrote:Yes, Eric - loads of fotos of the lower GS pegs and the requisite feckling that was needed to make them fit. PM me with your e-mail as they're hi-res fotos.

At 5'10" - I'm the archetypal standard male height and build - or so the department store outfitters tell me - the only prob I have with the Rockster standard-height seat is the width just beneath your tackle when you're standing at lights.

I got Tony Archer in Hudds to lower the seat height by shaving a couple of cms off the top surface, but later decided the problem was that pesky over-wide padding immediately behind the end of the tank.
So I took the seat back to him and he thinned that inner-thigh part.
Wonderfully transformed comfort.
The Germans that they used at the factory to design the seat shape must all have been former cowpokes with chaps, spurs, six-shooters and bow legs.
I think a lot of modern bikes theses days that are of ‘usefulness construction’ tend to be for the new generation of 7 foot Germans we see more of as it seems 5 foot summat lads are getting phased out. I noticed you hanging around the Huddersfield suppliers a bit would that mean your an ex proper Yorkshire lad? Pm to follow.....
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Re: Seat Options?

Post by BadToTheBown »

kirby wrote:...Airhawk air seat pad or a fleece pad...
+1
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