Thanks to a few guys on the Sportster forum here who tried this out. I kinda took their idea and tried to refine it a bit. Still working on it, but felt I could post here now.

So I dig the H-D Spring Solo seat for the extra comfort it offers on rough roads here. (The springs really do help.) And I like the throwback look on my bike.

But I always felt the torsion springs provided with the seat propped you up a bit too high. You feel like you are ON the bike, as opposed to IN it. Especially compared to the low-profile, but somewhat uncomfy stock seat. And you can't find narrower springs no matter where you look.



I've never been a fan of pogo seats, and I don't like straight barrel springs for whatever reason. I don't think either sits you lower down than the torsion springs anyway.

But I was able to get some 8 bucks a piece rubber stoppers, a rod bolt for 3 bucks, and some all purpose springs for 5 bucks to rig up a possible solution. You may not really tell from this pic, but it cuts the distance from the top of the ECM to the bottom of the seat in half. And the ride is just as smooth and stable, if not more smooth and stable.



You basically screw the rod in to the stopper, which has metal threaded innards, and the other end of the rod into the stock mounting bracket that came with the HD spring solo seat. The springs are cosmetic only, but they wrap nicely around the rod for a shock absorber effect. (The rubber is really what's absorbing the bumps.)

The ride is a little smother than the torsion springs, believe it or not. And you are just as stable on the bike. The seat is held in place by the front bracket that came stock with the HD kit.

Only if you are kneeling down can you see the the stoppers aren't flush with the underside of the seat. But I am working on a refinement for that and other small details. I may paint the threaded rod black and leave the springs as they are for more of a stand out effect.

Opinions welcome, but bear in mind this isn't a finished product. I am checking the rubber stoppers after test rides and carrying my stock springs with me just in case. But so far, all seems solid as can be. And I feel like I'm back in the cockpit of my bike! I had to adjust my rear view mirrors even, because sitting lower had they aiming too high behind me.

 

Innovative as hell, and my hats off to you, but no way would i want to sit on that piece of leather several hundred miles.

What's the most miles you've put in that seat in a day?

That hurts just looking at it...

 

Kinda what I was thinking. My tailbone just started aching while looking at it. It may be comfy, and great innovation, but not sure id head off for a long ride without one hell of a sheep skin on there.

 

Thanks.

Most people will tell, and they are correct, that this spring seat, and even thinner aftermarket ones, are actually pretty comfortable.

I couldn't do more than 80 miles on the stock seat, which is a regular padded low profile seat. At least without my *** going numb. I do 200 no problem on this spring seat. Where it really pays off is on rougher city roads. Springs, and in the case above, rubber stoppers, really work.

Now is it as comfy as a really billowy touring seat? I doubt it. But pillowy seats just don't look right to me on a Slim. YMMV.

 

That does surprise me.

OK, second question, how old are you??

My friends son bought a new 48 a couple of months ago. He didn't have his ML yet so he asked me to ride it home from the dealer for him. Only went 20 miles, and that was plenty for me between the seat, bars, and suspension.

5 years ago i rode a hardtail. My how a few years makes a difference...

 

I'm 44. But I'm just about 5 pounds above my H.S. weight and pretty avid gym visitor. All that crap. Average sized guy too, at 5'9'' and 170 lbs.

But it's not really my age, or the shape I'm in. Or maybe it is.

Not sure if you've ever tried a spring seat, but they are more comfortable to me than a lot of padded low profile seats. (Though I would love to try the Danny Gray buttcrack solo, which is nice and low, and they say comfy.)

Makes sense if you think about it. Spring seats were most popular for lowered rigids. Put one on a Softail, even a slightly lowered one like mine, and it works out pretty good.

For the experiment I rigged up above, it's not the springs, but the rubber stopper that is absorbing bumps. And it's actually doing an even better job than the springs. But I'll keep an eye on it.

 

If it works for you and is comfy more power to you.

But the torsion springs look better by a long ways.

 

Outstanding! outstanding member.. Subscribed.

 

Thanks FXD!

Ace, I have to agree that I like the LOOK of the torsions best. Though, not by that much more, actually. At least not at this point.

The ride doesn't compare. It's so much nicer to sit lower. And the rubber stoppers really are doing a job comparable, or better, than the springs. At least so far.

One thing this experiment might let me do is find a torsion spring solution. For sure, because I have looked, there are no aftermarkets out there that will do the job. They either don't line up right, or are not narrow enough from scissor end to scissor end.

But there is a company that might make some custom torsions for me at a reasonable price. They don't usually do small orders, but they kinda like the moto fab idea. And now I can send them one of my stock springs to borrow as an example if they want. We'll see.

In the meantime, I just finished my second test ride on my experiment here, and still solid and comfy. Diggin it.

 

I'm only 6 yrs older, work construction and also hit the gym hard. Dropped 21 lbs in the last 2 months to get close to my old playing weight. I still cringe at the slim seats.

The look is really cool though, and like i said, nifty job fabricating....