hd seat differences?
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 70
Likes: 12
From: Merced, CA
I've ridden with all 3 on my 18 SGS. I'm 5'10" and 190lbs with a fused back and have the hd driver adjustable backrest. I also have the long angled highway pegs, extended floorboards and 12" HD bars.
Stock - I couldn't do it. To me this seat was a great seating position, but it was too harsh when riding and I felt like I was sitting on top of the bike which my back didn't like. I could only ride 50 or so miles before I had to stop.
Sundowner - I really enjoyed this seat and it gave me a more relaxed feeling when riding. Very comfortable and could ride for 3-4 hours without many issues. My biggest complaint was the the front of the seat felt really wide and felt as though my hips were spread a little too much.
Hammock - my current seat and probably won't go with anything else. Very similar seating position as the sundowner, but I feel like I sit lower in the bike. It did move me forward a bit. Not too much to make me feel crunched, but enough to make me sit more upright, which is probably better for my back. The front is a little narrower than the sundowner, but has a steeper angle leading up to the tank. The "hammock" design definitely helps with rougher roads and gave me a slightly smoother ride.
Stock - I couldn't do it. To me this seat was a great seating position, but it was too harsh when riding and I felt like I was sitting on top of the bike which my back didn't like. I could only ride 50 or so miles before I had to stop.
Sundowner - I really enjoyed this seat and it gave me a more relaxed feeling when riding. Very comfortable and could ride for 3-4 hours without many issues. My biggest complaint was the the front of the seat felt really wide and felt as though my hips were spread a little too much.
Hammock - my current seat and probably won't go with anything else. Very similar seating position as the sundowner, but I feel like I sit lower in the bike. It did move me forward a bit. Not too much to make me feel crunched, but enough to make me sit more upright, which is probably better for my back. The front is a little narrower than the sundowner, but has a steeper angle leading up to the tank. The "hammock" design definitely helps with rougher roads and gave me a slightly smoother ride.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 390
From: NJ
I've ridden with all 3 on my 18 SGS. I'm 5'10" and 190lbs with a fused back and have the hd driver adjustable backrest. I also have the long angled highway pegs, extended floorboards and 12" HD bars.
Stock - I couldn't do it. To me this seat was a great seating position, but it was too harsh when riding and I felt like I was sitting on top of the bike which my back didn't like. I could only ride 50 or so miles before I had to stop.
Sundowner - I really enjoyed this seat and it gave me a more relaxed feeling when riding. Very comfortable and could ride for 3-4 hours without many issues. My biggest complaint was the the front of the seat felt really wide and felt as though my hips were spread a little too much.
Hammock - my current seat and probably won't go with anything else. Very similar seating position as the sundowner, but I feel like I sit lower in the bike. It did move me forward a bit. Not too much to make me feel crunched, but enough to make me sit more upright, which is probably better for my back. The front is a little narrower than the sundowner, but has a steeper angle leading up to the tank. The "hammock" design definitely helps with rougher roads and gave me a slightly smoother ride.
Stock - I couldn't do it. To me this seat was a great seating position, but it was too harsh when riding and I felt like I was sitting on top of the bike which my back didn't like. I could only ride 50 or so miles before I had to stop.
Sundowner - I really enjoyed this seat and it gave me a more relaxed feeling when riding. Very comfortable and could ride for 3-4 hours without many issues. My biggest complaint was the the front of the seat felt really wide and felt as though my hips were spread a little too much.
Hammock - my current seat and probably won't go with anything else. Very similar seating position as the sundowner, but I feel like I sit lower in the bike. It did move me forward a bit. Not too much to make me feel crunched, but enough to make me sit more upright, which is probably better for my back. The front is a little narrower than the sundowner, but has a steeper angle leading up to the tank. The "hammock" design definitely helps with rougher roads and gave me a slightly smoother ride.
wow that was a great response. i thank you for that.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,463
Likes: 2,990
From: Charleston, SC
I also have all three.
Stock Ultra is a little cramped in the groin area. Nose is ok, height tall. If you can actually keep this seat for 10K miles it wears in somewhat and works pretty well. Good isolation from bumps etc. Passenger thinks its "good".
Sundowner is a bucket seat, lower and harder than an Ultra but wide at the nose. The bucket lip is present at the nose as well and can be uncomfortable with your legs down. Passenger thinks it's "hard".
Hammock is somewhat a bucket. Taller than a sundowner, and about the same height or maybe a wee bit taller than an Ultra. Nose is narrow, legs down no problem. Road /bump isolation is superb. Passenger thinks it's great...
The Hammock is not a looker, but for us it's been the most comfortable...stays on the bike year around.
Stock Ultra is a little cramped in the groin area. Nose is ok, height tall. If you can actually keep this seat for 10K miles it wears in somewhat and works pretty well. Good isolation from bumps etc. Passenger thinks its "good".
Sundowner is a bucket seat, lower and harder than an Ultra but wide at the nose. The bucket lip is present at the nose as well and can be uncomfortable with your legs down. Passenger thinks it's "hard".
Hammock is somewhat a bucket. Taller than a sundowner, and about the same height or maybe a wee bit taller than an Ultra. Nose is narrow, legs down no problem. Road /bump isolation is superb. Passenger thinks it's great...
The Hammock is not a looker, but for us it's been the most comfortable...stays on the bike year around.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,820
Likes: 587
From: Michigan
I go 270, 5' 10" & my experience differs. Had a Sundowner on my '07 & loved it. But tried a hammock on that bike & thought it was better (not better enough to spend the money). When I got my '14 I purchased the Hammock. But it was the '14 & later version. Found it to be a ball crusher. Gave it a couple thou to break in but didn't get any better. Put the stock seat back on & road it a full season. OK but not really super comfy. Put on a Danny Gray 2XL Long Haul. Sits me lower, farther back & has the Air Hawk bladders/pumps built in. Wife like it best of the 3 & it definitely works well for me. More expensive than most of the H-D seats (except the Zeppelin & top end heated seats) but looks better, more comfortable, real leather.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,068
Likes: 11,086
From: San Diego, CA
My experience is with these seats on a 2016 Ultra Classic, I bought used.........
The stock seat, in a word, sucked.... I found it cramped and uncomfortable. While searching for a better seat, I found my seat was a "Low" seat, even though my bike is not a "Low" model. Obviously changed out by the prior owner. The normal height OEM seat on my '12 Limited wasn't as bad as the "low" seat, but I changed out the seat on that bike too.
My wife and I test rode an HD Hammock seat as a dealer demo. We took it on a 3 hour ride. It was much more comfortable than the "Low" seat, or from what I remembered of the '12 OEM seat. I felt it did sit me a higher than the "low" seat, maybe even higher than the OEM '12 seat. The wife really liked it. It was on my short list
I bought a used Sundowner cheap on eBay, to use while deciding on a premium ($$$$$) seat. There are two Sundowners, I got the wider version. I was actually surprised at how comfortable it was. It sat me lower than the Hammock, almost as low as the "Low" seat, but I wasn't pushed up against the tank like the "Low" seat. Even more of a surprise, the wife liked it better than the Hammock. It was more firm than the Hammock, but just as comfortable, or maybe a little more comfortable, but in a different way...
The Sundowner is still on my bike, but I have a multi-day trip in the near future that will determine if I keep it or go for a premium ($$$$) seat....
The stock seat, in a word, sucked.... I found it cramped and uncomfortable. While searching for a better seat, I found my seat was a "Low" seat, even though my bike is not a "Low" model. Obviously changed out by the prior owner. The normal height OEM seat on my '12 Limited wasn't as bad as the "low" seat, but I changed out the seat on that bike too.
My wife and I test rode an HD Hammock seat as a dealer demo. We took it on a 3 hour ride. It was much more comfortable than the "Low" seat, or from what I remembered of the '12 OEM seat. I felt it did sit me a higher than the "low" seat, maybe even higher than the OEM '12 seat. The wife really liked it. It was on my short list
I bought a used Sundowner cheap on eBay, to use while deciding on a premium ($$$$$) seat. There are two Sundowners, I got the wider version. I was actually surprised at how comfortable it was. It sat me lower than the Hammock, almost as low as the "Low" seat, but I wasn't pushed up against the tank like the "Low" seat. Even more of a surprise, the wife liked it better than the Hammock. It was more firm than the Hammock, but just as comfortable, or maybe a little more comfortable, but in a different way...
The Sundowner is still on my bike, but I have a multi-day trip in the near future that will determine if I keep it or go for a premium ($$$$) seat....
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 390
From: NJ
So after some research it seems that the Hammock seat may not be the best option because of my weight. It seems as though the hammock pulls out of the groove in the back and renders itself useless when you’re a heavier person. I am going to try and demo the sundowner.
I have been on the hunt for a comfortable long range seat for three years. I do remember quite a few years ago when I rented a limited I had no problems with my butt. Low bars and no highway pegs however made it somewhat uncomfortable.
I have been on the hunt for a comfortable long range seat for three years. I do remember quite a few years ago when I rented a limited I had no problems with my butt. Low bars and no highway pegs however made it somewhat uncomfortable.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,185
Likes: 802
From: Washington
I've got a 2014 Ultra Limited with a Hammock seat on it. I'm a big boy, about 315 lb. I've ran the Hammock about three years and 20,000 miles. Based on comments on the Forum, I have kept expecting the sling to pull out of the groove. There are guidelines on here about how to secure it if you need to. I check mine about twice a year, have yet to have a problem so I don't know why some of them slip. Too much ArmourAll?
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 390
From: NJ
i just sold an air hawk seat cushion... while it helped and i wouldn't have been able to do our last trip without it. i do not feel it is the best solution for me.