I have an '06 Street Bob with a stock seat modified by Mean City Cycles and it is pretty good on the butt. I still need to figure out what to do about my back. I have short arms and my riding position has a slight forward lean, so a backrest will not help. I have tried various positions with my mini-apes and I am starting to think that I need to look at the overall setup including my mid-controls. It may just be that I don't fit this bike and that I need a different one. Anybody else have to deal with this?

 

You should be able to modify/adjust seat/bars/foot controls- to get the best feel. The bike is fine, you just need to get the right combination of things to fit you.

Find a dealer and go sit on a bunch of different configurations: note the seat, bars, controls and height.

Just 'cause Mean City modified your seat, doesn't mean it puts you where you need to be on the bike.

 

I have sat on a Softail Deluxe and it fits better. Not sure how I can make my Street Bob fit that well without trading it in on one, and I can't realy afford to do that.

 

Have you looked at HD's "reach seat" for the Dyna's ? Take a look at Mustang solos also, some models have backrest attachments.

As for the bars, what is your arm length (from the 'dip' in your shoulder, to the tip of your bird finger)?

Lot's of different bars and riser combinations out there.

 

FWIW, I'm short too at 5'6 1/2" and also have a "short" reach to the bars. I've adjusted the stock bars at least a half a dozen times and finally found my sweet spot for comfort. Also adjusting the controls/levers makes a big difference as well. I can ride for several hours using the stock seat with no discomfort at all. The LePera seat is good for maybe two hours at most, but the reach to the bars is good.

I recommend moving the bars just a little bit closer to you...just a 1/4" adjustment can make a big difference in comfort.

 

do you have a pic of the modified seat on the bike? I was thinking of sending them a seat too.

 

What exactly is hurting? I am 5'4" and find I am leaning forward, too. I curve the back a bit, makes me think of a turtle But that probably is from the sportbikes. I have the bars in line with the forks. Around 100 miles, my tailbone is quite sore and I have had that issue with the stock seat, a custom shaped seat and now a Le Pera bare bones (where I would expect such comfort!).

I find the leaning forward actually makes it more comfortable.

 

It looks nearly identical to how it started. They swap out the foam for memory foam, and if you want, they will make it slightly thinner and narrower to aid touching down.

One caution: If you have mid controls, they will be easier to reach too. To shift, I have to lift my leg more than I used to, and sometimes my hip winds up hurting.

This is another part of my ergonomic problem, and why I'm looking at the controls.

Not exactly hurting, just not comfortable. Lower back, left hip. the pic above shows the bars pulled back quite a bit. It didn't help and it looked bad too, so now they are in line with the forks.

 

And here I am pushing MY apes forward SO i'll lean forward more!

I agree with the other guys, prolly just a matter of tweaking something somewhere. Most likely your bars back just a bit more.

 

FWIW I felt the same way. I am 5'10" but I guess I have short arms. I bought a Reach seat. Now it feels much more comfortable. I sit upright and everything feels within reach now.