replacement seat that moves me closer
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Hey JMC22, that video is great. I don't have any issue with the comfort of the seat itself, just the reach. Someone asked about my height and inseam. 5'7" and about 31", if that helps. This just might just be going in the right direction. I want to take my Fat Bob on longer excursions without the arm ache.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 3,145
Likes: 2,907
From: New York
Look up Mean City Cycles www.meancitycycles.com
Call them up and discuss your needs. They will take your stock seat and rework it with memory foam and gell pacs. They will move you forward too. Actuall make any adjustment you need and you will save a ton of money over a new seat. I did it and am very happy.
Call them up and discuss your needs. They will take your stock seat and rework it with memory foam and gell pacs. They will move you forward too. Actuall make any adjustment you need and you will save a ton of money over a new seat. I did it and am very happy.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 113
Likes: 8
I've got a 2003 FXDL w/ forwards and I'm a short guy and I've got short arms and legs even for my height - 5 ft 6 inches but if I'm sitting at the bar I see eye-to-eye with someone who is 6+ feet.
Anyway - I went through this problem, could reach the controls just fine but a combination of reaching down for the bars and forwards put me into the seat and could never sit back into it. Recommendations I got included changing controls to mids, seat, and bars.
What I ended up doing (after alot of thinking and measuring and second guessing) was putting Chubbys W0507's on my bike - they are 10 inch rise T bars w/ 12.5 pullback, 30.5 inches wide (same as stock width).
That solved the problem 100% - there is now no benefit for any seat or control modification, I can reach the pegs, the bars, and am pushed into the back of the seat 100% comfortable.
When I first ran into this I thought what I really needed was pullback or to be closer to the bars somehow. After measuring and looking at it I realized the #1 problem was the height of the stock bars by the time I adjusted them back (which pulls them down)..
Of course it did require a minimum of a brake line in my case, and I decided to replace all the old cables (which were getting beat) and to keep the stock cable routing.
Additionally I had to extend wiring and pull it through the bars - would be expensive at a dealer due to the internal wiring, but you could go with other bars that don't require the internal wire BS, changing cables or simply extending wiring is no big deal.
Jon
Anyway - I went through this problem, could reach the controls just fine but a combination of reaching down for the bars and forwards put me into the seat and could never sit back into it. Recommendations I got included changing controls to mids, seat, and bars.
What I ended up doing (after alot of thinking and measuring and second guessing) was putting Chubbys W0507's on my bike - they are 10 inch rise T bars w/ 12.5 pullback, 30.5 inches wide (same as stock width).
That solved the problem 100% - there is now no benefit for any seat or control modification, I can reach the pegs, the bars, and am pushed into the back of the seat 100% comfortable.
When I first ran into this I thought what I really needed was pullback or to be closer to the bars somehow. After measuring and looking at it I realized the #1 problem was the height of the stock bars by the time I adjusted them back (which pulls them down)..
Of course it did require a minimum of a brake line in my case, and I decided to replace all the old cables (which were getting beat) and to keep the stock cable routing.
Additionally I had to extend wiring and pull it through the bars - would be expensive at a dealer due to the internal wiring, but you could go with other bars that don't require the internal wire BS, changing cables or simply extending wiring is no big deal.
Jon
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,044
Likes: 336
Hey JMC22, that video is great. I don't have any issue with the comfort of the seat itself, just the reach. Someone asked about my height and inseam. 5'7" and about 31", if that helps. This just might just be going in the right direction. I want to take my Fat Bob on longer excursions without the arm ache.
It sounds as though your position with the lower controls (shifter/rear brake) are comfortable for you as is the seat and that you want to be more comfortable with the upper controls (clutch/throttle).
Your arms should have a slight bend in the elbows so that you are not reaching and they are relaxed and not absorbing all of the front fork bumps.
If you agree, then a same height riser but with a pull-back might do the trick - an 1.5" pull-back is a very easy and non-expensive switch out thing to do as you saw in the video.
I in fact just made this same mod last week & took mine out for a 200 mile ride and loved the position - BTW I'm 6'2" with a 36" inseam
What ever you decide, after you made your mod, fill us in and let us know how it went.
Last edited by JMC22; Apr 29, 2014 at 03:13 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Yeah, JMC22, I will ponder and decide. It may be a few weeks, but when all is done, I will detail my experience, solution decided on, and document the process of making the change. Education is key... for myself and hopefully for others as well.
Thanks. Everyone feel free to make any more comments you care to. I'll keep checking.
Thanks. Everyone feel free to make any more comments you care to. I'll keep checking.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
