Some love them some not. I tried a good adjustable one. Ended up just giving it away. Thought it was the second biggest waste of money I ever spent on a bike.

 

I have arthritis and can’t ride very far without it. Unless I was on a bike that forces me to lean forward I can’t be without one.

 

I just purchased and installed one I picked up from a fellow member here. Personally, I find it very comfortable when I'm on the freeway. I can see where some may find it of no use or benefit while just bombing around in town. If you can find one for a good price, try it out.

Jes

 

I'm having chronic problems in my back. The trips are hard and I ended up half dead and in a lot of pain. With my Mustang seat and backrest I now finish much better and with less pain.
To circulate in the city I remove the backrest because I like the aesthetics more without it.

 

Harley low seat position REQUIRES a backrest because in most cases the rider is leaning back with feet forward. This began in the 70s and 80s when Harley began selling "show bikes" with ergos that made no sense but "looked cool."

The old pogo seat was "King of the Road" comfortable for eight-hour-per-day police patrolling and cruising while sitting comfortably upright. But little people (girls and short guys) wanted those bikes and Harley was all too happy to remove the proper seating and put on a super low perch to make a sale. Of course now you don't reach the bars AND you feel like a clam OR you feel like falling backward off the rear of the motorcycle under acceleration. Oh well. Tell yourself how "cool" you look while you are frightened to death by your Harley feeling horrible!

Here's what I want to know: With all this time why hasn't Harley spent it constructively making seat rests that are built in so you can RIDE these bikes without losing your balance? Is that asking too much? Instead they take a huge motorcycle and stick weird handlebar risers on it to reach back to little people. It is criminal what that does to the handling!

It would have required some actual R&D to design new models built with forward controls and built for different size people. Instead Harley makes their BIGGEST design and simply takes off the seat for little folks to sit on it low. Ridiculous! And now the MoCo is losing new customers because they offer nothing small that people want. Nothing "cool" that is small I should say. The old guys can't wrestle their huge machines much longer. And young people don't think the small Harleys are attractive for the price. So now what? Buy a Honda Super Cub? Ha!

I have a Corbin with an ADJUSTIBLE backrest that leans forward or back to fit the angle I require. More should be done in this regard to maximize the contact points on my back. Why isn't anybody working on this problem? FORWARD CONTROLS REQUIRE A BACKREST HARLEY ARE YOU LISTENING? Why keep pretending you can sit the bike when in truth the bike feels like crap? Ha!

 

Still relevant, so here goes. I have back problems, and more recently, broke my back in 10 places. I still don't a rider backrest with the way I have my bike set up. It keeps me in an upright position and the backrest isn't needed. But yes, depending on the seat and handlebar configuration, a back rest can be invaluable.

 

Well, I do like my backrest and my cop seat..

 

That is my dream setup for all around riding on a highway bike. It balances perfect under the ***** of your feet. It gives support to keep you secure under acceleration. It is the perfect seat setup for a person six feet tall or so. It doesn't look weird on a big highway machine either.

If Harley put this exact setup on all their bikes I would own one of each! But because so many Harley setups suck so bad there is in some cases no seating made for them. I spent 20 years looking for a seat for my Deuce but no one on earth makes a high rider with a backrest. So the idea you can make any Harley fit you is a lie. I finally had to give up and put on apes because that is the only triangle the bike can run with. It has a low setup and that's that. No pogo saddles need apply!

So I pick any model I want and then spend years and years trying to get the ergos right.
What a hassle! Thanks Harley! Hope you guys made some extra money selling these hogs to little shrimpy folks. But I think the MoCo marketing strategy sucks! They make bikes that fit NO ONE. Well maybe a Sporty fits a girl. Or a girl can ride pretty good on a Road Glide ST. But no way a six foot guy is going to like having his knees up at his chin all day!

In my opinion Harley with a cop seat is ideal for eight hour riding days upright without hard accel for the most part. Then mid controls and a HIGH saddle for those that like aggressive cornering. THEN a super high racing saddle with back support built in like on the Harley super bagger race bikes. Take a look. This works for truly HARD riding at high speed even if it is pretty uncomfortable. It is perfect for racing!

And a big Harley with perfect seating is the most fun bike to own as it can cruise in total comfort all day. Now if the MoCo just knew how to set up their own bikes it would all be so much more fun to buy one. Ha!

 

Rode my earlier years without a backrest and never considered one as an option. Stopped in Sam’s one day to pick up a double pack of charcoal briquettes. Strapped that onto the passenger seat and realized what I’d been missing.

So after several years, multiple bikes and various seat-backrest combos I’m settled in with a Grasshopper paired with a Mean City Cycles modded stock ‘20 Street Glide seat.

 

This is an old thread but I don’t like backrest. I run a Corbin seat which I love , bought it with the backrest . I have tried it in many positions and never have found it comfortable. I like to sit back on the seat and the backrest prevents that . I tour and do 6-8 hour days in the saddle with no backrest and no problems. I am 64 , have a bad back and have had both hips and knees replaced for reference.