I find it interesting that factory Harley seats offer a different rider height depending on the model. Don't get me wrong, it makes sense, I just never thought about it.
Not to high jack but is there a factory seat that is lower and/or more rearward than the Ultra Limited?

Jes

 

Great intel rauchman. With a 34" inseam, it's interesting that they would recommend the standard over the extended version of the Road Sofa...hmmm. As I mentioned earlier, my version of the Hammock does move me back about 3/4" and wouldn't want to give that up. A touch more would even be welcome. I do realize that with every inch back, it does decrease passenger room. I'm fortunate in that my wife is only about 120 lbs at 5'7". She currently still has plenty of room on our Hammock...even with the adjustable back rest in place.

I do like that it's a touch higher than my stock Ltd seat...that's a big plus for me. The heated option is what would cause me to look into a new seat and I don't think the new, current heated version of the Hammock is the same as what I have. I'd have to demo it first. Again, I'll be watching and following closely.

 

The Road Sofa is great. With your inseam the seat height wont be an issue.

Check out Sargent cycle. I replaced my Road Sofa with a Sargent....

 

Stock RG/SG seats are both lower and a bit more back than a Limited or Ultra seat. Your passenger will not like it though. I use mine a couple of times a year when I remove the TourPak and go out by myself on short rides.
There's usually plenty of these used (take-off) ones for sale. I got mine for $100 and it was like new.

 

+1 on Lepera daddy long legs kickflip

 

Everyone is different. I have had corbin, mustang and lepera seats that didn't work for me. Right now all 4 of my bikes have hd seats, although 2 of them are not the stock ones. If you are switching seats, get some miles on it before you make the long trip or it could be a miserable trip.

 

I'm kinda with you in wanting the extended reach myself. My current seat, Mustang Supertour Deluxe is about the same depth as the RS ER, also taller than the stock RG seat (probably a touch shorter and a touch more back than the RS...I think it's the same height as the Ultra/Limited seat). I've found with the backrest it's pretty comfortable for slogging miles, but for anything with turns it's too far back and riding the seat closer to the tank allows for a much better position for command of the bike. The seat is pretty flat allowing for easy fore/aft repositioning. I just put on KST 12" Straight Jacket bars having a much less degree of pitch / pullback to the stock bars. Riding closer to the tank is perfect with the handlebar hand position, while when leaning back in cruising mode, the pitch/angle of the grips is just noticeably less than ideal. If the Mustang was slimmed down in the girth a bit, it would be a contender for "it". I think the RS is the next closest dimensionally, and I like that it's slimmer with a distinct look, option for heat and some choices in materials, patterns, stitching, etc.

Regarding 2up, using the Mustang as a close analog in rider / passenger length and height, my wife is 5'8" 145lbs and she found the seat provided a much better height than the stock RG/RGS seat allowing for more leg room, and also waaaaay better padding and surface area, but felt it was tight fore/aft. While she has her own bike, she's been riding with me more since getting the RG so 2up comfort is becoming a higher priority. While I haven't done it on the Mustang, I would guess riding 2up with the backrest would intrude that much more on the passenger room on both the RS and Mustang.

Saddlemen lists the RS as having a 15.5" driver length, and also say it's the same dimension as stock. I saw a thread on the Le Pera Rt66 where someone compared the stock touring seat to the Le Pera and the touring seat cam in at 14.5". I guess it's how it' measured. The RS ER is listed as having a 17.5" driver length, so figure 2" further back than the stock touring seat and a smidge taller. I think the Saddlemen Dominator is another contender. It has an 16.5" depth with a touch more height than the stock RG/RGS seat, and the pillion offers pretty good passenger accommodations. And, you can get it heated, all in for about $850 or so inclusive of backrest and pillion. Downsides, it's a bit narrow at 12" width, is supposed to be a royal PITA to get off/on the bike and only the driver section can accommodate heat.

Regarding the gel, I was at a Native American festival 2 weekends ago at Bear Mountain, NY and a tribal mc club showed up bringing in quite a few bikes. I talked to one guy who had an SGS with the Saddlemen SDC. It was pushing 100 degrees that day and he had come over to the bike to put on a while t-shirt over the seat. I asked and he was 5' 9" 32 inseam and said he found it terrific for comfort with ideal positioning (16" depth and about 1" higher than stock)and loved the gel, however it gets royally hot out in the sun. I've read this a few times and it does raise a potential concern.

On my trip next week, when I stop in at Mustang, I'm hoping to check out a Solo Supertour and Solo Standard, both w/ backrest. I'm not positive, but the limited info I've found on the dimensions of these, I think at least the Solo Supertour also gets close .

I think ideally for me, a 16"-16.5" driver length, somewhere around touring seat height RS shaped, Corbin back rest (had a used Corbin Classic Solo on my previous bike, Dyna Switchback, best backrest I've experienced) and the tailbone channel from the Dominator sounds just about perfect. Just haven't found a seat that fits these dimensions with the backrest, heat and so on. The RS, Dominator and potentially Mustang Solo Tour on paper get closest, with the Mustang Supertour Deluxe being the closest I've yet found.

In all probability, I'm going to wind up with the RS (still not decided on ER or not),

 

Interesting. What did you like better about the Sargent? Also, how does it reposition the rider from stock? What is your height and inseam?

 

I am 6'0" with a 34" inseam. Much like yourself. I saw you ask about the Saddlemen SDC in that thread. That's what I'm running and I love the seat. I've done multiple weekend trips spanning 800-1200 miles with that seat and have not once regretted running it. It has a small lumbar support backrest, but I often don't even run it, because the seat offers enough lumbar support I don't find it to be needed.

The seat itself is relatively narrow and it's firm. Both things I liked about it. It moves me back and up roughly an inch. Between that and the 13" Ohlins, my wife cannot flat foot the bike. She dangles actually and it's kinda funny. I set my bike to be taller and I like the handling better that way. Might be something to consider. So much so that I have a Mustang Super solo with backrest and pillion that I'd sell if someone wanted it. It doesn't get used anymore.

The SDC seats are love or hate though and are expensive. Worth every penny, if you like it. If you don't, it's a lot of money wasted. I've had several people try the seat and only one went out and bought one and loves it still. They're very subjective.

Last, I bought a knock off AirHawk pad on Amazon for $30 for really long rides but have not needed to use it.

 

Great info.....thank you! Dimensionally, the SDC is probably spot on for what I'm looking for, but....... it's gotta have a legit 2up capability for extended rides. My wife has her own bike, but she's been riding with me more lately since getting the RG. A couple of months ago, we did a run from Bergen County, NJ (10 min west of the George Washington Bridge going into upper NYC) to Bennington, VT for lunch on the stock seat. She was not happy halfway through the trip. If the SDC had a full on passenger seat, the SDC would be right near the top of the list. Would love to see a Road Sofa with the SDC dimensions.

Question for you...

I've been interested in various Saddlemen seats for a few months now. In my research, I've come across a fair amount of people reporting the seat getting really hot, like uncomfortably hot, when sitting in the sun due to the gel. What has your experience been with this? And just to verify, the SDC is about 1" or so higher than the stock SG/RG seat?