So, it's been many many years since I've scoot'd. I treated myself a few months ago and got the Black Jack (which I adore). Due to the bad weather, I've only recently been able to get out and ride. And while it's been super fun...it's also been kinda painful. My ride to work is less than 20 minutes, but when I arrive there and get off the scoot...my backside is aching & sore . Specifically my tailbone. I have always had coccyx problems (sitting too long in one position, riding a bicycle) but never experienced this riding a scoot before. Not sure if it's because I'm older and lighter now or what. Regardless of why this happens, I really want to know if there is anything I can do about it. I have tried leaning forward into a more 'sport' position, and this definitely helps...but scoots aren't really designed to be ridden that way and it feels slightly awkward.
So does anyone else have a temperamental tailbone? What have you done to ease the discomfort?
Legadia wrote:So, it's been many many years since I've scoot'd. I treated myself a few months ago and got the Black Jack (which I adore). Due to the bad weather, I've only recently been able to get out and ride. And while it's been super fun...it's also been kinda painful. My ride to work is less than 20 minutes, but when I arrive there and get off the scoot...my backside is aching & sore . Specifically my tailbone. I have always had coccyx problems (sitting too long in one position, riding a bicycle) but never experienced this riding a scoot before. Not sure if it's because I'm older and lighter now or what. Regardless of why this happens, I really want to know if there is anything I can do about it. I have tried leaning forward into a more 'sport' position, and this definitely helps...but scoots aren't really designed to be ridden that way and it feels slightly awkward.
So does anyone else have a temperamental tailbone? What have you done to ease the discomfort?
The Blackjack has a seat which is "kicked-up" at the rear to discourage (more by attitude than practicality) a passenger. Maybe try a "regular" Buddy seat which is flatter and won't mess with your....coccyx
Hmmmm, that is something to consider. Though I'd hate to loose the 'look' of the BlackJack seat I actually sit pretty far up front, due to my shortness (I think I'm average for a woman but other people seem to think 5'3" is short!), so that I can touch the ground when stopped. Maybe I will have someone take a pic of my riding position to see if my backside is touching the curved part of the seat a lot or just barely. I'm also wondering if my, uh...butt, will build up a kind of tolerance or if this will always happen no matter how many weeks and months I ride.
have you tried adjusting the rear shock? on the BJ the F stands for "faster" (softer) and the S stands for "slower" (firmer). some get this confused thinking the F means firmer, and S means softer. and rightly so. but it's actually the other way around. also, make sure the tires are not overinflated, even a little bit
also adjustable for rebound / height, too. or w/e its called?
Legadia wrote:I'm also wondering if my, uh...butt, will build up a kind of tolerance or if this will always happen no matter how many weeks and months I ride.
I agree with mattgordon. The flatter seat will allow you to slide back just a little bit which will cant you forward just a little bit and shift the weight off your coccyx. I bet that will be enough to alleviate your, uh, butt pain.
Legadia wrote:I'm also wondering if my, uh...butt, will build up a kind of tolerance or if this will always happen no matter how many weeks and months I ride.
I agree with mattgordon. The flatter seat will allow you to slide back just a little bit which will cant you forward just a little bit and shift the weight off your coccyx. I bet that will be enough to alleviate your, uh, butt pain.
....it's a coccyx.....
Seriously, could probably trade the BJ seat with someone, and if it proves to be more suitable, have it recovered a' la Blacjack. Red piping, etc.
I just recently bought a black jack and after trying that seat decided to put my custom seat on. It was black with red piping and after riding with it for a few days I can tell you it is much more comfortable. I felt cramped on the solo seat immediately and it is a hard seat. You can see my custom seat in the scooter gallery. Best thing is that t only cost $75!
I agree with it being soft but I was way to forward with it I hope scooter works starts to carry that extra low and racey looking PGO seat somebody posted about ealier
Thanks for the replies and suggestions! I will definitely adjust the shocks more. They did it at the shop, but it could probably go much softer. That's good to know about the 'F & S' too, I would definitely assumed it was the opposite.
Once I adjust the shocks and check the tires, I'm gonna see if there is any difference in my backside. If not, I guess my only option (apart from having my tailbone shaved, ha!) is to swap out or adjust the seat. The gel sounds pretty interesting and a custom seat sounds pretty awesome.
Peabody99 - Do you know where people had this gel done?
AtlBuddy - I have no idea where to begin looking to get my seat customized. I saw that you got yours done at an upholstery shop, was this the first custom scooter seat job? Should I check auto body shops?
I used Diamond Upholestey in Rosenburg Oregon. Another member here had a seat done for his black jack and I liked the looks of it. He said his was done for $50 so I contacted the company and came up with my own design which they created for $75. All of the other shops I looked at in the Atlanta area charged $309-$400 dollars. I can tell you that these guts were awesome and actually finisher my seat in about 3 days. They sent me pics of the seat for my approval. I will be getting my partner's seat done sometime this year. Hope this helps.
Yep! I did the same thing and put a standard seat on because I like to ride farther back on the seat and the Black Jack seat was WAY too uncomfortable.
Local dealer employee actually cut the foam down in his Black Jack seat to lower it to be flatter. Then just re-upholstered it himself.
All the above being said, there is still a "break in period" for your bum. When I first got my Stella, 5-10 minutes was enough to cause me significant posterior pain. I continued to ride and now I have no problems.
When I was cycling, we called it "saddle time."
My $.02
Howard
Iron Butt Association Member Number 42256
Club - The Sky Island Riders.
Publisher: The Scooter 'Zine thescooterzine.com
It's a pretty pricey option, but I went to Pirate Upholstery, and asked them to create a cafe racer style seat for the BlackJack. It's got gel inserts throughout the flat seat, and is black leather with red piping. Seemed hard at first, but now is SO comfortable, and, I must say, looks pretty great:
We have/had(?) a member here who makes/made seat covers (slip covers) for the buddys. She made me one out of a twill fabric with gel padding, it was great, repeat GREAT!
Operative word however, is was, some 'low-life' swiped it off my scoot one day... I only had it 3 months....
Aging is mandatory, growing up is optional.
My kids call me 'crazy', I prefer 'Eccentric'.
Nullius in verba
sosha wrote:It's a pretty pricey option, but I went to Pirate Upholstery, and asked them to create a cafe racer style seat for the BlackJack. It's got gel inserts throughout the flat seat, and is black leather with red piping. Seemed hard at first, but now is SO comfortable, and, I must say, looks pretty great:
Nice, I still think this is one of the best looking scooters out there.
I do 30 mile rides on a Specialized road bike with a racing seat so I don't think there is a scooter seat made that would hurt my steel back side, but that gel idea still sounds nice.
Before you go ahead with any seat modifications, take a look at Alaska Leathers offerings on their sheepskin "Buttpads". I got the smallest one that they have and it makes quite a difference on my Blur 220's seat/butt interface. Mine was under $50 delivered and it stays on the bike all the time. It both warms and cools (sheeps are like that) and it just clips on with an elastic band, so it's instantly removable. I highly recommend it for Blur 220 riders (with about 1" of padding between the butt and the helmet dome) and I bet that it would look perfect (I got the black one) on the Blackjack.
Update on my...sore behind. I adjusted the rear shock and have been riding it quite a bit. Things seem to be getting better, not as achy as before. Going to give it a couple more weeks of constant riding and see how things are at that point. I'm thinking combo of the shock adjustment/break in of the seat will make things seem even better by then...if not I will have to check into a gel, custom, or buddy seat.
. Specifically my tailbone. I have always had coccyx problems (sitting too long in one position, riding a bicycle) but never experienced this riding a scoot before. Not sure if it's because I'm older and lighter now or what. Regardless of why this happens, I really want to know if there is anything I can do about it. I have tried leaning forward into a more 'sport' position, and this definitely helps...but scoots aren't really designed to be ridden that way and it feels slightly awkward. 
I actually sit pretty far up front, due to my shortness (I think I'm average for a woman but other people seem to think 5'3" is short!), so that I can touch the ground when stopped. Maybe I will have someone take a pic of my riding position to see if my backside is touching the curved part of the seat a lot or just barely. I'm also wondering if my, uh...butt, will build up a kind of tolerance or if this will always happen no matter how many weeks and months I ride.
