my @$$ is killing me, I need help!

BootScootin'FireFighter · Thu Sep 15, 2011 2:32 am

Anyone else get sore and feel pressure points after being on the road for about 2 hours? This is my biggest dillema is that stock seat. What have some others on here done to relieve the pain? I've heard of gel inserts, memory foam, and rider beads. It's the pressure points, I already got ex-officio briefs to work with. Somethings got to give so I can stay out for at least 8 hours. The stock seat sucks!

bigbropgo · Post by **bigbropgo** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:09 am

palates maybe? maybe not the seat cushion, butt your cushion.

easy · Post by **easy** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:11 am

I use Alaska sheep skin its ok never rode more than a couple of hrs straight with it. Did Howard use anything for the iron butt ride he completed.

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:14 am

Maybe have something like this made.

Who knows, maybe you could start a trend!

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:12 am

Weird. I gotta say I love my stock seat. Never a problem even after hours of riding. (Not that I don't get fatigued). I do sit very close to the back of the seat. Do you adjust where you sit while you ride? Maybe you need to get a St. Tropez seat

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:45 am

My issue is that I've got such a scrawney arse nothing might help, but however, the St Tropez seat ain't bad!!

BuddyBliss · Post by **BuddyBliss** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:48 am

I agree with scoot, it seems riding a little more back on the seat is more comfortable. Gel and memory foam inserts are nice too but you have to make sure they are very well secured so you don't slide. We have fitted these into special pockets in a few of our vinyl seat covers.

I have the same issue though, and prefer memory foam personally!

chillas61210 · Post by **chillas61210** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:49 am

you think the stock buddy seat is bad try the stock blur seat for a half hour you will have that problem. I am going to get my seat redone by Pirate Upholstery pricey but gel inlay and memory foam and a custom seat cover will be worth it when I can ride for longer!

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:03 am

I don't have a problem with the Buddy seat but I did with my Burgman.

A lot of people swear by Airhawk cushions

http://www.therohostore.com/Departments ... hions.aspx

I am one of the few that doesn't like an Airhawk.

I use a gel "Pro Pad" now (don't even think of starting with with the Maxi scooter pro Pad jokes!

)

http://www.thepropad.com/Fabric-Pro-Pads-Prodlist.html

I really like it but it does have a couple of drawbacks. I use a cool ass cover to avoid them.

If it gets wet it really holds water, it dries out pretty quickly in the sun...but it makes for a soggy bottom ride home.

One day after lunch I forgot the cover so it sat in the sun. It's not like a car seat where its hot and then cool off. That gel can hold some heat, my biscuits were burning all the way home!

I haven't used one but many also swear by the simple bead seat covers.

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:41 pm

Funny, someone said their hind parts were sore from the Stella 4T seat so I was all ready to have a sore @ss when I finally got mine, but no problems at all so far. I guess after riding on this seat for so many years my hind parts are pretty darn tuff.

jd · Post by jd » Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:56 pm

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:The stock seat sucks!

Not really.

I've ridden a lot of bikes for a long time and the Buddy seat is, without a doubt, the most comfortable of the bunch. My wife feels the same way about hers.

Try some of the suggestions listed in this thread, but the problem is not with the seat. You must have particularly sensitive hindquarters.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 2:18 pm

What I found helps with long distance riding is to move around. Ride a while with your feet forward, then put them on the foot grips on the sides (which allows you to flex your legs and take some pressure off your butt), then put them on the floor, and so on. Move your butt back on the seat, then forward, etc. Legs apart, together... you get the picture. I've gone over 200 miles in a day (at 40mph and under) by doing this (and stopping frequently), without any serious discomfort.

Howardr · Post by **Howardr** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:19 pm

I put a piece of 3" thick, dense foam on the seat, then covered it with a fake sheepskin seat cover.

I've got a skinny arse, too and sitting for extended periods is painful. I would like to try putting a custom gel-foam seat on, but can't afford it.

I do put cycling shorts on under my pants when I ride. The spandex wicks moisture away from the skin and make for a bit more comfort on long rides.

Howard

Wheelz · Post by **Wheelz** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:46 pm

+1 on the cycling shorts, I never go on a long ride without em. If your going on a multi day ride you'll need more than one pair, cause well, they can get quite stanky...

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 5:09 pm

I prefer the BlackJack seat to the stock seat, but I may be in the minority.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:09 pm

I have had several years where I have done over 30K on 2 wheels...Here all all of my tricks, some may sound silly but bare (haha) with me

1.) LONG trips, wear NO underwear with seams that cut into you, I wear boxer briefs on the bike, or for long days (500 miles plus) i wear bicycle shorts under my pants

2.) A good, well made seat. Sometimes the stock one can be modified nicely, or sometimes it needs replaced with something better.

3.) A good suspension. I have spent big bucks on shocks before, and my back AND arse love me for it

...I don't have alot of experience with scooter shocks, so maybe others can chime in here.

4.) proper tire inflation. Simple, don't make "em rocks

5.) And this is the biggie...My wife and I call it "rider ass"...The more you ride the more comfortable you will get and the more "relaxed" you will be.Shift around!...ride on the left cheek, the right cheek, feet up a while, feet back a while...Move about. You get the idea. This REALLY helps on those long days not to get a "flat spot"...And there really is something about riding alot that "conditions" you for it. Honestly I think I relax more and get into a groove.

Hope all this helps, even though some was a bit...tongue n cheek! ( sorry, couldn't help myself)

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:30 pm

Stormswift · Post by **Stormswift** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:11 pm

You don't have to have a scrawny backside to be uncomfortable riding. In my case nature has been more generous then I would have liked and I still have to start moving further back on the seat for more comfort during the ride. To me that means tiptoeing at the stops. Not ideal but hey, I love riding. it

MYSCTR · Post by **MYSCTR** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:54 am

I will second the seat position - further back.

After getting really sore low back and bottom - I found moving back alone made a big difference. Not to keen on changing position once I found what works.

Yes - a really good bike short can help if you get a good chamois. Like the Luis Garneau air gel chamois. Last thing you want is a cheap pair that will just make you sweat and end up like a heavy diaper.

My longest ride was about 9 hours in the saddle on an endurance mountain bike race and everything worked well.

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:06 am

Wow! This thread really took off!

I personally like the Buddy seat. Though the longest ride I have been on is 187 miles (with a few food, gas & bio breaks thrown in

).

The only thing that has ever bothered me is that one time on our 187 mile ride, up between my shoulder blades got sore, but it only happened the one time...not sure why.

BootScootin'FireFighter: I think I recall seeing a picture of you in pretty hefty firefighter gear on your scooter. Are you often dressed like that when you ride, or was that a rarity? I ask, because I wonder if that's your main problem....?

Post by **jrsjr** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:14 am

A big part of the game is all about preventing hot spots on your butt. Viney is dead right about how...

viney266 wrote:1.) LONG trips, wear NO underwear with seams that cut into you, I wear boxer briefs on the bike, or for long days (500 miles plus) i wear bicycle shorts under my pants

Yes. Also, jeans with rear pockets are no good on long trips because the thick sewing around the edges of the pockets causes hot spots, too.

viney266 wrote:5.) And this is the biggie...My wife and I call it "rider ass"...The more you ride the more comfortable you will get and the more "relaxed" you will be. Shift around!...ride on the left cheek, the right cheek, feet up a while, feet back a while...Move about. You get the idea. This REALLY helps on those long days not to get a "flat spot"...And there really is something about riding a lot that "conditions" you for it. Honestly I think I relax more and get into a groove.

This is really two points, conditioning and scooter yoga, and viney is dead right on both of them.

CONDITIONING
Conditioning is really straightforward, ride for longer periods of time and your butt gets used to it. Everybody says so, and they're right. However, it still hurts to ride for long periods so you have to use a few other tricks...

SCOOTER YOGA
The secret to this trick is to do it before you start to really hurt. Once the fiery burning pain sets in, you're in trouble no matter what you do. What you want to do is prevent hot spots on your butt by shifting the pressure point around so hot spots don't develop.

On smaller scoots you have to work the seat more, as Viney suggests. Sit on the left side of your butt, then switch to the right side. Often, this one trick can relieve the pain enough to get through the ride.

Viney forgot to mention that you can also slide backward and forward on the seat so that the pressure spot on your butt changes. This isn't always easy to do. Some scooter seats are just too short for this trick. In that case, you can get some relief by turning so that you are riding halfway sidesaddle. You can sit in this position for a pretty good while without a lot of effort. Remember to switch it up, turn left, then right to change up the pressure points for a few minutes each way.

ADVANCED SCOOTER YOGA
As part of my scooter yoga routine, I put my left hand behind me on the seat and lift myself completely off the seat. This totally relieves the pressure on the butt. I'm not strong enough to be able to do this for long, but it's possible to extend your riding time half an hour just by doing this one trick.

On some larger scoots, like the Modern Vespas, you can ride with your legs crossed, foot on opposite knee. This is great for reducing lower back stress plus it forces you to sit on a different part of your butt for a while. I switch it back and forth left and right leg. The left leg is more difficult because of the throttle plus it's pretty easy to accidentally hit the kill switch.

Finally, nobody has mentioned ibuprofen, the Cannonball rider's drug of choice. It's better to ward off the pain by using every trick in the book. However, if you know you're in for a long day, ibu can keep you in the saddle when all else fails. Of course, if the pain gets unbearable, you can just stop and get off to give your butt a break.

BootScootin'FireFighter · Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:04 pm

TVB wrote:What I found helps with long distance riding is to move around. Ride a while with your feet forward, then put them on the foot grips on the sides (which allows you to flex your legs and take some pressure off your butt), then put them on the floor, and so on. Move your butt back on the seat, then forward, etc. Legs apart, together... you get the picture. I've gone over 200 miles in a day (at 40mph and under) by doing this (and stopping frequently), without any serious discomfort.

Yea, I've been doing that and it helps a lot. Maybe I'm not doing it enough though, I'll have to change things up and take more breaks.

michelle_7728 wrote:BootScootin'FireFighter: I think I recall seeing a picture of you in pretty hefty firefighter gear on your scooter. Are you often dressed like that when you ride, or was that a rarity? I ask, because I wonder if that's your main problem....?

Nah, that's just when I get passed around to another work location, very rare. Most of the time it's in jeans, or carharts in the colder months.

thanks for the tips everyone! I think I may have to upgrade the shocks first and see how much that helps. Does anyone know which shock type is the "stock" one for a 125?

Post by **polianarchy** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:02 pm

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote: thanks for the tips everyone! I think I may have to upgrade the shocks first and see how much that helps. Does anyone know which shock type is the "stock" one for a 125?

I've only found the stock shock via the dealer site for Scooterworks. The shop looked it up for me when I was debating upgrading VS replacing my shock so I could do a price comparison. Turns out it's roughly the same price as this one: http://www.scooterworks.com/YSS-Adjusta ... 0C556.aspx so I went ahead with the upgrade. I love it. There are more expensive performance shocks available, but I haven't felt like I'm missing out.

EDIT: Looks like Scooterworks has this shock on sale right now, so you're in luck.

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:21 pm

MYSCTR wrote:I will second the seat position - further back.

After getting really sore low back and bottom - I found moving back alone made a big difference. Not to keen on changing position once I found what works.

Yes - a really good bike short can help if you get a good chamois. Like the Luis Garneau air gel chamois. Last thing you want is a cheap pair that will just make you sweat and end up like a heavy diaper.

My longest ride was about 9 hours in the saddle on an endurance mountain bike race and everything worked well.

I'd also recommend that if you're going to get riding shorts, spend a few more bucks and get a set of bibs; you'll thank me later.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CC ... bs&x=0&y=0

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:07 pm

@ JRSJR...YAY scooteryoga!, great term. I thought I was the only one that rode "cross-legged" on a scooter. It takes a second to get out of or into the position, so around town is out, but I do it all the time on a friends 125 Buddy. I have size 13 feet and I"m 6'3". it makes a great difference on a long ride.

Also, something I do on the motorcycle is stand on the pegs for a mile or two, but this is much more difficult on the scoot, and not for "beginers" ...

Scooter Yoga...LOVE the term!, gonna use that one!

MYSCTR · Post by **MYSCTR** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:35 pm

Mulliganal wrote:I'd also recommend that if you're going to get riding shorts, spend a few more bucks and get a set of bibs; you'll thank me later.

YES! Kinda like once you try them there is NO going back! On or off road - it is all have have worn for several years now.

enzomatic · Post by **enzomatic** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 12:15 am

I also like bike shorts though I've done very long rides without and as long as I was moving around a lot on the seat I didn't get too sore. they also sell boxer briefs that have the same chamois as bike shorts but are made to be worn with pants so breathe better. Monkey butt or chamois butt'r will help.

Meresankh · Post by **Meresankh** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 12:59 am

ericalm wrote:

I love this stuff! They also make Lady Anti-Monkey Butt powder. I think the only differences are that the ladies' version is pink and smells very faintly of flowers. Definitely helps with sweat & chafing issues.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 4:03 am

Gold Bond. I kid you not. Prevents hotspots, prevents moisture and... erm... tingles a bit. It's cheap too. Use some on your feet as well before a long day in boots and your feet will feel a lot better at the end of the day as well. Think of it as preventive maintenance.

I finally gave up on my MP3 and got the seat redone. That seat is awful compared to the Buddy. Even the Blur had a better seat than the MP3.

These are the changes I had made, the small center part was the original seat:

The final is on it's way to me now, but here's a pic they sent of the final product:

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 4:17 am

^^^ Looks like a really nice job on the seat!. Hope it does the job!

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:45 am

Lostmycage wrote:I finally gave up on my MP3 and got the seat redone. That seat is awful compared to the Buddy. Even the Blur had a better seat than the MP3.

These are the changes I had made, the small center part was the original seat:

The final is on it's way to me now, but here's a pic they sent of the final product:

Very nice! When you get it you will need to share more pix. I'd not only like to see a picture of it on your MP3, but one from above as well.

Where did you have it done, how much did it cost, and is it supposed to lower you a bit so that you have more of your foot on the ground?

Post by **Lostmycage** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:47 pm

For anyone who's interested, I did a full write up on my experience with Cee Bailey on my webpage (I gave up on trying to host images on flickr and photobucket, so I just got my own hosting). If you're not happy with your seat, they really know what they're doing. I'm quite pleased with the results.

See it here.

There are many companies that specialize in aftermarket seat customization. It's usually pretty pricey, but if you spend hours on a seat at a time, you start thinking that it's worth it. If you butt is bothering you, look into reshaping as an option especially if you plan on keeping the bike for a while.

Post by **jrsjr** » Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:07 pm

Lostmycage wrote:For anyone who's interested, I did a full write up on my experience with Cee Bailey on my webpage (I gave up on trying to host images on flickr and photobucket, so I just got my own hosting). If you're not happy with your seat, they really know what they're doing. I'm quite pleased with the results.

See it here.

There are many companies that specialize in aftermarket seat customization. It's usually pretty pricey, but if you spend hours on a seat at a time, you start thinking that it's worth it. If you butt is bothering you, look into reshaping as an option especially if you plan on keeping the bike for a while.

That is very impressive, but if you don't mind me asking, what did that custom seat set you back?

Post by **Lostmycage** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:12 pm

I'm reluctant to say the exact amount for a custom job, but I'll tell you that it fell in line with the single/dual rework pricing on their site.

Post by **jrsjr** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:17 pm

Lostmycage wrote:I'm reluctant to say the exact amount...

I understand. You did a great job designing your mods and I really enjoyed your write-up. I assume you've posted a pointer to your article over in the ModernVespa MP3 forum?

Post by **Lostmycage** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:03 pm

Of course.

Post by **jrsjr** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:27 pm

The remaining question is, what can we do with what you learned to help MB members

I wonder if it would be possible to do a deal with Cee Bailey to crank out a Buddy seat that rocks and doesn't break the bank? Maybe if we could show them enough volume and give them some free advertising in exchange for an MB discount we could get the price down out of the stratosphere?

Post by **Lostmycage** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:34 pm

That's a distinct possibility. They do a core charge on models that they get enough requests out of so that the rider ends up with no downtime. So oif they get enough requests for a Buddy seat, then might get a core to work with.

The Buddy might look funny with a wide seat like this since it's so narrow. I always thought the Buddy seat was pretty comfy compared to the Blur and especially the MP3, but I never went on very long rides on the Buddy. I'm sure they could rework the foam to a different density and they could definitely add some style to the seat. If someone wants to give them a try, I'd send them an email. It never hurts to ask.

As long as you can communicate what you want, I think you'd end up VERY pleased with their work.

Post by **jrsjr** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 11:31 pm

Lostmycage wrote:The Buddy might look funny with a wide seat like this since it's so narrow.

I thought about that. I wonder if there would be gains to be had from something with a profile like this. (Okay, stop laughing. I know my 'puter art skills suck)

Still, can you kinda sorta visualize what I'm getting at? It's narrower than your seat as seen from above, but scaled appropriately to the length of the Buddy's seat. And the sides are cut away some so riders with shorter legs can reach the ground.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 12:15 am

That could work, but one thing that just occurred to me is that they can replace the foam with denser foam so that there doesn't need to be as much foam. This could be a good solution to short riders who have a hard time reaching the ground.

Post by **jrsjr** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 12:39 am

On the other hand, for tall riders, I have a LARGE gel seat pad left over from a project that I'd like to see somebody have sewn in under their seat-cover to see if they could create a comfy "tallboy" seat for the Buddy.

Modern Buddy

my @$$ is killing me, I need help!

my @$$ is killing me, I need help!

Re: my @$$ is killing me, I need help!