Buddy seat/sitting position comfort

zuman · Post by **zuman** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:39 pm

My wife and I have been trying to come to grips with what we want to do with the two scooters we own at the moment.
I have a Blur and she has a 2008 Buddy 150 St. Tropez. She says she doesn't feel comfortable with the Buddy's seat or sitting position, though, and her back aches after riding it for a while. She doesn't have any discomfort with the Blur, but she thinks that the Blur feels too heavy for her, she doesn't like the lack of a true step-through design, and she is nervous that she'll drop it while maneuvering it while off the bike (moving it out of parking spaces, in and out of the garage, etc.). She feels much more confident when she has to push the Buddy.
So has anyone else had any issues with the Buddy seat? And has anyone found a solution?
Thanks.

greencountry · Post by **greencountry** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:25 pm

Zuman,

Not to toot my own horn too much, but have you seen this thread?

topic7799.html

The tips that are linked to in that thread helped me a lot both with scootering and motorcycling.

olhogrider · Post by **olhogrider** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:51 pm

Back pain is usually associated with seating position. The only way to alter that on a scooter is thicker soles of your boots and where you put your butt. Try altering those.

Becktastic · Post by **Becktastic** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:58 pm

I get back pain all the time and riding without good posture instigates it. I found that riding with my feet on the passenger footpegs and riding in boots with a bit of a heel encourage me to sit up straighter which means less back pain. Sean laughed at me for buying this kidney belt: http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/ ... &zmap=9592 but it made my long ride very comfortable. I rode 160 miles roundtrip and felt remarkably good when I returned. If she does things to encourage good posture, her back muscles will get stronger (that long ride was workout!) and eventually have less back pain altogether.

Scooter Hoot · Post by **Scooter Hoot** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:09 pm

I find myself altering my posture several times a ride. If I'm being lazy, then I tend to slouch over, and my back gets sore. As long as I sit up straight and sometimes stick my feet on the passenger footpegs, I don't tend to have issues. I did hurt my back one day when I was slouching while wearing a rather heavy backpack. Books pounding into your spine is not fun.

naptime · Post by **naptime** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:16 pm

when my daughter and i ride 2 up, it forces me to sit more on the front of the seat. and makes my back straight up and down.

i look like some snooty sterotype of a rich brit on a scooter.

but no matter how long we ride, i have zero back pain. it feels awkward riding like that, but it seems to be the most comfortable at the end of the ride.

in contrast, when i ride solo, i tend to sit on the back of the seat. this causes me to slouch forward or hunch my back forward, and feels the most comfortable and natural when riding. yet, it gives me the worst backpain. even after only 10 or 15 minutes of riding i start feeling the pain. i have to adjust foot position and back position every 10 minutes or so, jsut for the ride to be bearable.

a few times i have went to the front of the seat, and sat like i do when we are 2 up, and it immediately feels better and the pain goes away.

of course, then i feel like a snooty brit again, and go to the back of the seat

sometimes the pain is worth it i guess lol

Becktastic · Post by **Becktastic** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:23 pm

Scooter Hoot wrote:I was slouching while wearing a rather heavy backpack. Books pounding into your spine is not fun.

Ugh I know what you mean. I <3 my basket. I took some stuff out of my underseat storage that I wasn't using to free up that space too, so I don't need to use a backpack anymore.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:24 pm

naptime wrote:when my daughter and i ride 2 up, it forces me to sit more on the front of the seat. and makes my back straight up and down.

i look like some snooty sterotype of a rich brit on a scooter.

but no matter how long we ride, i have zero back pain. it feels awkward riding like that, but it seems to be the most comfortable at the end of the ride.

in contrast, when i ride solo, i tend to sit on the back of the seat. this causes me to slouch forward or hunch my back forward, and feels the most comfortable and natural when riding. yet, it gives me the worst backpain. even after only 10 or 15 minutes of riding i start feeling the pain. i have to adjust foot position and back position every 10 minutes or so, jsut for the ride to be bearable.

a few times i have went to the front of the seat, and sat like i do when we are 2 up, and it immediately feels better and the pain goes away.

of course, then i feel like a snooty brit again, and go to the back of the seat

sometimes the pain is worth it i guess lol

Yeah, I do something similar. I'm 6'3" so its kinda easy to sit farther back and slouch forward, but it ends up killing my back. I'll also often switch to using the pasenger pegs for a while. I think the key is bending at the waist, not the lower back. And changing positions often. I also like Becktastic's idea of a kidney belt, it'll keep you from being able to have a lazy riding position.

spinbud · Post by **spinbud** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:40 pm

I agree with all. You need to cant your pelvis forward straightening your lumbar curve a bit. I looked into sitting on a wedge of some sort...but just couldn't bring myself to do it. Try slidiing your butt rearward positioning on the upslope of the buddy seat. And yes, putting your feet on the passenger footrests does help.

Modern Buddy

Buddy seat/sitting position comfort

Buddy seat/sitting position comfort

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