Suzuki 2 Strokes

Having my bike from new ,
this year is going to be a decider whether to keep the bike or sell.
I'm just sick of having a numb bum syndrome.
changed the padding etc in the seat.
last year I did a round trip of 230 miles with plenty of stops but by the time I got home , I could have cried with the pain in my bum.
the pain was excruciating,enough to stop me riding for a month.
anyway I bought a air hawk seat so we'll see how that goes.
if I don't like it then I think its time to pass it onto some one else.
I may even buy this bike as I've heard good reviews and one of my friends said its the only bike he'd buy again.50/60 mpg UK gals
KAWASAKI W650 (can't afford the w800)

failing that I may even buy a T500 but it will have be a restored one.

this is my current bike.

Had same problem with the seat on my '09 Triumph Bonneville when I bought it. Like you, I'm a big guy and the original seat is ok for a showroom display but otherwise awful. Much better now that I switched to a Triumph King & Queen seat.

Might be worth looking into switching to a Corbin seat -- they make them for the ER-6 & W650.
http://www.corbin.com/kawasaki/

Hey John, going soft in the butt now are you?? Buy a GT750, thats a comfy seat for hundreds of miles.

Yo John, this is the one I had. Lousy photo but you get the idea. It was a 69 I bought in 78 as a basket case for $400. It was missing many parts and what was left over wasn't all that great either. No tank, no lights, no fenders etc., but I had a vision. I picked up a tank off a Matchless found at a local salvage. Bolted right on. the OEM chrome rims were shot and I found a pair of Borrani rims at a local shop for $15. This was my first lace job. Other mods include alloy fenders front and rear. Custom mini head light and tail light. If it doesn't look like a 69, that's because I grafted a 71 front end on it. I had the original forks, but I just didn't like the gator look. No baloney mufflers came with it either and the chrome on the head pipes was shot. So I had them blasted clean and found a pair of shorties and welded them on. Then the exhaust sustem was done in black.
All electricals were moved to the left side cover. There were 2 toggle switches mounted there. Lights on/off and hi/low. Nothing was on the handle bars. That's a Corbin seat.
Out of ALL the bikes I have ever owned, this one was the most fun to ride. Sorry guys

Suzsmokeyallan wrote:Hey John, going soft in the butt now are you?? Buy a GT750, thats a comfy seat for hundreds of miles.

the trouble is that I don't have a fat bum,got weight around my belly but that is it.
I think one of the problems with some of these bikes is that the japs...
put high bars as oppose to clip on or what ever but leave the foot pegs high up and back.
therefore make the seating position awkward.
you are sort sitting upright but your legs are slightly back .
so you finish up with that you are sitting on your leg bones(hip)
and I think that maybe the problem all your body weight is on that area.
when I said I could cry with the pain , I did have a little tears in my eye.
it just felt like 2 knitting needles were pushed right up to the bones.

yes the GT750 would be a good choice but I know nothing about them.
and to get a good one here will almost cost me as much as a new bike.
there are several other bikes that I'm also considering.
1,triumph thunderbird california' this is a semi custom bike looks comfortable but no doubt it'll be a heavy best.this may rule itself out due to my weakish knee's.(buggered them both up real bad years ago playing football)
of course the 2 above w650/T500
my other friends are trying to persuade me to get a custom bike..that'll be the last resort

You mention something about a Burgman not working out for commuting, what were the drawbacks for you? For me, a new bike I have been considering is a Moto Guzzi V7. Weighs slightly more than my GT500, a few more ponies, but has the ergonomics of a standard bike. With the shaft drive, etc. it could be a viable candidate for you.

rbond wrote:You mention something about a Burgman not working out for commuting, what were the drawbacks for you? For me, a new bike I have been considering is a Moto Guzzi V7. Weighs slightly more than my GT500, a few more ponies, but has the ergonomics of a standard bike. With the shaft drive, etc. it could be a viable candidate for you.

burgy -true enough but its not a bike is it.
I bought it to travel to WORK and back.
motor bike pleasure!
moto guzzi my friend has one but not sure what model it is but its a v twin and a big bugger at that.lovely red. I've sat on it and it feels nice to but price is a little high.
I think its this model 1100 breva

Not the Brevia, it is the V7 Classic. It is a 750, comes in all white or black. Looks alot like a standard bike. Do a search and then you will see what I mean.

rbond wrote:Not the Brevia, it is the V7 Classic. It is a 750, comes in all white or black. Looks alot like a standard bike. Do a search and then you will see what I mean.

yes I seen it but not my kinda bike.
the one above is what my friend has.

Agreed, John, most modern Japanese sportbike or standard model seats are crap. I had the same problem as you with my stock Bandit seat. I couldn't ride for more than 20 - 30 minutes without getting off and restoring the circulation to my butt and my legs.
An upholstery gal removed the seat cover, cut the foam in half horizontally, glued on a softer layer of foam and put the cover back on for a very reasonable price.
Now I can for a full tank's worth of riding without discomfort......about 250 to 300 kilometres (~150 - 180 miles). After that distance I want to get off and walk around anyway....but now I don't have any pain...
just the usual kinks from age.

on my last Bike I had gel pad fitted into the seat both for me and my good lass. it made no difference.

I've tried a small air bag,little sheep skin patch,seat reupholstered with extra foam pad etc. still no joy.
so the last resort is air hawk seat.so we'll see how that go.
there have only been 2 bikes that I've ridden a fair distance is a Yamaha thundercat 600 sports never got bum ach once no matter how far I travel but I got shoulder pains like some one shoving a knife in.
and the other is the T500! never had any bother no bum ache or shoulder ache etc.
so I have a couple of choices,
1, the Kawasaki W650 or the T500.
both of these have similar riding positions.
but I don't want to restore one like I did before.
I may even consider the GT500 as they are a little cheaper than the T500.
I'd be happy to pay up to £3000 for one like this in this colour to...


I will be on a look out for my old T500 ,the 1st one that I had.
its still on the road but where? last time I saw her I already had one restoring the one in my avatar.

I'm thinking about getting some of those Prosthetic Ass Cheeks Like Hank Hill.

Thinkin you got the D.G.M.S.? Thought it was a joke when I was younger but now, sadly, I'm learning the joke was on me

I rode Gsxr 1100s (slabbies) for over 10 years.....I loved those bikes, but distance runs killed my arse. I used to dread the 300 miles from East Kent to Liverpool every year for the Isle of Man ferry. By the time I got to the Albert dock in Liverpool, I didn't know whether to crap, shave. or have haircut ! My bum was ruined !
In 1987 I rode 806 miles, from Calais to the Italian border, on the Gixer, stopping only for fuel.....I must have been hard back then !
My R1 seat is like an armchair by comparison.....I think it's the width the counts !