[palace15]

Last Sunday(18thSept) I drove 250 miles to North of England to collect my C5(black) with 1300 miles on the clock, only just been able to get a few miles on it and although I have only done 150 miles myself on it, I am in love with it. Plus points, the sound, it reminds me of my old 500 AJS from years back, minus point and a big one, THE SEAT, 60 miles and its agony, will this 'bed in'? I did read on another thread that it got better after a couple of 100miles, can I expect an improvement or do I look for an alternative single seat??
Many thanks to posters that gave an opinion on another thread when I posted before.

 

[GlennF]

Congratulations

Seats are a personal thing, if it doesn't improve one alternative is to get it repaddedwith a gel cushion.

[Maturin]

Congratulations, you finally made it. I wish many troublefree kilometers with your new Bullet!
Alas. the seat. My intervertebral discs were on fire after the 30km test ride, I especially missed the opportunity to slide forwards and backwards.
Before you finally ged rid of it, try first to alter the adjustment of foodpegs and handlebar. Although only lilltle alterations are possible, it´s sometimes the case that these make the decisive difference between sore back and happy riding ever after.
If this doesn´t work, Hitchcock´s in Britain offers a variety of seats and benches, and so does Nfieldgear with a lillte mark up due to shipping costs. You should be able to find an appropriate one, however it´s not easy to tell after 10 minutes if a seat will be comfortable after 300kms aswell. Maybe it´s a good idea to look for a dealer with some demo bikes with different seats to have the opportunity to test them.

[Desi Bike]

I had a 200 mile ride home with mine, chrome C5, when I picked it up. My butt cheeks were sore as well. The seat softened up a fair bit over next few hundred miles. Now either the foam has softened up or my butt bones have toughened up. I can only assume that the black seat is the same foam pad as my brown one.  Give it a few weeks of riding before taking the steps to replace the seat. Congrats on the new bike... They get better with miles on them. Mine now shows 5700km and I have no complaints. These are unique bikes, no two are exactly alike as they are all hand built.   desi bike... In Windsor/Detroit

[prof_stack]

Congrats on your new BLACK (the best!) C5.

The footpegs can be adjusted three ways in a hexagonal manner:  -60 (back), 0 (TDC), and 60 (forward) degrees.  Mine came set in the forward position.  They are now TDC.  Yours might have been set at TDC.

I like the seat and the extra suspension it provides.  But I have to sit up and forward a bit to keep the back happy.  Moving the bar forward a bit would help, too.

But you'll get used to it.  Remember that your body is not quite as forgiving as it was when you had the AJS.  That's one reward for being "mature".   

[olhogrider]

If you look under the G5 seat and many aftermarket seats, you will find horizontal springs. My short ride on a G felt way softer than my C5 seat. After 6000 miles I don't think the seat is any softer, but my butt can last longer on it. I found that on long rides, putting my feet on the passenger pegs helps. Just changing position makes a big difference.

[street]

If you look under the G5 seat and many aftermarket seats, you will find horizontal springs. My short ride on a G felt way softer than my C5 seat. After 6000 miles I don't think the seat is any softer, but my butt can last longer on it. I found that on long rides, putting my feet on the passenger pegs helps. Just changing position makes a big difference.

There's horizontal springs under a G5 seat?
I never saw anything like that when I had the seat off last week.

[palace15]

  Remember that your body is not quite as forgiving as it was when you had the AJS.  That's one reward for being "mature".   

  ;DHow very true!!, The wife don't say I am mature, more like I smell like manure !

[prof_stack]

If you look under the G5 seat and many aftermarket seats, you will find horizontal springs....

Well then, that's the difference in seat comfort right there!  The C5 spring are vertical, the way your rear end likes them!

[BRADEY]

We use the C5s to tour extensively. And you can take it from the horse's mouth that these seats are really bad. Especially the pillion pad, but both are almost equally bad.
I have a Electra which has a very hard cushion seat, and I have never had a problem with that one even after n number of miles...

RE needs to change these for better. The earlier the better !!

[bob bezin]

the seat on the 06 delux bottoms out to the pan in 100 miles ..however with a jell pad and sheepskin my recent 1057 mile ride was comfortable and caused no soreness.whatsoevere.

[Alan LaRue]

Congrats on the new C5.

I got my B5 on Saturday and rode it home about 60 miles from the dealership. Like you, I was surprised at how hard the seat was, as well. My back and shoulders were a bit sore when I got home, but I think that had to do with sitting upright in the wind. A windshield of some sort will be my first accessory, then a luggage rack. If I don't find that the seat breaks in, I may go the gel pad route.

Too bad Mustang doesn't make seats to fit the RE! I had one on a V-star, and it was more comfortable than my car.

[Dallastheologian]

I replaced my seat first thing with a deluxe solo seat, and I had them roll down the handlebars just a smidge so I wasn't so upright while riding. It made riding a lot more comfy.

[Ducati Scotty]

Seargent and Corbin will both make you custom seats.  I think with Seargent you can just send in your existing seat pan and they'll build up from that.  With Corbin they insist on a heavy duty custom pan and you need to bring the bike to their shop.  Also, there are lots of local and not so local shops that will redo your seat.  Either drop b or talk to them about mailing your seat.

My C5 seat was ok for about an hour but that was the limit.  I repadded it myself with dense, closed cell foam use for kayak seats.  I'm much happier now, just need to get it professionally upholsterd this winter.

Scott

[jartist]

I really like my old fashion lycett style seat from nfield gear. I retentioned a few of the springs to make the tension match and used a countersink to smooth the holes in the center piece that the springs hook on. Not for everyone but a bit firmer so as not to put pressure on my problem tailbone. Might be wort the try.