Sargent Seat, first impressions

[betoney]

21 hours ago, roadrash83 said:

I would think your best bet would be to get a seat specially made for you, using your stock seat pan and selling the Sargent down the road.  

+1.  I tried the Seat Concepts “comfort” and then their “sport touring” foam and covers, - not a huge improvement for me. I finally went to a motorcycle seat builder and had it measured, shaped, fitted and built specifically for me and couldn’t be happier. 

[texscottyd]

10 hours ago, peteinpa said:

Anyone else want to chime in?

I have a Sargent (both rider & passenger) on my 2015 FJ, that I bought lightly used here on the forum a couple of years ago.   I find it to be a significant improvement from the stock seat, but it’s certainly not ‘cross country comfortable’ for me.   I’m comfy for about 200 miles, start to squirm around 250, and by around 300 I’m ready to take a break for a bit.   Since the vast majority of my riding is 200-250 mile half days, it works fine.   I personally like the narrowness of the seat at the tank junction, since it lets me move around some…  I have the seat in the tall setting (the upper notch at the tank base), and don’t seem to experience the forward slope that others complain about.  

So, here’s my guess for you:  At 300+ pounds, you’re going to overpower the foam as the seat is originally designed.  I’m about 235, and I feel like it’s just barely enough for me.   Adding more foam might help - should help, actually - but any shape related issues will remain.   You seem like the perfect candidate for a true custom made seat… not a cheap option, but probably your best if you want all day comfort.  

Your mileage may vary; subject to dealer participation; offer not valid in Hawaii and Utah… 😉

[peteinpa]

11 hours ago, texscottyd said:

I have a Sargent (both rider & passenger) on my 2015 FJ, that I bought lightly used here on the forum a couple of years ago.   I find it to be a significant improvement from the stock seat, but it’s certainly not ‘cross country comfortable’ for me.   I’m comfy for about 200 miles, start to squirm around 250, and by around 300 I’m ready to take a break for a bit.   Since the vast majority of my riding is 200-250 mile half days, it works fine.   I personally like the narrowness of the seat at the tank junction, since it lets me move around some…  I have the seat in the tall setting (the upper notch at the tank base), and don’t seem to experience the forward slope that others complain about.  

So, here’s my guess for you:  At 300+ pounds, you’re going to overpower the foam as the seat is originally designed.  I’m about 235, and I feel like it’s just barely enough for me.   Adding more foam might help - should help, actually - but any shape related issues will remain.   You seem like the perfect candidate for a true custom made seat… not a cheap option, but probably your best if you want all day comfort.  

Your mileage may vary; subject to dealer participation; offer not valid in Hawaii and Utah… 😉

So what does 2-300 miles equate to in time? On the back roads I ride most, 100 miles with stops is 3 or 4 hours.🤣 Well, a lot of stops. 

If I'd hit the hiway at 80 mph or more, 200 miles comes fast.

I have to get off the seat at 1.5 hours, then after that the stints get shorter.

[texscottyd]

1 hour ago, peteinpa said:

So what does 2-300 miles equate to in time? On the back roads I ride most, 100 miles with stops is 3 or 4 hours.🤣 Well, a lot of stops. 

If I'd hit the hiway at 80 mph or more, 200 miles comes fast.

I have to get off the seat at 1.5 hours, then after that the stints get shorter.

Valid point.   I tend to get on and ride, stopping for gas and the occasional photo, but not much else...  country back roads around the Texas Gulf Coast.    The last few rides on the GPS tracker:  201 miles in 4:20, 222 miles in 4:28, 328 miles in 7:18, 288 miles in 5:44...  

On a time basis, I'm fine for about 5 hours of riding with minimal breaks.   Beyond that, I may want to take a 20 or 30 minute intermission.   So while the Sargent is much better than the stock seat, there's certainly room for further improvement.     

[peteinpa]

50 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

Valid point.   I tend to get on and ride, stopping for gas and the occasional photo, but not much else...  country back roads around the Texas Gulf Coast.    The last few rides on the GPS tracker:  201 miles in 4:20, 222 miles in 4:28, 328 miles in 7:18, 288 miles in 5:44...  

On a time basis, I'm fine for about 5 hours of riding with minimal breaks.   Beyond that, I may want to take a 20 or 30 minute intermission.   So while the Sargent is much better than the stock seat, there's certainly room for further improvement.     

Wow, I can't even do 5 hours in a car.  Just did a (car) road trip from cenral PA to Oshkosh WI.  That was with an overnight and no near 5 hrs. at one time without meal or other stops.

If I can raise my bike seat time to over 2.5  hours without pain I'd be happy.

[2and3cylinders]

My custom (raised nose, welt and tag delete, Griptex side panels at no extra charge on sale, $260 including shipping in 16) Sargent is fine all day.  It's my prostate, shoulder, neck, lumbar (hopefully now fixed), and left thumb and index finger that limit my range before requiring a pit stop; but mostly my prostate, which is now again in the sights of my new urologist for a Button TURP, or maybe a HoLEP.  My Uro-Lift only helped for about 2 years.

But hey, it always could be worse!

[peteinpa]

7 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

My custom (raised nose, welt and tag delete, Griptex side panels at no extra charge on sale, $260 including shipping in 16) Sargent is fine all day.  It's my prostate, shoulder, neck, lumbar (hopefully now fixed), and left thumb and index finger that limit my range before requiring a pit stop; but mostly my prostate, which is now again in the sights of my new urologist for a Button TURP, or maybe a HoLEP.  My Uro-Lift only helped for about 2 years.

But hey, it always could be worse!

I should be happy it's only my ass.

[2and3cylinders]

Oops, I happened across my receipt, it was $310.  My VTRs Sargent has about 100k miles on it but at about 60k I did pull the cover and add some temperfoam...

[betoney]

On 9/23/2021 at 6:09 AM, peteinpa said:

So what does 2-300 miles equate to in time? On the back roads I ride most, 100 miles with stops is 3 or 4 hours.🤣 Well, a lot of stops.

Perfect timing to answer this, I just got home from a 2-day 800-ish mile trip, almost exactly equal distance of 397 miles each day. 

Thursday morning I left home just before 8:30am and got to the motel at 5pm, this morning I left the motel at 7am and got home at 3:30pm. - Equal mix of Interstate, state highways, mountain passes and canyon twisties.  I always combine stops for fuel, restroom and food, I never make a stop for only one, my biggest fault is I don't stop often enough while riding. 

In keeping with the focus of this thread, a custom seat makes my 400-450 miles per day possible.  My butt is never sore, its always my knees and back that need a break.

[2and3cylinders]

11 hours ago, betoney said:

Perfect timing to answer this, I just got home from a 2-day 800-ish mile trip, almost exactly equal distance of 397 miles each day. 

Thursday morning I left home just before 8:30am and got to the motel at 5pm, this morning I left the motel at 7am and got home at 3:30pm. - Equal mix of Interstate, state highways, mountain passes and canyon twisties.  I always combine stops for fuel, restroom and food, I never make a stop for only one, my biggest fault is I don't stop often enough while riding. 

In keeping with the focus of this thread, a custom seat makes my 400-450 miles per day possible.  My butt is never sore, its always my knees and back that need a break.

Are you hydrating adequately?  Taking ibuprofen and/or alternating acetaminophen every 4 to 6 hours?  Wearing ear plugs?

Given a safe fuel range of 175 miles (based on moderate throttle wacking) at 50 mph average = 3.5 hours.  Your mileage may vary due to proper hot weather hydration even with a Camelback.

Which brings me to why there is Npno way I can go half that long on my FJ09; i.e., due to my prostate. If I don't very carefully moderate my fluid intake and avoid caffeine, it could mean pit stops as often every 20 minutes!!!  In my "yute" I was like you, albeit my semi-custom saddle, lowered pegs and raised clip-ons more easily enabled easily draining the 110 mile range of my VTRs 4.2 gallon tank (thanks to its abismal 33 mpg max, not LOL). The required frequent gas stops being the only fly in the ointment of this otherwise most wonderful sport tourer.  But even on this mild sportbike I could manage 500 ~ 600 mile days back to back at speed.  Unfortunately in the last dozen years I've unfortunately needed to become adroit at the 3-minute side of road pitstop (SORP) though. Much complicated in the last 3 years by my bad back slowing mounting and dismounting. Consequently saddle comfort and fuel range may become mute for many men and mothers after age 50 or 55; certainly after 65  The antithesis as to reason one would  purchase a FJ09 / Tracer in the first place.

However, since my apparently successful lumbar neurosurgery, the Button TURP scheduled yesterday for November 2 (my 3rd procedure of that ilk.  You may uncross your legs now.), and anticipated right rotator cuff surgery 3 months after that, I hope to be easily running comfortably fast and hard on my custom Sargent, lowered and more forward foot pegs, Renthal Street Naked handlebars, behind one of my available 3 screen choices, enhanced when desired by the McCruise ECC, to be able to manage 3.5 +/-  hour stints when the gas gauge starts flashing by next June!

[betoney]

2 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Are you hydrating adequately?  Taking ibuprofen and/or alternating acetaminophen every 4 to 6 hours?  Wearing ear plugs?

No, no, no and yes.  I bring an insulated water bottle with me but again, only  hydrate if I am already stopped for some other reason, so definitely non-adequate.

[2and3cylinders]

I use a one of 3 different Camelback type waterers to keep hydrated on very warm or extended rides, and carry a misting spray bottle, as well as wet down my Coolmax type base layers and headsweat.  This really helps keep you cool and thus your  concentration level up for enhanced safety. I always keep a water bottle in a cozy in my tank bag.

If you have pain and inflammation, taking acetaminophen and/or an NSAID is also very beneficial, especially on longer and multi day rides.  Pain and fatigue is distracting and compromises safety...

[afineAmerican]

Any updates on the seat? I've had my sergeant for about 6 months / 5,000 miles and I still find it slightly uncomfortable. 

[2and3cylinders]

1 hour ago, afineAmerican said:

Any updates on the seat? I've had my sergeant for about 6 months / 5,000 miles and I still find it slightly uncomfortable. 

Detail what bothers you; i.e., nose too low so you slide forward and pinch your gonads?  Hot buns?  Jockey scrotum drag or ride up?  Sometimes it's not the saddle but your undies [I prefer boxer briefs with long legs treated cotton blend or Coolmax) or the fit of your pants; high rise pants are best but hard to find.  Firstgear makes some.