Now maybe its just me but on a 7500 mile trip with a stock seat on my Ultra, no one bad day riding or any soreness..... but im sure i am the exception. (Washington state to Florida.)

 

The Sundowner is an extremely comfortable seat from the first time you sit on it.

I wanted a backrest so I bought the Mustang Vintage Wide. At first loved the backrest, hated the seat. It was too firm and did not seem to fit my butt. Mustang says it takes a couple hundred mile to break in the seat. I put a sheep skin cover on the seat and that helped quite a bit. A month ago, after 3000 miles I took the sheep skin off and now the Mustang seat feels great.

 

I'm 5'10 and about 170. Not a great big hind end. I think the problem was more just two brused spots where my butt was in contanct with the seat. I'm in the saddle (horses) hours a day, and do not have the same symptioms riding them....so I'm guessing it's not an issue with bones or joints.

 

Before spending big bucks on expensive seats, address your riding position. moving you pegs/floorboards, and taller/shorter bars will directly affect how your butt sits in the seat and can make a world of difference. Might find the fix your looking for without breaking the bank.

 

I tried a Sundowner seat, then I added gel and memory foam to the Sundowner seat, then I finally decided to try a Mustang seat (the wide touring solo seat with a wide passenger pillion). When I first sat on the Mustang seat I thought it felt too firm, but then I was surprised how comfortable it felt after riding for a while. I was really surprised at how much farther I could ride without needing to stop for a break, and how much better I feel after a long ride.

My wife thought the passenger seat felt firm at first, but now she wouldn't want anything else.

I agree. The ergonomics of your bike is an important factor. Do those things before deciding what seat you want.

 

Think old school man , I've got a nice thick sheep hide I throw on mine for the long runs that works better than any of the new age stuff I've tried . With your habits I'm shocked that one hasn't happened yet .

 

Figured this one out a long time ago. Corbin, and once I switched I could ride 500 mile days without a bit of pain.

 

It is not unusual for me to spend 8-12 hours a day riding when on a trip.

At 5' 11" with almost noassattol I have found a few things keep me comfortable (used to suffer from the same pain OP had)

Handlebars in good position
Multiple comfortable positions for the feet
Airhawk I pad
Sheepskin
Backrest

Kevin

 

In my case the new seat was a big part of getting the bike to fit. The Mustang moved me back almost two inches and down some. Now the bars are a bit farther away from me which feels much better. It really transformed the feel of the bike for the better. That in itself made the seat a great addition to the bike. Factor the added comfort and that makes it a no-brainer.

O.E.M. seats are commonly criticized by long distance riders and few serious travelers have them on their bikes for long. There are very few that are good for anything longer than a short country ride. Hence the burgeoning aftermarket seat industry.

On moving pegs/floorboards - Moving them forward does me no good because the lowers limit my foot placement - not the boards. Out might help - haven't tried it, but I can't imagine it would make a big difference.

 

I have an airhawk for my ol and have used it on 400+ rides myself. Its pretty good.