I bought my 02 Ultra 3 weeks ago. It came with a Saddleman Sofa. I could not flat foot so I put 2" drop on the rear. Still could not flatfoot. Took my stepdads factory seat off his 06 and put it on my 02 "Perfect" but I see that most guys say this seat is only good for a short ride. Decided to go to the dealer and look at the Sundowner which most of you say is a great seat. The parts guy then tells me that the Sundowner will lift me up over the factory seat. Is this the truth? most of what I have read on here is that it sits lower than the factory seat.

 

Mine sat me lower than stock. It's a "deep bucket" and hence the lowering

 

+1 on what Dawg said and I would only go a max of 1" on lowering either end of the bike. You will rub thru the wiring that runs up the inside of the fender if and when you bottom it out and if you lower the frontend, the fender will contact the triple tree and dent it if you lower it more than a inch!

 

How is the front of the seat. The problem with the Sofa from Saddlemen is that it pushes my legs out as I reach for the ground. Is the Sundowner as narrow or more narrow than stock?

 

Just on a budget so I cannot test a bunch of seat by buying and selling them. Anyone that can speak into the Narrow question? Sounds like this is my seat if it is just as narrow or more narrow than stock.

 

Why don't you go to your local dealer and try one? I will be buying one this Winter and I went over the other day and asked to try one. The guy behind the counter asked if I wanted help and I assumed he wanted to get out of there. He took the old seat off, put the new one on and had a smoke while I took it around the block. I got back, told him I wanted one and that I was going to wait for their Thanksgiving 30% off sale, thanked him and left.

 

In my opinion unless your inseam is 32 inches or larger, the Sundowner will just push your thighs out making it difficult to be flat footed. The nose, as is the rest of the seat, is wide and the deep bucket makes no difference with regards to touching the ground. I have a Street Glide and the stock seat is narrower and I can sit perfectly flat footed with it on. I'm pretty sure the stock SG seat is narrower than an Ultra's seat. So this isn't really a great comparison, but based on what you have done to lower your bike I'm guessing you fall under the 32" or less inseam.

Perhaps you can find a dealer that would let you mount the seat on your bike so you could just sit on it. Or borrow your stepdad's seat and take it to the dealer and do a side by side comparison of size.

 

Just bought my Sundowner this past Saturday,got a thread on it around here someplace.OK,yes it seems to sit me down in the bucket a little lower than the stock ElectraGlide seat,I can tell by my line of sight to the windshield.It's not really any more narrow than stock EG seat AT IT'S WIDEST POINT but I'm saying it's tapered differently so it doesn't push your upper legs as wide.

Great advise from those who told you to get a parts guy at the HD Dealer to let you put it on your bike.....( I wouldn't buy a seat without a test fit first.) And yes don't over do it with fowering the bike...

Just my 2 cents man but I'm thinking you might want to check out Harley's reach seat which should for sure be lower and definitely more narrow or possibly a StreetGlide seat.

 

I have a 30" inseam and there was no way I could flat foot with the stock seat on my 09 Ultra. I put a set of street glide shocks on the back and that made a big difference, but the ride was terrible. I bought a Sundowner seat and was able to put the stick 13" shocks back on still flat foot. The seat is narrower in the front and a deeper bucket. It may have moved me back just a tad from the bars. I am very happy with the Sundowner.

 

Thanks guys, first I am a 30' Inseam, second I went down to the dealer and they do not stock either the oe seat or the Sundowner. Prepaid order only. Not willing to take that kind of risk at $300. I am not interested in a reach seat because while I am short in the inseam I have a tall torso and do not want to move any closer to the front of the bike. I came off an Indian Spirit with beach bars so I am trying to get used to the compressed ride of the Ultra.

I will see if another dealer might be of more help. Thanks for the input i have learned a lot in a short time on this forum