I have one on each bike from Alaska Leather. If they get wet, you'll have a wet backside for a while, but unlike any synthetic material or cotton, moisture wicks away and it reduces Monkey Butt (not to be confused with Flyin Monkey Butt). They really shine after four hours in the saddle. Makes the next couple more tolerable, but after 8, there is nothing aside from a custom made seat (RDL) that will make an 8 hour day anything less than torture during the last two.
I found after 8 or so hours in the saddle, the pain keeps me awake. 🤣
Coming from the dirt bike world "sitting down" is a whole new experience. Sitting on a dirt bike is used to help control the bike to go faster, a harder seat is better for precise control. I've always maintained that KTM and Husky dirt bikes come with a grippy seat cover stretched over Norwegian Hardwood. George Harrison would be proud.
Imagine sitting down to enjoy the comfort. What a concept!
That would explain every BMW seat I've ever encountered. Though why BMW would apply that logic to a 575 lb monster that "could" be used like a dirt bike is beyond me.
Illegitemi non carborundum est!
I found the one best addition to my GS for long travel days was the sheep skin for the seat, it amazed me how well it worked.
My RDL has to have a rain cover on it if I am in the rain, the seams just inhale water and I am cursed with a wet arse for a couple of days after.
My RDL has to have a rain cover on it if I am in the rain, the seams just inhale water and I am cursed with a wet arse for a couple of days after.
Dana, I am surprised, and disappointed to read that. In all of my 17 RDL seats, I have never...not even once...experienced rain water permeating the seat cover via the seams. Several of mine were even the automotive Velour seating material, and yet...my butt stayed dry.
I will have to LOOK at your RDL seat when we ALL attend the Flint Hills Sidecar Rally in Council Grove, Kansas, and see exactly what sewing pattern you chose.
You could defeat the permeating rain by....spraying your seat with Scotchguard, or something similar.
Oh, and Scott...if you should decide that a RDL seat is in your future, I will throw a couple hundred bucks towards your new seat, giving you a $ 200.00 discount on whichever RDL seat you choose to order. It's not really for you, but for that Screaming Yellow Zonker of a GS.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
My RDL has to have a rain cover on it if I am in the rain, the seams just inhale water and I am cursed with a wet arse for a couple of days after.
Dana, I am surprised, and disappointed to read that. In all of my 17 RDL seats, I have never...not even once...experienced rain water permeating the seat cover via the seams. Several of mine were even the automotive Velour seating material, and yet...my butt stayed dry.
I will have to LOOK at your RDL seat when we ALL attend the Flint Hills Sidecar Rally in Council Grove, Kansas, and see exactly what sewing pattern you chose.
You could defeat the permeating rain by....spraying your seat with Scotchguard, or something similar.
Oh, and Scott...if you should decide that a RDL seat is in your future, I will throw a couple hundred bucks towards your new seat, giving you a $ 200.00 discount on whichever RDL seat you choose to order. It's not really for you, but for that Screaming Yellow Zonker of a GS.
Thanks for the offer Miles.
Since I use this rig for off road, I need to maintain the somewhat slimmer OEM design to support standing, and moving around. The standard seat works well in this regard, as I can grip the seat with the knees at several points depending on trail condition.
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Checked & adjusted the valves today. Very close to correct. Just two exhaust valves slightly on the tight side.
Also replaced the spark plugs. It had a good running set of Autolite plugs. Replaced them with Bosch units that came in the Box-O-Maintenance-Parts with the rig. 👍
I like the balance on the heat bands (indicates a good cylinder balance under load). The slight bit of brown on the ceramics (not too lean), and the lack of soot on the metal barrel (lean idle). Electrodes were nice & square still. About 12,000 miles ago there is a note in the maintenance records that the spark plugs were "cleaned and lubed". Seems like pretty good service life.
I've never run Bosch plugs before, so will be interesting to see how they do over the next service interval. 😀
Just as I closed up shop for lunch the new TPS showed up. Fast service. 😎
Appears the dealer in EU opened the box to check condition before shipping the part. I appreciate that kind of attention to detail.
Getting hot so that replacement may wait until tomorrow.
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Side Note on the TPS: Just looked this sensor up by the Bosch Part Number (0280122201), and found it as cheap as $285 new with shipping on eBay, and pretty much the same price as what I paid on Amazon. That is a whole lot better than the prices we see through BMW dealers here in the states. 😎
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Sheath, you are starting to sound more and more like a member of the BMW cognoscenti. I never once tried to adjust the TPS on any of my BMW bikes. The first time I thought about doing it (R1150GSA), I read this thread [LINK] and decided to take it to the dealer. In fact, if you ever witnessed any of my wrenching you'd say that decision should have always been my first choice!
Sheath, you are starting to sound more and more like a member of the BMW cognoscenti. I never once tried to adjust the TPS on any of my BMW bikes. The first time I thought about doing it (R1150GSA), I read this thread [LINK] and decided to take it to the dealer. In fact, if you ever witnessed any of my wrenching you'd say that decision should have always been my first choice!
I'm betting you do just fine Ned. 😎
The TPS replacement and setup is really easy if the throttle bodies are set correctly. Since the guy who built this rig worked at BMW when he rebuilt the throttle bodies, I'll give him benefit of the doubt. No sense fixing something that isn't broke. Will literally be a 10 minute job, if all else is right.
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
@scott-h Black Betty (that sweet girl) sports an RDL saddle; no going back! 🤣
@scott-h Black Betty (that sweet girl) sports an RDL saddle; no going back! 🤣
Ben Franklin, do you know how to easily spot a motorcycle rider that does NOT have a RDL seat on their bike?
They are the ones standing up, whilst riding down a paved street.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Miles,
Here is the best picture of the seat I could find right off. After the rain we got in Iowa I had a wet arse all of the way home. I called RDL to see about it and they said that the rain will soak in to the seat through the stitching without the rain cover they make. I bought a rain cover from them. The seat material is all vinyl with the half-moon pattern.
Miles,
Here is the best picture of the seat I could find right off. After the rain we got in Iowa I had a wet arse all of the way home. I called RDL to see about it and they said that the rain will soak in to the seat through the stitching without the rain cover they make. I bought a rain cover from them. The seat material is all vinyl with the half-moon pattern.
Dana, a few comments here:
Dang it....that seats looks fast just sitting there, on that Triumph Rocket lll.
You chose the right pattern, as it has the least amount of stitching, so.....Slap me on the ass and call me Judy.
If you will use a seam sealer, or even just a spray on like Scotchguard, then you can say....Strap my face to the side of a pig, and roll me in the mud.
Finally, could the problem be....that you are wearing moisture absorbing underwear vs moisture wicking underwear.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
New TPS installed. First thing I noticed after install is how it improved my already stunning good looks. Didn't know that was even possible. 😉
Reset the Motronics ram, so it is still learning the bike. I'd be pretty happy if it continues to run like it does right now.
Going to force myself to take a good back roads ride to Cold Stone Creamery for an ice cream. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.
Side note: Pretty excited to start reading this gem of information. 🤩 Just showed up in the mailbox. Got to love Amazon.
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
A nice 35 mile back road ride to the ice cream shop. Then 30 miles back on the main highway. Speeds up to about 65 mph.
Glitchy throttle is gone. Bike is much smoother. Still has the typical lean issues of that model year, but at least now it is running as BMW intended. If it bugs me, I'll break down and get a AX-Fied. Otherwise it is "good enough."
New TPS, a Love It! sized Peanut Butter Cup Perfection and a shady parking spot. The tri-fecta of awesomeness. 🤩
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
I installed some of those R1200-style fuel injectors in my R1100GS and Man-o-man did that engine roar!
. . . for three tankfuls. 😑 Then the Motronic scaled back the A/F ratio to the usual lean burn.
But still, it was an easy mod and maybe, just maybe, improved performance. It did nothing for my looks but did provide a talking point if a BMW guy came over to ask about the rig.
