I love my Tmax - my arse doesn't !

[MattJH]

I had some great advice from all you muppets when I was deciding on my first bike in 20 years. I bought a Tmax and the combination of power, handling, weather protection and storage is fantastic. I use her for a daily commute into London of 50 miles round trip but have only been on a few rideouts which I intend to correct.

My only problem is an unexpected one. After about 45 mins in the saddle, I find myself fidgeting as my backside is starting to complain. I think it is being sat so upright with my legs forward and my somewhat substantial mass (200lbs) baring down on a small patch of butt.

So I am looking remedies. I have thought about gel pads, air cushions, sheepskins, and of course a replacement comfort saddle. I worry about what ever solution soaking up rain and this rules out most including the Corbin seat. My current focus is on the Shad seat. There seems to been a couple of different ones available, one which looks like the yamaha comfort seat and one that looks wider and that the one I am thinking might help "spread the load".

Has anyone got one on, any thoughts would be appreciated, particularly interested in weather the material is weather resistant.

Thank all.

[JohnR93]

Like me, (> your sylph like 200 lb...) you may need to lose weight. But it's not easy, I love my food.
It's so tasty.
I have a Tony Archer gel pad insert (in the bike seat, not in me ) and can do 200 or more miles on a run out without too much discomfort.

[Steve_D]

I don't know where you are located but when I had my Burgman Exec I took the seat to a trimmer near Brands Hatch, had the seat cover removed, a gel section fitted and then the cover fitted back on. A mate had the same thing done to his at the same time plus a new cover. We left it for a couple of hours, had breakfast in a local pub, went and watched a few bikes going round the circuit and they were both done. I think I paid about £90. The longest trip I did in one day on that seat was from Chamonix in France to home - 661 miles. Arse was as fresh as a daisy when I got home.
As it was fitted under the original seat cover there was never any problem with rain. Only other difference I noticed was that as it didn't compress as much as the original, I sat about 1" higher and it took a little longer for the heat from the heated seat to get through.

[Funkycowie]

I started out with the normal seat like you, and then because of being 6'2 and about 200lbs I too had arse trouble so changed to a Shad Comfort Seat... still had the issue... but after a year or so of riding I realised I did not... then after a recent change to another TMax which had the original seat my arse still felt fine...

The only thing I can think the cause being is me being tense when riding a new bike and getting used it how it handles resulting in butt ache regardless of padding on the seat.

[SkuTorr]

My brother and I both found our Tmaxes to be MUCH more comfortable over a long ride after we installed Backrest Risers. More support for the back and the overall ergonomics improve...

On a Tmax 500:

photo1.JPG

On a Tmax 530:

Seat Extensions Swapped.jpg

[MrGrumpy]

Interesting...thats one issue I've never had! I've had achey wrists and shoulders after rides, but never a painful behind. I can only assume mine comes ready padded.....

[fatcatlawyer]

I solved the same problem on my Burgy 650 by first having a Gell pad inserted and then the expedient of a small air cushion with less than a puff of breath in it. Initially this seemed unstable but within half a mile all sorts it out. With this I managed to ride from Biarritz to Chesterfield in one day - 900 miles plus and felt OK the next day! Air cushion cost less than 4 quid.

Ian G

[Bluebottle]

What about Airhawk? Are they still going?

Burgman 400 = a happy bum for me so I haven't looked into it recently but the Airhawks were all the rage not so long ago

[spaceprobe]

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[spaceprobe]

What about Airhawk? Are they still going?

Burgman 400 = a happy bum for me so I haven't looked into it recently but the Airhawks were all the rage not so long ago

I've got a Airhawk, and it's stayed in it's box since for the last couple of years because it was spending more time under the seat than on it.

Since I got the Maxsym the airhawk as stayed in the cupboard (SYM know how to make a comfy seat), but the Airhawk is very good, buy from a US site you get a better range of models and they are much cheaper