Which seat upgrade for '12 Ninja 1000?

[dontpanic]

Two years ago I sent my N1k seat off to Spencer for his upgrade and it made effectively no difference, so what should I do next? I really hate riding this bike for anything more than half an hour.

The Ninja forums are all over the place among Sargent, Corbin, and Russell, with votes for Airhawk and Saddlemen gel pads thrown in.

What does the NESR brain trust think?

[MattR302]

I had a custom seat made for my FZ6 by Terry Adcox www.terryscustomseats.com
I had tried 3 aftermarket seats (two different style Corbins, and a Shad), all had me squirming after an hour or so, and the custom one finally made a huge difference. I had the passenger portion done as well and I noticed a big decrease in my wife's complaining, lol.
Here's pics of mine Terry's Custom Seats - Company - Manchester, Tennessee - 19 Reviews - 758 Photos | Facebook
You can look through the albums for other work he's done.

[whynot]

I tried a Laam seat on my '14 NiK, it didn't work for me, sold it to someone on a Kaw forum, he loves it. Check his thread, he compares three seats
Seat comparo: Stock vs Sargent vs Seth Laam

It can get expensive. $325 to Laam to modify the used seat I bought for $30. Two-way shipping to PNW: $50. He will mod the seat for free, so I paid shipping again: $50. Then I sold the seat for $150 shipped [cryface]

I'm happy with the stock seat re-foamed by Spencer in Florida. I tend to sit well forward, brace my knees with StompGrips. Murph's bar risers. Rider pegs lowered.

[Aprilia Pilot]

I have a Sargent for my 17 N1k ABS. The foam is firm but the shape is good with no pressure points. It was a good all day seat on a week long trip last year. Riding position is slightly sportbike with a little weight on the arms, which I like.

Tried a Laam. Felt comfortable originally, with a soft foam and enveloping shape. The seating angle of it though was less sportbike and more touring and resulted in me slouching on the bike , which made my back hurt after riding for a short time.

[whynot]

The Laam didn't work for me for two reasons mainly, it was more like a bucket seat that sat me too far back, and the "ridge" of the bucket came too far forward and kind of cut into thigh bottoms.



I bought it in the first place because so many riders raved about it on that Kaw forum I linked to. So it works for some people.

To state the obvious, the seat is just one part of seating comfort. For me, the biggest change was sending the rear shock to Traxxion Dynamics for re-working. And the bar risers (Murph's) and peg lowering blocks (motowerk.com). So if I had it to do over, I would make those changes before changing the seat.

Oh, yeah, one other thing was the hernia repair last August, put that off too long, that made the biggest difference of all

Riding out west yesterday:

[dontpanic]

For me, the biggest change was sending the rear shock to Traxxion Dynamics for re-working. And the bar risers (Murph's) and peg lowering blocks (motowerk.com). So if I had it to do over, I would make those changes before changing the seat.

Nice looking ride!

I'm actually fine with the bars and pegs - I've got a short inseam, and my legs aren't as bent as most.

What did Traxxion do that made such a difference?

[whynot]

Nice looking ride!

I'm actually fine with the bars and pegs - I've got a short inseam, and my legs aren't as bent as most.

What did Traxxion do that made such a difference?

Thanks.

Traxxion -- they take it apart and work their magic I guess. They can tell you more if you call them.
OEM Shock Revalve and Respring - Traxxion Dynamics

"We offer a Revalve and Respring of the OEM shock for most popular model bikes. Simply remove your OEM shock or purchase a used shock and ship it to us. We will do a complete disassembly, cleaning, and inspection to insure we have a good platform to start with. We will then revalve the shock based on your application and intended use, install a new spring based on weight, replace seals, then reassemble with fresh race grade suspension fluid, and proper nitrogen charge. The shock will be returned already setup, ready for installation, and accompanied with Dyno Sheet and our baseline settings. This complete OEM Shock rebuild setup typically runs from $350-$400 plus return shipping."

The result was definitely noticeable and worth the expense in my view. I spent under $400 with shipping both ways to GA, and turnaround was pretty reasonable, maybe 10 days. If you search that Kaw forum I linked to, shock discussions will come up. The stock shock just felt harsh on most New England roads, the re-worked shock is a big improvement. Still, I avoid the worst of our roads when on this bike. The Motorcyclist magazine long-term test of the N1K was a big decider for me. But now I realize that a long-term test on California roads without frost heaves or potholes doesn't tell you all you need to know for New England. I also run tire pressures in the mid-30s, prolly less than most do.

My other problem is my other ride is an older Multistrada with full Ohlins, and upright seating, and a wide flat seat re-covered by the PO with extra padding.




Back to custom seats:

I had a custom seat made for my FZ6 by Terry Adcox www.terryscustomseats.com
I had tried 3 aftermarket seats (two different style Corbins, and a Shad), all had me squirming after an hour or so, and the custom one finally made a huge difference. I had the passenger portion done as well and I noticed a big decrease in my wife's complaining, lol.
Here's pics of mine Terry's Custom Seats - Company - Manchester, Tennessee - 19 Reviews - 758 Photos | Facebook
You can look through the albums for other work he's done.

Looks like he does great work. I had a 2007 FZ6 for a couple of years, great bike, why did I sell it? Compared to the Ninja 1000, the FZ6 has upright seating and long travel touring suspension, I found it a very comfy ride even with the stock seat. Even though Kawasaki calls the N1K "sport-touring" they also list it as a sport bike. So it's up to the owner to decide how sporty or how touring to make it. In my case I think I've gone as "touring" as I can.

[nt650hawk]

don't know if he can build you one.

https://day-long.com/

[whynot]

don't know if he can build you one.

Day-Long | Motorcycle Seats | Russell Cycle

The RDL seats kinda look like the Terry's Custom seats linked above by MattR302. Would take some clicking around to compare prices. I don't think they'd work for me, as the Laam was too much of a bucket that put me too far back on the bike. I'm satisfied with the stoock seat re-worked by Spencer -- $75 plus 2-way shipping, add $50.
Spencers Seat Mods - Home Page - Custom Motorcycle Seats, Motorcycle Seat Modifications, Motorcycle Seat Mods

But yes, another possibility for the OP to check out.

Maybe a better option, if you can find it, is a local upholsterer who custom builds. Or get a different bike?

[MattR302]

With the stock seat on my FZ6, I tended to sit towards the front of the seat where it’s narrow, to try to be more upright. As a result, the stock, Corbin, and Shad seats I tried all made no difference. When I had the custom seat made, he has you send photos of you sitting on the bike, as well as passenger seated on the bike. So he was able to move the “bucket” part of the seat about 2” forward, so I was sitting on a wide portion of the seat. It finally made a difference. They can also raise or lower the seat too.

The Russell day-Long is pretty much considered the ultimate in all-Day comfort. They use a spring inside the seat for extra support, and a heavier spring if you’re over 250lbs I think. The RDL’s end up raising the seat about an inch.