Slippery customer...

[Dezie]

Am I the only R1100S owner to think this is the slipperiest saddle I've ever sat on?

Either the previous owner spent more time waxing the saddle than sitting on it or there's something wrong with the shape of the thing, or materials used, or both.

My arms ache from bracing myself against crushed bollox every time I brake. And you spend a lot of time braking in SE London traffic...

Short of roughing up the surface with industrial grade sandpaper, what's the solution?

Des

[andy griff]

Absolutely agree, most modern saddles seem the same. My K1200S was just as bad.

Immediate cure is to use some of that non slip stuff that is sold for pillion seats. you will notice an immediate difference.

Next up is a seat recover. Lots of people on here have done it, some buying a torn seat from a breaker and keeping the original, well, original.

My solution was a Sargent seat. £300 but worth every penny as I could then ride in comfort. It was amazing how less tired I was after 50 miles of not having to brace my knees and arms to prevent that slide forward every corner/roundabout.
Motocod on this forum has my bike and has the seat, so maybe he will add a comment. If you look on the images area of this forum he has posted pics of the bike with the seat.

All the best

[SAS Tom]

I had techspec tank pads on mine and a recovered seat. The original seat is useless.

[R-man]

@Dezie - you're right its a darn nuisance...my best move was buy a 2nd hand seat and followed the example of MikeB and went to Tony Archer http://www.tonyarcher.co.uk a rebuild.. OK over a year agon but then under £100 -yeah, really!

Also see previous thread http://bit.ly/HlWf2B

To avoid the new foam decaying from heat/wet cycles (like in a washing machoine) I had Tony Archer line over the holes in the seat pan with clear sticky plastic. More grippy material stops the sliding into tank snag (my wife is almost as grateful as I am) and built up areas give more level areas of better support for rider and passenger.
Mine is gray and black, with gray piping Picture in Google+ http://bit.ly/HBfLrL

[SAS Tom]

The seat in the link was my old seat. Much more comfortable than standard and you didn't slide around on it.

Having it done like that was £80. I also had the seat for my K100RT done and that is much more comfortable than standard. I did over 350 miles on it last Sunday and felt pretty good afterwards, no aches etc.

[John Coles]

Yep real slippy especially with textiles not too bad with leather for my old textiles I used some of that cargo net stuff over the saddle I think someone in Oz made a pillion cover out of it that was on the market a while back. I emailed to suggest doing a full seat version but never had a reply. For the other thing I always wear a cricket box - never tried a jockstrap but probably not enough protection. Also a tank cover (that you can add a tank bag to) always helps.

[tanneman]

I fitted stompgrip panels to my tank. Since they don't make stompgrip panels for the 11S I opted for the Honda SP1/2 or RC51 design which fits very nicely. It made a world of difference to how the bike feels, I sit properly and the weight is off my wrists, cornering is better, braking can be done more confidently. All this for about £40. You can't go wrong with this stuff. I don't think I'll ever have a bike without it fitted.

[Hayden]

Try washing the seat in washing up liquid..

[GerryB]

Guys spray every thing with silicone aerosol , makes it look pretty , but its awfully slippery to sit on ...

[Dezie]

Some excellent advice there and a good laugh too. Thanks all.

BTW, I do notice a big difference wearing my leathers vs fabric trousers. Tank grip and non slip matting seem to be the first and simple steps forward with a re-cover possibly later.

Thanks again!

Des

[popsky]

Textile trousers will always be more slippery than leather on a vinyl seat, you could try gently wiping it with a spirit of some sort maybe methylated! Just try not to drink to much then wash off with any detergent.

[SP250]

I've always found the standard seat ok with leathers or leather jeans but a right slippery pain with an oversuit / waterproofs on.

[dave the german]

If you're going to get some of that stuff they use for pillions, go to Tool Station or Screwfix and get a router mat - same material but in a largish sheet and loads cheaper