Riding Experiences and Opinions please

[dukekleman]

What have people found to be the most comfortable solo seat for the 1948' - 1957' series Pan Heads ( any rigid frame )?

Is the Police saddle with it's added foam the way to go???

Please share your thoughts, Thanks
Duke

[T. Cotten]

My wife and I found the best seats, Duke,

Were the ones with a sheepskin over them.

....Cotten
PS: (Not my wife...)
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Louise Scherbyn:

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PPS: I found out the hard way that common hair dye works poorly on sheepskin!

[gharper]

Yep, sheepskin covers are great for comfort. If it gets wet, which it will, it can destroy the seat. After many years of riding, including a rainy cannonball, my Messinger 2 seat ripped apart because the leather had been wet and stayed wet so many times it rotted apart. That was a shock for sure! Had to ride back 12 miles with a towel between the seat and frame, not fun.

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[D.A.Bagin]

I have a 57 with buddy seat and a 58 with solo. Hands down a solo is more comfortable. I know a 58 has a swingarm but still believe a solo would be best.

[dukekleman]

I do have a sheep skin I have used on my long distance touring model, it's nice. The problem I have now is after some old injuries, I can't ride much longer than an hour on my older bikes. Looking and hoping for something to help with that. I do like the solo saddles!
Would it be a step up to purchase the police solo saddles that has the extra foam? I assume they didn't that for comfort reasons???
Thank you everyone for the replies, it's much appreciated!
Duke

[T. Cotten]

Yep, sheepskin covers are great for comfort. If it gets wet, which it will, it can destroy the seat. After many years of riding, including a rainy cannonball, my Messinger 2 seat ripped apart because the leather had been wet and stayed wet so many times it rotted apart. That was a shock for sure! Had to ride back 12 miles with a towel between the seat and frame, not fun.

Looks like a job for Shoe-Goo, Gene!

(We threw our sheepskins in back in the bag when it rained. I could flip it over, but then I slid off the seat accelerating.)

Anybody try one of the gel pads? Or were they a fad?

....Cotten
PS: The choice between Buddy/Chummee and Solo, if you have no passenger, depends upon your "footprint".

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[dukekleman]

I also have a gel pad that is like a waffle...I like it better that the solid gel type.
The sheep skin is nicer when it is hot out, as odd as it may seem to some.

[T. Cotten]

I found a fake hospital bedsore sheepskin, and its great, Folks!

Its washable.

....Cotten
PS: Got a Tedd "Corbin" black sheepskin cover for solos once.

It had the instructions for cutting it out written inside in ball-point pen.

It didn't fit anything.

They sold me a discarded botched template.

[Skirted]

Anybody try one of the gel pads? Or were they a fad?

I got a buddy seat from Heathers for the 64 FLH with 2" foam and a gel pad built in thinking it was going to be dreamy comfortable. What a mistake that was. Never again! The 30 year old seat on the Indian is more comfortable!

[gharper]

Duke, You probably don't recall, but my 24 X has a Messinger short nose, full pan seat. It would be correct for 25 and up SX or Henderson. I had Heathers Leathers recover it and asked for a little extra padding. It came back with a lot of extra padding! It looks like a later HD solo seat. I wasn't pleased with the look but man it sure is comfortable! I also made the accessory backrest and between those 2 features, it is by far the most comfortable seat on an old bike I've ever used! rode 3000 plus on the X and it was always comfortable. Picture shows the 24 X and a 29 KJ with the more correct thin padded seat, which was basically some horsehair, cotton and leather, not much!

So, if it was me, I'd look into a police saddle, or just get one recovered and have extra padding added.

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[vph-d]

For some reason, I like the Standard solo better than the Deluxe Solo even though it has less padding.
vph-d

[T. Cotten]

For some reason, I like the Standard solo better than the Deluxe Solo even though it has less padding.
vph-d

Everybody's "footprint" is different, Vph-d!

I liked being able to move to keep the blood flowing (the whole point of sheepskin), and dual seats also allowed for my longer legs (plus the option of a passenger, which was always the whole point of a motorcycle for me).

Somewhere, I still have a solo-sized wheelbarrow inner tube to sit upon; Overinflation risks a 'bump launch', however...

...Cotten

[PaulCDF]

Always likes a good set of foot-pegs or running boards so I could slow and stand going over RR tracks ect.

[T. Cotten]

Always likes a good set of foot-pegs or running boards so I could slow and stand going over RR tracks ect.

Running boards rule!

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(Hey,... they're Indians, maybe.)

....Cotten
PS: Duke,
Riding an hour straight on a vintage machine was as much as the rest of my body could take, much less my 'seat': Restroom stop at very least...

(Our Road Captain usually mapped one out.)

[dukekleman]

Gene,
I do recall your seat that day. Visuals details are faint due to the rain we rode in and the excitement of your groups accomplishments. I've been leaning towards the police saddle with the increased foam as advertised. They must have done that for the "Hours spent in the saddle on the job" I'll assume.

Over all my years, I just can't say or recall that I've ever rode on one of the police saddles.

I really appreciate everyone's input and experiences riding over the years. Thank you!
Duke