Pogo Seat Comfort

[RodFun]

Maybe that title is an oxymoron.

I love that my 76 Shovel has a pogo seat. When I first looked at the bike, after we made the deal my buddy said to me, "did you see him remove that chew toy from under the seat before you went for a test ride?" I did not, as I was focused on everything else. But now I get it. I'm 6' 2" and weigh 215 in my birthday suit. When I took the bike to my shop to have them go through it, I asked them to install the stronger pogo spring, which was obvious. I also replaced the t-bar bushing to eliminate lateral movement and the seat feels good. But I do bottom out occasionally and I also feel like I'm leaning backwards a bit when I ride, so I think I have the pogo pretty well compressed.

Instead of a chew toy to absorb the bumps, I was wondering if I could put a rubber bumper around the pogo shaft, kind of like a piece of pipe insulation but very tough. Also wondering if I can elevate the seat off the pogo shaft a little more so when I compress it I don't feel like I'm leaning back.

I'm sure others have come up with creative solutions so I am just putting this out there for any ideas.

Thanks!
Rod

[T. Cotten]

Traditionally, Rod,

Everybody had a box of spent OHV outer valve springs, and just tossed one over the post.

(Indians used a blasphemous harley springer upper fork spring.)

How many you need?

....Cotten

[RodFun]

Aha! Now I remember reading that somewhere. Sounds perfect. Looking at pics they seem to be about 3", which would probably do it. But maybe two.
I also found this great article about adjusting the "spring preload" on a '64 panhead, which probably applies to my '76 shovel. I may try both solutions. But I can see that the OHV springs make for an easy quick fix. I include this link for anyone looking for solutions:

https://www.ridingvintage.com/2012/0...djustment.html

[droptopford]

The ultimate solution for this issue is a set of springs from 'The Spring Man'. He sold them through the AMCA mag for years. He's no longer in business but I know he sold his inventory to Colony. Don't know if they have any sets left but contacting them is worth a try. They are adaptable/rearrangeable to both rigid and swingarm frames.

By the way... I have a set in all of my Springseat bikes. Same size and weight as you and have yet to bottom out once. Good luck!

[chuckthebeatertruck]

Just so you know; KONG does make the "chew toy" in black . . .and they work extremely well.

Swapping out a police solo spring for a KONG is a relatively common solution for heavier riders on late model bikes. The KONG is chosen because it doesn't break down and is about the perfect compliance rate.

Oh, and you can make a donut out of them and slip it over the seat post if you like.

[RodFun]

Ha! I love it. Which chew toy, KONG as many.

[chuckthebeatertruck]

Kong extreme chew toy, size large.

The extreme comes in black, the regular in red. Under 175 pounds the regular is ok. Over 175, extreme is better.

On late model police solos it’s a simple fit. On a pogo a little more involved.

By me, the Kong extreme is 13-15 bucks.

[PRG]

Howdy sir,

Appears your seat uses studs for the two rear anchor points to the T bar blade like the original police solo. Just got a new Corbin Gentry which uses threaded bosses, bolts and provided spacers to offset that raised nose. Yours also appears to have the same/nearly same over padding of the nose as mine, original police solos like I ran on this machine for over 35 years before the cover rotted off are much lower. I’m of large weight and dimension and prefer sitting “in” my bike rather than on “top” of it, the better for wheeling it around like a hula hoop below my waist, so prefer the lowest saddle position attainable. These “glides” do just that down the road being softly sprung so I removed my spring and cut a steel tubular sleeve to my preferred height to just clear that chrome cover and slipped it over my pogo. This new seat called for something different, dispensed with the sleeve, refitted the spring as just a place holder, made a bracket to mount this grab rail with rubber bumpers on the bottom of the rear loops. Under way it settles down nicely on the chrome cover.