Look it’s inevitable as time goes on certain parts on your car, motorcycle, dirt-bike or whatever vehicle you cherish most will eventually deteriorate. It’s a part of life, things wear out. Take your own body for example, there are certain things you just can’t do like you used to, especially if you have played sports for a while, your knees may start to hurt, shoulders or hips. Wear and tear does take it’s toll and thats when maintenance comes into play. We might start to add a vitamin supplement or focus on different nutrition, or maybe even medication to help our “wore out” body parts. If things get real bad some may even have to opt for surgery or part-replacement, such as a hip replacement or knee.
Much like our bodies, our vehicles will wear out after so many miles. Wear and tear will take it’s toll and eventually break things down. I (Sara) personally have come to the realization over this summer season that my own bike (96 XL) was in need too of parts replacement. I started with my seat…….. This is the stock seat that has been on this motorcycle since 1996, that is 14 years old. Well after 14 years there really was much left in terms of support or “cushion comfort” plain and simple it was not only hurting my ass to ride I was starting to feel the pressure it was putting on my back and knees… Now, some of you may know me and what I do for a living, I run a motorcycle business, RT’s North Hills Cycle where we specialize in custom motorcycles. We either build ground up customs at my shop or we take a stock bike and transform it into what the customer wants. All during this process my art background comes into play and it’s my responsibility to make sure the project looks great, aesthetically pleasing while functioning safely and properly. So to be faced with trying to find a seat that was going to provide my aging body with the comfort it so desperately needed while maintaining the “good looks” of my bike made me cringe. How in the world am I going to find my cake and eat it too?
I turned to the company I knew with the best reputation for their comfortable seats; Mustang. After looking through the complete selection of seats to fit my model bike I was torn between a few different styles. Again I have to admit my worries were all about the “look” of my bike, I love my bike the way it sits and really didn’t want to go changing the dynamic of it. After speaking with staff at Mustang it was decided the Vintage Solo with Vintage thin rear pad was going to please both my mind and body! I was informed this seat vs. the wide Vintage would be the way to achieve the comfort I needed all the while keeping the seat within the lines of my chassis to maintain the look I desired. I couldn’t be happier! I now have a seat that supports me the second I sit down vs. my old stock one that would squish right down to the base plate as soon as I planted myself down. I now can ride without extra tension on my back and knees and boy does that feel amazing, especially for someone like me that will soon be focusing on maintaining this worn out body! I even had the chance to test out that thin rear pad, Ron took me for a spin and I was a happy rider! Now on to the next task, Suspension……….. stay tuned as I tackle updating my rear shocks and fork springs. They are overdue for an upgrade, 14 years it’s time to freshen the suspension up, especially since I have updated the power and braking.