comfy ridin for Wife

[wmh9680]

Good morning. hope everyone is out ridin.

We have a 2014 RT LTD and I am wanting to know how to get the best comfortable ride for my wife who has had 2 spinal fusions and her bottom 6 vertebrae are now one. Bumps are very bad for here ask is long sitting ride times. We want to continue ridding for as long as we can (she's 63 and I'm 70 and both in otherwise good health).
Thanks in advance. Mike

[Chasinsparks]

I too have a similar situation with my back. With rods and cages, I'm a bit younger but the back in nearly the same. I have a 2016 RTL I could not get comfortable on the seat always squirming and readjusting. I got a Russell Day Long seat it has helped a ton for me. The build of the seat seems to have distributed the pressure points as well as making the bumps more tolerable (not going to take them all away). I would also say tire pressure may help with the stiffness of the ride, I run car tires and have the tire pressure at around 16 PSI.

Considering better shocks as well, hopefully all in all it will distribute the blunt force of the bumps to make them even more tolerable.

[Mazo EMS2]

I also have low back issues, but I'm only 52 so I probably "bounce back" a little easier.....my issue is also a lumbar 3 level fusion. I've had good luck with the Ultimate seat that we put on a couple yrs ago, and I've also heard great things about the custom Russell Day long. ( I believe you have to send your seat to them to build it to your specs, so you'll need a replacement while it's being built) Russell sounds like it might be pricey, but if it's built to your bottom side, it might be worth the cost. Other options are of course various types of pads/cushions/AirHawk/sheepskin, etc....In any case, I think you need some real seat time to make a decision.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I would try an Air Bladder type of cushion .... it's adjustable for pressure .... foam will re-main at the level of softness it was when you bought it ...... jmho ..... Mike :thumbup:

[boomerman]

Check out an airhawk seat cushion.
It's an air bladder type like Mike mentioned and I love mine.

[wmh9680]

I had an Air Hawk and she dn like it. Thanks, Mike

[Peter Aawen]

Have you considered looking at any of the upgrades our Forum Sponsors can offer?? :dontknow: There are other seating sponsors here, but Dave posted this one up recently & it's by far the cheapest:

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?131393-Damn-Don-t-you-wish-your-seat-was-more-comfortable

Just to add a bit more, I know the medical grade gel-foam stuff he supplies does make a significant improvement, altho I haven't actually tried his, what with me being here in Australia & him waaayy over there closer to you... :rolleyes: But this type of 'seat upgrade' is readily done by most, and it truly DOES make a significant difference for those with compromised backs.... :ohyea: Do you really need to ask me how I know this?!? ;)

[KosherKid]

I also have back issues but I'm the driver. I have the Ultimate Seat and I also use the Airhawk. The key is the air pressure in the Airhawk. I had to play with it on mine to get a more comfortable ride. Too much air was as bad as too little.

Best of luck finding a solution to make the wifey comfortable.

[ARtraveler]

I also have back issues but I'm the driver. I have the Ultimate Seat and I also use the Airhawk. The key is the air pressure in the Airhawk. I had to play with it on mine to get a more comfortable ride. Too much air was as bad as too little.

Best of luck finding a solution to make the wifey comfortable.

The saying about Airhawk...and true...you sit IN the Airhawk, not ON it. Always worked well for me when I had hip issues.

[CopperSpyder]

Lots of things to try like Seats, softer shocks with more travel and lower air in the tire to help soften the ride. Consider changing your riding style, slower don't take your corners as aggressive avoid pot holes and uneven spots as much as posable. In the end not much will help fix it all and if you ask the doctor about riding on a motorcycle his or her reaction will be :yikes: oh H no don't do that. If she can't do long rides then do short rides. So be careful ride safe and know your limits.

[Navydad]

I don't know if varying the position of her feet will help during the ride, but my wife loves these foot rests. It's true that the floorboards can't be folded all the way up, but in three years and over 30,000 miles the boards have never been folded for any reason anyway.

181126

[KNIGHTRIDER]

SO also needs a better solution for comfort. Interested in the foot rest Navydad has. Could you give us more info!

[pegasus1300]

Have you considered looking at any of the upgrades our Forum Sponsors can offer?? :dontknow: There are other seating sponsors here, but Dave posted this one up recently & it's by far the cheapest:

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?131393-Damn-Don-t-you-wish-your-seat-was-more-comfortable

Just to add a bit more, I know the medical grade gel-foam stuff he supplies does make a significant improvement, altho I haven't actually tried his, what with me being here in Australia & him waaayy over there closer to you... :rolleyes: But this type of 'seat upgrade' is readily done by most, and it truly DOES make a significant difference for those with compromised backs.... :ohyea: Do you really need to ask me how I know this?!? ;)

I have tried this gel/foam combination from motorcycledave.com. in my 2012 RTL. I don't have a bad back but it did make it so I could ride all day. It is a simple DIY installation and pretty inexpensive. I did mine around $120 including the purchase of a pneumatic staple machine.

[wmh9680]

Lots of things to try like Seats, softer shocks with more travel and lower air in the tire to help soften the ride. Consider changing your riding style, slower don't take your corners as aggressive avoid pot holes and uneven spots as much as posable. In the end not much will help fix it all and if you ask the doctor about riding on a motorcycle his or her reaction will be :yikes: oh H no don't do that. If she can't do long rides then do short rides. So be careful ride safe and know your limits.

All good ideas, I think her problem is more the ride that the comfort of the seat so air in the shocks and tires are probably the key. I've tried to do the rest.

[Navydad]

SO also needs a better solution for comfort. Interested in the foot rest Navydad has. Could you give us more info!

https://diamondraccessories.com/product-category/can-am-spyder-rt/

[jerrydonna]

we have these also, hell I loved them when I was riding on back teaching her.

[jerrydonna]

I don't know if varying the position of her feet will help during the ride, but my wife loves these foot rests. It's true that the floorboards can't be folded all the way up, but in three years and over 30,000 miles the boards have never been folded for any reason anyway.

181126

same here