Back 5 years ago, when Seat Concepts came out with their NC700X kit, I ordered one right away, and installed it myself. It was about the first after market seat option available for the NC. I found the seat to be too wide, too hard, and it raised the seat height more than I liked. One good thing, however, is that it’s one of only two seats I’ve tried that removed from the forward slope. I kept the seat a week, and sold it.
Since then I’ve been on a 5 year mission to find the perfect seat. No luck. I managed to ride the NCs 45,000 miles on whatever I could find, but 2000 mile trips were my limit, and they ended in pain. It’s the NC’s seat, not me, because I rode my Goldwing 9,000 miles last June, with no butt pain at all.
Then I heard some rumors that Seat Concepts could build your kit with different foam densities. I read that their standard foam is meant for riders 165 pounds to something like 235 pounds. Woah, wait a minute, I’m on the very bottom of that range, at 165. I ordered a kit on line, and requested softer foam based on my weight. I got a call from SC confirming that my foam density request was acknowledged. A couple weeks later I got a call from the seat builder and we further discussed my weight (not that it’s a problem), and my goals for how the seat would feel. The kit arrived in August and I was busy with other projects, so the seat just sat. . . until today. My motivation to get it installed comes from the weather forecast. This brutally hot weather should end late this week, and motorcycle riding season returns!!!
I like this new foam. It sinks a bit, so I feel like I’m in the seat a little, not just on it, but it has a definite spring to it. If I raise up on the seat a bit, I feel the foam pushing back up at me. It has good support, but it molds to distribute the weight. Still, in regards to the shape, there are sharp styling edges that serve no purpose but to inflict pain, and the front is too wide and puts pressure on my thighs.
I marked the foam with guide lines, to maintain symmetry, and used a wood rasp and sanding block to shape the foam. I took a couple 10 mile rides, in between shaping sessions, and was very pleased with the shaping improvement. Again, the goal was to round off the sharp styling edges, and narrow the front section. The SC shape is built up high in the front by design, and it does remove the forward slope.
I was worried that the cover would not fit well after removing foam, but after the whole two hour cover mounting ordeal was over, I was quite happy with the fit. There are a few very mild wrinkles in the front where I made it narrower, and they might go away with time. If not, it looks fine, and comfort is way more important than looks anyway.
The only real test left is to ride about 1500 miles on a camping trip, and I think I might just do that next week to enjoy the cooler weather!
Pictures in the post below!
Since then I’ve been on a 5 year mission to find the perfect seat. No luck. I managed to ride the NCs 45,000 miles on whatever I could find, but 2000 mile trips were my limit, and they ended in pain. It’s the NC’s seat, not me, because I rode my Goldwing 9,000 miles last June, with no butt pain at all.
Then I heard some rumors that Seat Concepts could build your kit with different foam densities. I read that their standard foam is meant for riders 165 pounds to something like 235 pounds. Woah, wait a minute, I’m on the very bottom of that range, at 165. I ordered a kit on line, and requested softer foam based on my weight. I got a call from SC confirming that my foam density request was acknowledged. A couple weeks later I got a call from the seat builder and we further discussed my weight (not that it’s a problem), and my goals for how the seat would feel. The kit arrived in August and I was busy with other projects, so the seat just sat. . . until today. My motivation to get it installed comes from the weather forecast. This brutally hot weather should end late this week, and motorcycle riding season returns!!!
I like this new foam. It sinks a bit, so I feel like I’m in the seat a little, not just on it, but it has a definite spring to it. If I raise up on the seat a bit, I feel the foam pushing back up at me. It has good support, but it molds to distribute the weight. Still, in regards to the shape, there are sharp styling edges that serve no purpose but to inflict pain, and the front is too wide and puts pressure on my thighs.
I marked the foam with guide lines, to maintain symmetry, and used a wood rasp and sanding block to shape the foam. I took a couple 10 mile rides, in between shaping sessions, and was very pleased with the shaping improvement. Again, the goal was to round off the sharp styling edges, and narrow the front section. The SC shape is built up high in the front by design, and it does remove the forward slope.
I was worried that the cover would not fit well after removing foam, but after the whole two hour cover mounting ordeal was over, I was quite happy with the fit. There are a few very mild wrinkles in the front where I made it narrower, and they might go away with time. If not, it looks fine, and comfort is way more important than looks anyway.
The only real test left is to ride about 1500 miles on a camping trip, and I think I might just do that next week to enjoy the cooler weather!
Pictures in the post below!
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