I’ve heard it extra instances than I can depend, “The very first thing I do after I get a dirtbike is swap in a Seat Ideas seat.” Personally, I don’t thoughts the OEM seats on my dust bikes. That’s in all probability as a result of most of my using with the KTM 500 EXC-F is fairly properly diverse, and I don’t spend a ton of time on lengthy stretches seated. That mentioned, it does occur from time to time, and I’ve discovered myself shimmying from one cheek to the opposite for some reduction when it does. It’s simply not typically sufficient for me to contemplate different choices. Although I do keep in mind giving the KTM the nod for probably the most uncomfortable seat throughout this Glorious Twin-Sport Journey again in 2019.
Important Filth Bike Upgrades For Important Recreation Half 1 – Defending Your Funding
Important Filth Bike Upgrades For Important Recreation Half 2 – Making The Mileage
When Seat Ideas reached out to MO to supply a seat for testing, I made a decision that this was my probability to seek out out what all of the hype was about – and if I used to be simply being cussed. After discussing the kind of using I sometimes do with the oldsters at Seat Ideas, they advised the usual Factor seat (additionally obtainable in brief and tall choices). Since I wasn’t essentially seeking to flip the five hundred into a luxurious cruiser and needed to take care of inventory maneuverability, the Factor seat match the invoice because it’s simply as slim because the OE seat up entrance, however widens as you progress additional again to supply roughly two extra inches of flat sitting house side-to-side. The Factor seat makes use of Seat Idea’s Gripper materials along with being ribbed to your pleasure, er, traction, while you’re holdin’ ‘er WFO. The Seat Ideas secret sauce is, in fact, their proprietary foam:
Seat Ideas seats are constructed utilizing a foam materials that could be a a lot increased high quality than OEM seat foam. Our proprietary method gives a extra plush and energetic experience, whereas nonetheless providing the required quantity of assist. Our distinctive consolation form maintains an identical contour to inventory on the entrance of the seat so the rider’s legs should not unfold farther aside, however tapers out in the direction of the mid-point to distribute rider weight over a larger space.
The place the buns meet the froth
As a result of I didn’t need to lose my inventory seat if I wasn’t satisfied, I opted for Seat Ideas full seat versus the quilt/foam possibility that requires you to make use of your inventory seat pan – Evans received this for his KLX300. One more reason I needed the complete seat is as a result of I do know I wouldn’t be capable to do pretty much as good of a job at assembling it as SC would. They do provide set up although for $25 which is completely cheap, you simply should be prepared to ship your seat in and wait on their various lead instances.

A pal was curious if the stitching alongside the perimeters would trigger consolation points. After various 150-plus mile days back-to-back within the saddle, I by no means seen they had been there whereas using.
The very first thing I seen with the brand new seat is the general high quality. The stitching is flawless, the design appears to be like nice, and having the choice to maintain the blue colour of the inventory seat made me a cheerful camper (there are seven colour choices obtainable). Due to the IMS tank, set up is a bit tighter than with the OE gasoline tank (however that’s the identical scenario with the OEM seat and IMS tank). The Factor’s foam does really feel prefer it has a bit extra preliminary squish than the inventory seat, whereas nonetheless being dense sufficient to supply good assist. In fact, sitting on the seat in my driveway wasn’t very telling – it was time to hit the path.
For my first experience with the Seat Ideas Factor seat, I pointed my wheels towards the huge expanse of the jap Mojave for a four-day, 550-mile rip. Whether or not I preferred it or not, I’d be compelled to make use of it for the length as we had been doing a point-to-point journey. This experience was additionally a fantastic take a look at as a result of we had extra longer stretches of dust BFRs to cowl than common.
Staying additional ahead within the seat felt a lot the identical initially because the stocker, although it did appear that after extra time and more durable hits whereas seated, the Seat Ideas foam was working a little bit of its magic. The SC foam appeared to do a greater job of damping influence forces than the inventory seat. Fast hits on sharp rain ruts or rocks that may sometimes have me wincing simply earlier than influence didn’t have the identical harshness.
Feeling good concerning the seat’s efficiency via tighter two-trackers, I used to be way more excited than I often am to get on to some longer sections of dust roads to have the ability to scoot again and make the most of the broader portion of the seat. As anticipated, it was extra comfy and, as with the inventory seat, I didn’t have the perimeters digging into my ischial tuberosities. This was what I’d hoped for, nevertheless it was later within the journey after two or three lengthy days within the saddle that I used to be actually grateful to have the additional width.

This pack setup brought on my device pack to be pushed additional down than regular. Fortunately, there’s no indication of wear and tear on both the seat or pack, to this point.
I watched my pal forward of me switching from one cheek to the opposite on a 15-mile part of freeway on the third day. In the meantime, I felt no have to do the cheek-to-cheek shimmy. It was nice, and at that time, I used to be bought. Not solely does the seat look nice, it performs as marketed. I even tried to persuade my buddy that possibly he wanted to contemplate one, however he’s much more cussed than I’m.

Typically you’ve received to experience lengthy boring roads to get to good ones… or the place there aren’t any.
The seats aren’t low cost with this model of the Factor ringing up for $360. I in all probability received’t go for placing one on my two-stroke – as that bike I discover myself seated even much less and shifting round way more – however I’m very proud of it on the dual-sport bike. It presents simply the correct amount of efficiency and luxury for my form of using. If I ever pull the set off on buying one other ADV bike, a Seat Ideas seat will doubtless be on the quick record, too.
Now, I get the hype. I may not need to swap out each seat that enters my storage on day one, however now I do know what sort of advantages I can reap by doing so. I might say the extra doubtless I’m to be sitting, the extra doubtless I might be to contemplate a Seat Ideas seat swap. Give it a attempt, your butt will thanks.
Store for the Seat Ideas Factor seat right here
Further Sources
- Important Filth Bike Upgrades For Important Recreation Half 1 – Defending Your Funding
- Important Filth Bike Upgrades For Important Recreation Half 2 – Making The Mileage
- MO Touring: Constructing A Light-weight Journey Bike
- EZ ADV Upgrades: The Ever-Current Hunt For Traction
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