Enduro seat experience.

[eastbloc]

I recently came to suspect my Gear-Up's tractor seat as responsible for aggravating a painful nerve impingement I suffer from intermittently. The Gear-Up had been down for a few months, and I drew a correlation between getting it back on the road and an increase in my physical torment. So I decided to change something up, with the seat being the most obvious and significant component in the equation.

I've always loved the looks of my tractor seat, and the ease of customization. I'm 6'3" and 210lbs, so I doubled up the rubber blocks and used some square 2" tubing to raise it a bit. But there's no denying the tractor seat's peculiarities. With two blocks, it's very stiff vertically, but the rubber is soft enough that you can feel the frame of the seat on your sit bones. Going over our plentiful New York City potholes, it feels like it's mounted onto a jackhammer.

Side to side though it's another story, and the tractor's rubber blocks turn it into Gumby when I steer hard left or right. I find it actually fighting me using body English to steer the bike -- when I try to push my weight to the right on right-handers, the seat goes left and counteracts the effort.

It's also nearly impossible to change positions sitting on the tractor seat. There's only one way your butt fits on it. You can scoot forward a little, or try to hang off the side, but neither give much variation or comfort.

Thanks to Daisy Cutter I was able to obtain an Enduro seat without having to endure the MSRP. I was so excited I put it on in the rain, and boy am I glad I did. It feels like a completely different bike, in a good way.

Most of my miles in the saddle over the years were on BMW GS bikes, which I usually had raised with Corbin saddles and stiffer springs. I like the visibility afforded by height, both to me and of me. I was worried the Enduro seat would be significantly lower than my raised tractor seat, but this is not so. The Enduro seat is 32" off the ground, versus 33" for the tractor seat:

old_seat.jpg

seat_new.jpg

It does not feel much lower at all than the tractor. It's reasonably stiff, but not as stiff up-and-down as the tractor, so it's much better on the bumps. Because it doesn't do the left-right wiggle, either, it actually makes the bike feel much more stable and easier to control in the turns. So the seat is actually a significant upgrade in how the bike handles. I'm not kidding about this, it has to be experienced to be believed. For years, I was convinced the handling differences between my 1WD and 2WD Urals were down to the higher sidecar, but the fact is both my Sportsman and my Gear-Up were the only Urals I have equipped with tractor seats, and at least _some_ of the difference comes down to that.

The ability to shift forward and back is fantastic. Between that and the reduction in the jackhammer-like quality of the tractor seat, and the improvement in handling, this is among the best -- if not the best -- of the mods I've made to my Gear-Up.

There are two downsides. One is the looks -- nothing says "living fossil" like the tractor seat -- but the functional benefits make that a minor consideration.

The other is more of a missed opportunity. Unlike the Ural bench seats of old, which used a sliding metal plate for retention in the back and just one nut to keep the front of the seat on, the Enduro (and presumably other modern Ural benches) uses two bolts in the back. These bolts slip through the fender in the same spot as the tractor pillion. This eliminates a bit of extra hardware needed for the bench, but requires two extra bolts to remove the seat, which is required for access to the removable plate underneath and the relays, battery, etc.

If I get bored, I might try to rig up a bracket to eliminate the need to remove the rear bolts to take the seat off. But for now, I'm just going to enjoy the vast improvement in comfort and handling! Thanks again to Daisy Cutter for sending over the seat, and to ReCycled for confirming that this is the seat to get. It makes me look forward to riding even more.

[Lofty]

If I get bored, I might try to rig up a bracket to eliminate the need to remove the rear bolts to take the [Enduro] seat off.

Do post a picture or two, please, if or when you fabricate the bracket that you mention. The removal of the two under-fender bolts is awkward, and I'd be happy to consider any solutions that make the task easier.

[Tomcatfixer]

I read some reviews on the forum from folks that had the Enduro seat and didn't care for the foam density and the "thigh-cutting" of the front edges. After reading that, plus not caring for "The Look", I quickly dismissed the seat as unsuitable for me. Since you and I are very similar in build and since I'm interested in a seating option that will allow me to ride long distance to rallies without developing "babboon-azz", perhaps I'll have to re-evaluate the Enduro.

Also, since I got my 2001 Patrol, I got to experience how enjoyably simple the bench seat is to remove. It's a "one-nut" affair.
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2019-01-06 07.22.40.jpg

[eastbloc]

Yeah, and with a one-nut seat and the late-model removable seat plate you would be able to get to the battery in two minutes flat.

It's going to be tricky, though. The Enduro seat pan is designed to lay flush supported against the length of the rear fender, so anything in between the pan and the fender is going to have to extend to provide the same support. The old style bench like on your Patrol has a pan extra wide in the middle to accommodate the brackets for the mount, which are on the outside of the fender.

It could be that I will just have to learn to live with a five-minute battery access procedure. One low-tech way I plan to improve it is by getting some wing bolts to replace the hex cap screws, as half of the PITA is getting a ratchet under the fender to get to them.

[eastbloc]

bolt.PNG

These look like they might do the job nicely.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9N2EK2/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

[AndyH]

My 2015 came with the "Italian Bench" as standard - similar to the enduro but with a raised rear portion. Unfortunately for me (6'1" and about 210) the raised part was in the wrong spot and I couldn't move back enough without ending up halfway up the rise.
Bought a factory tractor seat with 2 blocks from a 2014 (used single and 2 to test ride) and went back to the Italian bench very quickly.
Recently a 2/3 solo seat became available and I haven't looked back. Have done 6,000 kilometers since fitment.
I would like to ry the enduro, but I think the new 2/3 solo has a bit of life left in it yet.

[Navy TM]

I also had the "Italian style bench seat" on my 2011 Tourist, I was very uncomfortable after a half hour of riding. The placement of the ridge locks one in a too far forward position, I also need a back support which is supplied by a Bikers Choice 11" round Duffel. I was able to adjust the back support farther back on the seat to allow a more comfortable riding position. I also have studs installed into the threaded holes in seat base, makes it much easier to install. I use SS lock nuts and SS washers to hold seat to fender. I've done several long trips with the Enduro seat in place and am very pleased with its performance. I also have a beaded cover and a sheepskin on the seat which has eliminated the sharp edge of seat for me, I'm 5'7'' with a 29" inseam.

[INSUBORDINATOR]

I did an interesting & comfortable tractor upgrade with a LYCETTE type Britsh spring saddle in drivers location, which looks - & feels very great.
EXCEPT: My right knee (damaged years ago) has a hard time bending enough to ride for long.
I'm wondering if an ENDURO or 2/3 flat Bench seat would allow me to scoot back enough - to ease my uncomfortable knee bend ?
IF SO.......
I think I Would trade both My excellent Front & Rear TRACTOR SEATS + mounts + covers - for ONE NICE ENDURO/ 2/3 SEAT with mounts. Mine are very pretty - With no issues. But my darn old KNEE probably won't get any better.

please contact me if interested....

[Mr Wazzock]

The Enduro is up there as one of the best motorcycle seats I've ever sat on. Close runners were the Moto Guzzi Spada bench seat, and a king-&-queen-ish style aftermarket touring seat I had on my BMW R80. The Enduro I can and have sat on for hours and hours with minimal bum-ache, which is a unique experience for me.

It the Daddy.

[Mr Wazzock]

PS: yes and you have ample fore-aft "adjustment margin".

[AndyH]

I think I Would trade both My excellent Front & Rear TRACTOR SEATS + mounts + covers - for ONE NICE ENDURO/ 2/3 SEAT with mounts.

The 2/3 solo isn't sprung so you are going to lose the seats ability to soak up a lot of frame shock and vibration.
You might have a better knee at the cost of a worse back?

[windmill]

I think I Would trade both My excellent Front & Rear TRACTOR SEATS + mounts + covers - for ONE NICE ENDURO/ 2/3 SEAT with mounts.

The 2/3 solo isn't sprung so you are going to lose the seats ability to soak up a lot of frame shock and vibration.
You might have a better knee at the cost of a worse back?

The "luxury swing seat" is the 2/3 bench on springs which would give one the best of both worlds if it's the correct seat for them.

IMG_2915.JPG

Some folks don't like the 2/3 seat, I hate the enduro and stepped seat, I'd rather have the old tractor seat than any version of a bench seat. It's virtually impossible to recommend what will be best for another person, we're all built different.

I have knee issues too, the right seat is a nice thing, but don't find any seat will solve my issue with them. The only thing that helps me is taking breaks where I can stretch and walk some. I even tried highway pegs where I could stretch my legs out, but no dice on that helping.

[eastbloc]

bolt.PNG

These look like they might do the job nicely.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9N2EK2/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

I can confirm that the above are perfect replacements for the rear seat bolts on the Enduro and possibly other seats, and make it easier to remove the seat.

[eastbloc]

Sorry, no idea what's going on with the photo attachments. This functionality has been really wonky lately.

[Tomcatfixer]

Do you know how close the tire-to-knurl-knob distance is under full shock compression? Any danger of contact?