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Seats

Seats

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Seats

Saddles and seats are an important component on a Harley-Davidson: next to the handlebar grips, they are the second point of contact between the Harley rider and his bike. Road conditions, lean angle, tire grip, or the opposite, all communicate to the rider through his seat muscles. That's why the seat on the Harley-Davidson is not just a matter of design, but also of ergonomics and - a topic that is often ignored - riding safety. It makes an enormous difference whether you arrive relaxed and still awake after 16 hours from Würzburg to Barcelona, or whether the maximum tolerable length of the day's ride is 100 km.

Solo saddle or combination seat?

For decades, Harley-Davidson motorcycles had a single seat for the rider. If you wanted to take someone with you, you had to make do. Extra seats (tandem seats) mounted on the rear mudguard or instead of the luggage rack were such makeshift solutions. The Buddy Seats of the 30's and 40's were another possibility of two-person transport: in principle overlong solo seats, the passenger with close body contact behind the rider and ... the rest is left to the imagination. In more prudish contemporaries no every body liked the thought of such physical closeness. However, the buddy seat had a driving advantage, which is why it remained on the FLH as original equipment until 1980: Driver and passenger form a compact unit and sit near the vehicle's center of gravity. And this spares the entire vehicle from negative influences on handling caused by the addition of a passenger. Because such influences also occur with bench seats: the rear suspension has to be adjusted to keep rocking within limits, the front wheel becomes light because the overall center of gravity shifts backward, and steering precision suffers.

Original seats or accessories

Original seats are rare and mostly worn, with steel base plate, upholstery and cover, which have seen much better days. Original replacements are available from W&W Cycles as brand new reproductions with original fit and look from The Cyclery and Samwel Saddlery, as in the old days made from real tanned cowhide. Away from the originals, W&W Cycles offers a wide selection of single seats, double seats and pillion pads (aka P-pads) in a variety of styles from well-known manufacturers and suppliers such as Bates, Biltwell, La Rosa, LePera or RSD. Those planning the radical conversion may consider a rear end conversion kit. There are special seats and base plates for this, or you can fit a solo seat.

Have any questions?

Our service team will be glad to help out: Mondays - Thursdays 08:00-17:00 CET, Fridays 08:00-16:00 CET, Phone: +49 / 931 250 61 16, eMail: service@wwag.com