Beaded Motorcycle Seat Review: BeadRider - A Cooler Way to Ride

A few posts back I wrote about monkey butt and how to prevent it.  One piece of the prevention puzzle was to minimize moisture and I noted that the BeadRider beaded motorcycle seat could help in that regard.  At the time, I only had anecdotal evidence based on what other riders had reported.  I mentioned that I had ordered a BeadRider and was looking forward to trying it out for myself.  Well, after receiving my BeadRider and putting a few hundred miles in the saddle, I feel qualified to give you a first-hand report on its performance.

BeadRider "Ultimate" Beaded Seat

First, a few words about my ordering experience.  I placed my order through the BeadRider website on a Saturday. Within minutes, I received an e-mail confirmation with all the details of the order.  Two days later, on Monday, I received shipping confirmation and a tracking number and two days after that, on Wednesday, USPS delivered my package.  I was very pleased with the straightforward ordering process, no-hassle communication, and speedy delivery.

Upon returning from the mailbox, I quickly opened the package to see what my $70.95 ($58.95 + $12.00 shipping) had bought me.  Having seen several BeadRiders on friend’s motorcycles I pretty much knew what to expect, but I’m always a little apprehensive when receiving on-line orders.   Fortunately, everything was just as expected and I was impressed with the overall feel and finish of the product.  For the record, there are two versions of the BeadRider (available in several sizes).  The “Original” is made of wooden beads and the “Ultimate” is made of ceramic beads.  I chose the “Ultimate” because I felt that the ceramic beads would hold up better.

After a quick examination, I wasted no time installing the BeadRider on my Sportster.
Although there were no instructions, installation was simple.  I removed my saddle, slid the BeadRider in-place, tightened the attached shock cords, and put the saddle back on the bike.  Total installation time, less than 10 minutes.  Some might think the BeadRider looks odd on the saddle but I didn’t buy it to win a beauty contest…I bought it to make my butt happy.

The first thing I noticed when I sat on it the first time was I felt a little taller in the saddle.  The BeadRider effectively lifted me up about ½ inch.  Depending on how vertically challenged you are and your bike’s seat height, this could be a problem. Fortunately for me, the seat height was low enough originally that the extra ½ inch didn’t affect my ability to flat foot the bike.  The second thing I noticed is that I didn’t feel a bunch of beads.  The weave of the BeadRider does a nice job of spreading my weight evenly over the entire seating area.

On my first few rides I was a bit apprehensive about how sitting on the beads would feel after a few miles.  I’m happy to report sitting on the beads isn’t uncomfortable at all.  In fact, there’s not a huge amount of difference in the “feel” of riding on beads or riding without them.  So far I like it…I like it a lot.  I can definitely feel more airflow around my backside, which helps with reducing moisture.  I can also move around in the saddle easier.  Before the BeadRider, readjusting my seating position was more difficult and on a hot day, it could feel as if I had melted into the saddle.  I don’t think I’ll have that issue with the BeadRider.

I haven’t done any long distance or all day rides just yet, but based on my experience thus far I’m pretty confident the BeadRider will increase my long distance comfort.  I’ll be putting that theory to the test on two Iron Butt rides I’m planning…a 1500 mile, 24-hour BunBurner Gold into New Mexico and a 3000 mile, 72-hour Saddlesore to Hell and back (that’s Hell, MI just in case you’re wondering).  I’ll let you know if I’m still a fan of the BeadRider afterwards.

If you have a BeadRider and have used it on long distance rides, leave me a comment and let me know what you think about it.  You know what they say, “Opinions are like assholes, and everybody has one.” I want to hear yours.  Until then Live Free. Ride Hard. Be Happy!

Patriot Guard Riders…Riding For a Reason

PGR Flag Line Navy Seal Chris Kyle 2013

I’ve met some great people thanks to my motorcycle.  People that will go out of their way to help you if you need it, people who aren’t afraid to tell you like it is, and people that love and respect our country and the freedoms we enjoy.  It’s not surprising that many of these people are Patriot Guard Riders.

The Patriot Guard is an interesting mix of the biker community.  Members come from all walks of life, ride varying makes and models of motorcycles, run the gamut from young to old, and may or may not be veterans. Despite this diversity, every member has at least two things in common; they love motorcycles and they support and respect the military and first responder communities.

With origins dating back to 2005, the Patriot Guard got its start when members of American Legion Riders Chapter 136 decided to help shield the family of fallen soldier Sgt John Doles of Chelsea, Oklahoma from Westboro Baptist Church protesters.   From those beginnings, the Patriot Guard has grown into an all-volunteer organization with thousands of members across the nation. Today, the main mission of the Patriot Guard is to “attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Much like the American Legion Riders in 2005, the Patriot Guard carries out this mission with two objectives in mind:

• Show respect for our nation’s fallen heroes,their families, and their communities 
• Shield mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by protestors through legal and non-violent means 

PGR Flag Line MSgt (Ret) Bobby Bacon 2014

I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several Patriot Guard missions over the past few years and each
time my heart has been touched by the outpouring of love and respect shown by Patriot Guard Riders in honor of a fallen hero…whether that hero be an active duty military member, military veteran, or first responder. The sense of fulfillment when a family member shakes your hand and thanks you for honoring their loved-one is overwhelming. I’m truly proud to be a part of an organization that stands to honor the life and service of men and women they’ve never met.  It’s an amazing experience.

As motorcyclists, we don’t generally need a reason to ride.  We ride for pure enjoyment and for the sense of freedom it provides.  Riding clears our head, relieves our stress, and makes us feel good.  Riding is therapy for our soul.  But if you need a reason, you won’t find a better one than riding to respect and honor another man or woman’s service to our nation.  I encourage you to search out the Patriot Guard Riders in your area and participate in at least one mission.  You’ll be glad you did and you’ll be a better person for the experience.

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The Truth About the Harley-Davidson Sportster

Over the past couple of years, I’ve had several conversations regarding my decision to buy a Harley-Davidson Sportster.  Most start with someone informing me the Sportster is a “starter/girls” bike, then telling me you can’t really do long distance riding or touring on a Sportster, and finally ending with a question on when I plan on getting a “real” Harley.  I’m always dumbfounded by people’s remarks and wonder if they’ve ever actually ridden one.  I suppose because the Sporty is one of the most reasonably priced bikes in the Harley-Davidson line-up and isn’t quite as large as its siblings, many have a misperception that it’s not a bike worth serious consideration. Really? 

Let me set the record straight by debunking these three “myths”… 

Myth #1 - The Sportster is a “Starter/Girls” Bike. 

Granted, there are a good number of women and new riders who choose the Sportster but this doesn’t make it a “starter” or a “girls” bike. In fact, many would argue that any bike over 750 cc is too large to be a “starter” bike.  I’m of the opinion that you should start on whatever bike you’re comfortable with -- realizing of course, that larger displacement generally means more weight, which can make a bike more difficult to handle, especially in low speed situations.

Although the Sportster is the lightest bike in the Harley-Davidson family, it has other characteristics that make it less than optimum as a “starter” bike.  First is its overall seat height.  The Sporty actually sits taller than most of its bigger siblings, giving it a higher center of gravity.  This causes it to feel a little top-heavy and can negatively affect handling (again, at low speeds).  Don’t be fooled…unless you’re Hercules, 582 pounds isn’t “light”.

	2012  Sporty  1200	2014 Fat  Bob	2014 Breakout	2014  Street  Glide	2014 Road  King	2014 CVO  Softail	2014 CVO  Limited
Running Wt (lbs)	582	706	710	810	814	782	944
Seat Height (in)	28	27.2	24.7	27.4	28.2	25.8	29.1
Torque (ft-lbs)	79	98.8	95.2	104.7	104.7	107.7	115.1
RPM	4000	3500	3000	3250	3250	3000	3750
Calculated HP	60.17	65.84	54.38	64.79	64.79	61.52	65.75
Pwr-to-Wt	0.103	0.093	0.077	0.080	0.080	0.079	0.070

                                                                         Comparative Data for Select H-D Models

Another characteristic that blows the “starter” bike myth out of the water is the fact that the Sportster has a better power-to-weight ratio than other stock Harleys.  This means the Sporty will generally have better off-the-line (stoplight-to-stoplight) performance.  The Sportster has great throttle response and is quick.  Definitely not a good characteristic of a “starter” bike.

Myth #2 – The Sportster isn’t Capable of “Touring”

This is laughable.  I can say with 100% confidence that the Sportster can go anywhere a big touring bike can go.  With the right seat, you can ride a Sporty all day and all night long and get-up the next morning and do it again.  I know, I’ve done it.  The Sportster may not offer the BarcaLounger comfort of the Road King or Ultra Glide but it’s a very capable touring machine.  You can ride a Sportster hard, put it up wet, and it’ll never complain. Don’t let anyone tell you different. 

Myth #3 – The Sportster isn’t a “Real” Harley-Davidson

This may be the most obscene myth of them all.  The Sporty has been in continuous production for 57 years (62, if you count its predecessor the Model K). That’s longer than any other bike in Harley-Davidson’s line-up.  How anyone can say that the bike produced for more than half of the Motor Company’s existence isn’t a “real” Harley is beyond me. 

For those that say a “real” Harley is measured by displacement, consider the fact that before 1999 Harley-Davidson’s largest displacement engine was 1340 cc.  Does that mean “real” Harley’s have only been produced for the last 15 years of Harley-Davidson’s 110-year history?  I think not.  I’m sure William Harley and Arthur Davidson would agree with me. 

The truth is the Sportster is just a fun bike to ride.  It’ll put a smile on your face and won’t break the bank doing it.  I’m glad women and new riders are selecting the Sporty, it’s a great all around bike.  Hell, it might be the most versatile motorcycle Harley-Davidson makes.  You can modify it to be whatever your heart desires…café racer, bobber, touring bike, you name it and the Sportster makes a good foundation.  One could argue that based on its versatility, the Harley-Davidson Sportster is the most “real” Harley ever made. 

I ride a Sporty and I’m proud of it! :-)

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Resource Links

1.      http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Content/Pages/2014-Motorcycles/compare-bikes.html

2.      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson

3.      http://www.hdforums.com/forum/general-harley-davidson-chat/164093-the-sportster-as-a-starter-bike.html

4.      http://www.v-twinforum.com/forums/v-twin-forum-general-harley-talk/127069-dyna-vs-sportster-first-bike.html

5.      http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/archive/index.php/t-1092841.html

6.      http://www.1728.org/mtrtrq.htm

7.      http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcycles/2012models/2012-Harley-Davidson-XL1200C-Sportster1200Custom.htm

8.      http://www.jamesrussellpublishing.biz/sportster1200.html