Harley Sportster is famous for having classy and exotic designs. It offers cozy rides; however, installing a comfortable seat is the prerequisite. Not all of the seats come with the required quality or live up to their prices. To help you choose the most comfortable seat for Harley Sportster, here we’re presenting a list of market capturing products.
Best Overall for Most Sportster – Mustang 76145 or Mustang 76957
Best for Tall Riders – Mustang Wide or Mustang 76148 or Saddlemen LS
Best Solo Seat for Sportster (Most) – Mustang 76570 or Mustang 76728
Best for 2-Up (Rider+Passenger) – Mustang Fastback or XMT-MOTO
Best for Iron 883 – Mustang 76145 or Mustang 76691
Best for Iron 1200 – Mustang One-Piece or C.C.Rider
Best for 1200 Custom – Mustang 76730 or Le Pera Bare Bones
Best for 883 Low/ Super Low – Mustang 76728 or Mustang 76730
Best for 1200 Low/ Super Low – TCMT Pillion Cafe or XMT-MOTO
Best for 883 XL & 1200 XL – Mustang 76730 or Mustang 79379 or TTMT Solo
Best for Seventy-Two – Mustang Wide 76730 or HTTMT MT500
Best for Forty-Eight – TCMT Pillion or C.C.Rider
Best for Nightster – Mustang 76730 or Mustang Wide Tripper
Best for Roadster – TCMT Pillion Cafe or Mustang Tripper 76730
Best for 4.5 GAL Tank – Mustang 76150 or Mustang 76568
Best for 2.1 & 3.3 GAL Tank – Mustang Tripper or Mustang 76957
Importance of a Comfortable Seat on Your Sportster
The reason most people’s butts hurt after riding for long hours is their bike seats. An ideal seat will offer not only comfort but also ensure control and support of the biker. Here are some of the benefits that come with a comfortable seat:
- Offers great comfort to the rider
- Can hold two people with ease
- Installation is easier since one needs no tools
- Offers great value for the money
- Makes the journey fun due to the comfort
- Butts never hurt
Aftermarket Seats and Compatibility with Sportster Models
When talking of compatibility, not aftermarket seats are compatible with Sportster models. But several brands delicately produce the right and comfortable seats for XL and K series. All you need is to ensure you get an aftermarket seat with two sets of mounting holes. Such features make the seats interchangeable.
Make sure it has the right size and fitment for your model of Sportster. Remember, even a slight difference there might cause you to suffer in the upcoming times. So, don’t forget to check for compatibility before buying to avoid disappointment.
Best Sportster Seats – Most Comfortable [Even in Long Rides]
Buying Guide – Best Seat for Harley Sportster
Size and Shape
Harley Davidson bikes come with various shapes and sizes in their seat slots. It’s crucial to measure the width and length of your seat before hitting the market. Other than size, some seats incorporate irregular shapes. The best thing is to make sure you choose a shape and size depending on your bike seat.
Material
The material highly defines the seat’s comfort and sturdiness. With so many materials making up the seats, make sure you go for the most durable and comfortable.
Baseplate
A baseplate highly determines how comfortable the ride feels. The ideal base plate should feel flexible as you ride. Avoid going for the rigid ones.
Cushion
While the thick and soft padding leads to comfort, they become compressed over time. Such cushions deform around your anatomy leading to discomfort. Such compression adds pressure to your butts leading to pain. Make sure you choose the one with sturdy cushioning.
Cover
Avoid choosing the projecting seams and rough patches when buying a bike seat. Such features may cause discomfort based on their location.
Color
Most seats come in black or grey colors, making colors non-problematic. However, you need to consider your bike’s color to avoid a funny look.
Riding position
Your riding depends on the seat design and the height. Some seats are thin, while others are thick. Some are high when others feel low. Choose a seat depending on your riding position and height.
Added Features
Extra features are crucial when you need extra look, style, and comfort. Such features offer back support, especially if riding long distances. However, it’s good to remember that some features may come with extra cost.
Budget
It’s always good to think of the money you wish to spend on a product. However, the amount of cash to use on a bike seat depends on the material and the features. Lightweight and sturdy carbon fibers are always pricier. On the other hand, alloy rails and polymer shells incorporate a reasonable price.
Solo or 2-Up
Such features depend on your choice. If you like riding alone, go for the solo seat. If you like company, 2-up is the ideal one.
Best Brands for Sportster Seat
All of the seats on our list incorporate quality and a durable experience. While the seats seem pricier, you ride comfortably and are safe from fatigue. The most famous and reliable brand is undeniably the Mustang. Others include LePera, TCMT, XMT, and C.C.Rider that you can rely upon for their comfort and performance.
How Can I Make My Harley Sportster More Comfortable?
Harley Sportster seats are always comfortable, but it never hurts, making them comfier. The best way to do this is by choosing a quality seat with the ideal dimensions. Having extra dimensions at the back makes the seat wider, adding comfort to the butt and the back.
A comfortable seat makes long-distance riding painful and stress-free. Another way to add comfort is choosing a seat with sturdy and soft padding to make sure you feel no pain while riding.
Should I Consider Backrest/ Back Support for Sportster?
A seat with a backrest is the best for any serious rider. The backrest supports the backbone, ensuring no pressure gets to the back. Even when riding for long hours, you will feel no pain in the back. With a backrest, you also boost your overall health. However, most seats with backrests come with higher prices, and so you need first to consider your budget.
How to Remove the Seat from Your Harley Sportster?
Removing a bike seat is an easier task, provided you get a screwdriver. You only need to remove the bolt attaching the seat to the back fender. After that, hold the seat’s back and raise it above the back guard. Tweak the seat, moving it off the gas container. By doing so, you save the front seat in case of a frame. Place the seat away, ready for another installation.
Installation of a New Sportster Seat – Process and Tips
- Check the seat. To begin with, check and ensure the parts going into the seat are in place. You would not want to waste time installing only to remember something is amiss.
- Prepare the screws that you’ll need for seat installation.
- Mark the new saddle. This is crucial in ensuring it fits exactly where the previous seat was
- After marking the seat, place the seat rails well, align them as you adjust the seat to its level. Leave the clamp a bit loose to leave room for adjustments before tightening it completely.
- Check to see if the rails are aligned well and that the seat is at the center. After that, you can check the seat angle.
- Slide the rails making sure they match the previous seat position
- Test the seat, and it fits well, tightens with screws ready for the ride.
Can You Have Long Rides on a Sportster Comfortably?
You will have a comfortable ride if you own a bike in good condition and equipped with a cozy seat. Sportster is famous not only for their safety but comfort making them the best choice for any rider, right after the touring models. Make sure the seat has a quality seat cushioning and make your trip a memorable one.
Concluding Remarks
A quality and comfortable seat is what every rider needs. While the market is full of numerous seat models, some of them are shams. With our list, you will get a quality seat for your Harley Sportster. Choose any from the above for a fun and enjoyable ride.
Last update on 2022-06-20 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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