As you prepare for a bike tour, you’ve carefully inspected your brakes, clutch, pedals, and wheels. However, you may have completely forgotten about choosing the best seat for your Street Glide.
Table of Contents
Our Top 3 Seats for Street Glide
If your Harley’s bike seat is torn or worn out, your entire ride will be uncomfortable. Instead of enjoying your tour, you’ll end up annoyed and distracted by your seat. Are you desire maximum comfort when riding your Street Glide? Then you need to know that these seats come in different shapes and designs. Don’t just buy the most expensive or top-rated product. This buyer’s guide should make the purchasing process easy and effective.
If you are having trouble with removing the seat from your Harley then read our guide.
Comparison Table
| NAME | Material | Folding | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mustang 79006 Deluxe | Machined leather exterior | No | Black |
| XFMT | Artificial leather | No | Black/Brown |
| Saddlemen 806-04-172RD | Leather | No | Black with red lattice stitching |
| TCT-MT | Synthetic leather | No | Black |
| SLMOTO | Synthetic leather | Yes | Black with gray stitching |
| ECOTRIC | Synthetic Leather, Foam, Iron, and PP plastic | No | Black |
Mustang 79006 Deluxe – Best Touring Seat for Street Glide
The Mustang 79006 touring seat is a good choice for long-distance road trips. If you’re in the front seat, the 1.75-inch angle will cradle your back without compromising your ability to steer. A wide rear seat keeps your passenger secure and comfortable. Traveling during rainy weather? This car seat has a cleverly designed drain in the front bucket. It is also made of sturdy material that will stand up to the elements.
Features
- One-piece design
- Weight: 16.8 pounds
- Front seat: 19 inches wide
- Rear seat: 14 inches wide
- Bucket drain in the front section
- Machined exterior
- Suitable for Harley Touring bikes 2008-2019 models
Pros
- The contoured bucket provides lower back support
- Easy to install
- Great design and durability
- Perfect for rainy days
- Can fit with handrail
Cons
- More expensive than other seats
- It may be not suitable for H-D frame-mounted backrest kits
- Comes in only one color
XFMT Low-Profile Leather Seat – Best two up seat for street glide
This Chinese-import motorcycle seat is a great option, especially when you are on a budget. What you get is a comfortable and stylish seat for an affordable price. Its diamond-cut texture ensures you don’t slide off.
The XFMT has a narrow, low-lying design that makes it a perfect seat for a Street Glide. For even more comfort, you can get the optional backrest pad or sissy bar pad. These are sold separately.
Features
- Made of synthetic leather
- Seat: 15 inches wide
- Optional backrest pad
- Foam over iron with a plastic frame
- The backseat is integrated with a suspension system
Pros
- Ideal for low-riding bikes
- Budget-friendly
- Added protection against impact
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Beautiful colored stitching
Cons
- It May be difficult to install
- The narrow seat may not fit all riders
Saddlemen 806-04-172RD – Best street glide seat for tall riders
The Saddlemen seat has a split-cushion design that separates the seating area from the backrest. The makers have gone the extra mile by making the pillion area as comfortable as the front seat. That’s probably why it gets consistently high ratings for comfort. Another plus is the high-quality leather material and gorgeous lattice stitching. Its unique contour makes it stand out from other motorbike seats in the market.
Features
- Weight: 10.6 pounds
- Width: 15 inches
- Ventilated leather cover
- Gel core technology
- Lattice stitching
- Unique split-cushion design
Pros
- Easy to install
- Top-rated for comfort on long drives
- Lattice stitching ensures you don’t slide around
Cons
- The seat may be too hard for some riders
- Too wide for busy towns and short trips
- Cramped for taller riders
TCT-MT Rider Seat for Harley Touring 2009-2020
The TCT-MT Rider Passenger Seat is designed for a narrow leg position. This means maneuvering your Street Glide is easier when you have this motorcycle seat.
Both riders will enjoy the comfortable padding: 4.7 inches for the front seat and 6 inches for the passenger seat. It’s suitable for over a dozen Harley-Davidson models, including the Electra Glide, Road Glide, and Street Glide.
Features
- Moderately thick padding
- Sizeable bucket seat width
- Tapered seat
- Synthetic leather
Pros
- A good fit for Street Glides
- Comfortable and stylish
- Ideal for long distances
Cons
- Loose stitching in some areas
- Foam seat soaks in water when it rains
- No grab strap
SLMOTO One-Piece 2-Up Motorcycle Seat for Harley Touring
The SLMOTO seat stands out from all other aftermarket seats, with a cushion that makes you forget you are on the road. Additionally, the seat tapers down at the thighs, guaranteeing your maneuverability. Extra-strong stitching ensures the durability of your seat. Aside from the Street Glide, this product is a good fit for the Road Glide, Electra Glide, and Road King models.
Features
- Breathable mesh top fabric
- Non-skid high-tech fabrics
- Gel foam
- Narrow design
- Black and gray stitching
Pros
- Extremely easy to install
- Offers tailbone relief
- Tapered design provides comfort and maneuverability
- Durable stitching
Cons
- Sissy pads are of poor quality
- The backrest isn’t quite effective
ECOTRIC Black – Best custom seat for 2016 harley street glide
If you’re looking for a seat with an integrated suspension system, check out the ECOTRIC saddle for the Harley Touring bikes. Are you planning to travel on rough roads? These seats are guaranteed to protect you from impact. Your tailbone will thank you if you get this product.
This seat is compatible with both the Touring and Tri Glide models 2014 and up. Each unit is made from leather, foam, iron, and PP plastic. These materials are waterproof, durable, and high-quality.
Features
- Waterproof and weatherproof materials
- Integrated suspension system
- Synthetic leather
Pros
- Compatible with later Touring and Tri Glide models
- Protects the rider and passengers from jarring
- Ideal for long rides
Cons
- The seat cover material is thin
- Pleather is loose and rips at the seams
Buyer’s Guide – Things to Look for in a Motorcycle Seat
There are tons of motorcycles that are manufactured and sold each year. Most riders utilize their bikes for traveling to work or for joyriding. While most of us know how to look after a bike, there is one component we often overlook: the seat. Not a lot of riders know the importance of a good-quality bike saddle.
What features should be on your motorcycle seat checklist?
Material
This is easily one of the most important factors you should consider before purchasing a motorcycle seat. Most riders assume that a seat will be more comfortable if the material used is softer. Now, the seat may feel soft and comfortable at first, but it won’t always remain that way. After continuous riding, the seat pad will flatten out. When this happens, you’ll be left with an extremely uncomfortable seat that may even cause injury in the long run.
Polyurethane
Top-quality seat manufacturers always use multiple layers of polyurethane. This material is extremely durable and longer-lasting than your average foam seat. Take note that foam seats are likely to tear faster than polyurethane seats.
Gel Pads
Additionally, you should try looking for seats that have gel pads fixed inside the air cells of the seat. This feature gives you an added layer of comfort and ensures the safety of your saddle. These gel pads absorb the shock when you’re riding on rocky roads.
Seat Height
Another essential factor to consider when purchasing a saddle for your Harley is seat height. You’ve probably realized that bikes come in multiple shapes and sizes, just like their riders.
Having a universal seat height is practically impossible. Each motorcycle seat is made to suit the needs of the rider and their ability to reach the ground after being seated on the bike. There are various kinds of seats available for different bikes. Let’s take a look at a few.
Cruisers
These are the kinds of bikes that have extremely low seats. Cruisers are usually manufactured with “narrow inline V-twin” engines. These engines sit in front of the rider. This gives more than enough room for the seat to be fitted close to the ground. Maneuvering cruisers can be quite tricky because of the low-positioned saddle.
Sports Bikes
Sports bikes have seats that are positioned much higher than most motorcycles. This allows the rider to maneuver turns with ease. Take note that sports bikes seats are mounted transversely since they have cylindrical engines.
Saddle Shape
The shape of the seat is as important as the height of the saddle. It’s quite easy to obsess over the height of the seat because motorcycle manufacturers boast about their seat height. The height of the seat may be quite important to your motorcycle, but don’t let that be the deciding factor for your purchase. Each type of bike requires a different saddle shape.
Off-Road Bikes
Off-road bikes are built with narrower saddles to enable comfortable and maximum rider leg extension. These saddles enable the driver to maneuver turns smoothly and handle the bike with ease.
Sports Bikes
On the other hand, riders who have sports bikes often have saddles that are much wider than their counterparts. This is because they are essentially sitting on multiple cylindrical engines, which need a wider surface area. Due to this extra width, it’s challenging for the rider to reach the ground. The rider has to stretch their legs around the saddle on a sports bike.
How Can You Make Your Seat More Comfortable?
The latest Harley-Davidson motorcycle seats are extremely comfortable. They are also designed to withstand long journeys and extreme weather conditions. But if you’re looking for more comfort, consider these options:
Get a Seat With an Air Cell Cushion
Air cell cushions are quite expensive, but they last a long time. You also can’t beat them when it comes to comfort. It’s not surprising that these cushions were initially manufactured for hospital beds. They ensure that patients didn’t get bed sores from lying down for extended periods. Soon, the technology was applied for making bike seats more comfortable for riders on long trips.
Moreover, air cell cushions allow you to decide on the number of cells you want to add inside the cushion. There’s a little valve to the side of the cushion that lets you manually adjust how you sit and how firm you want your seat to be.
Purchase a Seat With Gel Pads
This is one of the most popular variants of motorcycle pads available in the market. These pads are made of fabric. They are heavy, thick, and stuffed with gel. Gel pads let the rider distribute their weight evenly over the seat. This feature doesn’t come with air cell cushions.
However, the downside of gel pads is that they don’t provide the same amount of breathability as air cell cushions. With gel pads, riders are prone to slip on the seat a little bit while turning. This can take a little getting used to and may even pose a risk for newbies.
Wear Padded Shorts
If you don’t want to invest in gel pads or air cell cushions, you can simply purchase a pair of padded shorts. As the name suggests, these shorts have in-built padding that protects the rider’s glutes and backside from getting sore.
Padded shorts are popular among cyclists, especially those who join races or commute daily. Lately, motorbikers have started utilizing this technology. Are you on a tight budget? You’ll appreciate the fact that padded shorts are much cheaper than gel pads and air cell cushions.
However, one of the main drawbacks of padded shorts is that they can get a little too tight over the skin. You may end up sweating excessively or experiencing chafing. This makes these shorts uncomfortable if you’re planning to use them for a long time. The elastic in the shorts wraps itself around the thighs tightly and irritates the skin. Some people who’ve worn padded shorts complain of rashes, cuts, and sores.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t worry, water won’t inflict any damage to the saddle. Most saddles are durable and weather-resistant. Now, the materials used on the seat may be water-resistant, but the stitching on the lining on the cover can let water in.
When it rains, your behind might get a little wet. As you are seated, your weight will squeeze the water out from the soaked padding. The simplest thing to do is let the seat dry in the sun or buy a rainproof seat cover.
If you want your saddle to retain its weather resistance, then we recommend that you condition your seat regularly. You can use saddle creams for this task. You should condition your seat whenever you wash your bike.
For the best results, remove the saddle from the bike and clean it separately. This will help the leather on your seat to stay soft and stay in shape.
If you own the Harley-Davidson Dual Touring model, then the answer is yes, you can. However, if you order the seat without the lumbar lever, you will lose the option of adjusting the backrest while you’re seated on the Harley. Most of the Touring models need the lumbar lever to provide support to the backrest.
You can custom make a saddle for yourself. However, most standard seats fit close to 90% of the riding population well. If there’s a problem with your current seat, contact customer service. Give the measurements of your weight, inseam, and height to the salesperson in charge of selling the Harley to you. That person will provide your measurements to the individuals making your seat.
However, you should try and ride your Harley with the standard seat. That will help manufacturers understand what the problem truly is. Changing the shape of the seat is usually done free of cost as long the same cover can be used on the seat. If the changes render the old cover useless, manufacturers tend to charge for a new cover.
Conclusion
Are you a proud Street Glide biker? Considering what kind of seat to purchase for your bike is more than necessary. You deserve the best, whether you ride for short distances or go on daylong journeys. That’s why it is essential to compare the individual features, pros, and cons of each product.
Some of the factors to consider include your budget, seat style, body type, and riding experience. If biking is something you do every day, consider the fit and the ease of installing the seat on your motorcycle.
Having a new seat changes how your Street Glide maneuvers and looks. Before you buy any seat, go over this guide and make sure you get features that make you happy.
Hi, I am getting the 2022 Street Glide ST. What seats are available for this new model please? It should be a single seat because that how that model comes with.