Butt Butler Update on Pillow Top Seats

[Rick Butler]

Hey Guys,

 

After having completed my seat modification to over a dozen pillow top seats since the first of the year, I thought I'd give you all an update on my progress. I think I have come up with the best process for this seat, since it's foundation foam shape is like no seat that I have ever encountered.

 

If you take a look at your OEM pillow top, you will note a slight forward pitch and the back of the seat is flat which creates a pressure point at the back of your butt just above the tail bone. When you take the cover off and pull loose the 1" layer of foam that creates the pillow top effect, you will see two bumps at the outer edge of the seat. I have no idea whey they chose to put these bumps in the molding, except to possibly provide more support to the outer edge of the seat?

 

Anyway I have attached 5 pictures show the main steps that I go through in modifying the pillow top seat.

 

1. My 1st cut is to the back if the seat to put some curvature to sit back into.

2. the 2nd mod is to cut those bumps off and slope the base of the seat back a bit resulting in lowering the seat about 1/2" at the back.

3. Then I narrow the neck and cut my tail bone relief in.

4. Once I get it roughed out, I take my right angle pneumatic grinder with a 60 grit sanding pad and smooth the seat out and shape it to fit the butt better.

5. Now it's time to replace the 1" of standard foam with a layer of 1 1/2" memory foam cut to the same shape with the same cuts to keep same the pillow top effect.

 

The memory foam keeps pretty much the same shape of the original seat. But when you sit on the seat you will feel that your butt fits the seat much better and the memory foam does not resist like standard foam and lets you sink down into the pillow top to the new foundation.

 

So there you have it and if I can help you with making your pillow top more comfortable I am here to help. Maybe a few of the guys whose seat I have done will speak up as to what they think of this change? And I've also done a couple of passenger pillow tops, where I mostly just narrow the neck and cut in my tail bone relief before replacing the pillow top with memory foam.

 

The last picture is to show a modified seat on the bike with a stock pillow top sitting on the rear seat.

 

Rick (aka Butt Butler)

 

Oh, if you don't know I have an ad (Butt Butler Seat Mod) in the classified section of 2nd Gen Parts with more info.

Edited January 21, 2010 by Rick Butler

[Seaking]

Hey Guys,

 

So there you have it and if I can help you with making your pillow top more comfortable I am here to help. Maybe a few of the guys whose seat I have done will speak up as to what they think of this change? And I've also done a couple of passenger pillow tops, where I mostly just narrow the neck and cut in my tail bone relief before replacing the pillow top with memory foam.

 

I'm a happy owner of one of Rick's seats and enjoying every minute of it. The mods he does are excellent.. You go from fidgeting your butt looking for that perfect comfort spot on your old seat to simply parking your assets down and riding off. It truely IS that good of a mod. THAT good of a mod I have a second seat being done as well. I had a second seat done so I wouldn't lose riding time while my seat was being done ; ) Now I have a spare so my buddies can borrow it when they send their seats to get done hehe.

 

Yes, one of THE best mods I've added to the bike since I got it this summer. It is the ONE item that made the biggest difference to my riding enjoyment.

 

Thanks again Rick!

[Marcarl]

Just a word to put in here,,,,,if you are going to do this and use a grinder to shape the seat,,,,do it outside,,,,that foam gets in everywhere and flies all over the place.

[Tartan Terror]

Can you do anything to a Corbin to make it more comfortable? Im waiting on Corbin to decide if they are going to be nice and redo my seat with a lower density foam for just the cost of me shipping it to them or if they want a Lung. Still debating on keeping the bike or getting an ultra but that decision is off to next year. This seat needs to be more comfortable soon. Long rides are out right now. Can you help a Corbin if the maker fails to want to do this?

[BoomerCPO]

I have read nothing but great comments regarding Rick's mod to the RSV seats.

 

I plan on sending my seat off to Rick as soon as I put my RSV up for the Winter.

 

Regards............Boomer

[Mariner Fan]

I have read nothing but great comments regarding Rick's mod to the RSV seats.

 

I plan on sending my seat off to Rick as soon as I put my RSV up for the Winter.

 

Regards............Boomer

 

I'm going to do the same thing.

[GigaWhiskey]

I am speaking about the '85 crossover seat that Rick did for me. Me likee! And the ride to Sanger this weekend proved it again. Didn't notice an ache, pain, twitch or the slightest bit of numbness - shore did before Rick got to it. Also, Mrs. GigaWhiskey had no leg or knee aches as the passenger. She enjoyed the newly modded seat. Thanks a bunch Rick!

[Condor]

I have a 1stGen seat made by a local leather shop for the previous owner, and the foam they used is really soft, and offers little cushioning. It's not totally uncomfortable, but I wish it had a bit more asset support. Unlike most on this board I like the stiffness and shape of the Corbin on my '91, but my '83 could use a little more butt padding. Could you do something like this???

[GigaWhiskey]

Could you do something like this???

 

Prolly with his eyes closed!

[Condor]

Prolly with his eyes closed!

 

I think I'd prefer he keep his eyes open... What say Rick??

[pegscraper]

He started out doing this work on the 1st gens, didn't he? This pillow top work is a later development.

[Rick Butler]

Tartan,

 

I have yet to get into and modify a Corbin. I have done a Hartco which I think has about the same density foundation of the Corbin and it really needed help. However a Corbin does have a good shape to start off with but to me is like sitting on a board. Among Corbin owners, there seems to be no middle ground, where you love it or hate it. But to answer your question, I would like to see what is under the cover just for my own curiousity. I'm thinking that the cover is probably glued on pretty good, but I'm not sure. But if you wanted to send me yours, I'd be glad to take a look at it to see if I could help it. And if I got into it and didn't feel comfortable with going any further, I'd put it back together and wouldn't charge you anything.

 

And yeah Lynn, I started working on 1st gens years ago and have only been doing 2nd gens since I first bought one in 01. Working on Pillow Tops is a recent event, which I really feel good about.

 

And Condor,

 

If your seat has different foundation foam, I don't think I could help you any to make it firmer. My expertise is primarily in working with the oem or aftermarket foundation foam to make it fit the butt better and give the tail bone some relief. The memory foam is also a recent addition that really makes a seat feel good sitting into without creating the linear resistance that standard foam does.

 

So I'm here to help any of you out with your seats to make them more comfortable for the long haul, where most of us like to stay in the saddle all day in traveling this great continent of ours. As of now, I only work on VentureRider seats and friends of VentureRiders.

 

Thanks,

 

Rick

[Condor]

Tartan,

 

And Condor,

 

If your seat has different foundation foam, I don't think I could help you any to make it firmer. My expertise is primarily in working with the oem or aftermarket foundation foam to make it fit the butt better and give the tail bone some relief. The memory foam is also a recent addition that really makes a seat feel good sitting into without creating the linear resistance that standard foam does.

Rick

 

Thanks for the reply Rick. Just thought I'd ask. I have put several 600 mile days in the '83 saddle and felt fine afterwards.. It was just a personal preference, and I'll be fine riding it just the way it is. I bet it's as soft as a pillow top....

[Color01]

Hello Rick

 

How long does it take for you to redo a normal RSV seat ? ...Because I use my bike everyday.

 

I don't have the pillow top seat.

[Mariner Fan]

Hey Rick,

 

Tried to send you a PM but it looks like your inbox is full.

 

Does this mod lower the height of the seat? I'm a tall guy and I don't want my seat lowered.

 

Thanks,

Bob

[waterbug]

I have a question, does this mod help in any way with the way it shoves the boys up and make it very uncomfortable for any lengthy ride?? I dont want to sit lower in the seat as I am of the taller statute.

[friesman]

Hi Rick

I have a saddelmens seat with a backrest on my 85 1st gen that is uncomfortable as the seat seems very flat and tall.(I cannot sit flat footed at an intersection) I am a big guy 6ft 300lbs and I find the seat pushes my boys right up onto my tank cover as the seat doesnt seem to be deep enough from the front to the passenger uplift area which is quite a lot more vertically straight up not tapered like the Oem seat.

To be honest it feels like my butt just doesnt fit into the drivers seat area, and that I am pushing the ridge back trying to keep off the tank cover.

 

Let me know if you can do anything to help, the only thing i like about the seat is the removable backrest....

 

Or would I be better off just getting the OEM seat reupholstered and recovered?

 

Brian

[Royal Venturer]

Gee Rick,

I'm leaving a week from today on a 2 week 3k+ vacation......do you have a pillow top you could FEDEX to me and I could FEDEX back to you mine.......I would say I'm asking from the

bottom of my heart, but truly I'm asking from much farther south.

 

Regards

Jim

[Guest BluesLover]

Rick - any idea of the cost of shipping the seats to and from Canada (specifically, Ontario?).

 

Cheers,

[Rick Butler]

Lou,

 

I just sent Seaking (in Ontario) a single seat and it only cost me $28.60 using USPS Priority Mail. However on his Midnight seat he just sent me, I think it cost him around $62 using your Canadian Expedited Parcel with Delivery Confirmation. In both cases it took about 2 weeks to deliver it (customs?). I really think Delivery Confirmation is not necessary and a delay for me because I end up not being able to pick it up from the Post Office until the next day. I also understand that UPS is not popular in Canada, but they leave it on my front porch, where in my neighborhood is not a problem.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

[Jerry W]

Rick,

How booked up are you on work? I have had some things come up and my bike will probably be parked for a couple of weeks and I was thinking this might be a good time to get my seat worked over. Mine is not a pillow top, the 06 Midnight RSV did not come with the pillow top, it came with a studded seat.

[Rick Butler]

Jerry,

 

I'm retired and really do this work (1) to give me something to do with my spare time (while I'm not riding) (2) to help out my friends where I can and (3) make some extra money while doing so. And as of now I only do this for Venturerider members and even though I'm working on a Midnight seat now, I'm really not that busy. So if you are ready to send me your seat, go ahead and send it. Depending on when I get it, I'll have it headed back to you the next day. So my time is pretty negligible compared to shipping time (depending on how you send it). For a single seat UPS ground works out pretty decent. It's only when you get a box that is oversized (to their definition) that UPS gets pricey.

 

Everything you need is in my classified ad,

 

Rick

[Mariner Fan]

Rick, thanks for answering my PM. I'll send you my seat once the riding season cools down.

[dalesocha]

Hey Guys,

 

After having completed my seat modification to over a dozen pillow top seats since the first of the year, I thought I'd give you all an update on my progress. I think I have come up with the best process for this seat, since it's foundation foam shape is like no seat that I have ever encountered.

 

If you take a look at your OEM pillow top, you will note a slight forward pitch and the back of the seat is flat which creates a pressure point at the back of your butt just above the tail bone. When you take the cover off and pull loose the 1" layer of foam that creates the pillow top effect, you will see two bumps at the outer edge of the seat. I have no idea whey they chose to put these bumps in the molding, except to possibly provide more support to the outer edge of the seat?

 

Anyway I have attached 5 pictures show the main steps that I go through in modifying the pillow top seat.

 

1. My 1st cut is to the back if the seat to put some curvature to sit back into.

2. the 2nd mod is to cut those bumps off and slope the base of the seat back a bit resulting in lowering the seat about 1/2" at the back.

3. Then I narrow the neck and cut my tail bone relief in.

4. Once I get it roughed out, I take my right angle pneumatic grinder with a 60 grit sanding pad and smooth the seat out and shape it to fit the butt better.

5. Now it's time to replace the 1" of standard foam with a layer of 1 1/2" memory foam cut to the same shape with the same cuts to keep same the pillow top effect.

 

The memory foam keeps pretty much the same shape of the original seat. But when you sit on the seat you will feel that your butt fits the seat much better and the memory foam does not resist like standard foam and lets you sink down into the pillow top to the new foundation.

 

So there you have it and if I can help you with making your pillow top more comfortable I am here to help. Maybe a few of the guys whose seat I have done will speak up as to what they think of this change? And I've also done a couple of passenger pillow tops, where I mostly just narrow the neck and cut in my tail bone relief before replacing the pillow top with memory foam.

 

The last picture is to show a modified seat on the bike with a stock pillow top sitting on the rear seat.

 

Rick (aka Butt Butler)

 

Oh, if you don't know I have an ad (Butt Butler Seat Mod) in the classified section of 2nd Gen Parts with more info.

 

Good morning to you,

 

I ride a 2009 RSV and the seat MOD you are doing sounds great.

What do you charge to recover the pilot seat? After 300 miles I feel like I too NO AssItol pills.

LOL I hope to hear from you.

 

socha.dale@icloud.com

931-698-4113 Text or call

Thanks