Street Bob / Softail Standard Performance Seat
- Motorcycle Gear Reviews
- Jan 22, 2024
- 3 min read
If you are thinking of replacing the stock two piece seat on your Street Bob, or upgrading your Softail Standard to a two up bike, don't settle for just any seat. Check out my top pick for a performance oriented seat for your bike.
Saddlemen has made a reputation as one of the best and most popular seat options in the performance segment. They build high quality seats that offer a distinct style.
The Saddlemen Pro Series SDC Performance Gripper Seat for the Harley-Davidson Street Bob and Softail Standard is a true performance oriented seat. If you are looking to upgrade your two piece stock seat, or make your Softail Standard a two up bike, this is a great option. The Pro Series from Saddlemen are developed in partnership with leading bike builders to create a cutting edge design and ensure the performance riders are looking for. It offers the modern stylings that have become popular with the surge in Dyna culture, with an old school feel that looks at home on the Softail frame.
This seat has a step up design, which creates a low slung riding position for the rider with a lot of lumbar support to keep you planted in the seat. Everything about this seat is about keeping you connected to the bike. The material is grippy to prevent your but from sliding from side to side. The step up design ensure you won't be pulled back under heavy throttle. If you do venture out further on your Softail, you will appreciate the step up design, as it provides much needed back support.
The Saddlemen Pro Series Gripper Seat utilizes Saddlemen's GelCore Technology. The gel in the seat reduces vibration and makes for a more comfortable ride over a standard foam seat. I find the seat very comfortable, but it is a fairly firm seat. Personally, I wouldn't hop on a softail to head cross country. The bike shines in short day trips and loves the curves! This seat is perfectly suited for that style of riding, but is comfortable enough to log some miles. It gives you a connected to the motorcycle feel, looks much better than the stock configuration, and does a better job of isolating the vibration thanks to the GelCore insert. I'm not sure if it is the material, the GelCore or a combination of both, but I find the seat doesn't get as hot when left in the sun on a hot day.
The Saddlemen Pro Series Gripper Seat also uses what Saddlemen refers to as Foam Barrier technology. This is an abrasion resistant skin that prevents water from entering the foam. This not only improves the comfort of the seat, but also prolongs the life of the foam to ensure many miles of comfort. With many foam seats, the asorption of water over time breaks down the foam, which is not an issue with the Pro Series Gripper.
The seat cover is made from what Saddlemen calls Saddlehyde. Saddlehyde is a synthetic material that provides comfort, good looks, and durability. It is designed to stretch so that the foam and gel can do their job to provide a comfortable ride. It has a great look and feel as well. The material looks like leather with it's leather grain appearance and is soft to the touch. Being synthetic, it requires virtually no maintenance. There is no need to apply conditioners as the material is designed to resist fading and does not loose it's elasticity.
