National OzSTOC Rally 2014 Ballarat VIC 21st to 23rd March

[Sabie]

Check the SD card Dave and see if the slide lock has shifted to lock. Even so it should still allow access just not able to delete.

If you haven't already it's worth a try.

[Marcus]

Oh Noes, that sucks, there would have been a heap of great footage on it

[Skip]

  Marcus. Do we have a SEAT REPORT ???? You promised. 

[Cerebral Knievel]

Marcus. Do we have a SEAT REPORT ???? You promised. 

I think the report would go something like this ...
" After an 80km trip to Ballarat, the seat was comfortable.On the return leg, it was still comfortable "   

[Brock]

Diesel,

Try a program called Pandora recovery, its very good, and free. I have used it to recover trashed files before.

Practice on another card first untill you are familiar with how to use it or mail the card to me and I will have a go for you.

[Skip]

Marcus. Do we have a SEAT REPORT ???? You promised. 

I think the report would go something like this ...
" After an 80km trip to Ballarat, the seat was comfortable.On the return leg, it was still comfortable "   

No No. Marcus was going to sit his  on every aftermarket seat he came across at the rally and give a full and comprehensive report on each one. SPECIALLY that FRENCH one.   

[Sabie]

At a fish and chip shop in Yass, (Still on the way home from Ballarat) a guy came up and asked what year my ST was, he said he had a 2005 Blue. I asked him if he was a member of the club, he said "What Club".

Card given, discussion held hopefully, new member on the way. Bob is his name, keep a look out for him.

Oh and he said there was another ST in town, just checked the member map and no member pins in Yass.

I feel like a baptist preacher at an old time revival saving ST owners from the wilderness.. Amen Brothers and Sisters OzSTOCers.

[Cerebral Knievel]

Marcus. Do we have a SEAT REPORT ???? You promised. 

I think the report would go something like this ...
" After an 80km trip to Ballarat, the seat was comfortable.On the return leg, it was still comfortable "   

No No. Marcus was going to sit his  on every aftermarket seat he came across at the rally and give a full and comprehensive report on each one. SPECIALLY that FRENCH one.   

Ahh, i understand.Nathan's(Sydney Bloodbikes) old flash french seat 

[Marcus]

No No. Marcus was going to sit his  on every aftermarket seat he came across at the rally and give a full and comprehensive report on each one. SPECIALLY that FRENCH one.   

Well I did run around and look at some seats.

I didn't see the french one ANYWHERE

This one is Sargant, owned by Odyssey Rider. He also bought a Saddleman in Geelong that he was carrying home on his trailer with his Honda seats.

Conclusion: Its nice to sit on, but I fear it won't suit my needs/bum. I think it would take too long to wear i, and I will end up disappointed

This seems to be a popular choice of seat, a few bikes, I counted 3 bikes had this one (MJM) Comfy to touch, it seems ok.

Conclusion: If it needs an airhawk then it worries me.

ST2UP's seat (Russell Day-Long)

Conclusion: After sitting on this, The second I sat down I suddenly knew which seat won. This seat has the contour right, and cushioning feels perfect. I wonder how it would go around the twisties, moving body position around, but I think that would work itself out.

I also sat Tania on the back and she was immediately impressed as well. It seems to tick all the boxes.

It's hard to really judge properly without riding on them for a 4-5 hours but the Russel Day-Long is leading to pack so far so that I'm seriously thinking about getting one

I still want to see this French seat, as it really did look nice.  And the rest all had sheepskin covers on so I couldn't tell

[Skip]

Hey thanks Marcus. You're a champion. A bit worried about the 2nd one as it still requires an Air Hawk. I have an Air Hawk on the OEM which does extend comfortable sitting but doesn't have a natural feel about it. I've done about 4 hours straight on the Air Hawk which is a vast improvement over the OEM. I also have a sheep skin cover which feels great but doesn't do anything to improve the numb bum. The Russell certainly looks good. Big dollars I imagine. A bulk buy may get us a better deal.
Thanks again mate and hope to catch up one day. 

[Marcus]

Thanks again mate and hope to catch up one day. 

Yeah Not gunna lie, the Russell is a whole to do, Taking photos of seating position, sending over you OEM seat, But, IMO because it is custom to your riding positions and Height and weight I think this is the way to go, I'm told (ST2up) the total cost was under $1000 including freight.

The others look mass produced for a wide audience rather then the individual. So take that for what it's worth.
 

[STroppy]

2nd one, MJM, is mine and I had the seat modified back in October '13.

I have only ridden 12,000 ks on the ST1300, probably half on the stock seat and then on the MJM.

The Airhawk I bought in April '13 for use on the stock ST1100 seat. Not all that impressed with the Airhawk but gave it a try.

The ST1300 has different angles/dimensions to the 1100 and I haven't been terribly comfortable on the bike and have been experimenting with seat heights and then the MJM. I  bought MCL seat height adjusters which allow an increase in height of up to 50 mm . . . I have been using the middle setting . . . This and the MJM seat seems to have made the bike more STroppy friendly.

Having had very little use out of the Airhawk, I decided to try it for the 1,000 k trip from Canberra to Ballarat. I removed the Airhawk for the ride from Ballarat to Adelaide, just over 600 ks, and found the MJM seat quite comfortable. I'm still experimenting with the comfort/interface aspects of the 1300 and myself.

I have taken a pillion on the MJM and they thought the seat extremely comfortable. The MJM is made/modified in Goulburn to suit each rider . . . . It is not a mass production job. It took Mick all of one day to do it while I waited around his workshop for fitting times and wandered around Goulburn as well. I paid $440 for the new seat. The comfort issues are more the mounting angles of the seat base, almost sorted.

I could end up back on the 1100 yet.

However, there a quite a few ST riders using MJM seats and those I have spoken to, highly recommend them.

[Skip]

Thanks Terry. I appreciate any feedback. I am of the opinion that it will come down to a lot of trial and error as 1 size doesn't fit all. We are all different weights and heights and personal preference will come into the equation as well.
All food for thought.

[Brock]

Bit of thread drift happening

 

[STroppy]

Thread drift . . . Nah . . . No more then usual . . .

[Streak]

Well after departing Balranald bright and early this morning we covered an easy 800km to Coonabarabran, great riding weather all day, with a little bit of rain at the end just to keep is honest!

We finally got the photo at Hells Gate we missed getting last year!



We stopped in Hay for breakfast, and ran into a really interesting bloke who over breakfast told about riding his XR400 through the gulf and parts of kakadu made us very quite about our riding lol



Then it was a run through to West Wyalong and Coffee with Tony (like we had not seen enough of him!)



All the way to Coonabarabran we watched the rain falling to our east, sometime really close, it was great to see all the wet country, and not us being wet!

The last 40km was in drizzling rain and fog but it was worth every metre!

As you can see below I even had a creepy inmate stalking my room....

[Sabie]

In Yass tonight after a day of pouring rain. I do have photos to show the rain and will post as soon as the camera dries.

[saaz]

It was pouring rain in Canberra today so I believe you Sabie, as that was the direction the rain was coming from.

In Yass tonight after a day of pouring rain. I do have photos to show the rain and will post as soon as the camera dries.

[Wild Rose]

60ml of rain in Toowoomba today. I hope it is all gone by the time you come through

 

[Marcus]

Beautiful Sunny day here yesterday and today... just saying

[Sabie]

Raining here this morning .... Just saying..

[Wild Rose]

Raining here this morning .... Just saying..

Sabie, Streak, Shiney and all the rest that are still heading north you may be lucky as the rain should be clearing

[Streak]

We are nice and dry in Moree for breakfast! Sun is shining, little but of breeze, describe our trip home really 

Fantastic stop at the omega cafe, we could do this all year!!!

[saaz]

It does get boring after a while doing all that riding and travelling all over the place 

[Marcus]

It does get boring after a while doing all that riding and travelling all over the place