Sissy bar pad causes rash!

[bfancett]

My wife has been complaining since we bought our new 2008 Nomad that the sissy bar pad gives her a rash on her back. When she dismounts (hold your perverted comments), I look at her back and sure enough it is all red. I don't know if this is caused from vibration in the rear, or what.

Anyone else's passengers experienced this problem?

[macmac]

She rides with flesh exposed?

Have her place her arm sofest side to the pad for 10 minutes some time to see if the rash is from heat sweat and vibration or she is allergic to the vinals.

I have a pair of Cabela's sandals that if i wear them with out socks for 10 minutes with give me a rash like posion ivy for 10 days. Untill the situation is resolved I will not buy from Cabelas, and they are not budging.

I am not aware of any other people geting a rash from this vinal, so it could be your wife is sensitive to this type of vinal.

[ndbigfish]

Is the pad an aftermarket pad or a Kawasaki item? My pillions never have bare skin while riding, so Mac may be on to something with the vinyl allegery thinking. My wife only complained with the Cobra High sissybar pad. She said it left a buzzing feeling after riding for extended periods. The larger Kawasaki sissybar pads never caused the same feeling.

[bfancett]

She never rides with skin exposed on her back (wish she did http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif), and it is the stock Kawasaki pad. I will have her stick her arm there for a little while and see what happens. If it is an allergy thing, I guess I could take it somewhere and have real leather put on instead.

thanks!

[phenrichs]

The chrome grab rails that the backrest mounts to are mounted using some pretty thick rubber washers. I had my backrest off this last weekend to work on my trunk rack and noticed that there is a lot of free play in them. I have wondered if taking those out and making more of a solid mount might help.

[bfancett]

I have read somewhere here before that others have added additional rubber washers to take some of the vibration out. She doens't complain of vibration at all, just that her back itches and it's all red.

Very possible that she may be alergic, I'll have to do a test to see if that is the case.

[Jared]

My wife doesn't have any issues with the stock pad, but I have a good friend who had to exchange it for the mustang pad because his wife didn't like how the stock one felt on her back. Something about the concaveness of it.

[nomad561]

Another thing you might want to consider is the reaction of her skin,sweat and the detergent you use. I don't have a problem with "Tide" until I start to sweat,then I break out with a rash and itch like crazy.
Try using a beaded pad for a trip to see if alittle air behind her will help.

[Todd]

Another thing you might want to consider is the reaction of her skin,sweat and the detergent you use. I don't have a problem with "Tide" until I start to sweat,then I break out with a rash and itch like crazy.
Try using a beaded pad for a trip to see if alittle air behind her will help.

That would be my first guess too.......never had a problem with the Nomad seat, but my daughter has the same reaction sometimes to dyes and detergents when sweating and no air circulation.

[samkjr]

Hey this is Sam's wife. I HAD TO REPLY TO THIS ONE. Yes yes yes I have this EXACT SAME PROBLEM but I swear it is the low drone of the annoying vibration that's causing the itching rash. On the rare occassions we take a short, low speed, in-town trip to get ice cream or something, it doesn't happen. I only get this miserable reaction at highway speeds. I usually end up pulling up my shirt and clawing at my back like a crazy woman because the itch is SOOOOO UNBEARABLE! Sam's always telling me to relax, and that its in my head, but um, I'm not stupid. It itches like hell and I always get off the bike with both vibration rash and claw streaks all over my bike and "haunches." I don't know what the solution is, but we had a rare, unplanned moment of relief when he strapped a luggage bag onto the back of my seat and I think it squelched out the vibration, eliminating the problem. I do ride with a clothed back and I have no issues with my detergent. Any solutions welcome!

[Top Cat]

If it were my wife I would put a terry cloth over the back rest and see if that solved the problem. If it did i would make a cover of some kind, maybe sheepskin and put it on the backrest when ever she rode with me.

[watchman]

I agree with TC try some sheep skin! This would be no different than getting Monkey Butt from the seat.

[macmac]

Yer wife is in at least a shirt not bare backed and she gets a rash? Is this correct?

And I wanna meet Sam's wife ho ho ho... http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[dogdoc]

Ive never had that reaction on my wifes back. might be a pleather allergic reaction? not sure just vibration would cause it. these bikes are smooth at hiway speed. Could be sweat/vibration/soap in clothes, etc. who knows.

[bfancett]

Well, this sounds mean, but I am glad that Sam's wife has the same problem, means that my wife isn't crazy (maybe just a little).

So, the combination of vibration, swetting, and no air flow on the skin seems to be the 3 main causes. Beads will certainl fix the air flow problem, although I am not sure where to get beads to fit securely on the sissy bar pad, any ideas?

As for the virbartion, I suppose some rubber washers between all of the bolts would help, so I will pick some up while I am at the hardware store today.

Thanks!

[phenrichs]

My wife has the exact same complaint. the beads would certainly be worth a try. Go get a cheap set of the ones for a car seat from wally world. THey are tied with fishing line basically. You can trim that off and retie it to make it smaller and then just use small bungee cords to wrap it around the pad. Her sitting against it will really hold it in place you just need something to keep it from falling off if she leans forward. If that works you can always get another set to be prettier.

I am working on a trunk and am hoping that the heavier mount and larger pad will help.

[macmac]

Brian you didn't say to me if this was with bare skin on the pleather exactly..... Let me know the next time you go to Sea, and maybe then i can check ok?

If her skin wasn't touching the pleather it isn't the pleather....

If you do that make sure there is plenty of choclates there.... Harrrrr