In my experience, and from talking to quite a few others, most stock seats suck. The only way to actually get a decent stock seat is to buy a bike designed specifically to tour. As far as what bike to get all bikes rock, all bikes have positives and negatives. That said I have a 06 Honda Sabre 1100 and love the hell out of it. Wouldn't trade it for a Harley of similar size in a million years, may buy Harley if I go to a bigger bike but that is doubtful as well.