For many riders with an old motorcycle, a Brooks saddle is more than just somewhere to sit. It can often be a defining feature of the machine – the worn leather telling the story of the bike that has carried the rider through thick and thin. Long before foam padding and synthetic coverings became the norm, Brooks saddles were trusted by riders tackling everything from city streets to rough country lanes.
Words + Photos: Rich Orriss
The story begins in 1866, when John Boultbee Brooks established his leather goods business in Birmingham. According to company history, Brooks had been dissatisfied with the uncomfortable wooden saddle fitted to a bicycle he had purchased after his horse died. His solution was a leather saddle suspended over a metal frame, patented in 1882. It proved so successful that Brooks quickly became one of Britain’s leading saddle manufacturers.
As the motorcycle emerged in the closing years of the nineteenth century, Brooks naturally expanded into the new market. Early motorcycles were often little more than strengthened bicycles fitted with engines, so adapting bicycle saddle technology made perfect sense. Brooks’ sprung leather saddles became standard equipment on many British machines during the early years of the motorcycle, and well into the inter-war years.
Their construction was deceptively simple. Thick vegetable-tanned leather was stretched over a steel frame, supported by large coil springs at the rear and a tensioning bolt at the nose. Rather than relying on soft padding, the leather gradually moulded itself to the rider over thousands of miles. A well-used Brooks saddle became uniquely shaped to its owner, often becoming more comfortable with age rather than less.
The range was extensive. Solo saddles were available in numerous widths and spring configurations, while dual seats appeared as motorcycles became larger and capable of carrying passengers. Different models catered for touring riders, sporting enthusiasts and commercial machines, with heavier springing available for rough roads and sidecar work.
One of Brooks’ strengths was its willingness to work closely with leading motorcycle manufacturers. Companies including BSA, Triumph, Norton, Ariel, Matchless, AJS and Royal Enfield frequently specified Brooks saddles as original equipment, while replacement saddles could be purchased through dealers across Britain and overseas. Seeing the distinctive Brooks transfer on the rear of a saddle became a familiar sight throughout the golden age of British motorcycling.
Brooks saddles also proved their worth in competition. Reliability Trials, the International Six Days Trial and the Isle of Man TT demanded machines capable of surviving punishing conditions, and leather saddles offered a combination of resilience and comfort over long distances. Although racing machines often carried minimal saddles to save weight, many road-based competition bikes retained Brooks equipment because it simply worked.
Like many British manufacturers, Brooks faced changing markets after the Second World War. Foam-filled seats became cheaper to produce, required virtually no maintenance and appealed to manufacturers looking to modernise their motorcycles. By the 1960s, the era of the traditional leather sprung saddle was drawing to a close, although Brooks continued producing cycle saddles that retained much of the original design.
An old Brooks saddle can really strike a chord. It represents a time when components were designed to last, to be repaired rather than discarded, and to improve through use. For owners of early motorcycles, that worn leather seat is often part of the machine’s story, carrying the imprint of generations of riders who travelled Britain’s roads long before motorcycling became a pastime. And that’s why we all love an old Brooks saddle.
an article by The Girder Club
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