Big Plus One for Russell Day Long Seat

[ieduffield]

Just got my seat back from Russell after taking part in their group buy. The whole experience was impressive. The ordering process was painless, including there being no charge on my credit card until the seat was ready to be shipped back to me.

When I unpacked the box, the seat was wrapped in about a mile of bubble wrap to protect it - a small detail that sums up the overall care and attention I observed at each stage of the purchase.

I chose the all leather option which was finished perfectly and looked great out of the box.

Once on the road I understood why there are so many happy Russell customers. I took a ride down Highway 1 in California and made a left into Carmel Valley - a beautiful ride if you are in that part of the country. A couple of things I noticed: the seat is a little higher than the stock seat - may be a minor issue for the vertically challenged. Also the finish on the leather being so slick, I found myself sliding around a little more than before. Of course the biggest difference is the overall support for your butt and the luxurious comfort you feel compared to the stock seat. It feels like two hands are gently holding up your butt, versus sitting on a 2"x6"!

I look forward to taking it on a much longer ride, which I wouldn't have been so excited about on the original seat.

The Russell Day Long is expensive, even with the group buy discount my final bill was $650. That said, if you are committed to your FJR and don't like the stock seat then join the dozens of others who love their Russell Day Long seat.

 

[Pepperell]

The slippery wears off after a few rides. After you apply leather treatment it will be nice and slippery again...

 

[Bounce]

It's nice to see when someone new gets it. We try (and try and try) to tell folks that they can spend a whole lot more trying to avoid the cost of a Russell but, in the end, there's a reason they continue to finish in the top 3 saddle makers.

 

[LAF]

Just got mine a few weeks ago. Got about 800 miles on it. I no longer think about my butt at all. Same on My LT when I got a Day Long, you never think about your butt being sore or tired.

I can say not cheap but it does fit my *** and takes all the stress of saddle sore out of riding for me.

Love it!

 

[FJR_Mikey]

I just got mine a week or so ago. Most likely off the same group buy as you guys. I got the front seat done and the back seat covered. I had it done in vinyl basketweave. I saw the basketweave in a picture of a seat done for one of the new 1800 BMWs. They didn't list it on Russell's website so I called them and they said it would not be a problem. I also had the pad on my Geruald passenger backrest done to match as well. The whole job with shipping was $520. I don't think that's bad at all. I'm so glad I ran across the group buy. I bought a Sargent seat used here on the forum before the Russell. Rode in it for about two weeks and re-sold it on the forum for what I had in it.

When I first put the Russell on the bike, I stepped back from it and was little put off by the appearance. I have seen many pictures of the seats on FJRs, but when I saw it on my own I wasn't sure I liked the the look of the wings versus the stock look. It changed the way the bike looked and I thought I might have made a mistake. Then I went for a ride...

I didn't keep up with the miles I put on, but the round trip was between three and four hours. Usually after about an hour or so into a trip with the stock seat, I began moving around trying to find a more comfortable position. I realized about two hours into the ride on the Russell, that I had not felt the need to move around on the seat to stay comfortable. I really didn't give the seat another thought for the rest of the ride. When I got back to the house, I noticed that I wasn't sore in the least, nor did my legs feel tired. I felt like I could get right back on the bike and go another four + hours.

While getting used to the look will take a bit, I'm extremely happy with the functionality of this seat. Unlike the Sargent, the Russell is a keeper. I thought I might try to find a Yamaha gel/comfort seat to exchange back and forth with the Russell for short and long trips. The Russell is so damned comfortable though, that I don't think I'm going to bother with it. I'm ready for it to warm up so I can really test the seat over a long stretch. They say it gets better after about 1000 miles or so. To be honest, I don't see how it could get much better. It's a little slick on starts/stops and I slide on it easier than the stock. Maybe when it wears in a bit that will go away.