Bill Mayer Saddle

[JimLor]

Lorie and I rode out to James Madison University last Sunday to see our daughter. Nice ride, great twisties over the mountain (cross Skyline Dr). Had a nice time and we were even called "the cool parents" cause of the bike and I'm sure my new goatee! Anyway, about a third of the way home Lorie announced over the intercom (Active 7) that we had to pull over 'cause her butt was killin her - frankly, mine was too. I can ride about 100 mi on this seat and then it becomes a test of wills to stay on the bike. If you threaten me with having to stay on this seat for 300 miles I'd tell you anything you want to know! Bottom line, I'm calling Bill Mayer today. Any of you have any advice, recommendations, etc on dealing with him? All I've heard and read about his saddles is good, just want to make sure I cover all bases. Thanks. Jim

 

[ionbeam]

You do mean Bill Mayer and not Rick Mayer, right? The leather Bill Mayer seat price puts you in the same arena as the Russell. Both the Russell and BMayer are butt ugly, but(t) comfy in the long haul.

My wife and I are happy with the Rick Mayer seat. We have ~20k miles on the RMayer. We have often done 12 to 16 hour days. Here in New England our trips are measured in hours, not miles. It is hard to do any significant miles on secondary sight seeing roads but we sure can put in the seat time.

Alan

 

[JimLor]

Goofed again, yes - Rick Mayer.

 

[ionbeam]

My experience with Rick started with one of his Monthly Specials and it was indeed a good price for the leather seat. I asked Rick to build the seat on one of his seat pans and I gave him a sizeable deposit for his seat pan. Rick said that my seat would be ready by the middle to end of September This was in March (last year). :blink: In April we planned a trip for the first week of September so I called Rick and asked if the seat could be done sooner and he said they would really try for the end of July. In May I called to confirm that all was well and spoke to a nice lady that scheduled the seats in manufacturing. She said that Rick was *so* pessimistic about build dates and she could get my seat done in June, no problem. Cool! I called in June, nobody could tell me where my seat was but Rick would get back to me right away. No response. I email, no response. I call, nobody there at that moment could tell me where my seat was but they would get back to me. No response. Email, call, email, call, email, call. No response. Our trip came and went, no seat. Sure as $hit, my seat shows up at the end of September.

--The seat was very well done for us. Some time I may have the front of my seat bolstered a bit. The seats fit us very well. The miles show that the seat remains very comfortable. --

Later Rick writes and complains that nobody is returning their seat pans and he has been out of pans since April so he hasn't been able to build seats. WTF didn't he tell me this, I would have sent him my stock seat FedX over night. I decided to keep my stock seat at the great expense of my deposit. Fast forward to some time around April of this year. Rick notifies me that he sees that I haven't received my deposit back (well, hmm, I did keep my seat and didn't return it as agreed). Next thing I know I have a check for my deposit. Da-um. In a fit of guilt I returned my seat pan to him

Great seat. Poor customer service. Honest. I probably would do it again but with the advantage of lessons learned.

Alan

 

[Rogue]

Don't have one but have heard all good abuot them. Have heard the Russell is better and there is a group buy in December for Russell seats.

 

[Warchild]

The Rick Mayer seats are outstanding. I have one on my Blackbird. It was the critical component that allowed me to do 3,146 miles non-stop on one of my Endurance Rallies in 2003. It is an awesome seat.

Rick Mayer is also one of the on-site vendors who will be at WFO-5 next July.

Next thing I know I have a check for my deposit. Da-um. In a fit of guilt I returned my seat pan to him

But at least your Karma Quotient didn't take a dive! Rick is a nice guy, and as honest as the day is long. Kinda hard to beat his guarantee, too:

From the Rick Mayer web ste:

My number one goal is for you to be extremely pleased with your purchase. I feel I have an obligation to you, my customer, to listen to your needs and through my experience build a custom saddle that will not only be finely crafted, using the finest materials, but also be extremely comfortable.
    This requires a commitment on my part as well as yours. As your saddle maker I must understand and interpret how widely different shaped people fit on a vast assortment of bikes. As the customer, your commitment is to allow me to do the job. Sometimes it is necessary to go back into a saddle and fine-tune it a bit. I may be good, but I'm not perfect. If a saddle is delivered, and after some break-in the customer feels it needs to be improved, the customer must be willing to return the saddle to me for adjustment within 30 days. By actual count less than 2% of the saddles shipped required adjustment. If the adjustment is not successful, I will offer a second adjustment or refund the customer's purchase price less actual shipping charges. Leather saddles will be charged $150.00 due to the cost of the leather.

    In addition to comfort, I also warrant the materials in my saddles indefinitely. If there is ever a stitch or cover failure, should a crack develop or a thread break, the saddle is repaired or recovered at no charge.

    It should be noted that each saddle is a one of a kind, hand crafted item and except in very rare instances cannot be used to fill another order. As such, refunds are not given in cases of Buyer's remorse, or if the customer is not willing to return the saddle for an adjustment.

    I extend this guarantee to any saddles made by my father, Bill Mayer, before his death in May of 2000.

    And if you have purchased a bike with one of my saddles on it, and it doesn't fit you quite right, as long as I don't have to alter the cover I will rebuild it to suit you for $25.00 plus frt. If a new cover is needed, it will cost you $135.00 in vinyl and $250.00 in leather.

    No one offers a more extensive, complete guarantee than I.

    Sometimes I will refuse to build a saddle for someone. Most of the time this is due to the type of bike they are on. I can't build a comfortable saddle for a great big guy on a little-bitty seat. Sometimes I will get requests from customers that, in my opinion just won't work.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-Rick Mayer

 

[Toecutter]

The Rick Mayer seats are outstanding. I have one on my Blackbird. It was the critical component that allowed me to do 3,146 miles non-stop on one of my Endurance Rallies in 2003.

You must be getting much better fuel economy than me. I have to stop about every 250 miles.

 

[Rogue]

The Rick Mayer seats are outstanding. I have one on my Blackbird. It was the critical component that allowed me to do 3,146 miles non-stop on one of my Endurance Rallies in 2003.

You must be getting much better fuel economy than me. I have to stop about every 250 miles.

Really [SIZE=21pt]BIG [/SIZE]aux fuel cell? :bleh:

 

[Warchild]

You must be getting much better fuel economy than me. I have to stop about every 250 miles.

On the Blackbird, I only have to stop every 460 miles for gas. Having a 4.8 gallon aux fuel cell helps.

And by the way... this is the Rick Mayer seat on my Night Train below:

 

[Toecutter]

So, having the Mayer and Russell saddles, can you offer an opinion on what's best for the FJR? I really like the ergos of the Russell, but that basketweave vinyl looks pretty functional and, I'm assuming it's not available with the Russell.

 

[BrunDog]

... It was the critical component that allowed me to do 3,146 miles non-stop on one of my Endurance Rallies in 2003...

That's nuts. :dribble:

-BD

 

[twowheelnut]

Bill Mayer is in the next town over from me. I did a ride in and can't say enough about Bill and his elves...

Oh, go leather man, leather!

 

[SkooterG]

Bill Mayer is in the next town over from me. I did a ride in and can't say enough about Bill and his elves...

Oh, go leather man, leather!

So if I do a ride-in for a saddle..............

You are going to feed me, provide for me a warm bed with a hot woman (got any daughters?), supply unlimited drink, and of course bathe me?

 

[twowheelnut]

Bill Mayer is in the next town over from me.  I did a ride in and can't say enough about Bill and his elves... 

Oh, go leather man, leather!

So if I do a ride-in for a saddle..............

You are going to feed me, provide for me a warm bed with a hot woman (got any daughters?), supply unlimited drink, and of course bathe me?

Sure, what the hell! I've never tried that gay thing, but since an expert might come to town...

Only problem is that you'll have to stay in my step son's room. We'll change the sheets, but you'll have to live with the cockaroaches - I'm told they're pretty tasty when dipped in Ranch dressing, though.

If you are serious about getting one of Rocky's saddles, PM me.

 

[jaybird]

jim - let us know what you think. the seat looks like a good idea. have a daughter at jmu - haven't ridden the bike there yet (have season tickets to the football games) -- but would be interested in your final thoughts on a custom seat from mayer for the fjr. go dukes! jay

 

[JimLor]

Jay - had a nice time with our daughter that day. Just ordered my seats yesterday - called the number and Rick answered. Nice when the boss answers the phone. He said it'll take about 9 weeks and be ready early Nov - I think he got his months confused and it'll be early Dec. I'll post when I get the seats and let yall know how it works.

 

[Bounce]

I'm calling Bill Mayer today.

Calling Bill would be a seriously long-distance call.

 

[twowheelnut]

I'm calling Bill Mayer today.

Calling Bill would be a seriously long-distance call.

Sr., yes. Jr. is in Ojai, CA building bitchin' saddles just like the old man.

 

[Toecutter]

Another Jr. is in Northern California (Rick). He says:

My Father, Bill Mayer, taught me to sew when I was 12 years old. He taught me saddle building in 1975. I am the only Mayer that built saddles before he passed away. I have personally built thousands of custom saddles.

Just booked my appointment!