No Russell's for me

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jride

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So since I don't like the looks of the Russell's seat I was wondering what would be the best alternative

Advice please

 
It's a form vs. function question then.

Russell's are arguably the best long-distance saddle, but if you want a work of art and OK that your tucus may be still be sore after paying custom prices......it's hard to beat a Rick Mayer.

You may find Bill Mayer or Rich's to be more functional and still look good.

Google custom seat site:fjrforum.com and find it talked about many, Many times.

 
It's a form vs. function question then.
Russell's are arguably the best long-distance saddle, but if you want a work of art and OK that your tucus may be still be sore after paying custom prices......it's hard to beat a Rick Mayer.

You may find Bill Mayer or Rich's to be more functional and still look good.

Google custom seat site:fjrforum.com and find it talked about many, Many times.
+1 on what Iggy says. If you want your ass happy on long days then Russell is the way to go. If you want to look at it then there are lot of choices to spend money on.

 
It looks more and more like I'm having the seat to the XS made at a local auto upolstery shop. Cost should be in the range of $200 from the pan up. If it's form you're after, then local may be the way to go so you can have full creative control.

 
Adding to the form / function discussion, yeah the Russell' the best functionally.

Next up on the function scale is probably the Bill Mayer, and the form is a bit more "normal" looking.

I'll still buy Russells because when I'm sitting on it you can't see its ugliness and my butt is happy.

And when I'm not sitting on it I don't really care what you think. ;)

 
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An interesting option very few are aware of is Top Saddlery (nee Top Sellerie), a custom seat-maker in France. Google it for their website or people's opinions of it. (Google now allows you to restrict search results to message boards which is awesome.) Not too expensive except that you have to mail your seat pan to France and back. But you can customize the colors and pattern and I believe I remember reading good things about them. I have not used them myself though.

 
maybe i should also say it is not all about the looks it is also about wanting to be able to slide off the sides sometimes in the twistees. The russell's looks like it would make that rather difficult.

Also it makes the fjr look like someone put a goldwing seat on it.

 
You are correct. All of the better comfort seats (Russell, B Mayer, R Mayer) cradle the riders butt on the sides making it difficult to slide off the side of the seat. That's essential to their design as spreading the load of the rider across their entire butt where they get all the comfort from.

The best way to go is to have multiple seats. One for long mileage week long rides and another for sliding off when playing around in the twisties. I just choose to keep my two different seats on two different bikes. ;)

 
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I have the Russell and agree with FredW. I could care less what it looks like as long as my wife and I are comfortable. I don't mind the looks so much anyways especially after a couple of long trips to see it is as advertised a "Day Long Seat". It was worth it especially with the "group buy" 20% off.

 
You are correct. All of the better comfort seats (Russell, B Mayer, R Mayer) cradle the riders butt on the sides making it difficult to slide off the side of the seat. That's essential to their design as spreading the load of the rider across their entire butt where they get all the comfort from.
The best way to go is to have multiple seats. One for long mileage week long rides and another for sliding off when playing around in the twisties. I just choose to keep my two different seats on two different bikes. ;)
When I'm in the twisties, I move forward of the wings and slide off the seat just fine. pretty natural for me as I want to be a little more forward in my postion in the twisties anyways.

 
Not only is the RadAss® happy, but I have received a lot of commentary on how my Russell compliments Franks lines. Unless you get that ugly ass (but probably very comfy) waffle pattern, I'm not seeing where the problem is here.

 
Unless you get that ugly ass (but probably very comfy) waffle pattern, I'm not seeing where the problem is here.
I think they call that the "Warchild Special"... :rolleyes:

2004FJR1300ABS_right_qtr.jpg


:p

 
You are correct. All of the better comfort seats (Russell, B Mayer, R Mayer) cradle the riders butt on the sides making it difficult to slide off the side of the seat. That's essential to their design as spreading the load of the rider across their entire butt where they get all the comfort from.
The best way to go is to have multiple seats. One for long mileage week long rides and another for sliding off when playing around in the twisties. I just choose to keep my two different seats on two different bikes. ;)
When I'm in the twisties, I move forward of the wings and slide off the seat just fine. pretty natural for me as I want to be a little more forward in my postion in the twisties anyways.
Yep....what Mark said!

[SIZE=8pt]Oh, wait....I don't ride like that anymore.....[/SIZE]

 
Unless you get that ugly ass (but probably very comfy) waffle pattern, I'm not seeing where the problem is here.
I think they call that the "Warchild Special"... :rolleyes:

2004FJR1300ABS_right_qtr.jpg


:p

I think Fred is exactly right... The seat is very subjective.... Here is a picture of my Bill Mayer seat.

You can see that it is wide but that is the reason for a custom seat. I am a big guy and need my weight spread across the width of the saddle. Although not quite as wide as a Russel, it clearly distributes the weight to make the ride more comfortable and to eliminate hot spots.

Misc021.jpg


 
i prefer the loks of the bill mayer and it is probably what i will get.

I am on the short side and although i have gotten used to the stock seat height i will probably have the seat made 1" lower.

that will give me a better footing and allow me to raise it up to the stock low height if i wish to.

Oh by the way has anyone had or ridden on one of these https://www.kontourseat.com/

 
I think Fred is exactly right... The seat is very subjective....
I am a big guy and need my weight spread across the width of the saddle. Although not quite as wide as a Russel, it clearly distributes the weight to make the ride more comfortable and to eliminate hot flashes
Wow Doc! Can ya send me that seat? The Missus is going through... owch!!

nevermind! :black eye:

:jester:

 
I think Fred is exactly right... The seat is very subjective....
I am a big guy and need my weight spread across the width of the saddle. Although not quite as wide as a Russel, it clearly distributes the weight to make the ride more comfortable and to eliminate hot flashes
Wow Doc! Can ya send me that seat? The Missus is going through... owch!!

nevermind! :black eye:

:jester:

:headbonk: :black eye: Pay backs can be hell pal. :innocent:

 
Now that Russell is on the forum it would be great if they came over to this thread.
Why? :unsure: They posted and answer on the other thread that was pertinent to what was being discussed.

This thread is about the OP not liking the looks of the Daylong saddle. They are not going to modify the looks of their very successful and comfortable saddle and why should they.

There will always be those who are more sensitive to a particular style or look on their motorcycle, just as there are those who want comfort, style be darned. Any discussion regarding the Russell Daylong always illuminates this separation. That's why there are so many different seat/saddle makers. That being said, at 75K miles, I still love my Russell and the knowledge I can ride 600 miles today...and tomorrow...and the next day....and the next day. After the trip to CFR (4500 miles) I could have gotten up Friday and ridden some more.

 
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