Russel Day Long

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mdisher

formerly Renegade, get used to it.
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
2,513
Reaction score
12
Location
Trenton, OH
OK,

Based upon the sciatic nerve pain I suffered through on my last ride, I'm going for a new seat. I'm thinking Russell Day long, as that seems to be the premier seat for ld riding.

But I'm confused?

Do they need the original seat pans or is this a complete replacement?

And then there's the Vinyl, Velour, or Leather question.

I'm ok with the vinyl that the stock seat is made from, it's not too hot. I don't ride in shorts so I don't stick to it :)

Is leather worth $160 more? What about Velour, how's that hold up to the elements?

 
They use the original so you're out a seat for as long as it takes them to get the job done. I had mine done in December...

I did leather, half moon. WC likes the corrugated finish, I prefer smooth so's I can slide buns when cornering.

Happy with leather, way happy with the Russell. I did 2 SS1K's on the stock seat... never again !

 
Leather. Ask any of the saddle makers (or skooter's Dungeon Boy) and they'll all tell you leather. And it's not just because of the extra coin, either. as for weather - no worries, just treat it with leather care and dry it off after it gets rained on.

Leather: It's whats best for the ***. ;)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have to say, if anyone knows ***, it's TWN. ;)

That said, my *** can't tell the difference between leather and vinyl, so I got vinyl. And I'm cheap.

TWN says: "just treat it with leather care and dry it off after it gets rained on." Vinyl is just like that, except that you don't need to treat it with anything, ever and drying it off means a swipe with your hand or glove. :D

It's a tractor seat, so butt sliding is sort of minimal, and if you want to do some, probably best to not go with the velour. Not sure that pattern makes much difference, but I bow to boogahboogah's experience there. (I have the small squares, just because I like the look better.)

FWIW, Russell told me that the stitching will leak water, but it won't hurt anything as the foam is closed cell. Just takes a bit longer to dry fully if water gets under the cover. I toss a plastic baggy over mine when I park overnight w/o a cover. Way cheaper than the rain covers they sell. Did I mention I'm cheap? :unsure: I also only did the rider seat, since I run a fuel cell and never carry a passenger.

Forgot to add, I have about 40k on mine and love it. Very little break in noticed, and it's as good today as it was the day I put it on. Rode a SS3K the day after the seat came back from Russell, zero butt burn. Nuff said.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey Renegade!

As you know from EOM I have the Russel and its velour. I researched seats for months before I bought. Though its ugly its more comfy than any seat/chair/couch I own! Esp with the distances you run...youre overdue!

Ok so materials...I had a used Vinyl Russel before the current velour one. It was nice but was real slippery when cold and real sticky when hot. Also caused a bit of swamp ***. It was this reason that I went with velour, my hope would be that itd breathe better in the summer. They make a rain cover for it so when it rains you slip it on and then ride with it on. I thought this wouldnt be a big deal since it doesnt rain tooo often. However, it is a pain in the *** to stop get off the bike and put on the stupid rain cover.

The rain cover and the uglyness are my two gripes. It does seem to breathe a bit better and is never too sticky or too slippery and always comfy. So i dunno...each has their adv and disadvantages. But youre gonna love it!

Hope all is well!

-Drew

Vinyl

IMG_2118.JPG


Velour (black) (dual)

IMG_2275.JPG


 
I have to say, if anyone knows ***, it's TWN. ;)
That said, my *** can't tell the difference between leather and vinyl, so I got vinyl. And I'm cheap.

TWN says: "just treat it with leather care and dry it off after it gets rained on." Vinyl is just like that, except that you don't need to treat it with anything, ever and drying it off means a swipe with your hand or glove. :D

It's a tractor seat, so butt sliding is sort of minimal, and if you want to do some, probably best to not go with the velour. Not sure that pattern makes much difference, but I bow to boogahboogah's experience there. (I have the small squares, just because I like the look better.)

FWIW, Russell told me that the stitching will leak water, but it won't hurt anything as the foam is closed cell. Just takes a bit longer to dry fully if water gets under the cover. I toss a plastic baggy over mine when I park overnight w/o a cover. Way cheaper than the rain covers they sell. Did I mention I'm cheap? :unsure: I also only did the rider seat, since I run a fuel cell and never carry a passenger.

Forgot to add, I have about 40k on mine and love it. Very little break in noticed, and it's as good today as it was the day I put it on. Rode a SS3K the day after the seat came back from Russell, zero butt burn. Nuff said.
[SIZE=14pt]GUNNY!![/SIZE]

 
If you wear protective pants your arse can't feel or tell the difference. Vinyl is way more durable. I have had both and prefer the vinyl for easy care. But I will say Russell is the best seat I have had. I have had a Corbin, Rick Mayer and a Russell on the FJR. I now have a Bill Mayer Saddle, {BMS}, on the Wee. I still think the Russell is the most comfy.

If you can't be without a seat try posting up and borrow someones spare. It will cost you about $60 to ship both directions. Or buy one thats for sale and resell it.

 
leather. i've had the velour on my last wing. i had a friend tell me that if i didn't get leather on this one she'd kick my *** (she declined when i said she could even if i did get the seat in leather). she knew what she was talking about. there really is a comfort difference - even when wearing riding gear.

leather can last for a hundred years even when exposed to weather. look at the period saddles in the Cowboy Hall of Fame and other western museums to see that. you just have to care for it.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
And I'm cheap.
Indeed.

TWN says: "just treat it with leather care and dry it off after it gets rained on." Vinyl is just like that, except that you don't need to treat it with anything, ever and drying it off means a swipe with your hand or glove. :D
Treating the leather is a 2 minute proposition, maybe once a month. You're not only cheap, you are apparently lazy, too! Vinyl will also collect evening dew, leather will not. Leather breathes, vinyl does not. Leather does not absorb the heat like vinyl. Heat is a major irritant, much like our esteemed colleague, OC. :****:

 
I've got the leather Rick Mayer. I find that the leather seat and Wickers scivvy drawers virtually eliminates monkey butt! I use Lexol on the seat maybe once every couple of months. Had the seat for a year and a half and it still looks and feels great. :D And oh yeah, fat bottomed girls make the rockin' world go round!!

 
Treating the leather is a 2 minute proposition, maybe once a month. You're not only cheap, you are apparently lazy, too! Vinyl will also collect evening dew, leather will not. Leather breathes, vinyl does not. Leather does not absorb the heat like vinyl. Heat is a major irritant, much like our esteemed colleague, OC.
2 minutes! I could be a couple miles down the road by then. :yahoo: I wash my bike once a year whether it needs it or not. Leather does not absorb heat? Get your *** out of the saddle and put your hand on it guy, leather/vinyl, both will be warm/hot. Breathing doesn't really enter into the issue for a seat. You're not wearing it, the bike is. This is like the rain cover issue. A lot of people don't understand that you don't need the rain cover on it when your riding. It's just for when you stop and it's raining. You cover the seat plenty well enough while riding. (pillion exempted, if you had both done and don't have a pillion covering that portion.)

Bottom line, I have nothing against leather. It looks nice, lasts great and doesn't have any problems that I think matter. I'm just not paying extra for it is all. I ride in full gear all the time. That means textile riding pants for me. If you wear jeans or other non-riding apparel, you're preferences might be different. :eh-smiley: Buy want you want, just don't expect any significant difference between leather and vinyl. At least with a Russell. Some other custom seats have shown a need for re-adjustment when the leather takes a set and the seat becomes uncomfortable. Not something everyone will experience, but I've seen it happen to a fellow FJR rider.

 
leather. i've had the velour on my last wing. i had a friend tell me that if i didn't get leather on this one she'd kick my *** (she declined when i said she could even if i did get the seat in leather). she knew what she was talking about. there really is a comfort difference - even when wearing riding gear.
leather can last for a hundred years even when exposed to weather. look at the period saddles in the Cowboy Hall of Fame and other western museums to see that. you just have to care for it.

GUMBY!! ahhh... GUNNY! ohh..... ahhh... crap. :blink:

+what Bounce said.

 
I have to say, if anyone knows ***, it's TWN. ;)
That said, my *** can't tell the difference between leather and vinyl, so I got vinyl. And I'm cheap.

TWN says: "just treat it with leather care and dry it off after it gets rained on." Vinyl is just like that, except that you don't need to treat it with anything, ever and drying it off means a swipe with your hand or glove. :D

It's a tractor seat, so butt sliding is sort of minimal, and if you want to do some, probably best to not go with the velour. Not sure that pattern makes much difference, but I bow to boogahboogah's experience there. (I have the small squares, just because I like the look better.)

FWIW, Russell told me that the stitching will leak water, but it won't hurt anything as the foam is closed cell. Just takes a bit longer to dry fully if water gets under the cover. I toss a plastic baggy over mine when I park overnight w/o a cover. Way cheaper than the rain covers they sell. Did I mention I'm cheap? :unsure: I also only did the rider seat, since I run a fuel cell and never carry a passenger.

Forgot to add, I have about 40k on mine and love it. Very little break in noticed, and it's as good today as it was the day I put it on. Rode a SS3K the day after the seat came back from Russell, zero butt burn. Nuff said.
Gunny1!

 
Top