Seats..help Me!!

[smitty141]

What seat do the most long mile guys use?? Russell, Mayer, ect. Whats is it covered with???Leather, vinyl, ect.. pattern on the cover to help it breath ect..I have had a corbin, trying a Rick Mayer :beee: Is a daylong in my future...I want to be able to park my ass in a seat and ride till the stock gas tank is gone. Fill up and ride some more....Help me please :dribble:

 

[Randy]

I've done 700+ mile days on the stock seat and it didn't really bother me that bad. Good pair of bicycling shorts certainly didn't hurt. I've got a sheepskin cover on the way - have heard favorable reviews. I'm sure aftermarket seats are better, but, I figure, why not give it a shot? It's only $30, so, what do I have to lose? Many others have done LD rides on the FJR with the stock seat. It's just up to you to find out if it is a 'need' or a 'want'.

 

[sparky3008]

I went ahead and ordered the Sargeant. I know $600 is a lot of money but only being able to ride on the stock seat for about 15 minutes before my butt bone is on fire is not what I call a touring bike.

I went with this seat because they don't need my stock pan as theres is their own design that they have tested and seems to show good results. This way I can still ride until I get through the 3 week waiting period. The foam is really good and the seat is tilted back and dished out some.

I have had corbins on other bikes and for the bike they were going on "cruisers" they worked ok but only doubled my time in the seat.

Money for a Mayer and Russell are about the same and you have to send your pans in for these and the look is something you have to like also and for me they take away from the lines of the bike. I would have gotten a gold wing if I wanted a seat like that..

Just my .02$. When i get the sargeant in I will let you know how it works out...

 

[Bounce]

After trying several different seats (Travelcade, etc.), several different pads/covers (beads, gel, air hawk, sheepskin, etc.), I finally broke down and got my first Russell (last bike).

I could have saved a ton of money by doing it right to begin with. All the money I wasted on partial solutions could have nearly paid for the Russell.

When I got the FJR, I went straight to the Russell. Solo (rider area custom built, passenger area built to an "average passenger") and all leather. AAAAAhhhhh...

Great function. If I was interested in how it looked when parked, I'd have gotten a Harley. When my ass is sitting on it, my eyes can't see it.

As for function, the first one served through multiple 1000+ and 1500+ mile days as well as multiple back-to-back 900 - 1200 mile days. The current one (on the FJR) has seen me though multiple 1000+ mile days and the 2003 IBR. Seat comfort was never an issue... and as with all truly custom seats, it does its job without forcing you to add gimmics to it like sheepskins or other partial solutions that the OEM seat could be excused for needing.

Off the rack seats built by someone other than Yammy for a "different average rider" are not the same as custom seats. You're swapping one off-the-rack for another.

 

[Warchild]

Here's how the Russell Day-Long looks on the FJR (in fact, this is my first FJR that is featured on the Russell web site ):

 

[RickL]

I'm one of those wimpy folks who can't ride more than 90 minutes or so on the stock seat (on either the FJR or the Rocket) without 3rd degree butt burn. I got the Airhawk inflatable seat cover for the Rocket, which helped a little, but not much - but it's a cruiser, not a touring bike Am leaning toward a custom seat for the FJR, and have narrowed it down to Rick Mayer or Russell. Is the difference between them personal preference, or is there really something significant there? Anybody have experience with both?

 

[Warchild]

Anybody have experience with both?

Yep. I have both. The above Russell Day-Long, and the Rick Mayer on the Blackbird.

Go with the Russell. 'Nuff said.

 

[speedjunkie]

I too have taken the plunge and ordered a Russell. It's there right now, should ship next week. I can't wait to try it out! I've got the Corbin close on right now, and it is much too hard for my boney little ass! Good luck.

Mike

 

[smitty141]

Hey WC, is yours leather, or vinyl???

 

[JimV]

WC,

Kind of hard to tell from the picture, does that seat give you "waffle butt"?

Just curious.

CHeers,

Jim

 

[Zzooomm]

Here's how the Russell Day-Long looks on the FJR

Warchild,

Do you find the increased stitching offers better cooling or comfort over a slick seat? I've got a "drive in" appointment Augutst 2 enroute to WFO. To and from CFO this weekend, I focused on the things that I would like to improve. Anything I might want to consider incorporating in my new seat that is not obvious?

Kevin

 

[Warchild]

Hey WC, is yours leather, or vinyl???

Vinyl. Less expensive, easier to maintain, and cooler than leather in the hot sun....

Do you find the increased stitching offers better cooling or comfort over a slick seat?

Most definitely! In fact, that's what drove me to go the "small squares" to begin with. The small squares allow for more airflow down in the nether regions; an important consideration with LD Riding in the blazing Desert West!

104 degrees today on the floor of the Columbian Basin..... the small squares pattern are the only way to fly in these conditions.

 

[radman]

Have seen numerous deals on seats on ebay etc, Corbins and Sargeants etc, but I'm saving my dough for the Russell. Do it once I says.

 

[FastJoyRide]

@Smitty: Last thing I would want to do is contradict WC (as he has much more LD time than anyone else that I know), but I went the Russell seat route on a previous bike and never did get it quite right. It was the full-boat leather, "double dweeb" as my pal's daughter liked to call it, custom built for Sylvia and me, and had the waffle pattern as per the picture of WC's.

I think this seat thing is a very personal one, and what suits one, won't necessarily suit another (body build, perspiration rate, ratio of leg length to upper torso, pain threshold etc). I did the ride-in appointment thing too, and left the seat with them for a few days while we went south, then picked it up on the way home. Superb quality of workmanship, but it never gave me true all-day comfort. As it was leather and full of needle holes, I also had to travel with a raincover, so I echo WC's recommendation of the vinyl.

I just picked up a used Corbin for Yamaha for the FJR, and while I haven't racked up any big days yet, it looks like a keeper. For two-up riding the stocker and a sheepskin will be our route, as the Corbin rips off the pillion for roominess. I've done a SS1000 on the stocker, and last year my wife and I toured for 6,000+ miles over 2 weeks, without any permanent damage :lol:

 

[smitty141]

I fax my order in for a day-long. I got vinyl, in small squares. I have had 2 corbin, and never like them. I am sitting on a Rick Mayer right now. It is alot better, but I will try a Russell. What ever one works best...I will use, the other I will sell..Thanks for everyones input...I have a sept.13 build date...

 

[yanktar]

If I do a Russell again, it will be with vinyl and small squares. This is despite liking leather and hating the look of the small squares (sorry Warchild). However, form must follow function. That's one reason the seats I've done had light-colored leather--it's MUCH cooler after sitting in the sun--simple physics.

I have leather on my FZ1 and it's slippery. I'm trying Lexol cleaner and conditioner for that. I had to pull the cover off and chop a lot of foam out--Russell seems to like to push you into the tank, and I'm not the only person to have noticed that. I sent the seat back 3x but they never got it right. Now, if I can get the cover to stop slipping, it will be fine.

Saying all that, unlike the stock seats on the FJR, FZ1 and the FZ1 Corbin, my butt NEVER got sore on the Russell. For me, it's been the angles being wrong straining my legs, shoulders and wrists, not my tailbone. In THAT, Russell delivered as advertised!

I'd stay away from their seat-heater option--with the FJR's limited stator capacity, and the problems they've had with the heaters, you're better off spending your watts on heated grips and heated pants.

Here's the Russell on the FZ1:

 

[fastersilverfjr]

Seats, seats, seats.

In the past two weeks alone, I have heard about a dozen bad things about the Mayer seat: "Don't think it is really custom, they just give you one off the shelf." "Too much foam." "Pushes you forward worse than the stock." "Too much foam in the middle spreads your butt crack." Etc.

Corbin Canyon give the rider plenty of room, but leaves enough for an 7 year old girl passenger...literally. My 7 year old daughter thinks the passenger seat on the Canyon is okay. My 10 year old son thinks it is too small. My wife just looked at me with a "are you kidding" look.

The Corbin Close is one inch lower, cuts out about 1.5 inches from the rider and gives it to the passenger...plenty of room. Get this seat built up about one inch and it is very nice.

Sargent...no idea. Heard some great things though.

Russell: Best seat under the sky. But gawd, those little wings are so ugly. Yeah, but you don't look at those wings when you are riding. You do feels those wings when you are ridng though and it is those wings that helps provide the "day-long" seat. But gawd, those wings really take away from the sporty look of the bike.

Lastly, Russell is minimum $450+sh for rider only in vinyl and about $500 wtih velour insert. $550+sh for rider & passenger and about 600+ with velour insert. Yikes! Add another $80 if you want to do a ride in. That get pricey, but if you want a comfy seat it is the best money you can spend as said by many here.

Me? I have tried the Corbin Canyon and Close as noted above. Canyon does not work with a passenger...just not enough room. Close is better. Mayer...bad things spoken about it. Russell...only good things.

I will probably hold out until next year and drop the money on the Russell.

I ride about 15,000+ miles per year. Ride my FJR to work daily. Do about 4 long weekend rides that are about 1300 to 2500 miles each weekend ride per year. I have never done a long 5000 + miles week or longer ride. If I did do these, I would already have a Russell on my bike.

 

[Bananas!]

Got a catalog from an outfit called "Air Rider". They sell alot of electrical type components and gadgets for Goldwings. However, at the rear of the catalog is a page that discribes and illistrates how they will take your stock seat, pull the cover off, gouge out some foam from the seating area and then install an inflatible air over gel pad and then put it all back together. The adjustible air bladder alows you to custom fit this thing to your particular ass. They will do the pilot seat for $189, do pilot and passenger for $289 and do pilot, passenger and lumbar for $339. I like the idea of keeping the stock seat cover, I find that I stay planted, no slipping around on it. I think I'm gonna try option #1. I'll let ya'all know how it works out.

Oh, if you want to check out thier website it is "www.airrider.com".

Bananas!

 

[speedjunkie]

Got my Russell today, FINALLY! Went for a short 50 mile ride. BEAUTIFUL!! They claim they make the seat to aid in proper posture, I'll say. I don't even set that upright in my car! Kinda odd having to slide all the way to the tank before stopping so I can get a foot down. The seat is at least 1" taller than the Corbin, maybe even the stocker. Very comfy tho. I'm looking at about 300 miles this weekend, so that will be a better test, but so far, so good!

Mike