A Good Experience with Rick Mayer Cycle (Saddle Maker)

[Mike]

I think it's worth sharing our experiences with outstanding vendors. It's largely through these forums that I've found great vndors like Cycle Gadgets, New Enough Leather, and others. I just had an experience that promises to add another to my list.

 

I've got an order pending with Rick Mayer Cycle for a new seat for my R1200ST. The production date for my seat is June 15. Because of my travel schedule and my not-so-likely-to-happen desire to attend the Unrally, I contacted Rick a few weeks ago to see if the production date could be changed. Rick said that their policy is as follows: if a prepaid customer can't send their saddle in for the scheduled production date, they just commence the work as soon after that date as they receive it. So, if I couldn't get my seat there by the production date, I could continue to ride the ST until there was a break in my schedule, send my seat in, and they'd start work on it as soon as it was received. A pretty customer-friendly approach.

 

I checked their website yesterday, and it indicated that their new facility had increased their capacity and reduced waiting times for production dates. So, thinking "What the heck," I contacted them again to see if there was any chance of moving up my production date. Rick responded to me a couple hours later, and told me he was going to go ahead and order a set of ST seat pans so that I wouldn't have to be without a seat. I know that the exchange program is one of the features they offer to the owners of many models, but I thought it was pretty darned responsive--in a positive way--for him to make the commitment to do this just on the basis of one customer's needs.

 

I'll report back once I get the new seat, but this type of customer service really speaks highly of Rick Mayer Cycle.

[Firefight911]

That's good to hear.

 

I am VERY interested to hear and see what your impressions are of your new seat once you have it.

 

Keep us posted!

[Captain_Pat]

I'm also very interested in your experience with Rick Mayer. I had concluded to go with Russell primarily because all of the bad press RM was receiving on the forum for bad/non-responsive service. Maybe that decision was premature.

[johnlt]

Last month I received my Rick Mayer saddle and although my wait was several months, he told me so going in and he met his production schedule and delivered a quality seat exactly when he said he would. This is my second RM seat and I think they are excellent. I've had both Russells and Rick Mayers and prefer the Rick Mayer. Both are very comfortable but the RMs are much more attractive. If I need another, I'll go back to him again.

[bmwmick]

Mike,

Just be sure you send a follow-up E-Mail about once a week or call him every other day to keep your order and the details fresh in his mind.

The seat quality is great!

Mick

[MooreDriven]

I elected to go with Corbin several months ago, primarily because I got to keep my original pan. At the time, Rick was getting some bad publicity as Captain_Pat stated. I recently contacted Rick about a new saddle, and he was very responsive. I am a bit concerned that he has moved to a new facility and has a higher production capacity. If he is doing the work himself, there is only so much one man can do alone. The only negative reports I have read have been about customer service, not the saddle itself. In the case of my Corbin, the saddle and customer service have been subpar.

 

I am flipping a coin between Russel and Rick Mayer.

[dshogman]

I dropped in to RIck's last October (had a "drop-in" appointment) and he did my seat one Saturday morning as I waited. Quite an experience to see your seat made into something better looking and more comfortable at the same time. At the time, all work took place in the "workshop" (read 'garage'). I was amazed at the work that came out of that shop. When I stopped back in on the way north in March, the "new facility" was almost finished - a fully equipped 3-4 car sized garage/workshop/office/waiting room right there on his property.

IMHO he produces a high quality product and stands behind his product. I wouldn't think that will change with the new space he has.

[DavidEBSmith]

+1 for Rick. Especially if you have an 11xxRT, because that's what he rides, and he knows what needs to be done to the seat.

[Heck]

It is amazing that a saddle maker can "get it right" by just having a customer send pictures and vital statistics- I was skeptical, but the finished product tells the tale! I have a Corbin set that has been rebuilt 3 times and still does not fit me as well as the Rick Mayer Saddle. I had my saddle done in vinyl- am waiting for a few weeks and then will send it back up to Rick to have him recover it in leather.

for Rick !!