Seat comfort question

[John_KK]

I'm 5'10", 200 lbs, currently riding my '02 RT with a Sargent seat. I find it very uncomfortable and would like you thoughts on what seat manufacturer I should look to. Thanks.

[GaryIF]

I'm an outlier but for what it's worth, found the factory comfort seat quite good but only after fine tuning its tilt. To get it just right, I cut out the shim-like ring in the two rear rubber support feet and shimmed up the front support bracket, using layers of 1/16" x 3/4" aluminimum strips. The strips support the full length of the bracket (rather than using just washers) and the technique of stacking them allows you to tailor the tilt to what's most comfortable.

 

Poor man's fix to an otherwise expensive proposition.

[Art..]

www.day-long.com

[pdegnan]

John, I have a Corbin on my LT, with 36k miles it's fine, but it takes getting used to (pretty hard). OTOH, we put a CeeBaileys on my wifes 02 RT, heated, and she loved it, and you can't beat their price with marine vinyl compared to Corbin, Russell, Mayer etc. Best bet is too see if you can find other riders in your area (since most of the mnfgs are out here in LaLa land) and see if they'll at least let you sit on theirs. Styles are different, so are seat pans (some are custom, some build on the stock pan). You might even be able to get the mnfg's to give you a couple of references of saddles they've make for bikes in your area, to minimize the time it'll take to find one. Last, but not least, ride to a local ralley and you're bound to find plenty of after-market seats.

 

Don't forget, there's also the classifieds on this site (and there always seems to be good deals on saddles) and of course, eBay. Good Luck!

[kinchy]

John,

I bought a Sargent as well. Better than stock but I still have lower back pain. Seats are an interesting upgrade. They cost and you really don't know if you have solved your problem. Also noticed when said seat is in the middle adjustment position, there's play in the seat no matter how hard you try and eliminate it. I couldn't get it on the high adjustment setting. All in all, for the money, the Sargent has not met my expectations. Got a Corbin on the RK..it's very comfortable.

[270]

Well, maybe I'm just grumpy, but I have not found the saddle I want for the RT. It looks like I'll be riding a compromise for the IBR next month: a combination of custom saddle, shade-tree engineering, and a very nice sheepskin cover from Alaska Leather that seems to hide a lot of issues with this particular saddle.

 

Let me say that my first attempt was simply not good. Won't name names here, but PM if you'd like. The second attempt and subsequent adjustment are just not what I'm looking for. It's probably perfect for someone else, just not me.

 

I have not tried a Russell yet, but will. Why not? I've already got about $1,000 invested in failed saddle projects, what's another $600-700?

 

Good luck!

[tom collins]

seats are a big issue on this board. I must say that my RT has caursed me more challenge on finding a good seat than any bike i have ever owned, including harley. right now, i have a CBaileys that is beautifully made and much better than stock comfort seat but not perfect. one thing you must do is ride on a seat, sitting really doesn't tell you much beyond initial impression. if you are in a bmw club, see if you can swap seats with another member for an hour or two on a club ride. i tried 5 different seats i didn't like from all of the major makers until i settled on this CB, i didn't test ride it interestingly enough. most of the makers with give you at least one free adjustment as well. the thing is, you really can't break it in without a few thousand miles, so it might take some time to dial it in. if you are lucky enough to live near the maker, you can set a "ride in" appointment and you will have your best chance of getting what you want. this is not unique to BMW as i see aftermarket seats on all types of bikes everywhere i go, but especially on bikes that have any significant milage on them. it is a very personal issue. good luck and don't give up hope, as we used to say in the car business, there is an a## for every seat and consequently a seat for every a##.

 

tom collins