Corbin vs Sargent R1100RT

[DallasR1100RT]

Spending 8-12 hours a day sitting on the torture chamber called a BMW seat on a regular basis has me wishing for something without the pain. I raised the front and lowered the back, but it just is not cutting it. I hurt on the back of my legs...think the area when you sit on the toliet seat...I always feel like I am sliding forward and don't have much weight on my actual butt area. I can ride on my Burgman all day without any pain...Harley was the same way and so was my Shadow 1100...I need this from the BMW. I spent a lot of time today riding down I30 sitting with my butt on the top area of my seat...almost sitting on the passenger seat. Felt good to have no pressure on my legs and be sitting on my butt!!!

 

Not sure any other option without spending $700 on a new seat.

 

Any suggestions Corbin vs Sargent?

[BubbaLa]

i use a sheepskin cover to keep from sliding forward.

can't say if it will help with the back of your legs but it will plant you firmly in the saddle.

[Eckhard Grohe]

Corbin. Big, wide but a bit firm. Like a real saddle. Available for a reasonable price in the classifieds from time to time. The craftsmanship leaves a lot to be desired but it works for me. Is a pain to install till you get the trick. Try and get one with a "nose job"( narrower at the front) if you are short of inseam.

 

I had a Sargent that felt like a 2x4 on edge. As bad as a stock for me.

 

A Daylong(Russell) or a Mayer is possibly better but is more $$$.

[Selden]

Or, look for a local upholstery shop that will reshape motorcycle seats. A seat is not unlike a dress suit, and must be adjust to your individual shape to fit properly.

[OoPEZoO]

I had a Sargeant on my RT for the first few years of ownership. It was on the bike when I bought it so I had nothing to compare it to. I rode it across the country and back, plus many shorter 2-3k mile long weekend trips. I always got by, but I used to get some pretty miserable hot spots and it started to become increasingly more uncomfortable. The other problem was that the seams along the sides of the seat were completely blown out and I know that was not helping it from a support standpoint. Like it was posted above, I always felt the Sargeant was like sitting on the edge of a 2x4.

 

Then last year at one of the BRR's, I sat on another members Corbin. This was only an hour or so after getting to the hotel so my hot spots were still screaming. As soon as I sat on the Corbin, they went away instantly. That sold me on the Corbin and I made a deal right there to buy it from him once he bought a new bike (which was already in the works). After a year with the Corbin, you couldn't pay me to go back to a Sargeant. I can put in a 12+ hour day in the saddle, and then wake up the next morning and not even know I rode the day before. That was unheard of with the Sargeant. I used to be sore for days after getting home from a trip. That is not the case now.

 

Now for the gripes about the Corbin. It fits like complete crap. I dread everytime I have to remove the seat because it can be a real pain to put back on. Sometimes it just snaps back into place, other times it takes me 10 minutes to get it to latch. I also lost a bit of height with the Corbin. I have it on the highest seat setting and it is still lower than the Sargeant was in the middle setting. I'm 6'2" with a 34" inseam so my knees really feel it after a long day. That could be addressed with lowering the pegs, but I'm done spending money on this particular bike. I feel a little more cramped, but its still worth it for the extra butt comfort. The only other gripe is that Danielle hates the pillion seat. She liked the Sargeant very much and never complained once. The Corbin doesn't work for her. After an hour or so she is starting to squirm, and is in real pain by the time we get where we are going. Of course we didn't know this until I had already sold the Sargeant.

 

EDIT: Also to note......I would NEVER NEVER NEVER spend the money to buy a new seat. They pop up used all the time at 1/2 the initial cost. Keep an eye on the classifieds. One will pop up, then you can buy it, try it, and decide if you like it. If you don't you can most likely sell it for the same price you paid and find a different one

[David R]

Just a different point of view.

 

My bike came with brand new BMW comfort seat. I love it. I came across a deal for a heated corbin for good price. I bought it and put it on late in the fall. The heat was nice but no way was it as comfortable as the BMW comfort seat.

 

I do need to set the corbin one step higher than the BMW so for short folks, it may be a blessing. The corbin is much more like a saddle. It does make my bike look a little better.

 

With the BMW I can ride all day for days on end with no trouble except that last 150 miles coming home.

 

SO until it gets cold out, its the BMW comfort seat for me.

 

David

[AndyS]

See if someone with an 1150RT will lend you their saddle to test ride it...your friendly BMW dealer may lend you one off their seconhand bike fleet - if you were to suggest you might buy one from them (It's the same as the 1100RT comfort seat).

 

I too find this a good saddle.

It is also a lot cheaper (second hand) than any aftermarket seat AND IT MAY do it for you.

 

Andy

[BFish]

been happy with sargeant. in any case the oem bmw comfort seat was anything but for my butt.

[Linz]

I love my Corbin seat. They are firm but as a friend once said to me, it's in the last hour or so of a long journey that you really appreciate the corbin. It's broad and firm and it supports your lower back. I'd also really recommend getting a few pairs of LD comfort motorcycle underwear. Pure heaven.

 

I tried everything with my stock seat. Raising the front, rejigging the padding, adding fitted sheepskins. Nothing worked. I still slid forward as if I'd done no adjustments whatever. My legs tired quickly and my butt hurt.

 

I loved the feel of my mates Russell Day Long but the "wings" dug into my thighs. I reckon that would have got old (for me) on a very long ride.

 

As mentioned above, the Corbin can take some fitting. I raised the rear mount the width of a washer and unscrewed the underseat tang a few threads and it fits perfectly each time.

 

I found the best way to fit was the fit the front, pick up the rear and face the back for the bike on the right side with my knees into the side case. In that position you can fit the rear by pushing it forward, under the front seat and the down slightly. It just clicks into place. If you try popping it into position and then pushing down on it hard, it will fight you every inch of the way.

 

Cheers,

 

Linz

[JamesW]

I have a stock seat for my R100RT on order to replace the god awful Corbin Gunslinger saddle I bought 5 years ago. Will sell Corbin at very reasonable price just to get it out of my sight. Have my 1150RT seat at Russell as we speak getting rid of the Rick Meyer I bought a few years back. The Russell Day-Long is the best seat I ever had on a motorcycle. I will say the Rick Meyer is a better product than a Corbin imo.

[Selden]

If you're willing to try a little bit of carving, you may be able to re-shape a seat to your preference; it's not rocket science. I picked up a used Bill Mayer seat last year, and it just wasn't right for me, as it had been made for a very short woman, scooped out so much that it was U-shaped. I used a surplus square of interlocking EVA foam tile (3/8" thick) as source material. This stuff is very easy to sand with a bench grinder or a sander, so you can feather the edges. This stuff is pretty firm, so after I got the contour I wanted, I tacked it in place with some 3M adhesive spray, then covered it with a couple of layers of non-slip foam drawer liner from Ace Hardware:

 

 

Finally a layer of 1/4" polyester batting directly under the seat cover. Or go to an upholstery shop, where I'm sure you can find a variety of foam sheets of different stiffnesses.

 

The whole job took a couple of hours, and I haven't had a chance to do a day long butt test/break-in yet, but it's definitely an improvement.

 

Subtracting is more difficult, depending on the foam used in the seat. Some foam carves easily with a sharp knife, or can be shaped with coarse sandpaper. If you "dish" the rear part of the seat, use some 3M adhesive spray between the final layer and the cover, then quickly sit on the seat.

[Perlova]

 

Any suggestions Corbin vs Sargent?

 

I had the same problem with my stock seat. Half an hour into the ride my butt was burning, burning, burning.

I could never figure out why BMW would make such an instrument of torture, but some people ride on them with no problem at all.

I sent the seat away and had it re-stuffed with high density foam for $150 but with only marginal improvment.

I then bought a Sargent seat from a local rider. I had no luck with that either. Just did not work for my butt.

I took a chance on a used Corbin from the Classified section here. When it arrived it was so heavy and so hard, I thought that I had made another costly mistake. And unlike the Sargent was a real bear to snap into position on the bike.

But I tried it anyway. What a relief. It was like day and night. I can finally ride for hours with hardly any discomfort. The seat was the wrong color for my bike, so I bought another one that came up on the classifieds, and it was just as good as the first. The only complaints are the bad fit, and my wife slides around all over on the back of the bike.

Everyone's body type is different and I think that you just have to experiment until you get the right seat for you.

Oh yah, the Alaskan sheepskin was no good for me either.

[DaveBass]

I have a stock seat, comfort seat, and leather Corbin that the well-to-do dentist that first owned my bike kindly purchased. The stock is awful, the comfort is fair, and the Corbin is lovely. You do lose some height, and it can be harder to get much of your feet down, but the firm wide Corbin is terrific. I use a sheepskin pad when it's cold, and a bead-rider when it's hot.

 

Dave

[allynr1100]

This post could have been written by me. I tried all sorts of fixes. Finally spent the day at http://www.richscustomseats.com.

End of problem.

[RT Russ]

Wow....seems we've all been there. Stock seat...torture after 2-3 hours. BMW Comfort Seat good for about 5 hours before I really start squirming. Bought a used Corbin, good for about 6 hours before I start squirming. The Corbin height issue is kind of strange, I feel closer to the pegs yet I can't touch flat footed.....6'1" 32" inseam. Wife really hasn't ridden with me since I bought the used Corbin. I'm still considering going Russell DayLong. The only thing holding me back is my frugality. I did buy some riding shorts at the Redmond Rally and I did not squirm at all on the 11+ hour ride home. The Corbin can be a B!tch to get latched and yes, I did shim the latch per their advice. The front portion of the Corbin also moves around a bit and often unplugs my Autocom cable. Can't seem to find Nirvana.....

[DD 430]

Another point of view: My old 2000 R1100R came with the original BMW 'Brick'. Along the way I picked up an old Russell Day Long seat. It wasn't the prettiest seat on the road but it was certainly comfortable.

 

My 1999 R1100RT has a Corbin. While it is more comfortable than the 'Brick', it's not as comfortable as the Russell. Additionally, the workmanship (or lack thereof) makes it 'problematic' (at best) to reinstall.

 

If I weren't at present an unemployed bum I'd look around for another Russell.

[Mrs. Caddis]

If you are going to have a pillion DO NOT get the corbin. Horrible. The pillion seat is slick with only about 4 inches of sitting space at the front with the rest of the seat angled up to the back causing you to continually slide into the driver. I took two short rides on my husband's bike and never wanted to get on it again. He bought a Sargent to 1) get a lower seat for himself and 2) to keep harmony in the house. What a difference, I was able to enjoy riding with him again.

[TimeToRide]

Bought the 1100 RT with a Rusell Day Long, it was for someone shorter and slighter then me and I felt to far forward and the wings where pressing in on me, Cheri liked this seat but not the size of the bike. Bought a used stock seat a month ago and yes it is uncomfortable, finished a 12 day holiday today and it still hurts.

We whern't far from Rich seats last week, that might be an idea,the price seems lower then a couple of other places I've looked.

First I think I will take ome apart and se about modifying it.

 

Allan

[JamesW]

If you are going to have a pillion DO NOT get the corbin. Horrible. The pillion seat is slick with only about 4 inches of sitting space at the front with the rest of the seat angled up to the back causing you to continually slide into the driver. I took two short rides on my husband's bike and never wanted to get on it again. He bought a Sargent to 1) get a lower seat for himself and 2) to keep harmony in the house. What a difference, I was able to enjoy riding with him again.

 

Amazing! You should talk to my wife. She will agree with 110% and so will I.

[Hollow Road Rider]

I paid big bucks and had a Russell Day-Long made for my 1150RT. I was comfy, real comfy. Nancy liked her comfort behind me too. I was always ready to keep riding on the group rides when everyone else wanted to quit.

 

The only problem was that even in the lowest position, I had to slide forward while coming to a stop and then balance on tip toes and feel like the bike was always going to tip— which it did sometimes, and I am 6' 2".

 

I have a new R1200GS Adv. It has an uncomfortable seat, but when I'm at a stop, my feet are about flat on the ground— I feel very stable. The folks at Russell said that if they make a seat for me it will put me up 1 1/2" again. I can't do it again, and I'm not convinced by anything I've seen above that I should go with Corbin.

[SKYGZR]

Sargent on the R. Corbin (on the stock pan, recovered 3-times by Corbin) on the K. (You have to be "grandfathered" in to be able to have this done by them, and it's working on needing it again.) That said, the Corbin on the K is Great!

 

Opted for the Sergent for the R 'cause Corbin only offers a one piece unit for the '96. The Sergent is like the stocker, a two piece. It's taller, wider, and firmer than the stocker.

 

Way more comfy, and fits up without a hitch....plus..no "custom" wait time, having to send pictures, and your stock pan..etc..

[Perlova]

If you are going to have a pillion DO NOT get the corbin. Horrible. The pillion seat is slick with only about 4 inches of sitting space at the front with the rest of the seat angled up to the back causing you to continually slide into the driver. I took two short rides on my husband's bike and never wanted to get on it again. He bought a Sargent to 1) get a lower seat for himself and 2) to keep harmony in the house. What a difference, I was able to enjoy riding with him again.

 

Amazing! You should talk to my wife. She will agree with 110% and so will I.

I had to raise the front of my Corbin pillion by half an inch to keep my wife from sliding into me. She finally got tired of the slick seat, got her bike license and now rides her own bike.

[Bill_R]

beadrider.com :thumbsup: Longest day so far - 1150 mi.

[Fubar]

Spending 8-12 hours a day sitting on the torture chamber called a BMW seat on a regular basis has me wishing for something without the pain. I spent a lot of time today riding with my butt on the top area of my seat...almost sitting on the passenger seat. Felt good to have no pressure on my legs and be sitting on my butt!!!

 

Not sure any other option without spending $700 on a new seat.

 

Any suggestions Corbin vs Sargent?

I feel your pain. (sorry) We all do it seems.

I just ordered - this morning - a new Sargent seat, front only. Cost is $400 with shipping (I paid tax too cuz I'm in the same state) and I keep my original seat.

[Lmar]

I could not believe how uncomfortable my OEM seat was. I was riding to Arizona last summer and used an air pillow, a sheep skin, I could not relieve the pain.

 

Ordered a Sargent on a trial to make the trip back to Canada. Ended up ordering one with dual heat when I got back. The 3 day (2000 mile) trip back to Canada was a lot more enjoyable.

 

 

[Joy]

I never had the Corbin for the R1100RT, but I did get a used one for our FZ6 and it had the same problem. The only way I could stop from sliding was by wearing leather pants, it seemed to "stick" to the material. Corbin offered to shave some material off the seat for free or I could pay to get it recovered with a "stickier" material but I sold it the same day I got it.

[Selden]

Update on my seat re-shaping project, after 10 days of break-in, and the first long highway ride. I like it! In addition to reshaping the seat, I glued a layer of the anti-slip foam drawer liner to the underside of my sheepskin pad, which not only adds a tiny bit more cushioning, but secures the pad very nicely.

[kmac]

does anyone here use suede to recover their seats. it is kinda all the rage in the dual sport world where i came from. the theory is A} it is a natural material so less sweaty, B} it has a nice amout of non slip traction, C} it is very durable and can be trated to be be virtually waterproof....

 

seems to me, any seat that doesnt feel great can be reshaped and then recovered and ANY upholsterer in suede pretty cheaply.

 

and in the DS world the trick to shaping a seat is NOT a sharp knife...it is to use an electric carving knife...they work great on seat foam...som can be sanded but an electric knife works like...well...a hot knife thru butter

[combatmmuter]

04rt "comfort" seat wasn't. didn't want corbin-previously on rs. researched, shopped, drooled, etc. meyer in ojai with a cycle show discount has served well the last few years. seemed more custom than the other two, and great service. better pillion too.

[JamesW]

Hey, such a deal I just bought and installed a new Sargent's saddle on my 1981 R100RT (I know this is an oilhead forum but any port in a storm) and removed a Corbin Gunslinger that is like new with maybe 6K miles on it tops. Any takers on the one owner low mileage Corbin?

 

Oh, just installed the new Russell on my 1150RT and it just beats the RM hands down no comparison. I can ride non stop between fill ups all day period! Costs more but worth every buck. imo