My experience with Rick Mayer Saddles (a cautionary tale)

[Fess]

Here is my experience buying a Rick Mayer seat for my K1600GT.

The seat was to be built on a pan he had, so i could keep my BMW seat while the new one was being built. I just needed to send him a $500 deposit, along with full payment for the new seat. I would then send my BMW seat to him when my new one arrived and I would get my $500 deposit back. Simple enough.

The seat was ordered in late April with a projected build date of June 6th. Both June & July came & went with a number of promises that my seat was next. It finally arrived in August. It was OK and I was satisfied, although I'm not sure it was built to my 'specs".

I sent him my BMW seat and they received it on August 21.

After waiting a few weeks, I inquired about my deposit and was assured it was in process. When it still did not arrive, I called and politely expressed my disappointment with the entire experience. This was met with rudeness. I then told them, in no uncertain terms, that I expected to receive my check by the next Friday. It arrived the next Saturday..........IT BOUNCED. I was assured this was an anomaly and I should redeposit it. Well, it bounced again.

So, Rick now has my $319 payment for the seat, my $500 deposit, my BMW seat and now I have to pay for 2 returned checks.

 

I'm thinking there may be better deals out there if you are looking for a seat for your bike.

__________________

[Lemans]

Wow...as tight knit as the BMW riding community is, it's hard to understand his business plan. Keep us posted. Does anyone else feel a 500 deposit is a bit much for a stock seat pan?

[chrisolson]

Rick's work is fine, but he is no businessman. You can find many, many discussions about issues with his service, some good but a lot of them bad.

 

My own experience was very little communication from him and not meeting dates for work to be completed. I had to email to confirm receipt, confirm date return and follow up multiple times when it didn't show as promised.

 

I eventually did get the saddle, rode it to Alaska and back. It was comfortable.

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

I can't say anything for mail order. I rode in twice and was in and out in a couple of hours.

 

[Bud]

He made a custom seat in a couple of hours?????

[johnlt]

Fes, my experience was almost identical to yours only I didn't even get a bounced check!!! I had to confront him at the MOA rally and he paid me cash there. Seat, my second one, is excellent but bad business practice.

[Uni]

My experience with riding in and having it made on the spot was a good one. It seems that most of the complaints come from people that send them in. Based on the hearing these complaints I would be leery of having one done except in person.

 

Jeff

[kltk165]

I had trouble with Rick not coming through on all the options I ordered with a seat I ordered. Numerous emails went unanswered for a refund. To those that are determined to have a Mayer seat, you may wanna try Bill Mayer (Rick's brother) instead.

[lawnchairboy]

Russell day long. My A$$ preferred seat. No funny business.

[mackerman]

Probably ought to pin this one to the top of the forum....just sayin

[Fess]

In the interests of fairness and full disclosure, I received a money order in the mail today for my $500 deposit along with an additional $50 to cover the bad check fees. I suspect that telling him about my sharing this story on various message boards helped.

My Rick Mayer experience is officially over.

[Exploreinman]

I had mine done by his brother, Bill Mayer, I didn't have any problems. Next to my Aeroflow shield, it's the best upgrade I've made to my bike!

[SPX]

I had trouble with Rick not coming through on all the options I ordered with a seat I ordered. Numerous emails went unanswered for a refund. To those that are determined to have a Mayer seat, you may wanna try Bill Mayer (Rick's brother) instead.

 

Don't do that either. Based on my experience, I'd say skip the Mayer's all together. Bill Mayer Saddles had terrible customer service in my case; apparently just like Rick Mayer

[bushmanstan]

I have a set of Rick Mayer custom saddles; rider & pillion. Problem is the leather does not match due to the fact that the original shipment included a standard saddle in lieu of the custom saddle for the pillion that we ordered/paid for. I explained to him that we (wife & I) had a planned trip and needed him to expedite delivery of the "custom" pillion we had paid for. The custom saddle was finally shipped at the convenience of Rick Mayer, the leather does not match the rider saddle and I had trouble getting my deposit returned as well. Given another opportunity I would do business elsewhere.

[Bud]

Given all of the diverse experiences related in this thread, I have to wonder why some members are really satisfied and others have had such a horrible experience with the same vendor?

[tallman]

Bud,

He is, or was, primarily involved in health care.

I think he is a skilled nurse.

Saddles a sideline, albeit a big one.

Work (job)/rally schedule limits (or did) personal involvement at times.

Sporadicity creates just that...

FWIW I know many happy customers.

[No1knows]

My experience this summer with Rick Mayer this summer was similar to yours but much worse. Like you I ordered my saddle in April and given a build date of early June. In mid June he called me to apologize that the saddle was not made because he ran out of seat pans for my R1150RT, and asked if I could send him my stock saddle instead. When I told him I had a big ride scheduled with family members who were flying in from other parts of the country in early July, he promised me I would have it back in time for my ride.

 

When the saddle did not arrive as promised I called, left messages on his answering machine, emails ext. When he finally got back to me again he apologized and tells me that he built my saddle but accidentally and sent it to another customer.

Believe it or not I did not receive the saddle until mid August. Six weeks of prime riding in the Northeast was lost, Also the money owed me was never returned.

 

In my opinion this man is a crook. The saddle he finally sent me is really not much better than the stock one I gave him. The check that he promised me three times was "in the mail", never arrived. If anyone questions what I am claiming here, I have all the e-mail correspondence between myself and Mr. Mayer.

 

Buyer Beware!

[EffBee]

It's clear you weren't satisfied with your purchasing experience as well as with the final product. But to brand someone a "crook, even if it's just your opinion, is harsh.

 

My understanding is that Rick Mayer Saddles is an evening and weekend venture, as Mr. Mayer is an accomplished skilled nurse with a full-time career. He and his brother, Rocky, have independently taken up the family business after the passing of their father, who was a legend among seat builders. It's understandable to want to carry on the legacy of your father, even if your personal life has taken a different direction. Regardless of the outcome, I believe that Rick would want to make things right for you and I suggest you contact him and let him know what you expect. A positive approach will likely get you far greater results than anger or names.

 

People can, and do make mistakes. And trying to take care of one's family these days often involves holding down more than one job (don't get me started as to why). I'm not perfect, and I'm sure you'd agree that you're not. Give Mr. Mayer a chance to show you that he stands by his work, even if he didn't get it right the first time. It may take more than just a few emails. But Rick's been making seats for a long time, has many satisfied customers (and obviously a few who aren't), and doesn't deserve the kind of pejorative that was used.

 

Even though you're a new member here, your experiences are valuable and should be shared with this community. We thank you for that. But I'm guessing the experience is less than complete and that more interaction between you and RMS will likely result in a more satisfactory resolution, which you can then share with us. People will learn from you, and they'll be more fully informed as to what decision they may want to make regarding custom seat manufacturers.

 

Thanks again. Looking forward to an updated report.

[Mike]

Bud,

He is, or was, primarily involved in health care.

I think he is a skilled nurse.

Saddles a sideline, albeit a big one.

Work (job)/rally schedule limits (or did) personal involvement at times.

Sporadicity creates just that...

FWIW I know many happy customers.

 

Yes, this is a part-time gig for Rick. He did my ST saddle a few years ago . . . he was very accommodating and produced an excellent product for me. However, if a quick turnaround is important, you might want to check out the alternatives.

[chrisolson]

With all due respect, there are many on this board and elsewhere whose experience with RMS has been less than stellar, to put it politely.

 

Although I agree No1knows' characterization might be harsh, no amount of "its part time", "people make mistakes" etc type of rationalizations nullify the large amount of customers over a large span of time who've had issues with RMS financially, with timeliness of delivery and a general lack of communication skills. And yes, I do understand that the folks with problems may speak up more than those who've had a flawless experiences.

 

But I would counter that the types of issues and the repetitive nature of those issues speaks to a gap in how RMS does business. I said previously that the product I eventually received was good, but the buying / fulfillment experience was one that I would not willingly repeat.

[LBump]

Well, in contrast to others, my experience was great.

Years ago I made a ride-in appointment for an 1150RT seat. Rode up to RMS from So.CA. He made the seat and I hung out in his pool.

He mentioned if the seat needed any adjusting to send it back and he'd take care of it. I did have it adjusted and there wasn't an issue in the adjustment or the shipping or the turn around time for the service.

Maybe things have changed for him...

[Bud]

Given all of the diverse experiences related in this thread, I have to wonder why some members are really satisfied and others have had such a horrible experience with the same vendor?

 

And since that post we continue to see both views: He did a great job, he is less than honest.

 

Part time doesn't explain that to me.

 

I would categorize him as a poor businessperson. Communication doesn't cost a cent. Failure to respond to e-mails cost business.

[PLW]

I can't believe people still deal with this guy. I don't know that I would call him a crook [but I can understand how you might] but he is probably the biggest flake I have ever dealt with. As for the seats, they're so-so. I wouldn't buy another one and in fact I have a stock seat that I have reverted to.

[blackyam]

Hi, everyone. I can speak only from my own experience. I'm on my second set of RMC saddles since 2002. They are great: feel great and look great. My wife and I love them. In fact, my wife wouldn't ride with me on my current bike (2010 R1200RT) until I had the saddles done specifically by RMC. I did ride in both times to get my saddles made. He's a great guy when you meet him: very hospitable, very sincere, very concerned that you are happy with the saddle he's making for you. The first time I rode in many years ago my whole family went along by car, and my two daughters who were younger then enjoyed spending the day at his "ranch." (We have pictures.) I recall that we arrived in the late morning and he even provided us sandwiches for lunch. I am always glad to tell people that my saddles are RMC and cheerfully recommend them. I understand that we may have different experiences, but I wanted to share mine. Thanks.

 

---John.

[RichM]

I'm on my 3rd saddle made by Rick. I've only had good experience's riding down there to be fitted. He's moved to a new shop in Red Bluff, out by the airport,close to I-5.

 

[XtreemLEE]

I had trouble with Rick not coming through on all the options I ordered with a seat I ordered. Numerous emails went unanswered for a refund. To those that are determined to have a Mayer seat, you may wanna try Bill Mayer (Rick's brother) instead.

 

I cannot recommend a true Russell Day Long saddle enough, best $700 I ever spent period... Expensive maybe but worth every penny.

[telekon]

I am one of those that had a very pleasant experience ordering my Rick Mayer saddle. Living in Minnesota, I was able to order during the off-season and had the work done at 50% off as a result.

 

My saddle looks great and feels great. A huge improvement over the stock seat at a very reasonable price.

[legendmc]

I have nothing but exceptional (good) experiences with Rick Mayer. Always pleasant, always top notch saddles. I have ridden in for saddles on three different bikes. Great work and very comfortable!

[Bud]

I bought a used RM saddle from a gentleman in Colorado Springs. We are approx the same size/weight.

 

I have to say that it has worked well for me. Fits my butt better than anything other than a Kontour.

 

It appears that if you ride in, you will more likely to be satisfied with the transaction than if your don't.

 

YMMV

[algover]

Bud,

He is, or was, primarily involved in health care.

I think he is a skilled nurse.

Saddles a sideline, albeit a big one.

Work (job)/rally schedule limits (or did) personal involvement at times.

Sporadicity creates just that...

FWIW I know many happy customers.

 

+1

 

I haven't had any contact with Rick in years, but when I did, it was always pleasant, whether business or personal. He rode down to (at least) one of our Christmas get-togethers at Short Cut's years ago.

 

Pure speculation on my part, but I suspect his career probably can involve a lot of hours, and sporadically so. Not an excuse, but might explain why some encounters are so positive and some not. It's clearly something he needs to manage better.

[David Litchford]

Similar results. He kept my stock seat for almost three months with little communication. Had to buy another seat off e-bay so I could ride. Saw him at the Rally and relayed my experience. He hardly looked up while fiddling with his guitar and said "Sorry about that". Don't know how he is still in business.