Bill Mayer Saddles Review - Moto Mouth Moshe Episode #13

[moshe_levy]

 

[Red]

My experience is different.  I bought my BMS saddle at the Des Moines rally for a 2018 RTW.  I had hoped to buy a new Corbin seat like the one on my old 96RT which was absolutely amazing.  However, Corbin failed to show at the rally. 

The man himself attended me at the rally.  No measurements.  No custom this or that.  Simply what bike do you have, yes we have a saddle for that right here for you.  I really don't consider that a custom fit.   After 12,000 miles, I am not a happy camper.  It is marginally better than the stock seat.  While I cannot recommend BMS over other custom saddles, it is marginally better than stock.  The question you must ask is it worth the cost?

To be fair, I bought my 'custom' Corbin the same way.  At a rally, here is a seat for that model, wham bam thank you mam, sold.  It was a fantastic saddle.

[moshe_levy]

That's very weird. The video I took for my vid was from the 2016 BMW MOA National Rally, and as you can see they're trimming the seat to fit. I personally watched them fit several people individually. There was nothing there "off the rack." They didn't even have pans, actually. You had to give them your own seat to build from your OEM pan up.

I've had BMSs on my last two RTs and each time, I had to measure umpteen different angles and trace my ass on the seat before sending it in. 

 

-MKL

[Trobinson]

I've never tried a BMS seat, but did have the opportunity to test a Corbin seat and agree with Red that it was fantastically comfortable.  At the time I had a 140 mile commute, now way, and my butt wouldn't definitely get sore after about 45 minutes.  The one ride with the Corbin and my butt never got tired.  My only complaint, and why I ultimately didn't buy it, was it was a bit too wide and didn't really allow for gripping the tank.  Felt too much like a Goldwing.  In hindsight I probably should've gotten it as it would've made the commute so much more bearable.  Anyway, everybody's butt is different and mine prefers a saddle that is very firm rather than lets you essentially sit on the plastic tub.  Agree with Moshe here on the torture device called the stock seat!

[moshe_levy]

I tested the Corbin too, for BMW Magazine (now defunct.) http://mklsportster.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/bmwmc-corbin.pdf

 

Overall, BMS is still my favorite. 

 

-MKL

[John in VA]

I tried Corbin, Sargent and BMS on my '16. BMS was/is tops for me. It feels great (meaning I don't feel it or notice it while riding) and looks great (no tractor seat look) after two years. Rocky is dedicated. Highly recommended.

[Guest Erik ‘motoman’ Munck]

I’m very pleased with the BMS seats I have enjoyed over the last 20 or years. Moshe’s comment about taking 2000 miles to ‘break-in’ the seat is right on target so if you’re gonna complain about a seat, you may consider putting more miles on it first.  I was also at the Hamburg, New York rally and watched Rocky and his main man Adrian kicking serious butt just to keep up with the demand. So let’s get the story straight : when you order a seat online or over the phone it is going to take time to make it and ship it. When you’re at a show, they will do everything within their very limited time to deliver a seat within a few hours. If you later decide you’re not happy for whatever reason... call them and discuss your issues. BMS is known for bending over backwards to tailor the seat to your needs - that’s why they have been in business for generations. 

 

Corbin was mentioned: they build very nice, very expensive, very heavy and very HARD seats. I understand their design philosophy and although I also own a Corbin seat (2003 BMW K 1200 GT) it simple does NOT work for me.  Except I really like the integrated back rest which offers great lower back support.  This feature, in turn, explains why why Corbin seats are so heavy: the structural mount for the back supports make it necessary to manufacture a custom seat base. So how do I survive the long trips ? Airhawk seat cushion on top of the Corbin. Of course, I coulda shoulda bought a BMS seat to begin with and saved a good $ 500 in the process.... 

[Daveyator]

I know this is an old thread but I’ve had 2 BMS saddles, one on my RT and one on a R. Both were done on ride in appointments. Marginal to no improvement over stock. For me an airhawk is better on a super long ride. 

[Daveyator]

Like I said above I wound up using an airhawk most of the time even with this custom made for me BMS.

I

[Bill_Walker]

I've had two BMW saddles: one on my V-Strom, that was custom made for me in a ride-in appointment (and did a small bit of tuning after the initial test ride, so I was glad I'd done a ride-in), and one on my R1150RT that was on the bike when I bought it with 3600 miles on it.  It was still on the bike when I traded it in with 74K miles on it, although I'd been thinking for a while that it was time to get it refurbished.  I was quite happy with them.

[dduelin]

With over 200,000 miles on Sargent seats I was very happy with them. No complaints whatsoever. When I bought my RT it was fitted with a Mayer saddle and with the spares and odd & ends that came with it was a Sargent and the original BMW seat. I expected to swap out the BMS seat for the Sargent soon after riding the bike 90 minutes home but I immediately got on well with the BMS. Two weekends later I rode a SaddleSore 1000 on the BMS. I'm sold on the Mayer seat. In fact I should put the like-new heated Sargent FS in the marketplace. I tried it a couple thousand miles and on this bike the Mayer is my preference.

[longjohn]

I put over 100kmi on my 05rt with the bms. It was awesome. The stock wasn’t ridable for me. I also have one on my 18 and again stuck seat sucked. Ride in ride out. Easy peasy pumpkin squeezy. There should be another option in Ventura, as his former technician has set up his own shop.  I think his name is Adrian    Oh, oops, actually that’s who made the seat for the 18.   Same quality tho!!