Seat height

[West_Coaster]

My new to me '12 RT has a Russell day long seat, because the seat is wide at the inseam I cannot flat foot the bike. Maybe I'm thinking incorrectly, but it seems that being able to flat foot the bike is necessary. 

I'm about 6 feet tall with about a 32" inseam. Should I be looking for a regular or short seat for riding around town with traffic lights and frequent stops? 

I'm going to keep the Russell for longer rides, but am concerned about stopping on off camber or very crowned roads.

[duckbubbles]

Make sure the seat is installed in the low position first.

 

Frank

[9Mary7]

From your pictures it looks like the seat is in the low position. I make sure I'm forward in the seat when I need to stop and usually only put my left foot down. With my 32" inseam I have no problems. I do pay attention to road crown and surface irregularities, and have my stock seat in the high position.

A stock seat for around town and while you get used to your new bike is a great idea as those can be found used for a reasonable price. My guess is that once you get some experience on the RT then you won't be worried about flatfooting the bike as it isn't necessary.

 

[Antimatter]

You don't need to flat-foot a motorcycle, but I understand how everyone feels different about these things.

The easiest solution, IMHO, would be to find a stock seat and use that until you get comfortable with only one foot down.  The stocker will be narrower than than the RDL, and easier for  you to get both feet on the floor.

 

[BobW03]

You do not want the low seat. I just sold my 2011 and I had both low and standard height seats. The new owner drove away with the low seat . He went about 5 miles before he pulled over and swapped for the standard height. The russel may be taller than standard. But my 29 inch inseam worked for me with the standard seat. I just shift left at a stop with my right foot on rear brake.

[West_Coaster]

Thanks everyone, I do just lean slightly to one side at a stop so it's not that big of a deal. I'm thinking more of when I have my wife on board that flatfooting might be a good idea. BTW, I won't have a passenger for at least a few months until I'm very comfortable with the bike.

 

The seat was in the high position when I first sat on the bike, so I immediately put it down to the low setting. Better but not perfect.

 

As mentioned, I am new on the bike and don't want a tip over while I'm a n00b so I think I'll look for a stock standard seat for the short term and just sell it later.

[Rider1260]

Solo - I can solidly one foot and toes on both feet ( 5'10" 30" ) stock seat on low position.  With a a passenger I can pretty much flat foot. 

I had an aftermarket seat that was wider and a bit taller when I first got the bike, it wasn't an issue really but after trying the stock seat I liked the posture better for riding at speed and cornering. 

It could be firmer IMHO ( it does get better as I am losing weight )  and I will look into that over the winter. 

[Pappy35]

You will become accustomed to it. I've been riding liter+ bikes for 30+ years on stubby, 29" legs. I would kill for 32" legs. Just give it some time.

[West_Coaster]

I found a stock (regular) seat for $100 so I'll give that a try when it arrives. Honestly I'm not all that impressed with the Russel seat, it feels weird being wide. And all that time in prison has made my butt pretty tough so it can take a pounding. (totally kidding!) 

[Pappy35]

34 minutes ago, West_Coaster said:

I found a stock (regular) seat for $100 so I'll give that a try when it arrives. Honestly I'm not all that impressed with the Russel seat, it feels weird being wide. And all that time in prison has made my butt pretty tough so it can take a pounding. (totally kidding!) 

 

"Kidding"  Riiight...Joliet's a tough place to break in a bu....never mind. 

 

That seat looks funky for a Russell. Like a balloon that been overfilled. It doesn't look like a normal Day-Long build to me but one that was made extra-poofy so don't write them off completely. The general consensus seems to be that the stock seat sucks. Whatever you do, don't be like me and buy 3 different seats trying to save some money. I finally went with the Russell and it was the best $600 I ever spent on a motorcycle.

[Yango]

I’m not so optimistic about the “you don’t need to flat foot your bike” camp. I’m 6’ with a 32” inseam. I installed a Corbin seat on my ‘05 RT last year and was no longer able to flat foot the bike. Even though I was uncomfortable with that inability, I thought I’d give it a shot—after all, I’d paid two hundred dollars for this beautiful secondhand leather lounge seat. 
 

I found out that I’d made a mistake on a ride up to Whiteface Mountain NY. We’d stopped to get gas somewhere along the way, and after I’d fuelled I pulled up behind two parked friends. I stopped, put out my right foot as usual... no ground to be found... put down my left foot only to be greeted by that same sickening feeling. My bike was still running, but because I’d pulled up directly behind my buddies, I couldn’t advance at all to find friendlier ground. So the bike starts keeling to the right, my foot’s pointed like a ballerina, desperately searching for something solid, but no luck. By the time my foot touched the ground it was too close to the bike and the bike was at too much of an angle for me to stop it from going over. I can still hear that sickening sound as my rear right case ground into the gravel and pavement. I’m not sure which was the worse—the damage or the embarrassment. 
 

It just so happened that I had stopped directly over a piece of pavement that had been recently dug up and repaved to replace the station’s filler pipes. So they’d dug a trench about a foot and a half to two feet wide, and they hadn’t done a great job, it dipped a few inches in the middle... and I had the good misfortune to stop directly over it. I didn’t even notice it as I rode up. 

 

It was a total surprise and completely unexpected. I was on what I thought was flat pavement in a gas station parking lot, what could possibly go wrong??

 

I have no doubt that if I’d had my OEM seat, that I would not have dropped the bike. 

 

So I removed the Corbin and put back on the OEM seat for the remainder or the season.

 

I sold the ‘05 over the winter and bought a fully loaded ‘13 with 7,000 km on it—it’s mint. So this spring I broke out the Corbin and installed it in the low position and hopped on in my parking space. Same thing, I had to skooch my nuts up to the tank to put my toes only, on the ground. 
 

Lesson learned. I took it off, threw it up on Kijiji and sold it four days later. 

Never underestimate the importance and security of being able to flat foot your bike. It gets mighty heavy mighty quick when it’s going over. 
 

Oh, and I had the dealer install front and rear drop bars before I picked my new bike up...😜

BTW, both my wife and I use an Alaska Leather Sheepskin Buttpad on my OEM seats, and we love it—it ads a level of comfort and keeps my butt warm when its cold, and stops me from getting monkey butt when it’s hot because it allows air circulation. 
 

https://alaskaleather.com/products/r1200-gs-rt-custom-drivers-seat?variant=25263334536

 

 

[dduelin]

I’ve found being able to flat foot rather overrated at 5’ 6” and 29” inseam. I’ve no choice but to cope the last 348,000 two wheel miles. You do learn to handle uneven parking situations and sometimes take another pass around the lot looking for better. My 2007 RT has a Mayer seat in the low position, lowered pegs, and standard suspension. The seat to peg distance would be uncomfortable to me if the seat was any lower.

[Pappy35]

20 hours ago, Yango said:

I’m not so optimistic about the “you don’t need to flat foot your bike” camp. I’m 6’ with a 32” inseam. I installed a Corbin seat on my ‘05 RT last year and was no longer able to flat foot the bike. Even though I was uncomfortable with that inability, I thought I’d give it a shot—after all, I’d paid two hundred dollars for this beautiful secondhand leather lounge seat. 

 

Sorry for what happened but it was purely because you weren't accustomed to it. Us short-leg types learned to scan. I don't even think about it. With more time to adapt, you would too. I've got a 29" inseam and ride all over. In 35 years of riding, I've dropped my bike three times: first was 100' into my first ever attempt to ride, second was 25 years later moving my FJR in the garage (I wasn't even on it so I'm not sure that counts), and the third was on my RT during a slow-speed training class at last year's rally.  I mean, I have come close a few times. 

 

The key is that anyone can learn the skill, you just have to want to do it. If one is of the mind set that "I can't" or "it's unsafe" then you'll never get far enough into it to learn to make terrain scanning at stops a natural part of coming to a top.

[Yango]

2 hours ago, Pappy35 said:

 

Sorry for what happened but it was purely because you weren't accustomed to it. Us short-leg types learned to scan. I don't even think about it. With more time to adapt, you would too. I've got a 29" inseam and ride all over. In 35 years of riding, I've dropped my bike three times: first was 100' into my first ever attempt to ride, second was 25 years later moving my FJR in the garage (I wasn't even on it so I'm not sure that counts), and the third was on my RT during a slow-speed training class at last year's rally.  I mean, I have come close a few times. 

 

The key is that anyone can learn the skill, you just have to want to do it. If one is of the mind set that "I can't" or "it's unsafe" then you'll never get far enough into it to learn to make terrain scanning at stops a natural part of coming to a top.

I understand that a lot of people ride bikes that they’re unable to flat foot, I see it all the time. And I’m sure that for the most part, they adapt and improvise to keep the bike upright. But all it takes is that one situation, where you think you’re doing ok, only to find out that circumstances have other plans. 
 

I think I gave the Corbin a fair shake. I probably had it on my bike for about two or three months. But I was never comfortable coming up to a stop, and having to skooch my nuts up to the tank to put my toes on the ground. It was just an uncomfortable procedure, and there is no question that it’s not as steady as having a solid base. The gas station drop just shined a light on the fact that if I’d had that extra few inches that this seat took away from me, that the drop never would have happened—made me realize that I was not making a good decision keeping it on the bike. 
 

It’s not like I rode up blindly, and that if I’d paid attention, that I’d have seen the dip in the pavement—the surface looked normal, and level, all the paving was the same colour... but there was that imperceptible dip. 
 

My view is, “why do it if you don’t absolutely have to”. I can flat foot my bike with the OEM seat, I find it quite comfortable on long hauls, so I’m quite happy with my decision to lose the Corbin. 
 

 

[RPondaRoad]

 

[dduelin]

5 hours ago, Yango said:

I understand that a lot of people ride bikes that they’re unable to flat foot, I see it all the time. And I’m sure that for the most part, they adapt and improvise to keep the bike upright. But all it takes is that one situation, where you think you’re doing ok, only to find out that circumstances have other plans. 
 

I think I gave the Corbin a fair shake. I probably had it on my bike for about two or three months. But I was never comfortable coming up to a stop, and having to skooch my nuts up to the tank to put my toes on the ground. It was just an uncomfortable procedure, and there is no question that it’s not as steady as having a solid base. The gas station drop just shined a light on the fact that if I’d had that extra few inches that this seat took away from me, that the drop never would have happened—made me realize that I was not making a good decision keeping it on the bike. 
 

It’s not like I rode up blindly, and that if I’d paid attention, that I’d have seen the dip in the pavement—the surface looked normal, and level, all the paving was the same colour... but there was that imperceptible dip. 
 

My view is, “why do it if you don’t absolutely have to”. I can flat foot my bike with the OEM seat, I find it quite comfortable on long hauls, so I’m quite happy with my decision to lose the Corbin. 
 

 

Sorry, I guess your comments about giving up the importance and security of flat footing rankled me. It's only a paradigm, like needing a clutch or both hands on the bars to do 8s and circles. If I needed the safety and security that only flat footing provides I'd be stuck on some low seat height cruiser. For me it just required learning how to use the upper half of the motorcycle. Here's a little video I did to help a friend.