[wilmo]

Ok I've had this bike a year now and the only real complaint we have is the seat just plain sucks. It offers little support and neither one of us can stand it for more than an hour at a time or about 3 hours all day. Even with beads and gel pads, it sucks. I just came back from a 4 hr ride and my butt is sore as hell. I rode with a friend on a harley and he has a corbin seat which he's had for 10 years and still loves it and it looks brand new (he actually rides his bike, not a garage decoration). Comparing the two, his is very firm which seems contrary to logic. I have a markland backrest which I don't want to give up for a new seat. Anyway, I can believe that after 26 years, the foam is shot, being what it was back then. I've had it restuffed but it didn't help. Besides, Corbin there is Saddleman that I know of. What else is out there? Do they come with a removable back rest as well? They seem pricey but if I'm gonna ride this thing for any length, I have to be comfortable. The factory seat just don't cut it. Ready to hear from you comfort gurus on this as it's pretty sad that my scooter has a much more comfortable seat than the wing, really. I'm now thinking the cost will be worth it and the wife can't sit back there for very long as it hurts her tailbone.

 

[wilmo]

Looking around on the net I found this offered on Fleabay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Saddlemen-D...Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c77d9643&vxp=mtr
It's actually a Saddleman kit that supposedly fits on the stock pan. I want to call them and discuss it but it'll have to wait until tomorrow as they are now closed for the night. My concern is also for my back rest but that again is a question for them, I'll need to get measurements. What do you think? There is also an 87 seat for sale but it looks a little beat. With shipping it comes in close to $100 but I think this would be a better deal as it will have all new foam. Waiting for your $.02.

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

If you can find an '87 seat, they are real good. Other than that, Corbin seems to be the one everybody swears by. They are filled with gold I suspect, after seeing the price.

 

[wilmo]

Yeah. I ran that by the wife and she said no way are we spending that kind of money ($800) unless we ride the thing 24/7. Fleabay does have an 87 seat but after it gets rebuilt, it will be as much as the saddleman kit, which I think will be money better spent. The foam in the 87 seat will be in the same condition as mine and that's where I think the real problem is, besides the design. I'm going to have to do some research on this. Unfortunately, there isn't any real motorcycle shops for this around here, just the standard showrooms for the various brands but no real accessory places. They'll show you a book to order from, which is not conducive to sitting and trying. The link for the 87 seat is as follows: http://www.ebay.com/itm/87-Honda-Go...Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e789660d5&vxp=mtr
Between these two links you can compare. That is what I am doing. Perhaps tomorrow after a couple of phone calls, I can make a decision.

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

Has anybody ever tried the JC Whitney seats? They're certainly priced right.

 

[Dannyboy1949]

These folks do very nice work and can do whatever you want:

http://www.day-long.com/

A friend of mine has had them do a half dozen seats over the years and has been very happy with each one.

 

[Redeye1620]

These folks do very nice work and can do whatever you want:

http://www.day-long.com/

A friend of mine has had them do a half dozen seats over the years and has been very happy with each one.

I have a Russell Hi Miler seat on my 1500. Like the Corbin it is very firm. I too had problems with the torture rack Honda calls a seat. You would think a seat, (Russell & Corbin) as hard as they are would be uncomfortable after a short while. Not the case. I have gone 500 miles a day w/o any pain in my assets....-Rich

 

[Born Again]

Another alternative if you want to try something a wee bit cheaper than $800 quoted, is have it re-built to your specs.
These folks do good work (have had three different ones done) and they are priced reasonably.
FWIW
http://meancitycycles.com/

 

[woodbutcher]

A year and a half ago, I picked up a used Corbin seat (thanks Dave) and cannot believe the difference. Don't know the age, but was in great shape.

 

[wilmo]

Thank you all for the replies and such. I have decided to go with the Saddlemen seat kit. This is the complete double seat with all new foam and covered and you attach it to your existing seat pan. The shape of it is slightly different than stock in that the passenger half has a dip down at the rear to accommodate the passenger's tail bone. This has been the missus' complaint. And since all the foam and support is new, it should be an improvement over the old worn out seat I have. I know an upholsterer down the street who does this in his retirement so he picks his battles. I can get this attached professionally for a bottle of Evan honey whiskey. Cost is $149 shipped. A better deal than trying to rebuild the 87 seat on fleabay which will cost $100 just to get it here plus new guts and cover. Then all I have to do is add my beads on top and ride it. A call to Saddlemen assures me that the seat is dimensionally the same as OEM but they use better products than Honda in the manufacture. Of course, in 26 years better stuff has come out. I'll let you all know what and how it is when it arrives which should be end of next week, I hope, as I have a Cancer 'ride for life' on the 21st to go to.

 

[youngnbald]

I bought the Saddlemen "Lo-boy" version with the backrest and I love it!!!!! So many complaints on the internet, but I will tell you a firm seat is a good thing. I have done three long distance trips (over 1000 miles sitting there) and it worked great the entire time. The adjustments on the backrest and how the seat will conform over time to you is perfect. I had others sit on my bike and they noticed the seat is a bit wider and holds you better than the factory seat. The factory seat felt like it pushed me forward (or I slid) and it wasn't a long distance bike. Now I love my new seat. I paid $499 with backrest included. Sold my old seat for $100 and paid a upholstery guy $5 to staple the new cover on the back.

 

[wilmo]

I have a Markland backrest so, hopefully, will still be able to use that considering the new one is supposed to be exactly the same dimensions overall as the factory seat as it uses the same pan. I'm beginning to believe that stiffer will be better because it offers support and will keep me off the pan.

 

[ivan]

I have the same problem have you Tried FM's intertube cushion? I folded on up and helps but I'm having a hard time getting it fine tuned (proberly folded and air pressue) http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums...9315-forget-those-expensive-jel-air-pads.html

I'm still waiting to purchase an AirHawk cushion. People swear by them and much less expensive than a new seat.

Rocky Mountian RTV / Jake Wilson sells them not sure what models they are in Payson, that might me a nice ride from Ogden to Payson. Maybe they will let you take on out to your bike to sit on.

Revzilla has a decent video (buying guide).


Ivan

 

[Wingnoob]

JC Whitney sells Saddlemen seats.
Corbin is a "love it or hate it" proposition and I never hear good things about their customer service.
Russell (www.day-long.com) makes a great seat. I sprung for one in the winter and haven't tried it yet!

 

[wilmo]

I bought a small cheaper gel pad just to get an idea if it would be worth it. Didn't work. However, the wife now has it at work and loves it on the harder chairs. My seat was too soft for the gel to be effective so it went to another cause. She also tried it on the pillion and it wasn't long before she wanted off. I'm going with the new seat idea.

 

[Dannyboy1949]

Be sure and give us a report once you've had a chance to put some miles on the new seat.

 

[JerryH]

I must be tougher than I thought. The stock seat on my '85 was rotted to pieces when I got it, so I got another seat off eBay. It is a stock seat, looks like new, don't know what year it is, I thought '84-87 were the same, and if I remember correctly, that's what this one said. I have done 500 mile days on it with no pain at all. But I have done the same thing on my Vulcan 750, and everybody on the Vulcan forum complains endlessly about how bad the seat is. Mine has 80,000 comfortable miles on it since '02, including two SS1000s.

I have had one experience with a Corbin seat, and it was BAD. Real bad. I got it for an '01 KLR650. I thought the stock seat was bad. And it was. But the Corbin was 10 times worse. Everybody said give it a chance to break in. I used it for as long as I could tolerate it (and this was 12 years ago) and put the stock back on. Wow, what an improvement. I sold the Corbin for half what I paid for it, and considered myself very lucky. Mustang seats are pretty well thought of, they don't make one for my Vulcan 750 anymore. The best thing I ever got for that bike was a Protac backrest. Because it has forward pegs, it tends to cause you to slouch a bit. The backrest prevents that, and makes it ride like a recliner on wheels.

 

[George 56-81]

I have a Saddleman kit on my bike and like it very much. It fit the OEM pan well. Good idea on paying for installation, though. Fit is tight and my buddy and I had quite the wrestling match. Good luck.

 

[wilmo]

Yesterday, the seat arrived in the afternoon. I called my neighbor/upholsterer and he picked it up about 2 hrs later, along with the pan and the old seat. Another 2 hrs later he called and said come pick it up!. He used the old seat as a gauge on how tight to pull it. He also mentioned that it was a beeyotch to assemble and stretch but it did fit the pan perfectly. As of yet, I haven't had a chance to ride it but just sitting on it gives a whole different world from what it used to be. It is firm and supportive, yet the top quilting gives just enough. The only bad thing is now the back rest doesn't quite fit this seat as well. You can see in the photo that the back of the seat is higher than stock, which is a good thing but that also prevents the backrest from going all the way back. I'm considering having the bar altered so it can clear that hump and be useable. It not, then it'll go up for sale. So needless to say me and mama are goin for a ride today. This seat sure looks better than stock and is wider as well. Best $150 I spent for awhile.

 

[wilmo]

OK seat gets a thumbs up from the co pilot. Went for a ride yesterday and no complaints from the rear. It is definitely an improvement. Adding beads on top made it even better as it can breathe. A good investment.
Could be a dumb question but, if anyone wants my old seat, minus pan, PM me. Can't imagine anyone wanting it but it might be in better shape than yours.