Buy once cry once, corbin or sargent.
As Shane pointed out try and find one used.
As Shane pointed out try and find one used.
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Seat comfort
- Thread starter Chris-CJ
- Start date
BKnight
Well-known member
I put a gel insert in my seat then got a Harley Davidson medium Circulator Seat Pad to put on top for the longer rides. The gel works great and the seat pad is designed to move the air flow under your butt so it's very comfortable on longer trips. Still not as good as going with a Mustang or Corbin seat but way cheaper and will increase your time in the saddle.
I use an air hawk. I have it set so that some of my centre weight is still on the seat, and it fills in the side spaces with air cushioning.
Straps are set really loose, so that the hawk moves around with me rather than the bike.
It was used to ride down to Alabama a couple of years ago.
Haven't been able to snag a used Corbin. They go really fast for my bike, and I've narrowly missed two of them.
I tried the smaller air hawk, which I think was the recommendation for my bike, but it didn't cover enough area and squirted forward and back as well as moving side to side. It's still kicking around somewhere.
This one's the smaller one, that I don't use:
Straps are set really loose, so that the hawk moves around with me rather than the bike.
It was used to ride down to Alabama a couple of years ago.
Haven't been able to snag a used Corbin. They go really fast for my bike, and I've narrowly missed two of them.
I tried the smaller air hawk, which I think was the recommendation for my bike, but it didn't cover enough area and squirted forward and back as well as moving side to side. It's still kicking around somewhere.
This one's the smaller one, that I don't use:
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This seat is for the 1st gen DL650, which I think you have.
$250 is a good price for it and you can go lower if it's o.b.o and still for sale. Just around the corrner from my house, so if you wanted it I could possibly pick it up and bring it over to your area when I get out for a little ride this weekend.
I rode with that same version of the Corbin and liked it very much. Sliding around the seat was pretty easy on it.
I use an air hawk. I have it set so that some of my centre weight is still on the seat, and it fills in the side spaces with air cushioning.
Straps are set really loose, so that the hawk moves around with me rather than the bike.
It was used to ride down to Alabama a couple of years ago.
Haven't been able to snag a used Corbin. They go really fast for my bike, and I've narrowly missed two of them.
I tried the smaller air hawk, which I think was the recommendation for my bike, but it didn't cover enough area and squirted forward and back as well as moving side to side. It's still kicking around somewhere.
This one's the smaller one, that I don't use:
I got the large one too and it overhangs my seat the same as yours. Was debating getting the smaller one but I’d probably have the same issues you mention. I’ll get the cheap version if I need a smaller one and put it inside the larger AirHawk cover.
Also...if anyone wants to buy a Triumph Tiger 1050 Corbin Seat I still have my old one in the garage!
Sorry, sold.This seat is for the 1st gen DL650, which I think you have.
$250 is a good price for it and you can go lower if it's o.b.o and still for sale. Just around the corrner from my house, so if you wanted it I could possibly pick it up and bring it over to your area when I get out for a little ride this weekend.
I rode with that same version of the Corbin and liked it very much. Sliding around the seat was pretty easy on
When I got my ST1100 in 2003 my OEM seat was good for about 1.5 - 2.0 hours, then the pain started. Found a seat that had a gel insert in it and it added another hour or so. Waited far too long to get a Russell Day Long. When I purchased it the dollar was about par and it was $600. Today, with increased prices and exchange it would be about $850 - $900. This is a back-to-back days of 10 hours + seat. Sounds expensive, but what price do you put on your comfort.
My Tracer came with the OEM seat and a Bagster. The Bagster is no Russell, that's for sure, but is better than stock. I'm a bit resigned to riding much of the 2021 season with the Bagster. Russell's lead time for a seat rebuild is about 3 months, meaning if I sent my OEM seat to them now I'd get it back sometime in July. I'm fine tuning the seat mounting brackets as the OEM position pitches you forward into the tank (what idiot designed this?) and I can now sit on the rear of the Bagster as intended, we'll see how it goes. I see a new Russell in my future.
You don't mention what bike you have or how long you're going to be riding per day but some kind of overlay (Air Hawk) or seat pad might help if you're riding 4 - 5 hours a day. If you're intending day long trips for 3 - 4 days + then you really need to be looking at an aftermarket seat. If your bike has a specific forum you're probably going to find a number of threads on seats in general and after market seats in particular.
My Tracer came with the OEM seat and a Bagster. The Bagster is no Russell, that's for sure, but is better than stock. I'm a bit resigned to riding much of the 2021 season with the Bagster. Russell's lead time for a seat rebuild is about 3 months, meaning if I sent my OEM seat to them now I'd get it back sometime in July. I'm fine tuning the seat mounting brackets as the OEM position pitches you forward into the tank (what idiot designed this?) and I can now sit on the rear of the Bagster as intended, we'll see how it goes. I see a new Russell in my future.
You don't mention what bike you have or how long you're going to be riding per day but some kind of overlay (Air Hawk) or seat pad might help if you're riding 4 - 5 hours a day. If you're intending day long trips for 3 - 4 days + then you really need to be looking at an aftermarket seat. If your bike has a specific forum you're probably going to find a number of threads on seats in general and after market seats in particular.
A good custom seat can be a DIY project. I built one on a stock seat using multiple layers of 1cm thick carpet underlayment foam. A big roll of the foam was $50 at Home Depot ten years ago. You want the 'rebond' foam stuff, which is recycled foam which has been chopped into little pieces and glued back together. It looks like junk, but it gives you the density that you want for a seat.
You then use spray adhesive (3M Super 77) to build up layers. I didn't remove any foam from the stock seat, I just built up 'wings' inspired by the Russell Day Long to support my thighs. Cover the foam with a garbage bag to prevent the overspray from the adhesive from messing up your pants and go for a ride. Repeat until you get the shape the way you like it. When you're happy with the shape, get a meter of heavy vinyl from FabricLand (about $50 ten years ago) and staple it on, or go to a real upholsterer to get a cover made for it if you can't stand the DIY aesthetics.
The key to seat comfort is two-fold:
- Shape. The shape of the seat should match the shape of your butt as much as possible. Picture a giant pair of hands cupping your butt. That's what you want. Single layers of fancy gels or memory foams can't help much if your seat is fundamentally flat. Air pads conform completely to your butt if you inflate them as recommended (as little as possible). Carving foam out of your existing seat could make it more comfortable if it improves the shape, even if you're making the foam thinner, within reason.
- PSI. Literally pounds-per-square inch. How many of your pounds are concentrated onto how many inches of your butt? If you have more of your butt & legs in contact with the seat, your weight is distributed over a larger area and therefore the pressure on each inch of your butt is less.
You then use spray adhesive (3M Super 77) to build up layers. I didn't remove any foam from the stock seat, I just built up 'wings' inspired by the Russell Day Long to support my thighs. Cover the foam with a garbage bag to prevent the overspray from the adhesive from messing up your pants and go for a ride. Repeat until you get the shape the way you like it. When you're happy with the shape, get a meter of heavy vinyl from FabricLand (about $50 ten years ago) and staple it on, or go to a real upholsterer to get a cover made for it if you can't stand the DIY aesthetics.
The key to seat comfort is two-fold:
- Shape. The shape of the seat should match the shape of your butt as much as possible. Picture a giant pair of hands cupping your butt. That's what you want. Single layers of fancy gels or memory foams can't help much if your seat is fundamentally flat. Air pads conform completely to your butt if you inflate them as recommended (as little as possible). Carving foam out of your existing seat could make it more comfortable if it improves the shape, even if you're making the foam thinner, within reason.
- PSI. Literally pounds-per-square inch. How many of your pounds are concentrated onto how many inches of your butt? If you have more of your butt & legs in contact with the seat, your weight is distributed over a larger area and therefore the pressure on each inch of your butt is less.
Wooden beads! There's a reason cabbies around the globe use them.
I got one for a car. Restitched it to a bike sized shape and tied it on. Super comfy super cheap. Used it on a bunch of bikes.
The space between beads allows air circ and when you squiggle your butt it gives you a little massage to keep the blood moving.
I got one for a car. Restitched it to a bike sized shape and tied it on. Super comfy super cheap. Used it on a bunch of bikes.
The space between beads allows air circ and when you squiggle your butt it gives you a little massage to keep the blood moving.
ScorpionT16
Well-known member
Not sure what you ride, though Renzaco is what they use in racing and by a lot of Dakar riders for comfort
Hack
Well-known member
I did some research into seat design a while back...
The OEM seat on my FJR was not very comfortable... You'd think on a $20k bike they'd be able to provide a decent saddle..?
I came to the conclusion that most seats are built backwards. They are 'convex" versus "concave" or "saddle" shaped.
Single density foam is used throughout which adds to the possibility of hotspots and discomfort...
I dropped $500 on a Sargent and went from being able to ride the FJR for an hour to being able to ride it for ten hours.
Best upgrade ever.
The OEM seat on my FJR was not very comfortable... You'd think on a $20k bike they'd be able to provide a decent saddle..?
I came to the conclusion that most seats are built backwards. They are 'convex" versus "concave" or "saddle" shaped.
Single density foam is used throughout which adds to the possibility of hotspots and discomfort...
I dropped $500 on a Sargent and went from being able to ride the FJR for an hour to being able to ride it for ten hours.
Best upgrade ever.
I didn't much like bicycle shorts. Feels like wearing a diaper, and hot with no airflow.
Regarding airflow, the beads do work. There are also now 3D mesh seat covers (check out stuff like Sit-and-Fly on eBay) that work just as well, are cheaper and look better. I've got one of them on all the street bikes
Regarding airflow, the beads do work. There are also now 3D mesh seat covers (check out stuff like Sit-and-Fly on eBay) that work just as well, are cheaper and look better. I've got one of them on all the street bikes
Vintage tractor seats like that are surprisingly comfortable because of the shape, even though they have no padding at all. They were actually the inspiration for my custom seat, along with the Russell Day Long. The stock seat was good for 45 minutes, and the reshaped one is good for multiple consecutive 10+ hour days.
Motorcycle seats are made to sell motorcycles. You don't sit on them for long in the showroom, but you do try to flatfoot the bike. Therefore, having a narrow seat that allows you to more easily flatfoot the bike, is more important than wide-butt comfort after sitting on it for an hour.
Absolutely. I went a bit overboard with the build-up under my thighs, to the point where I can dangle my legs off the pegs while riding and my feet don't drag on the ground. Makes it much harder to get a foot down if you go to that extreme.
Chris-CJ
Well-known member
Tried the padded shorts, the gel pads in those, actually add to the discomfort.
On a lighter note, I wonder how many ppl pointed out and said there goes baboon - - - -, when I got off the bike for a Timmies break.
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