Need help on a new seat.

[silvermcoupe]

I' sure this has been covered before. I have just south of 10K on my R in less than a year. Not a single problem and love the bike. Only concern is after an hour my butt is killing me. Any advice on seats. I'm interested in the solo Russell. Any opinions pro or con? Thanks for the help.

[Cosmic-Rider]

I bought my '07 R1200R used last year. It came with a Bill Mayer saddle. I find it very comfortable. It's my first experience with a Bill Mayer saddle and I'm very happy with it.
www.billmayersaddles.com

[celticus]

I love my Bill Mayer seat also.

Mark

[azimuth551]

I had the same problem with my bike. I purchased a Sergant seat and I love it. I can ride all day long without a problem and I am not one for stopping a lot. The seat looks great and it did not brake the bank! I highly recomend one.

Brent Slater
2008 R1200R

[Dale_K]

I'm a cheapskate so I bought the Bell gel seat made for bicycles. Only cost $17. Looked and felt good in the store.

Only trouble is you need to have a pelvis like Twiggy to use it.

I actually rode with it once. I don't have a big butt, but that was never going to work. At least I'm only out $17. The bath towel seat mod was actually more successful. Eventually I found a stock medium seat so I'm back to stock now.

[TAG-Caver]

I was going to go with a new seat, but picked up an Alaska Leather Sheepskin butt pad and it made my tall seat good enough for the rides I do. Others have reported decent results with the Airhawk seat cushion.

Kevin

[bobw]

Bicycle shorts help a bunch and my riding pants are more betterer (tech term) than jeans.

Cheers

Bob

[mogu83]

I guess I'll put in, I still like my Corbin. Although I haven't put it to the test yet, I put 1250 on the stock seat in one day but haven't had the opportunity to ride that long on the Corbin yet.

[R1200Rneophyte]

I had an Alaska Leather "sheepskin buttpad" on my F650GS and was more than pleased. I plan to purchase one for my R.

http://www.alaskaleatheronline.com/servlet/StoreFront

[TT RDHS]

I guess I'll put in, I still like my Corbin. Although I haven't put it to the test yet, I put 1250 on the stock seat in one day but haven't had the opportunity to ride that long on the Corbin yet.

1,250. miles in one day on the stock seat?!
Wow, you're made of tough stuff...

[Bill Stevenson]

I have a Bill Mayer saddle and really think they are great. Russell, who bought the business from Bill Mayer Sr. many years ago, has a sterling reputation for comfort. Not everyone likes the looks of a Russell, though. Corbin is a mixed bag. I bought one that was not as good as the BMW OEM saddle, but my partner bought one that was excellent for a different bike. BMW North American offered a Corbin as OEM on the K-RT bikes back in the 1990s, and it was a mixed bag with some liking it, others not so happy. Sargent is somewhat cheaper than the others and seems to get better, more consistent ratings from owners overall than Corbin. Rick Mayer makes a beautiful looking saddle, but it has too many seams which are entry points for water during rainy days on tour. Too, a guy I met who bought a Rick Mayer saddle pronounced it inferior to my Bill Mayer saddle after trying mine. He had buyer's remorse, but that is one guy. Over the years, starting with my first Bill Mayer Sr. Day Long Saddle (i.e. now Russell) back in the early 1970s, I can say this: Aftermarket saddles are just about essential for beemers that are used to tour as BMW OEM saddles are generally not acceptable for most American riders. Bill Mayer and Russell have the most experience and both have excellent reputations. You can't go wrong with either. Other brands might be acceptable too, but it is not certain you will be as happy.

Bill

[peckhammer]

All life's nagging questions can be answered on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vOxKm8aoVk

[Mollygrubber]

That was really interesting, thanks for that! Looks so easy even I could do it ( )

[lewellen]

... Sargent is somewhat cheaper than the others and seems to get better, more consistent ratings from owners overall than Corbin....

I was extremely pleased with a refoam/recover Sargent did on a KLR650 saddle for me, somewhat less so with the two Corbin saddles I've had (one for a CB650SC, one for a CB1000F, both "custom" i.e. not in their standard lineup).

That being said, one thing about the Corbin is that - like it or hate it - it comes with its own seat pan, so purchasing one doesn't require "using up" your stock seat.

The price for a Corbin for the R1200R is US$439.
The price for a Sargent "premium foam conversion" is $374, base. Add the silver welt or custom color choices, and it's up to $394.

If I could find a decent used stock seat for the R1200R for, say, $100 (occasional eBay range) I'd go for the Sargent. But, since new seats for the R1200R cost in the neighborhood of $320....

Good roads,

- Lewellen

[celticus]

I guess I'll put in, I still like my Corbin. Although I haven't put it to the test yet, I put 1250 on the stock seat in one day but haven't had the opportunity to ride that long on the Corbin yet.

1250 on a stock seat!? Grueling! Did you see the torture scene in "Casino Royale"? Have you had a check up at a reproductive clinic? I did about that many miles on a stock seat BUT with a Airhawk pad.

Mark

[deilenberger]

... Sargent is somewhat cheaper than the others and seems to get better, more consistent ratings from owners overall than Corbin....

I was extremely pleased with a refoam/recover Sargent did on a KLR650 saddle for me, somewhat less so with the two Corbin saddles I've had (one for a CB650SC, one for a CB1000F, both "custom" i.e. not in their standard lineup).

That being said, one thing about the Corbin is that - like it or hate it - it comes with its own seat pan, so purchasing one doesn't require "using up" your stock seat.

The price for a Corbin for the R1200R is US$439.
The price for a Sargent "premium foam conversion" is $374, base. Add the silver welt or custom color choices, and it's up to $394.

If I could find a decent used stock seat for the R1200R for, say, $100 (occasional eBay range) I'd go for the Sargent. But, since new seats for the R1200R cost in the neighborhood of $320....

Good roads,

- Lewellen

There is a discount code for the Sargent seat for those people who asked about it before it existed. Dunno if it would still work - worked for me. Brought the price down to $300. I'm just sorry I didn't spring for the heat option (I've since made my own heat-cushion, which works well, hot butt is the only way to ride when it's below freezing..)

Patience will get you the bargain used R1200R seat on eBay. I have one that cost me ~$125 sitting in the garage - waiting to see if I decide to send it off to Sargent and have them make me one with the heat this time. Back when I had an '85 K100RT - I had a spare seat I used to loan to people who were sending their seat to Russell to have redone. It eventually became a PITA to keep sending it out and then bugging people to send it back to me, so I sold it. Be nice if someone offered that - or if Sargent bought a loaner seat.

[TT RDHS]

There is a discount code for the Sargent seat for those people who asked about it before it existed. Dunno if it would still work - worked for me. Brought the price down to $300.

"DISCOUNT CODE"??
Do tell...
Please.
Thanks,
Brad

[TT RDHS]

Never mind...
I've learned how to use the search function!

[Ashveratu]

+1 for Sargent. I started with the factory standard height seat. Since I am short (5'6" with a 30" inseam), I found a low seat in the trade section for sale and gave it a try. I Fell in love it with instantly. I then sent the standard seat off to Sargents for a low size face lift.

With the standard, I could ride for about an hour before discomfort started to creep in. The low seat extended my comfort to about an hour and a half. The Sargent...I have yet to reach a comfort limit yet. Longest ride non-stop has been about 5 hours straight (minus a stop for gas).

[celticus]

Don , How did you make the heated pad?
Also that Sargent seat is very good looking.

Mark