Corbin seat - about to pull the trigger

[Caroanbill]

I'm not sure I understand the price comment...? A Sargent "Premium foam conversion" without the heater option, costs around $400 according to their website. The Corbin costs around $440.

Ah, yes - but the Sargent conversion option is not available if you live across the Pacific.

I realise only a minority of US citizens have passports (dunno about canadians), but there is still a world outside north america ... BTW, we have great open roads, our dollar has dropped against yours ... and it's summer - come and visit anytime!

[WILDPIG]

TO EACH HIS OWN-- I'D TOTALLY ADVISE AGAINST A CORBIN--THEY STILL HAVE MY SEAT AN IT'S BOILED DOWN TO SCREAMING IMCOMPETENCE-- THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE CUSTOMER -- AN AS TO QUALITY-- THATS A COMPLETE JOKE. THEY MAKE A FAIRLY GOOD HARLEY SEAT BUT HEY-- THIS IS BMW WE'RE TALKIN BOUT---IF IM LUCKY I MAY GET MY SEAT BACK SOMETIME IN JANUARY-- BUT CORBIN AINT GUARANTEED A THANG,, THEY'VE HAD IT SINCE OCT.

[deilenberger]

The one difference is - the Sargent is built on your pan (which we know fits) and the Corbin on a pan of their design (which apparently is hit or lots of misses..) In my case, I had a spare seat (bought one at a bargain from a forum member somewhere) so I was willing to gamble the Sargent would work OK.

The Sargent continues to work for me - in being not noticed, which is the best thing I can say about a seat. If I don't notice it - it means it's causing me no discomfort, and that's how it has worked out so far. It has broken in a bit - at first when I got it - for the first few hundred miles, it did become noticeable after a few hours. Now - it seems like 6-7 hours in it is a non-issue, and I haven't felt the need for my LD Rider undies or my FreedomAir cushion.

Only thing I wish - that I had gotten the heat option done when I ordered it. I'm considering how to address that. Yesterday was a pretty constant 32F, and heat on my butt would have been nice.

[deilenberger]

TO EACH HIS OWN-- I'D TOTALLY ADVISE AGAINST A CORBIN--

I seem to recall predicting this back when you first suggested Corbin.

Oh well - live and learn I guess..

[mogu83]

I'm going to have to come down on the plus side for my Corbin seat. Ordered it and it was here in five days. I had to fool with the latch but being pre-warned from posts on this list I just added a few washers and the problem was solved. Fit and finish seem fine, I understand they are using a new design on the pan. As far as comfort I only have a few hundred miles but it seems more comfortable that the stocker. I should mention that I spent 18 hours straight on the stock seat last summer so I may not be a good person to base a comfort level indication on.
The seat is longer in the front area and gives you more usable room to move around, however the step seems to be about 2/3 inches to the rear which makes you lean into the bars a little when your back against the step. I should mention that I'm 5'11" with a thirty inch inseam (think giant dwarf) so a long reach to the bars has never been a problem for me. I'll have to put on some miles to see if a slight up and back bar back is needed (a $45 item).
I didn't go Sargent (always did good by them) because I didn't want to put money into the stock pan, at 20K the holes where the front rods go in are starting to break up. The Corbin pan is heaver (and it looks it) but I'm sure it will outlast the seat cover. As far as the finish on the bottom of the pan (mine isn't too bad) I put that in the same category as wondering about what the inside of the muffler looks like. (Personal opinion - naturally)

The only negative is, I let them talk me into the back rest hardware on the rear of the seat. I'll rarely ride two up and will most likely never buy a back rest, the rear of the seat would look cleaner without the backrest hardware (basically a hole covered by a leather flap)

[mogu83]

QUALITY is a definite "fail" - but I guessed it would be so-so going in. Flaws and gouges in the pan all over the place. Rough underside fit and finish. ...

Bill,
Just noticed it was you that was concerned with the underside of the seat and now I understand. Seeing as you blokes walk around upside down, whats on the bottom of stuff becomes important to you.
Actually, I'm jealous because yous guys are just starting your riding season while I'm spending more and more time in front of this tube. Enjoy your seat, the new riding season, and watch out for the kangaroos.

[Caroanbill]

Bill, Just noticed it was you that was concerned with the underside of the seat and now I understand. Seeing as you blokes walk around upside down, whats on the bottom of stuff becomes important to you.

Well, indeed, Harry - we do have a different perspective from this angle Being short merely enhances my up-ya-bum view (oh, lord, do I write that?)

Actually, I'm jealous because yous guys are just starting your riding season while I'm spending more and more time in front of this tube. Enjoy your seat, the new riding season, and watch out for the kangaroos.

And we ride all year ... winter sees us headin' to Queensland, summer is down south ... Autumn 2009 in Tasmania (motorcycling heaven, 'cept for the rain).

Back to the Corbin - it's a keeper, mostly because

height is just OK. I sit much higher (no need to trim my Calsci screen now) and I cannot flat-foot, but unlike my old R1150RS or K1100LT, the R12R is easily balanced on my "wrong" (i.e. right) against a steep camber (we're on the left side down under) - so I manage. Any hint of a tricky road, campsite will see me swap over to the factory low seat, as will extended city riding (mostly done on my F650CS anyway)

ride position is less cramped at my knees and a little freer fore-and-aft than the factory low seat - the Corbin is quite long back to the pillion step-up, so I can move a bit more. Pity my arms aren't longer (but my family has been bracchiating a few generations less than Corbin deisgners, perhaps)

comfort is a big question. Sitting forward, it's rock hard (so far) and was painful after 30 minutes in town. Sitting in a mroe highwya position, it seems better. I'll see what it all feels like after a break-in period

And lastly I'll keep it because the pain of shipping back to the Aussie distributer to wait on the predictable crap from Corbin isn't worth the effort. If it was truly awful (instead of merely ordinary) I'd be able to give in back under our trade practices law as not of "merchantable quality". It passes that test - so far, if only just. The seat itself looks ok, it's the pan and workmanship underneath that looks like the result of a ham-fisted butcher doing abdominal surgery on a feral pig, drunk and in the dark.

A Sargent 'worldsport' seat would've been about $1100 AUD landed here, if they made a complete seat. Make-up on my pan , even if possible, would've cost about the same: $670AUD for the conversion itself, plus at least $200 for a second hand seat to cannabalise ($400+ for a new seat) plus shipping, plus zero recourse ... $658 delivered for the Corbin was a calculated risk - obviously priced when the Aussie dollar was higher.

[deilenberger]

The seat itself looks ok, it's the pan and workmanship underneath that looks like the result of a ham-fisted butcher doing abdominal surgery on a feral pig, drunk and in the dark.

What a wonderful description of a Corbin seat. Wonder if Sargent might give you a healthy discount just to use it in their advertising..

[AmostThere]

I got the Bill Mayer since he is fairly close to me. A bit higher than my stock (low version) seat so I have more space and certainly more comfortable (especially on the nuts) but I don't feel as "one with the bike" as I did before. It is an interesting trade-off. It was uncomfortable enough before that I really couldn't do an extended ride, BUT I was really one integral piece with the machine.

[RonR]

I got the Bill Mayer since he is fairly close to me. A bit higher than my stock (low version) seat so I have more space and certainly more comfortable (especially on the nuts) but I don't feel as "one with the bike" as I did before. It is an interesting trade-off. It was uncomfortable enough before that I really couldn't do an extended ride, BUT I was really one integral piece with the machine.

Did you do the ride-in? I talked to Rocky at the Long Beach motorcycle show and made a January appointment. My understanding of the process is that there are 2 or 3 stages where you take a ride on the partially-completed saddle and adjustments are made. Is that what happened? If so, I am curious as to why you are not completely satisfied.

[WILDPIG]

I GOT A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE: MY SEAT FOR THE 2ND TIME IS IN TRANSIT AND HAS ESCAPED THE CORBIN FACTORY. COURSE-- IT'S PROLLY JUST AS SCREWED UP AS IT WAS WHEN IT DISAPPEARED IN THE CORBIN TOILET ON OCT 21ST. AND OF COURSE AFTER BEING LIED TO,MISLED, IGNORED-- NEVER A RETURN E MAIL OR RETURN PHONE CALL - I WAS TOLD LAST MONDAY I COULD HAVE ANY COLOR ON THE SIDES OF THE SEAT EXCEPT THE ORIGINAL COLOR I HAD. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I WANTED TO RETAIN ORIGINAL COLOR-- at some time in january that particulaur color may be back in stock........ sooooooooooooo-- i changed colors. i did however cuss out most of the corbin sales reps an forbade 2 from ever contacting me again. IT DOES HURT ME TO SAY THIS IS MY 5TH CORBIN SEAT BUT I AM PROUD TO SAY I'LL NEVER SPEND ANOTHER PENNY WITH EM...... AS I'VE SAID BEFORE-- CORBIN DOES A REASONABLE JOB ON HARLEY SEATS WHICH HAS BEEN THEIR MAIN STAY BUT ON A BMW SEAT------ LOUSY. I SPECT WHEN I GET THE SEAT BACK --IN 10 DAYS IT'LL BE FULLA DEFECTS-- BUT I'LL GET EM CORRECTED LOCALLY...... CANT ACCEPT THE DECEIT AN LIES AND 10 WEEK DOWN TIME CORBIN OFFERS,,,,, AND I AINT BUT 500 MILES UP I-95 FROM EM.

[AmostThere]

Hey Ron, I guess it is more of a compromise than a lack of satisfaction. I did the test ride and realized that with the extra height that I requested I would now be FAR more comfortable and not all scrunched up on the bike BUT that I would also not experience the unity that I did with the stock saddle. As much as I may have liked the stock saddle for the pure riding experience it was really a deal-breaker due to the aches and pains.

[Caroanbill]

Nope, I give up

Corbin seat is a dud - a couple of short open road rids proved it will never be right for me, after all.

1. My legs are too short: it's simply to high for any confidence on anything less that level, smooth surfaces. So useless to tour because the tracks into campsites are anything but smooth and level.

2. My arms are too short. The ideal sitting spot is so far back that I cannot comfortably (or safely) reach the bars, even with my Verholen bar-backs. I realise Corbin is primarily a Hardly brand, and I understand Hardly riders have longer arms since their ancestors were still bracchiating a few millenia more recently than mine, so I should have guessed the seat would be positioned wher it is ...

I put the stock low seat, plus Airhawk, back on for great summer blast of 1100km in one and a half days around the best mountain roads near Sydney and that sealed the deal. The stock seat is also much for comfortable (with airhawk) than the Corbin.

I shall try to sell it at half price (ie about what it's worth) to a less vertically challenged Aussie R1200R rider ...

[AmostThere]

Hey Aussie Bill, I've got the same barbacks that you do and I've still got to reach a bit too much for the bars. I want to try a bit of rotation of the bars in the clamps but the cables/wires are getting pretty tight. Have you tried rotating the bars back?

[Caroanbill]

Hey Aussie Bill, I've got the same barbacks that you do and I've still got to reach a bit too much for the bars. I want to try a bit of rotation of the bars in the clamps but the cables/wires are getting pretty tight. Have you tried rotating the bars back?

Thanks for the tip - yes, I've already tried rotating the bars. I like them where they are for the stock low seat (the dealer and I did a bit of testing when I first got the bike). I can sit on the seat 'lip' and still reach the bars with the stock low seat.

I'm simply the wrong size for the Corbin seat, and it couldn't be customised for my size, accroding to the Aussie importer. C'est la vie - it was worth a try.

I may yet get a local maker to customise a seat on the (excerable) Corbin pan if I can't find a buyer. Won't be a silk purse but may be less of a sow's ear!

[deilenberger]

Bill,

I will comment - I'm still happy with the Sargent they made on the BMW pan. It did raise me up initially about 1/4" - but now it's settled or broken in, and I'm back where the BMW low seat was. It is a not-notice seat for me, I don't notice it until at least about 5-6 hours perhaps more (haven't gone further since temps dropped below 40F), and even then it's only very light pain. The stock low seat was a 2-3 hour seat for me..

The downside is probably the cost of shipping to the US to have the seat made. Perhaps Sargent could sell you the foam insert they use (they remove the factory foam completely) and the cover and you could have it installed by someone in Oz? Seems like it might be a workable plan.

[orhog]

I rode out the last of the season on a Corbin. I like it, its way better than the stock seat. It sits taller than the standard stock set. I think you have to be 5 ft. 7 or 8 with a 31 inch or more inseam to really do well with the Corbin. I got my Sargent low today, to bad its zero out side,
in the good old midwest. Its so cold here it froze or Governor`s Brain!!

[BigEasy]

Ok, I scored a used Corbin this week and snapped it on today. On the center stand it felt odd, a short trip around the block revealed that there is some promise in it for me. The fit is tight, and will lead to my first question, the finish is suspect and that'll be #2

1- the front of the pan hugs the tank very tightly so the question for longer term owners is does this cause the suede inner cover to scuff the paint on the tank?

2- one of the pan ears (cutch side) shows the inner suede liner rollong to be visible on the outside. Has anyone had experince/success in haveing Corbin make an adjustment such as this?

BTW, I read earlier in this post and others re: weight of the seat. My thoughts were "how heavy could a seat be?" Now that I have one I gotta say: pretty freakin heavy!

Thanks guys

[mogu83]

I have about 1K on my Corbin now and I'm happy with it. I have a 30in inseam and noticed right away that it's a little higher than the stock standard seat. The rise in the seat is about 2 inches further back than the stock seat so I had to put on bar backs moving the bars back about 3/4 in. The fit is now perfect and 1,000 mile days should be no problem (Parabellum Scout Fairing).

#1: Some of the early seats were tight in the front, I doubt anything could be done about that. If it scuffs it will be under the seat so who will see it. The way I see it - If someone looks at your bike that hard they deserve to find something.
#2: Again a problem with early seats, you could send it back but it would most likely be more trouble than it's worth.

The seat is heaver than the original but that is offset by the weight savings of the aftermarket muffler. I could have lost the weight by not eating ice cream at night but the muffler seemed like a better idea.