Corbin, Seth Laam, Bill Mayer seats on 1014 RT

[bmwdavid]

Corbin website shows a seat for the 2014 RT. It is a one piece design. Only thing I notice is the passenger section looks quite a bit shorter than stock. They do offer a rider backrest. Cost for a heated seat with backrest is just under $1000.

 

They do offer leather and vinyl. Has anyone had a corbin on a RT and what is your opinion? I know they are supposed to be very firm. How about leather or vinyl? Corbin claims their is no comparison, leather is the way to go. Not sure if I want to care for it and worry about it getting wet.

[Skywagon]

Had a Corbin on an older RT. Nice seat. Firm is correct but worked. Mine was leather and it really was not hard to care for. About once a year I spent 5 minutes with a leather treatment and a rag. Corbin uses their own pans and they don't fit exactly perfect.

 

I went to a Russell later. My Russell was leather too. Still simple care. No comparison. The Russell is way more comfy and you really can ride a long time. The Russell will raise you up about 1-2 inches.

[strataj]

You either have a Corbin butt or not, unlike other saddle makers Corbin works for only Corbin butts. The company is been known as a pain to deal with when it comes to problems. I have no personal experience.

 

Leather is great, it’s much better in summer. I conditioned my saddle from time to time with http://www.montanapitchblend.com/ and never had a problem with being wet. I would buy leather again.

 

Jay

 

[bmwdavid]

That is my issue with the Russell. I am fine with the stock standard height seat. Really cannot afford to go any higher. Do you think the Corbin is better than a Bill Mayer or Seth Laam etc...?

[bmwdavid]

Jay, what saddle are you using?

[Bologna]

Prior to purchasing my '02 my cousin had a 99 and I took it out for a test ride and he had a new Corbin on it. Purchased the RT and my cousin didn't like the Corbin so a deal was struck and my new '02 had a better saddle. Leather seat and have used conditioner a couple times a season and it is still firm. Added a back rest a few years ago and use an Alaskan Sheep Shin when I'm on a long ride.

I have replaced a few rubber bumpers along the way and I have had no issues when talking to a rep at Corbin.

 

[Sonor]

I have never had a Corbin, but I will give very high praise to the products that come from Russell. Their seats are great.

[bmwdavid]

I know everyone is different and an aftermarket seat is tough to chose. It sounds like Russell is the favorite but having a 29" inseam on a good day I just don't think it will work for me.

It comes down to a off the shelf Corbin or Sargeant and the two aftermarket builders Bill(Rocky) Mayer or Seth Laam. I love the look of the Corbin but have heard many complaints on this site. I am just not sure how good a Sargeant is. Bill Mayer is in the $750 range in Vinyl and Seth Laam is around $475. Anyone else going with something besides a Russell? Leather or Vinyl?

[Dave_in_TX]

I had a Bill Mayer seat on my 2007 RT for about 90k miles and was fairly satisfied with it. I used it for several thousand miles on my 2011 until it started to look a bit ragged. I went with a Seth Laam and am very happy with it after about 10k miles of use.

[bmwdavid]

Do you think the Seth Laam seat is more comfortable than the Bill mater? Did you go with vinyl or Leather?

[crawfcj]

I have had two Seth Laam seats, in all leather. A previous seat was built for my 2011 Concours, and my current seat is on my 2012 RT. I intend to get him to build another for my Honda, also in leather. The leather looks great, it's comfortable, and it's not at all hard to care for.

[Dave_in_TX]

Do you think the Seth Laam seat is more comfortable than the Bill mater? Did you go with vinyl or Leather?

 

I went with vinyl. My Laam seat is more comfortable than my Bill Mayer was.

[Sweendog]

I can't speak for the '14, but on my '99 I really like the Sargent. I've ridden all day on it with almost no discomfort at all. My model is the low, which I feel gives a better position in the saddle compared to stock.

 

I had a Corbin on my KZ1100 many years ago, and while it too was superior to stock, it was a bit too hard for my taste, and would start getting unconfortable after about 4 or 5 hours in the saddle.

[moshe_levy]

David-

 

FWIW, I tested 3 seats for BMW Owner's News this year on my 2009 RT:

 

1) Mayer http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/bmwmoa-flatfooting.pdf

 

2) Touratech http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/bmwmoa-touratechseat.pdf

 

3) Corbin http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/bmwmoa-corbin.pdf

 

Bottom line was for overall appearance, it was the leather Corbin hands down. But for overall functionality, ease of installation, and serious 20-hour-day comfort (see the sacrifices I make for my readers??) it was the Mayer, no question. The Mayer seat was THE best motorcycle seat I've ever used or tested, by a wide margin.

 

-MKL

[bmwdavid]

Moshe

Was the Bill Mayer leather or vinyl? Was it same height as the stock seat? I am considering the Seth Laam because it is significantly less expensive and anyone who has tried one raves about it. If the Bill Mayer saddle was a much more comfortable seat than Seth I would spend the extra money without hesitation.

[moshe_levy]

Mayer was a press version so it was vinyl. It's a very nice, high quality vinyl that is maintenance-free. I haven't ridden a Laam seat before, but I can say without hesitation that I would pay Mayer twice what he's asking for his seat. That's how much I liked it.

 

-MKL

[upfisk]

We bought many used seats for our R1100RTs. Our favorites were the Sargent's. Then we bought R1200RTs, the Sargent seats didn't come close to the 1100 seats for comfort. On our journey to comfort on the 1100s, Myrl had a very low Corbin. The Corbin fit OK, was extremely low, and hard like a rock. It must have weighed 10# more than stock. Gary had a low Corbin built for his long ago K11O0 LT, hard and heavy with little comfort.

 

We decided to do a "ride in" to Bill Mayer (BMS) in Ventura, CA for seats. Myrl's bike is factory lowered and she's not willing to give up a mm in the low height. The one piece came out comfortable and is exactly the same height as stock. It's vinyl. Gary's 2 piece seat was raised slightly with additional padding, he opted for leather.

 

Both saddles are good for full tank rides without a stop. They are the most comfortable saddles we've ridden with, but neither of us could afford the 1-2" of additional ride height of the Russell.

 

We'd suggest a ride in or try to find an event where BMS brings his saddle building on the road. Try to borrow saddles from other members nearby to get a feel of the different saddles. It's amazing how the various manufacturers all fit different.

[bmwdavid]

I am in Connecticut so doing a ride in won't be possible. I need to decide between Seth Laam and Bill Mayer. Any other input on the two builders is appreciated.

[bwr]

I've had three Sargents on three different motorcycles, including my current F800GT. I love them! Excellent quality and -- for me -- the best off-the-rack after market saddle. However, I don't think that there's one available yet for the '14 RT.

 

That said, I'm going to try a leather Russell for my '14 RT this time. I've never tried a custon saddle and would like to. I'll have it built while the bike is hibernating over the winter.

 

About 12 years ago I had a Corbin on a Road King. It wasn't for me: too hard. Moreover, after about 45K miles the bumpers that it used to rest on the frame were all smooshed and cracked. I don't think that it was very good quality.