seat upgrade recommendations?

i've put about 35,000 miles on my 2013, including a few long distance road trips from Minneapolis to NYC, Seattle and Dallas. i'm planning to ride to and through the Grand Canyon this summer. i've seen a lot of folks speak highly of the Mustang Tripper Fastback seat and wondering if it is worth investing the shekels to upgrade from the OEM seat. with the OEM seat, i tend to need to get off my keister for a few minutes every 125-150 miles in order to ride 500+ miles a day. i'm wondering if the Mustang (or some other seat) would make much of a difference. Any recommendations?

I rode on the OEM seat for 35000 miles. Finally switched to the "Ultimate Mid-rider. Very comfortable. Puts me forward about a half inch, and the front seems to be slightly wider. The back of the seat has very good "butt" support. I am very pleased with the seat. The Ultimate King, is for taller/bigger riders than me. I'm 5' 11". I have been told the Mustang will lower your position slightly, but I have not sat on one, so that's just what I was told. Should be more "seat" info on this forum, check it out. I usually ride thru Minneapolis, several times each summer, on my way to Plymouth. Possible you could check my "Ultimate" seat on a trip up this spring, if you feel like waiting till then.

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Originally Posted by jm21ddd15

I rode on the OEM seat for 35000 miles. Finally switched to the "Ultimate Mid-rider. Very comfortable. Puts me forward about a half inch, and the front seems to be slightly wider. The back of the seat has very good "butt" support. I am very pleased with the seat. The Ultimate King, is for taller/bigger riders than me. I'm 5' 11". I have been told the Mustang will lower your position slightly, but I have not sat on one, so that's just what I was told. Should be more "seat" info on this forum, check it out. I usually ride thru Minneapolis, several times each summer, on my way to Plymouth. Possible you could check my "Ultimate" seat on a trip up this spring, if you feel like waiting till then.

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i was wondering about the Ultimate too. how far do you ride before you need to take a break? i'd love to see it. i happen to live in plymouth :) i do a lot of work related travel - but if i'm in town next time you blow through, i'd love to take a look at the seat. i'm not in a hurry - and not entirely sure i have the money to invest. it needs to be a significant improvement over the OEM if i go for it.

You'll not find a better seat than the Russell Day Long. Your butt will be smiling. Well worth every cent. Just send my seat in to them, this will be my 3rd one.

Just one more thing, I have a RDL on my V-Strom & sat in it for 9 hours straight, 7hrs. in the pouring rain. Got home, stood up straight, no aches or pains then or the next day. It's called a "day long" for a very good reason. Custom made (from pics & measurements you send them) for you & your butt.
My "B" came with a Ultimate, it's a good seat for around town. Long haul, not so much.

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Originally Posted by olegoat345

You'll not find a better seat than the Russell Day Long. Your butt will be smiling. Well worth every cent. Just send my seat in to them, this will be my 3rd one.

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I agree, just got mine back from them so I haven’t had much saddle time yet but I can tell it’s going to be the best.

I have the Mustang Tripper FastBack and love it. It gives more support for the lower back and is lower than stock while moving you back ~1". Btw, I am 5'11" with 32" inseam. Find the seat and the OEM Goldwing tall windshield 16.5" with vent a perfect combo for wind protection too.

I also have a Mustang I like the seat a lot. It looks great and it is a little on the hard side. After a long day I start to move around a bit, but not to the point that I need to get off.
If I am traveling I will put my Air Hawk cushion on and then I have no problems.

I have had Mustang, C&C Custom and Corbin. Mustang is good but a tad soft for me. C&C just ok and Corbin the best albeit I have not gone more than 200 miles on it. Seats obviously are very subjective and they are one of those things where you really have to try them and if it doesn't work sell and hope for some money back and onto something else. When I get a wing I think I will try an RDL as I never heard anything bad about it other than looks.

You can't beat a Russel. I have made several 1000 mile days on mine, including four consecutive days, without ever a thought about the seat. it is by far the most comfortable seat I own. Far better than the lazyboy or any other in the house.

I can vouch for the Russell Day Long, the way I came to choose it was talking to Iron Butt riders they swear by them. Plus, BIGLRY has had them forever so that sealed the deal. The comfort is mind boggling and it is the first time I actually wished my gas tank was larger so I DON'T have to stop rather than having my sore ass hoping the gas goes quickly so I can get off and stretch.

RDL.............RUMP DOESN'T LANGUISH

Spend a few more bucks and get the Russell which is custom made from photos of your BUTT sitting on the B. It's like a Martin Greenfield custom made suit. You'll never regret it......the seat AND the suit. I haven't and have both.

RDL. Had one on my ST1300.

Made to your height and weight best seat I’ve used, Mark will make you a great seat. Support the company that supports this form.

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Originally Posted by jm21ddd15

I rode on the OEM seat for 35000 miles. Finally switched to the "Ultimate Mid-rider. Very comfortable. Puts me forward about a half inch, and the front seems to be slightly wider. The back of the seat has very good "butt" support. I am very pleased with the seat. The Ultimate King, is for taller/bigger riders than me. I'm 5' 11". I have been told the Mustang will lower your position slightly, but I have not sat on one, so that's just what I was told. Should be more "seat" info on this forum, check it out. I usually ride thru Minneapolis, several times each summer, on my way to Plymouth. Possible you could check my "Ultimate" seat on a trip up this spring, if you feel like waiting till then.

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I'm an Ultimate fan. I have tried all the production seats and none is as comfortable as the Ultimate. Excellent quality and great service. I haven't tried any of the custom seats. One thing I have learned is each ass is different and only you can make the choice.

As you can see by the responses, everyone has different tastes in seats. May be best to go to the F6B rally, and sit on several different seats. Every ones ass and body size and shape, is different, so no "one" seat seems to be perfect for all.

Good luck on your decision. I know many love their RDL but I bought a Hartco and have no regrets. Designed for your height and weight . Great folks and deliver what they say. Enjoy whichever upgrade you make. F6Broy

I always chime in on seat discussions to give my vote for ultimate. I don’t even get out of the saddle to pump fuel. Their customer service is second to none. Great company and excellent comfort.

I have had other brands on other bikes but have only tried the mustang and stock on the F6B. I did like being able to put my feet on the ground with the mustang but the comfort was not there otherwise. Couldn’t get past the looks of the RDL....function over form for most I guess.

While looking to upgrade my seat as well I found lots of good reviews for the Ulimate Seat and guess what? They are just an hour away from my house. I have had Russell’s before and they are great but the wings cut into my thighs when my feet were down and although great I never got over the looks of the Wings.
I am planning on dropping in to their home base soon to see what they have.

Look into modifying the stock seat. I had mine tweaked to my size, weight, etc. 100% better for a fraction of the cost.

This is all very, very helpful. Thx to everyone who has responded. The RDL sounds like the perfect solution, though not cheap. I know you get what you pay for - I just don't know if I can pay for it :)

so now my question for you RDL fans - is there a comfort difference between the all vinyl and all leather? if they are close, i would go with vinyl as it is lower maintenance.

recommendations?

I've got all leather but can't imagine that vinyl would be any less comfortable. If I did it again, I might save some bucks and do vinyl. Can't go wrong with either one, IMO. My butt thinks it's in the sack taking a nap. Do it! Here's some seat porn...............

https://i.imgur.com/mO48UvL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5vCHj3M.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/oRSnMwO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nu51kG9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/R9ukZNM.jpg

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Originally Posted by Walcrow

I've got all leather but can't imagine that vinyl would be any less comfortable. If I did it again, I might save some bucks and do vinyl. Can't go wrong with either one, IMO. My butt thinks it's in the sack taking a nap. Do it! Here's some seat porn...............

https://i.imgur.com/mO48UvL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5vCHj3M.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/oRSnMwO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nu51kG9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/R9ukZNM.jpg

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Thanks for the pics and feedback. Very helpful and much appreciated.

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Originally Posted by Walcrow

I've got all leather but can't imagine that vinyl would be any less comfortable. If I did it again, I might save some bucks and do vinyl. Can't go wrong with either one, IMO. My butt thinks it's in the sack taking a nap. Do it! Here's some seat porn...............

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i see what appears to be 2 different passenger seat backrests. Do you know if i can install the OEM passenger backrest after getting the RDL? or do i need to get the RDL one?

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Originally Posted by tpa

i see what appears to be 2 different passenger seat backrests. Do you know if i can install the OEM passenger backrest after getting the RDL? or do i need to get the RDL one?

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Since the RDL uses the OEM stock seat pan the OEM passenger backrest is still usable with the RDL.
Here is my custom made RDL on my F6B Deluxe with passenger backrest.....no problem.:icon_biggrin:
http://www.californiavtxriders.com/p...image37045.jpg

Ditto

https://s17.postimg.org/cttv6e1ez/00...04_600x450.jpg

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Originally Posted by tpa

i see what appears to be 2 different passenger seat backrests. Do you know if i can install the OEM passenger backrest after getting the RDL? or do i need to get the RDL one?

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tpa.....

I extended my stock passenger backrest with some Home Depot steel so the GF would be happy. The stock height fits the RDL just fine but it's a BUTT REST, not a BACK REST for the passenger. Extending it almost 4.5 or 5 inches made a huge difference for her to lean back and not have to hold on for dear life when I departed a red light!

My vote goes for Corbin. I have had one on almost every bike I have owned including my 13 F6B. I live close enough to Hollister to get them custom made. It is a service they offer for no additional cost. Good luck with whatever you choose.

I have to give props to the Mustang Deluxe. I'm actually surprised at how much I like the seat. It sits me lower, in a pocket, and really makes me feel like I'm sitting "in" the bike instead of on top of it. I thought the raised lumbar support was going to be too far back to offer real support, but have found upon hitting the throttle that it's perfect for me. For reference, I'm 6' and have a 31" inseem. I'm so happy with this seat for around town. The only negative is that the right side bag handle has to be manually pushed back in after opening due to the seat pushing against the handle mechanism. It's a bother, but the seat is worth it.

That being said, I don't know how much of a distance seat it's going to be. It's pretty firm and pretty flat. I haven't had any real troubles for around town or on afternoon-long rides, but I can see it getting tiresome on a long journey. I might eventually like to get an RDL for real long distance comfort, but I would use it exclusively as a long distance seat and keep the Mustang. I'm doing mostly short-ish rides right now and I have no desire to be sitting back up high like I was with the OEM. Worse wind up higher, plus it doesn't really feel like I'm on a cruiser up there. I really like to be in the pocket on a bike. If Russell made a spring seat that sat as low as the Mustang, I would do it in a heartbeat. But as it stands, I can hold off until I take a long trip and test out the old butt fatigue on the Mustang.

Jason

Although I never went the RDL route (short inseam and no 500 mile days), I did try Mustang, Corbin and Saddleman, which was my favorite until I traded my bike for the K1600b. In the meantime, Lui Moto built me a beautiful seat in blk/gry Alcantara with carbon accents that has their custom gold gel padding—looks and feels great but I no longer have an F6B so it is still a virgin sitting in my garage if anyone wants it for $200 plus shipping. The seat is built on the OEM Pan so fitment is perfect.

Others have suggested going to a rally and sitting on other bikes, which is how I found my Saddleman and loved it.

Good luck and happy trails!

I ride a Corbin, it's leather, heated high and low settings for the driver and passenger. My ass is happy because its not getting super sweaty on the hot days and on the cold days its very warm. Note, there is no backrest for the driver. passenger backrest was modified for my wife as the corbin was slightly taller than the oem seat.

I have been extremely pleased with my Hartco velour seat. Super comfortable, monkey butt is a forgotten memory.

thanks for the clarification. looks great.

Attachment 4778
Here is my F6B trike with the dual RDL saddle custom made for me and the wife. We had to send a photo with both of us sitting on the trike. I purchased a used stock saddle and sent it to Russell so I could keep riding while the seat was being produced. Really nice to have a happy wife along.

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Originally Posted by Dfinkelsteinmd

Although I never went the RDL route (short inseam and no 500 mile days), I did try Mustang, Corbin and Saddleman, which was my favorite until I traded my bike for the K1600b. In the meantime, Lui Moto built me a beautiful seat in blk/gry Alcantara with carbon accents that has their custom gold gel padding—looks and feels great but I no longer have an F6B so it is still a virgin sitting in my garage if anyone wants it for $200 plus shipping. The seat is built on the OEM Pan so fitment is perfect.

Others have suggested going to a rally and sitting on other bikes, which is how I found my Saddleman and loved it.

Good luck and happy trails!

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Do you have any pics of the seat? interested

Good morning from 70 or so miles to the west. Never road in the stock seat, ordered a Mustang before the riding season started and have about 30,000 miles on it. everybuddy's butt handles the ride differently and mine is happy w/the Mustang and I like the way it sits you down a little lower in the bike.

Great thread.

I have been thinking about upgrading the stock seat myself. I find it to be the best stock seat of any motorcycle I have owned, able to go 1-1.5 hours initially, then 30-45 minute after the first break. That being said, I think there is a lot of room for improvement.

I tried an Ultimate on my VStar 1100; it was literally painful to ride after about 20 minutes, to the point I almost called my wife to come with the trailer to pick me up, 30 miles from home. I don't blame Ultimate - they refunded my money and the seat was as described - just did not work for me as I kept sinking lower and lower in the seat. I felt like sitting in a rubber playground swing, sideways. I know that I do not like soft seats.

That is why I am hesitate to buy any seat that sits the rider lower, or "in" the bike; I do not like that. I do like sitting high on the bike; not like an antenna, but sitting up high makes me feel more in control.

My Subaru Forester has a leather, power driver's seat. I keep the front of the cushion tilted up and the backrest pretty upright with the power lumbar inflated. It is perfect for my butt. I have noticed that any car seat that allows me to tilt the front of the cushion up under my thighs makes me feel very comfortable. I am guessing it takes pressure off my wide, flat butt by spreading the support around a greater area.

Therefore, any aftermarket bike seat needs to provide a seating area that provides a wide area of support, not just my cheeks.

My dealer has an F6B trade in with a Corbin seat. I sat on it, and I liked how it enveloped my booty and seemed to provide some sort of thigh support, even though it does not look like it does. It is definitely more firm than the stock. I need to go back and sit on it again because I am tempted to trade him my stock seat plus some cash for the Corbin. I am just afraid to do this because of my experience with the Ultimate and I am not sure how that Corbin will feel after two hours.

The Mustng Fastback Tripper is a huge improvement over the OEM. I like sitting a little lower & it fits me well at 6', 32" inseam & 270lbs. I think I'll try the RDL next since I hear such good things about it. I also use the beads when it's real hot & an Air Cushion on long rides. Alternate them as needed. Sure ready for all this rain to quit.

Hey DFinkelsteinmd,

Do you have any pics? If so, please post or PM me.

Thanks!