Russell Day Long Seat is On!

[timjoebob]

In search of the holy grail of comfort, I got my new seat Monday. I've been too busy to install it until tonight. Tomorrow - before and after work - about 80 miles to check it out.

I sat on it in the garage and adjusted the rider backrest to find the best spot. No ride tonight... wanna watch the World Series.

My initial impresssion: comfy and plush. Cradles my rear end and seats me about an inch closer to the handlebars, which I requested. Also, installation wasn't the easiest. Because the seat is slightly wider, getting the side grabrails over the saddlebag lever pins is a bit tricky. I expect that to be a one-time problem since there will be some indentations there after the seat's been on awhile. (One note: the seat bolts on the F6B are so much easier to install than my '05 Wing's were. Not sure why, but thankful.)

I'm looking forward to the ride tomorrow. I'll give ya my thought tomorrow night and post some photos.

[MichaelG]

TJB, you must have had them make the passenger section into a RDL also...the suspended kind of RDL.

[timjoebob]

TJB, you must have had them make the passenger section into a RDL also...the suspended kind of RDL.

Yep. The whole thing. Plus rider backrest, as I mentioned, and the passenger backrest, too. Photos tomorrow.

[wishey1]

...wow, can't wait to hear this report. I had a Russell on my BMW GS 1200. It
was butt heaven. You will thank yourself each and every ride over 200 miles...

Did it raise the seat height? Mine raised the seat height slightly.....but you could
always slide forward to a more narrow point to stand up...

[Scotrod]

Got a couple packages in the mail today myself,,,

Very poor photography of mine,,,

Too much flash:

Attachment 2813

Color of 'canvas' seating area is closer to this than prior pic:

Attachment 2814

Here is the Wife's in better lighting:

Attachment 2815

Put both on tonite. Supposed to rain for a couple days or so,,, Should be nice on SAT

[biggmike_51]

Does the seat offer back support for the driver.

[Scotrod]

"A little / Some" would be my reponse. We'll be trying ours out for a while before we determine if a Utopia Backrest would be beneficial.

The wife really liked the backrest on her prior bike. I had one that I used basically as a 'reminder' to sit up straight. It did help to keep from sliding too far back under HEAVY accelleration.

[MichaelG]

Does the seat offer back support for the driver.

BigMike, I understand your question....but when a RDL seat is made, they do NOT want you to use the riders' backstop as a place to back up against, to give rider back support. While this may seem contrary to thought and design, the correct position for sitting on an RDL seat is slightly forward of that riders backstop...in what is called the pocket...or sweet-spot.

No..ScotRod, I did not say to sit in the wet-spot.

BigMike, while a lot of us that have had RDL make seats for us have asked them to make that riders' backstop more vertical...and take some of the slope out of it, (between you and me, and the fencepost), we do make use of that riders' backstop and sit back that far, but it is much more important to sit IN the RDL pocket, where the suspension system springs are centered, so that you make full use of the suspension system. If you sit back too far...as in up against the riders' backstop, then you "may" be behind the pocket, and thus sitting on your thights, rather than your gluteal area.

If you have a need for back support, it is highly recommended that you use a real riders' backrest, like a Utopia backrest, or have RDL add one to their seat.

[hiflyer]

I am riding to Russell to have mine done, even after all the massaging of the Utopia backrest, the ultimate fix was made last night. Removed the seat, removed the hardware, boxed it and put it in the attic. Agree with Miles, on the RDL, there is no need for a backrest.

[1951vbs]

Scotrod,
The seats look great! I am looking forward to pictures on the bikes.

On a different note, I do think Russell could upgrade their packaging a bit. Miles may not be aware since he rides in and waits but Russell stuffs the shipping box with old foam scraps and 5-10# of newsprint, quite old school and unprofessional for such a great product. The presentation and clean up would be better if they had an instapak foam in place machine or something, or is it just me?

But it won't ever stop me from buying another!