My 1,200 mile review of the new RDL
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Thread: My 1,200 mile review of the new RDL

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    417

    1,200 mile review of the new RDL

    It’s not like the internet is short on glowing reviews about Russell Day Long seats, but after a decade of hemming and hawing over the cost benefit analysis, I finally got one, so here mine is added to the list.

    If you don’t want to read the lengthier impressions, I can sum up with the following sentence:

    I will never own another cruiser or tourer without working an RDL into my total purchase price so that I can be on it from day one. It’s that good.

    The ride and the bike feel dramatically better and more accessible in almost every possible way. The first 2 days I had the seat on I rode about 700 miles through the 3 sisters run in Texas, which by the way is really beautiful and worth doing if you’re ever in the area. I got off the bike after those two days feeling almost exactly as I did before I got on the bike, save for a little windburn on my face. With most seats, I’ve found that I can manage a day’s ride and the various aches and pains that come with it, but that takes some doing, and some recovery. With the Russell, there are literally no aches and pains to manage. I haven't been on another seat that even comes close.

    One of the biggest concerns I had about getting the Russell, besides the price, was whether or not it would sit me up too high on the bike. For one, I prefer to sit in the bike, not on it. And two, I was really concerned that I would be too high to enjoy my Mad5tad wind pocket. I made the request to Jay to make the seat as low as possible while retaining the signature comfort, and frankly, they nailed it. I don’t feel too high, I feel like I’m in the bike, and the wind is still fantastic even in a half helmet. The riding was great before, but is now unbelievably blissful. In slow speed maneuvering, I can slouch against the backrest and let the bike fall into as tight a turn as I want. It finally truly feels like cruising, which is something that was really hard to accomplish on my 2014 Valkyrie, and has been a little bit of a challenge on the F6B, due to the rider position. If I keep against the backrest, I can really crack the throttle at a light and the backrest takes all the acceleration, and any deceleration in a slow shift or if I let off the throttle doesn’t have me sliding forward in the seat or needing to brace with my arms, so there is exponentially less fatigue in my wrists and shoulders. At highway speeds and sitting upright, just a slight lean forward shifts the balance so dramatically that it makes the bike even easier to maneuver than before, while the wings and the springs continue to allow me to support my weight on my femurs, rather than my sitbones or worse, jamming up into my spine. Because the seat allows my body to use its own suspension system so well, it has had the very positive effect of making the F6B suspension seem much more compliant than it did with either the stock seat or the mustang. The B has a glorious drivetrain. For me, this seat is the thing that has given the drivetrain the ability to remain at centerstage, where it belongs. It allows me to stay in tune with the riding and the bike rather than on any distractions or discomfort.

    I know many have an issue with the aesthetic of the seat, but in this configuration and on this bike, I think it looks great. I’m biased partly by how damn comfortable and exciting it is to sit on and ride. But I also think the lines of the seat work well with the lines of the bike. Besides making a beautiful seat, it is amazing how well the pocket fits my dimensions, given the fact they did it based solely on pictures and measurements. A big thank you to Jay and the craftsmen at RDL. I couldn’t be happier with the purchase.


    Jason
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Verismo; 06-06-2019 at 07:25 AM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Harrisonburg, Va
    Posts
    140
    Glad you like it, and thanks for sharing your thoughts.

  3. #3
    Senior Member VStarRider's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Penfield, NY
    Posts
    941
    Thanks for the comprehensive review. I like my Corbin, but I likely try a RDL on the next bike.
    Former Ride:
    2013 F6B Standard, black; sold 7/2019
    Latest Addition:
    2016 Gold Wing Level 3, red; SCT transmission stuck in manual mode
    2019 Miles:
    7,900 as of 10/6

  4. #4
    Senior Member 98valk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Albq, NM
    Posts
    785
    I have not gone to an RDL yet, because I don't want a higher ride. Adding a couple inches of foam (not to mention wider) will make pretty much any seat more comfy.

    So, how much did it raise you? The seat looks pretty tall in the picture, well padded.
    Albuquerque, NM

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    654
    I had my seat done by Bitchn Stitchn in Denver and love it but yours looks way cooler. I wanted my seat higher n farther back as I was after less bend at the knee.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    417
    Quote Originally Posted by VaBob View Post
    Glad you like it, and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
    Thanks, VaBob. And no problem.

    Jason

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    417
    Quote Originally Posted by VStarRider View Post
    Thanks for the comprehensive review. I like my Corbin, but I likely try a RDL on the next bike.
    No problem VStar. Good to see your updates about riding! I'm glad you're ok! And also, you'll certainly get no argument from me on trying an RDL. If I'd had the money, I would've liked to have done this ages ago.

    Jason
    Last edited by Verismo; 06-07-2019 at 04:34 PM.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    417
    Quote Originally Posted by 98valk View Post
    I have not gone to an RDL yet, because I don't want a higher ride. Adding a couple inches of foam (not to mention wider) will make pretty much any seat more comfy.

    So, how much did it raise you? The seat looks pretty tall in the picture, well padded.
    I'm not sure how much it raised me, 98Valk. Feels like maybe an inch and a bit over the mustang, but not too different from stock height. Taxfree has a video where he measures the difference and it's not too far off from stock height, considering the bucket, and actually narrower than stock width, despite appearances.

    As to being more comfy-with the RDL it's not really the amount of foam or the width, but the location and shape of it that make the difference. Your body weight is supported in an entirely different spot than on the stock seat--basically under your thighs, and your bottom falls back into the pocket, which feels like a baseball mitt for your butt. There used to be a pretty well known iron butt rider that would take a 1X6 or a 2X4 and slide it under his hamstrings so he could lean forward and take the weight off his tailbones. This seat does the same thing, without the awkward board.

    Jason

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    417
    Quote Originally Posted by Ewreck View Post
    I had my seat done by Bitchn Stitchn in Denver and love it but yours looks way cooler. I wanted my seat higher n farther back as I was after less bend at the knee.
    Thanks Ewreck. I hear ya. Now that I have a 90° bend at the knee, I like it much better.

    Jason

  10. #10
    Senior Member 2wheelsforme's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Gulf Breeze, Florida
    Posts
    1,444
    I also have rave reviews for the RDL. As to how much it raises you that is up to you, custom built to your specs. Mine is over 2 inches up and another 2 plus inches back giving me much more room and less knee bend. I do have good things to say about my Ultimate King on another bike but the King did not move my seating position very much at all on the B, I even visited the factory and did not purchase. Between the RDL, the Helibars and the Mastad the bike is now a long distance traveler with comfort.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •