StromTrooper banner

Seat comparison: Stock (650) - Gel - Sargent

159K views 252 replies 178 participants last post by  Dusty Roadz 
G
#1 ·
Three seats for the Suzuki V-Strom:

From left to right: Stock, Gel, Sargent




1) Stock DL650


2) Suzuki Gel


3) Sargent World Sport























Seat height measured when motorcycle is level. Actual measurements were made in my garage on a level cement floor.

Pictures are at an angle and exact measurements are:

Stock: 32 1/2” - 82.6 cm
Gel: 33 3/4” - 85.7 cm
Sargent: 33” - 83.8 cm





















http://wulfers.net/motorcycle/09DL650/seat/index.html
 
See less See more
23
G
#3 · (Edited)
Many things we already know about these seats but here is my experience. Your experience could be entirely different based on your measurements and the size/shape of your butt. And no, I am not taking a picture of mine. That would be weird.. ;)

I am about 6'2", 210lbs, waist: 38" inseam pants: 32", inside leg measured with shoes on: 34"

1) Stock
Too low and too narrow. Curved shaped doesn't allow for moving around. Soft foam is comfy at first but becomes painful after 30 minutes. Easy to flat-foot with both feet at the same time. Shape pushes you toward the tank.

2) Gel
Comfortable height and width for me but I still could use an extra inch on each side. Gel is a bit hard but comfortable for 6 - 8 hour rides. More room to change seating position, flatter surface area. Wider in the front so more inner thigh support but makes it more difficult to put feet on the ground. Can not flat-foot both feet at the same time.

3) Sargent
Widest of the three but not high enough for me. I felt like sitting only on the back part of my butt and front edges of flat area push into my thighs after a while. Wide in the back but narrow in the front so not enough inner thigh support for me compared to the gel seat. Easy to flat-foot with both feet at the same time. I only rode it for about an hour after which it become uncomfortable for me.

The most comfortable for me is the gel seat. The Sargent would be very good if my legs were 1 - 2 inches shorter. An inch difference in seat height may not seem much but can make a big difference for comfort. I also found the larger surface area and shape of the gel seat made me feel more in control of the bike because of the better thigh support. I felt a bit like balancing on the Sargent seat but that was also because it was too low for me. I think I'll get a sheepskin pad on my gel seat for now and maybe switch to a Russell seat at a later time.
 
#4 · (Edited)
The most comfortable for me is the gel seat. The Sargent would be very good if my legs were 1 - 2 inches shorter. An inch difference in seat height may not seem much but can make a big difference for comfort. I think I'll get a sheepskin pad for now and maybe switch to a Russell seat at a later time.
I've recently had this same discussion with another inmate here who performed a similar comparison and reached the same conclusion.

I recently acquired a gel saddle and the extra height, however subtle, has made my knees much happier. The extra width and/or the gel keeps my boney butt from aching as it did with the stock saddle. Throw in the Alaska Sheepskin buttpad I was using before and my saddle search is over. It's not perfect, but I can ride a tank of gas at a time and for my purposes on this bike, that's good enough.
 
#5 ·
Great info- thanks for taking the time to do this.


So it looks like the Gel seat is about the same height as stock DL1k?

Wulf about sold me on it.
 
G
#8 ·
The gel seat with a sheepskin pad does look rather comfy, doesn't it? I was riding with the Sargent seat and used a towel half way through the ride so I would sit a bit higher. I was surprised how much cooler it instantly felt. I think the sheepskin pad adds about another 1/4" of height. Doesn't sound like much but I did notice that on my DL1000 as well. I am heading over to their website right now. :)

 
#10 ·
I learned the hard way this weekend - don't let your sheepskin get rainsoaked and still ride on it. Squishy and not comfy at all.
 
#18 ·
I've read a zillion 'seat' threads and it's all starting to blend together. Wulf's measurements show the gel seat to be 1.5" higher than 650 stock. The official Suzuki description for the gel seat says:

"Built for the demands of long hours in the saddle, the V-Strom Gel Seat has been extensively tested, designed and produced in the USA. Features a reshaped, approximately 6mm lower(DL650) and more contoured design with a textured cover over a gel insert in the riders area for superior comfort."

Wulf's pictures clearly show the gel seat to be higher. What gives with Suzuki's description?
 
#19 ·
Great comparison!!!!!!

Had the gel and it was a big improvement over the stocker. I now have the Sargent.....and you couldn't pry it from my dead hands. Great post that you did, think I'll make this a sticky!!!!!

Brian
 
#23 · (Edited)
I currently have a Corbin Canyon on my wee-strom. A very nice saddle, but the back is too wide for my wife, who is 5' 2". Looking at your measurements for the gel seat it looks to be about 2" more narrow than the Corbin. That would probably be an improvement for her.

The seat height for the Corbin is 32.5 inches, the same as stock, but it is much wider and more firm than the stock seat, so I guess it results in a taller seat height when you're actually on the bike.

I will probably buy a gel seat, even though I don't need to sit any higher than I do on the Corbin. If the gel seat is as firm as the Corbin, it looks like it will put me just over an inch higher (33 3/4"). I don't really need the height; it will just complicate my efforts to get a good wind-screen/airflow setup on the bike. :-(

Wulf: do you have the Suzuki part # for the gel seat in your pictures? I want to make sure I get the right seat...
 
#30 ·
WUf,
Thanks for this comparison. It could my Wee's salvation. I replaced the stock seat with the tall and have had problems, especially this summer. I need to test try the gel out for a bout two hours to see if it works. I am hopeful that this is the solution. Thanks again for the info.
 
#45 ·
For reference, here are pictures of the DL650 versus Tall Touring saddle. Works great for me. Suzuki says it is 40mm higher than stock, versus 25mm for the DL1000 seat.

http://dervish.smugmug.com/photos/418099483_GFJzu-L.jpg

http://dervish.smugmug.com/photos/418099178_py8Yn-L.jpg
I just got the tall touring myself.
garandman,or anyone else with a 650, isn't it a bit widder in the middle than stock?
me thinks there is a tad more tolerance the way it fits the bike, specially in the middle, than stock.
 
#38 ·
A little more information?

I've read a few of the seat comparisons and I've noticed that, for the most part, the one thing that's left out of the reviews/comments about each seat is the physical build of the poster leaving a review.

With the factory Wee seat I can ride about an hour and a half before it starts getting uncomfortable and I start experiencing pain. So a few months ago I bought a gel seat after reading all the positive reviews about it, I don't recall reading one bad review about the gel seat, and was under the impression that I could ride for hours with the gel seat. On my first ride with the gel seat, in a matter of about 15 minutes I began feeling the same level of pain/discomfort as I do after that hour and a half on the factory seat. I've since tried both seats with the sheepskin and all that really does is reduce the heat, doesn't really make it more comfortable. (And just for comparison's sake, the 30 year old seat on my Honda is more comfortable for me than either one of the Suzuki seats, I've ridden it over 2 hours nonstop without any pain or discomfort what-so-ever.)

So when I decided to try to sell the gel seat I started looking at other ads to see what to expect to get for it. I came across an ad where the seller said that the reason he was selling was the same reasons I wanted to sell. He mentioned that, for him too, it just wasn't comfortable to his frame and, as a coincidence, his build was basically the same as mine, tall and thin.

So I've since been curious if there's some sort of correlation between body size and the comfort of these seats. I'm 6'0" tall, weight about 145lbs, 30" waist and about 33" inseam barefoot. As a result I have a narrow, bony butt that apparently doesn't agree with the shape of the gel seat. So how about a little more info about yourselves and why that particular seat is comfortable for you. I think it might help potential buyers such as myself decide what to get because personally, after already spending nearly $200 on a gel seat, I'd hate to spend another $400+ on a Sargent to find out that it's doesn't fit me and then another $600+ on a Russell to find that it too isn't right for me.

Just a though.
 
#39 ·
I've got the Wee stock seat, Gel seat, and just sold a Sargent. I've had an AirHawk that worked well for me on other bikes, but not the Strom. I also have an Alaskan Sheep Skin and tried it on the Gel seat for about 40 miles. I like the height of the Gel seat, but think the Sargent had the most comfortable seating material. I've sat on a Corbin and Russell, but you can't tell much from just sitting on one. I'm 6'2" and weigh 240ish I think weight has something to do with it, but after reading above I'm starting to wonder if it's what I wear. Tighty whities and jeans ? Or maybe it's the suspension set up. It's still stock.

Tim
 
#42 ·
Gel

Great thread. I just ordered a gel from Oneida based on your pics.

I do endurance bicycle racing and can sit all day on a properly fitted, firm, 5" wide bicycle seat...but a couple of hours on the stock Wee seat nearly kills me. Too soft, too low, too sloped. Those pics of the gel seat look like exactly what I'm looking for. :D
 
#44 ·
Great thread. I just ordered a gel from Oneida based on your pics.
You'll like the gel seat. I just picked up a used one a week or two ago. It's a HUGE improvement over the stock Wee seat. I'm 6'2" so I really like the additional height, as well.

I bought a Givi windscreen from the same guy I bought the seat from and with my Madstad I can now happily cruise on the superslab all day. I commute 150 miles round-trip to work so I am one happy camper.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top