[DougInKY]

I got my SeatConcepts.com Seat Kit today. I had been talking with them about the Vstrom seat kits they are developing and was told that if I was interested I could buy a pre-production seat kit from them. I thought about it and decided I would.

They asked me for information such as weight, height, inseam, physical issues with my present seat. I also provided them with medical history that seemed important (I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and have 3 vertebrae in my back that have compression fractures). My weight put me right in between their Standard Foam (harder) and their Soft Foam (softer), I opted for the Standard as I ride with a (hard) Corbin on my Pacific Coast.

Anyhow, as I have already said, I got my kit today. It came in a cardboard box that had been pretty trashed by FedEx but the contents were in good shape. The foam and the cover were just rattling around in the box and no stuffing (such as wadded up newspaper was in there). Here is the contents pulled out of the box and propped on top of the box.

I made a run to Harbor Freight right after the kit came to buy me a staple gun (pneumatic), some staples, and some spray adhesive. After getting back to the house, I removed the old cover by popping the old staples up with a common screwdriver and pulling them out with a pair of needle-nose pliers. The old foam was easy to pull off the seat pan after removing the old cover. I put the old seat foam (right) and the new seat foam (left) on my table on the back porch and took a couple of pictures so that you could see the difference.

I then took the seat pan out to the picnic table and sprayed the pan with the adhesive and put the foam in place on it. I did a light coat only on the pan so the the adhesive would help the foam to stay in place on the pan after the cover was installed but would still allow me to easily remove the foam at a later time if I wished to. I then stapled the cover in place. Tip: I discovered that it is possible to pull the cover too tight and when you do the staples pull right through the cover when you release pressure.

After getting the cover stapled in place, I put the seat back onto the bike and took a couple of pictures to share with you.

I took a short ride afterwards and found the seat firm but comfortable. I won't know for sure how improved the seat is until I take a longish ride on it but I can say already that I am not hitting the pan with my butt like I was with the stock seat.
:thumbup:

 

[Banks C]

That seat looks a LOT wider. So that your seat bones aren't on the edge but are actually supported by the seat. It that is true and your tailbone (coccyx) ins't mashed this looks like it could be a great upgrade.

How long did it take you to modify and may I ask how much you were charged??

Looking forward to your report on issues and comfort.

Thanks

 

[andreas]

NICE, I could use a safter pad, the OEM is way too firm for me. My spencer modification is still firm, I am using an alaska pad as well and after 5 hours it begins to hurt. I sit in the vehicle for hours and no pain.

 

[howe0001]

Yes, please do tell the cost. Very interested.

 

[TrophyHunter]

Just got back from a 2 hour run on mine. Works well & way more comfortable than stock.

 

[MissoulaMike]

DouginKY -

Ditto on your further feedback. I'd also be curious to know how much you weigh. I'm 6'0 and 190 with some lower back issues. The stock seat is danged hard after about an hour or so, so am curious on your new seat what you think of the standard foam versus the other softer foam option . . . Thank you!!

M

 

[DougInKY]

I weigh 247 pounds. The seat cost me $125 because it is not (yet) a production seat kit, I think they charge $175 for the production units but I am not sure as I do not have anything to do with the company other than being a customer.

Yes, the seat is much wider than stock. It is also much better padded at the tank so even if you pull forward in the seat you aren't smashing "private bits" like you do on the stock seat. The seat is also cut in a way that lets you sit back rather than pushing you forward into the tank. In light of all these things, I suspect that this seat will be a lot more comfortable. I do know that they offer several foam support options and several seat cover options as they were offered to me and he told me that they will continue to offer those things after going into full production on the Vstrom kits. They already make kits for other bikes that they have in production.

I think that covers all the questions that have been asked so far. Oh, he told me that they would be going into production on the Vstrom kits "real soon now." I got the impression that it would be within the next month.

 

[DougInKY]

I see that I missed answering one question. It took me about 2 hours to remove the old cover and foam and install the new. I am a slow worker now due to my medical problems and being somewhat of a perfectionist so I would expect that most of you could probably do it in a hour or so.

 

[jokermtb]

Do you have a side profile view? I'm interested in seeing how flat the seating area is, and how much the flat part extends towards the front and to the back of the seat. I like a flat seat, without a pocket one settles in (those seats tend to make me feel like I'm sitting on my nutz]. I tend to like to move around on the seat during a ride, so any additional photos or descriptions portraying how unrestricted the sitting area is would be helpful.

Nice job on the cover installation!

 

[DougInKY]

I will get some more photos today and post them this evening. I also expect that I will get some riding time in today and have a little better idea of how comfortable this seat will be for long rides as I will be carrying my sheepskin in my luggage (so I can use it if needed). This will let me better evaluate seat comfort as the sheepskin will not be a distracting factor in the evaluation. Will post that info also this evening.

 

[TrophyHunter]

http://www.stromtrooper.com/general-v-strom-discussion/64763-new-seat-option.html

Some pics here. MM - at your wt, I'd probably opt for the soft foam but contact Seat Concepts and they'll advise which way to go. They've been very prompt about returning emails & you can usually get 'em on the phone.

 

[DougInKY]

Got out and did some riding today. I really like my new seat. I did find that I can feel the seams at the top of the seat and suspect that they would bother me after a lot of hours in the saddle. Put my sheepskin on and it was great though, so I will be riding with my sheep in place (already suspected that as I love my sheep skin).

Took some more pictures but for some reason I can't log into my pics on SmugMug at the moment so I can't put them on here for the moment. Will add them when I get my problems resolved at SmugMug.

 

[DougInKY]

Okay, I got my issue with my pics resolved. Pics to follow...

This shows the from a slight angle. It is a little deceiving in that the seat cover tents towards the step at the back of the riders section. You can see some of how the tenting is in the next picture, there is actually more tenting than you can see from the picture.

And here is a picture from the side. (Remember that there is tenting at the back of the riders section.) The foam more closely follows that seam you see on the side towards the back.

 

[jokermtb]

I see how the tenting occurs - not really an issue at all, since I'm sure over time the vinyl will sack out a touch. My old Kaw seat that I modified did this a bit too. But, it doesn't make the seat look bad at all. It appears it has much less of a "butt bucket" effect so commonly seen on custom seats for the Wee/Vee. It looks like a pretty flat + roomy rider compartment there. I'm sure the sheepskin is the cherry on the sundae too.

I'm definitely intrigued about this saddle kit.

 

[DougInKY]

Yep. The big thing to decide for most will be how firm they want the foam to be. I like a harder seat as they make my back hurt less. Foam firmness is a very personal thing I think. When my wife had a big bike, we bought her a Mustang seat. It had softer foam and she loved it. I couldn't stand it, too soft. I didn't bottom out on the pan or anything, I just didn't like the softer foam. That one made my butt hurt after about 45 minutes in the saddle. She could ride for hours on it.

 

[TrophyHunter]

Thx for pointing out the "tenting"....I didn't really know how to describe it. The solution is to sew in another piece like Sgt did (see link to my pics) but then you add cost to the seat.

As mentioned, the tenting doesn't matter in the overall feel as the back support is there.