I'm pretty sure there aren't any aftermarket seats available yet, but just wanted to put a placeholder here for the first sighting to be posted! I took my first long ride on the bike last weekend, and except for one thing it was as good as expected. The one thing being, of course, the seat! I bought the bike with the lowered gel seat already on it, and for me it's just a torture device.

I actually rode straight to the nearest Kawi dealer before heading home, hoping to find a V on the showroom floor with a standard seat that I could try. They had one left, which a guy was in the process of buying. I actually offered to trade seats with him on the spot, but he wants to try the stock seat first. He's a little guy, and was up on his tippy-toes to hold the bike up, so he may go for it.

I'm 6' with a 34 inch inseam, so the lowered seat doesn't work for me. The pegs are too close, and Mr. Johnson is in constant contact with the steel gas tank! It's not terrible for my commute, but something must be done before I tour. I've always like Corbins, but they don't have one yet. I could go for a Mayer, but then I have to give up the seat for a month--in the spring! Woe is me...

I hear ya. thanks for the heads up on the seat.

If you can go to Hollister, California, you can have a free Corbin seat made for the Versys, and make it available for the rest of us; http://www.corbin.com/free_gear.shtml
The stock seat base is slanted causing you to rub forward to the tank, pinching your scrotum in the process. I added padding in the mid to front part of driver's seat section right away without taking off the vinyl, by stuffing a few feet of 6" X 1/4" white foam roll in through the vent holes in seat base... Problem solved.

Did you end up trading the guy for the gel seat? I might be interested in the swap, I just got a V and I'm up on my tip toes with it... Just like you, I wish I could try the seat first though. I don't want to feel more cramped in the legs with the shorter distance between the pegs and seat...