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Another Seat Concepts Review ;(

34K views 67 replies 32 participants last post by  Iamlegend21087 
#1 · (Edited)
Let's start with the pros:

- Firmer than the stock seat
- Raised front end makes for nutbag comfort
- Flattened pillion makes for easier bag mounting

Now for not-so-pros:

- Seat almost didn't want to go on. I had to force it a bit, but once there, the fit was snug
- Seat edges bite into the middle thigh somewhat, causing minor discomfort
- Riding position is all jacked:
- riding alot further back, now having to reach for the bars, very uncomfortable. More pressure on the grips and after about 20 minutes, my back was hurting. Perhaps a bar riser would correct this.
- riding maybe an inch higher, face full in the wind and no longer able to flatfoot at a stop.
- I don't feel as in-control as I did on the stock seat

I don't think I'll be comfortable with the new seat without spending more $$. Now the question is, do I go back to stock or buy a riser and see if it helps. I really love my V, but this seat makes me want to buy another bike.

If anyone wants to buy it, let me know. Only rode about 15 miles on it. All carbon fiber, standard foam.
 
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#42 ·
I had to sell my SC seat. I lowered the bike with Speedy's links, and the bike was perfect for me. The SC seat raised me back up to stock height and moved my back farther. :( I'm living with the stock seat for in town riding. If I go for a longer ride, I put the Airhawk on.

The quality of the SC seat is not in doubt. So much so, that I'm going to give it another try with an SC seat for my CRF250L. I'll take the whole bike to my seat guy, and we can mod it as needed.
 
#43 · (Edited)
I think the shoulder issue had more to do with riding with a backpack all day...so I'll hold on that risers thought for a while, I think I'll keep it just as it is. No seat will be perfect for everyone, but it's perfect for me and for the price the quality is impeccable. If you're tired of the slop on the stock seat and are 5'10" or taller, give it a try. Worse case scenario, you put it back for sale on this forum and it's gone in 24h, at 150$ you can't lose much. Not the case if you bought the seat 4-600$ and it doesnt fit you well...I highly recommend it. If you live near Montreal and want to check it out in person, give me a shout!

 
#44 ·
I'll throw my .02 on the SC seat. A lot has already been noted by others and I agree with most of what has already been said......

My bike is lowered, not with Speedy's lowering kit but with a Ninja shock, I think it's about the same height however.

At first I didn't care for it much. Totally different feel (riding position) with the SC seat. Then I pulled the bars back towards me a tad until it felt comfortable, made a huge difference. At first, the SC seat had me to far back, now I've learned to just scoot up a bit, another huge difference. The more I ride on the seat the more I like it. Now that I've forgotten how the old seat felt, the SC is a keeper. It took some time to adjust however like anything else the more you do something the comfortable it becomes. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 7.5 and yes I'd recommend trying it. By the way, I'm around 5'9.

PS, same as above, if anyone wants to try it out who lives around Atlanta just let me know.
 
#49 ·
A tip for folks looking at Seat Concepts: Google "Seat Concepts Coupons" and you'll find at least one or two, usually giving you somewhere around $15 off. Some are associated with forums for other bikes, but the coupon is still honored by the website at checkout.
 
#50 ·
SC compare

How does the passenger portion of the SC compare to the stock, I really would like to eliminate it in the stock. I feel like scooting back a bit but I cant because of the hump. Maybe the higher rise in the groin area of the SC helps compensate this by keeping you from sliding forward?
 
#51 ·
The passenger seat on the SC is slightly higher (my friend felt like it was just higher enough to make it less comfortable to grab the handles on the sides), and having the front seat go further back it makes the passenger a bit closer to you. But she does not slide towards you, even if visually the stock one as a hump that seems like it helps keep the passenger on the back, in reality there isnt a great difference in how the passenger seat keeps the passenger in place.
 
#55 ·
No one ever posts a SC pic on Vs. 650.

Even the SC web site Product for models does not work.

And the reviews from people below 6'-1" are unanimously against them.

So I do not have anything positive to go by on the site, except for 6'2" Joe likes them. And if I was another inch taller, that would be enough for me. My modular pads are working fine and I can adjust them better. I was just thinking what if, but the cheapest (pretty well thought-out) solution wins again.

This is a great site for guiding Vs. owners. It's got 99% of everything, and Joe's tried them all. THANKS JOE! You are the Man! You've spent a lot of money and time on all of the accessories. :thanx: :thanx:
 
#56 ·
At 6' with a 30" inseam I have been very happy with my Seat Concepts seat.
 
#57 · (Edited)
Well, I checked out Sargents seats on this site, an maybe people did not use their 30 day trail to its advantage. A $350 softball mitt takes 30 days to break in, so a $350 seat may need to be broken in as one member here said from having one for a while.

Ebay had them for about $350 lowered (all this lowering and rising stuff changes with every other additional piece - ??) Except, they are still sitting on a fence post seat design (see below.)

ANYWAY, I saw my favorite design to date (For BMW F650, F800, Suzuki DL650, and Kawasaki KLR650,... Dang it! No Vs. 650) They are Saddlemen seats styled like a BMW G450X craddle seat styled like a Spider Flex bicycle seat (the ONLY way I can ride a bicycle!) It's the inverse of riding on fence post, for men or women. I have always thought they looked like the perfect motorcycle seat, or the closest design to the SpiderFlex bicycle seat for motorcycles. The dual rail means you can sit all over it in different positions track racing or touring in comfort, changing positions to maintain circulation in all parts of your bottom and legs (even sitting in a perfect position is not perfect forever and will cut circulation off anywhere bones are bottomed out at.)

I did ergonomics, work physiology, time/methods/posture/repetition, and other anatomical designs in manufacturing operations of all types. Then I was forced to look at bicycles when I had problems riding without getting cramps in my tail bone. Now I may be ready to see if I can get a Saddlemen seat, my long time favorite from a CA BMW dealer web site. Hopefully it should not be too different between a KLR and/or a BMW 650?? BUTT (ha ha), it should be obviously the theoretical best motorcycle seat design to anyone who knows about Spiderflex bicycle seats (I mean it's not that difficult, hanging or crushing your privates, and comfortable ways to change seating positions...duh!)

Anyway, from many aspects, the Saddlemen track seats (made for dual purpose bikes generally) are the best designed seat for man and woman for any kind of motorcycle riding. It should theoretically raise anyone's maximum seat time touring in significantly more comfort :clap: :clap:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Saddlemen-Adventure-Track-Seat-Fits-Kawasaki-KLR650-2008-2013-/311244356329?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item48779bfae9

 
#59 ·
if you go to the Ebay site you listed..and run a Versys through the fit calculator..the Saddlemen don't fit a Versys...Having said that..I ride a Sargent's low seat on my 2012..and I love it...my skinny bonny butt can sit in that baby all day...I did add a TechSpec seat pad to keep from sliding up into to gas tank and mashing my nads (that was from bad riding skills more than from the seat...if you grip the tank with your knees..like you are supposed to do..sliding up into the tank and mashing your nads won't happen..D'oh)...thinking back..the Sargents seat did seem a lot stiffer when I first got it...

:cheers:
 
#64 ·
thanks Joe. I'm one of the weird ones who really does not have an issue with the OEM, having raised the front about 1/2 inch with washers. I'm going to try the lowering kit. If you know off the top of your head, how much of kickstand do I need to cut off? If not, I can look it up a thread.
 
#65 · (Edited)
Not sure how much to cut off. I didn't have to cut any off because my bike had such a lean from where the kickstand mounts to the bike. When i first got the bike was just after my hip injury i would mount the bike by standing on the peg and swinging my leg over. So with my weight the mount bent some.
Heres a photo with the block of wood i had to put under the kickstand to get rid of the lean before lowering it....

Untitled by weljo2001, on Flickr
 
#66 ·
Love my Russel Day Long seat. I picked one up very lightly used here on the forums I am very pleased with it. Pretty much everything Weljo2001 says about it is true: "You have to slide forward on it to flatfoot" but after several months of riding it does not bother me one bit.

I'm 6'2" and about 210lbs and the OEM seat caused me excruciating pain after about an hour. With the RDL I can ride for 2 hours or so with no stops and be just fine. Only my legs get a little sore which is why I want highway pegs.
 
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