K11 Owners Group

Ernie-NH · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 10:04 am Post subject: Alternative K-bike seats ??

Hello all...

We talk a lot about seats here, and the fact that our K bikes are hot on rider's butts.. We even have a mod using a foil heat deflector under the seat
, but has anyone ever discovered a vented seat or one contoured to relieve groin pressure ?? Sounds like blasphemy I know, but last weekend I inspected a beautiful Honda VFR 1200 custom. This bike had a custom buff leather seat which was contoured to allow air to pass below the riders butt, and it had a lower center channel to relieve scrotum pressure. The workmanship was meticulous and bore a small inset logo "s"....I don't think I have ever sat on an MC seat as comfortable as this one.
Have any of you seen or experimented with different seat materials or contours ?? When I rode on the "dark side" I had saddles from Corbin ( pricey and not comfortable ) ,, Mustang ( cheap crap) ,, Russell Day Long ( hot, expensive but comfy, ugly as sin ) ,, and Sargent ( not bad, but not exceptional either) ... I cannot find out who made the custom seat on the VFR but would like to find someone who makes similar for our K bikes.. There is one in Switzerland ( Interlaken I think) but they don't respond, so guess I'll just have to go and ask at the door !
At any rate, "Seats for K" is the question, and looking to find the experiences of others.

Best regards all...ride safe....// Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 7:03 pm Post subject:

Ernie,

From what I have learned from others, I have an unusual derriere in that I find both of my Corbin seats very comfortable.

I have spent 14+ hour days in each of them with very minimal cheek squirm.

Does Sargent do custom work because they don't show K1100 products. BTW, I was very happy with the Sargent that I had on my very brief Concours flirt.
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:22 pm Post subject:

I've done long trips on the stock "comfort" seat, 2 different Corbin seats, and a Russel Day Long. All I can say is that I wouldn't trade the Russel for anything else.

As OTG was quoted from time past....."Felt like my A-- was cupped by the hands of an Angel". Though he still maintains that they are ugly as all h-ll.

As far as personal equipment comfort.... it all comes down to your riding gear, and everyone wears different. Gel padded bicycle shorts, seat beads, other hide covers....etc.....
_________________
Ride safe.

1995 K1100LT 0302044
1997 R1100RT ZC62149
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)

Ernie-NH · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:38 pm Post subject:

Hi John....

Try an hour or two on a Corbin "Gunslinger"... mounted to a Knuckelhead Bobber !

I dont think Sargent does any BMW work, either seats or covers... maybe custom. The Mustangs are all ( from what I can tell ) made for V-Twins and similar 'weekend riders'..socalled 'Off the Rack' they are all molded skins with injected foam padding.

I did like the Russell "Day Longs" ( big and cushy ) BUT for my taste, they are as ugly as sin !

The seat I have on my K is comfy enough, designed for the bike, but its wearing, and will have to be replaced or maybe better, to have a custom shop do the re-cover to my specs. I have ridden ( talking horses now ) a 1860s U.S. Cavalry saddle with the center section designed for air flow and physical pressure "relief", and always wished they made something similar for my bikes.. alas I have yet to find any ! Therefore it came as a surprise last week to see that VFR with just such a saddle. The LOGO 'S' was/is the only clue !

Have fun, ride safe.....// Ernie in NH

ps: Headed up thru Franconia and Sugar Hill on Thursday. Any place there to have lunch ??
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

Jim · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 12:06 am Post subject:

The seat on The K is a Sargent. I'm getting ready to call them - time to re cover it. It's on a BMW seat pan - and has a Sargent label - I guess they still do custom seat work.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repairing
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

Ernie-NH · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 5:50 am Post subject:

Hi Jim...

My seat has a tiny label that reads "EuroKraft" attached between the pan and the cover on the underside. When I looked for Sargent covers (BMW) last fall all I could find was complete seats, and then only for the Airheads, the others for K bikes were all newer models. Fs and Rs were well represented but not our older Ks..

The cover on my seat is beginning to separate at the piping seams.. I mean it is now 20 years old! Done well I think eh?

Regards....// Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:56 am Post subject:

wvoutpost · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:45 am Post subject:

Sargent does do custom work. They rebuilt my GSXR1000 seat with new foam cut to different dimensions, and covered it with my choice of material. Works great. Suggest giving them a call.

The seat you saw on the VFR sounds like Saddleman. They now offer a line of sport bike seats. Not sure they do any custom work.
_________________
93 K1100RS (2up)
98 VFR800 (Reddog)
06 GSXR1000 (Gixter)

Ernie-NH · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 3:17 pm Post subject:

Hi WV..

Thanks for that lead... I looked up Saddleman and though they have no Gallery of products to look at,,, the one inset add looks very much like what I saw. Apparently every seat is custom with them and the ball only gets rolling after a detailed discussion and description with them... they are in CA.

Thanks again for the tip...!!

Very best regards.....// Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

exavid · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:39 pm Post subject:

I had a Saddleman seat on my old Goldwing 1500 and didn't keep it very long. They made their own pan which didn't fit the bike very well and wasn't nearly as skookum as the OEM pan was. There's a Corbin on my K bike which is comfortable for me. Oddly enough I almost bought a Goldwing 1800 a couple years ago that had a Corbin that I found very uncomfortable. I guess the one on the K bike was ordered by a previous owner who was close to my size.
_________________
Paul W.
2013 C650GT
1995 K1100LT

Molon Labe

Ernie-NH · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 4:27 am Post subject:

Good morning guys....

Thanks of course for the input re "new saddles"... I have to admit I was unable to test-ride the VFR that I looked at, but "sitting only" the saddle was very comfortable. I have no idea how a "K" version would fit/feel in everyday riding however, and thats of course the big gamble whenever replacing a seat. My negative impressions of Corbin come only from one model that I had more than twenty years ago on an old V-twin, and it was NOT a touring saddle by any means. ( more like a suppository ) Based on what I'm learning here ( your input ) I'm going to give both Sargent and Corbin another look.... Saddles are expensive and not something you play with every day... I have to say the EuroKraft OEM saddle that I have on the "K" today is not hot, and not uncomfortable, BUT it is hard on the groin after 6 or more hours. That form of relief, plus the fab construction and choice of materials is what got me excited about the Saddlmen solution in the first place.

Of course one other solution is to work with a local craftsman to build exactly what one needs, and after I put the bike up for the long winter-nap, I think I'll take my seat/pan to investigate that avenue as well.. It might be expensive, but how many times do we get to do this ??

Thanks as always for sharing your experiences, before I spend my money !! ( unwisely ?? )

Very best regards.....// Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

Jim · Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 10:52 pm Post subject:

Ernie,

If you can find someone local to rebuild the seat, it might be a good idea to ride the bike there before you put it up, that way whomever is doing the work on the seat can see how you sit/fit on the bike. Might have a better chance of getting the seat you want that way.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repairing
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

Ernie-NH · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 7:57 am Post subject:

Good morning Jim...

DITTO on that ! I found a custom seat builder in Revere Mass that claims to understand the problem with "groin relief" ( ie: sitting on the jewels) for really long periods of time.. going to see them maybe this week.

After going back and "looking at and sitting on" the Saddlemen seat, Im not convinced that it really does what I think they say it does. So I'm not going to rush into a $500+ expenditure that may not be the right one.

The old Corbin I had on my V-twin "bobber" may not have been the right way to judge them, so based on John's input also going to give them a second look. Technology and materials are a lot different today than they were 25 years ago eh!

Will keep posting on this since maybe others can learn from my experiences here, good and/or bad, and invest more wisely their first time around !

Regards and ride safe all........// Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

Ernie-NH · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 12:43 pm Post subject:

Good morning all...

sorry to be so quiet this last month, but I went home to Germany for nearly all of October and just had no iNet access ( intentional ) and no time to play. Besides I needed to max on my limited time with friends and relatives ( dh. pubs and such ) ...so no excuses eh!

However I did look into "saddle replacement" while there, saw one from a Swiss company that looks really nice BUT feels harder and less compliant than a 2x4 !! Plenty of local custom leather workers etc. that would be more than competent, but again without the pan and my constant hanging over their shoulder, that too seems a less likely option.

So going to look again, very hard thus time, at the domestic USA/Canada suppliers to see what is the best solution for me... and NOT be prejudiced by previous experiences either good or bad !

When HMSP-8 rolls around I should have a good ( ie: GREAT ) new saddle to brag about, OR one to provide a constant source of complaint. I mean its ONLY 7.8 months away !...but who's counting !

Best to all, and whoever is still riding... Ride Safe !....// Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 9:33 am Post subject:

Ernie-NH · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 2:24 pm Post subject:

Hi John...

Excuse the "hangover" eh ?? Counted the "thumb" twice ! So its only 6- months. ie: 5.8 ,, BUT who's counting ??

That better ????

Ride safe all...........// Ernie in NH
_________________
AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 4:22 pm Post subject:

Hey Ernie, just can't come soon enough.

Haven't put the K bike away yet- gotta' love the heated gloves and jacket liner.

It was what, 4 or 5 years ago when we met Saltcreek for lunch on the first weekend of December?
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.