Opinions on After-market Seats Requested, 2009 Vulcan Classic LT

[Romans5.8]

Here's the thing. Any 'ready made' seat you buy is going to be 'one size fits all'. Most seem to love the Mustang seat (myself included! ESPECIALLY with the backrest, heed my advice, whatever seat you get, get the backrest. It can't be added later to the mustang. Get it now, and LOVE it). However, a Russel is custom made. I have NEVER seen anyone be dissappointed with a Russel seat. I've seen (albeit only a few!) people think the Mustang only slightly improved the comfort, or was worse!

My wife actually thinks the Mustang seat is worse than the stock seat. We put a gel pad on the top which helps. Yet she rides all day long on the stock seat on her Honda in perfect comfort, says it's the most comfortable motorcycle seat she's ever sat on. (I've ridden it, I dunno what planet she's from!) But for me? That Mustang is a DREAM and I can truly ride from tank to tank without any more than just a little stiffness.

But anyway, point is, only the Russel is going to absolutely work. But the Mustang will probably work, and if you are going to buy a ready-made seat... the Mustang Wide Touring is the way to go.

Also, if you don't already, get a set of highway pegs and a highway bar. Being able to stretch your legs out on a long trip will keep the blood flowing and actually improve your rear-end comfort. Plus, if you're like me, you'll find your new Mustang seat is so awesome on a long trip you can ride for 270 miles without stopping the first time you ride with it! And then, you get off, and your knees sound like machine guns... LOL. I got my highway pegs shortly after that. WHAT a difference. (Never could ride long enough before for my knees to get stiff!)

[Bill Braske]

I had a Corbin on my 900 (I don't have the 900 anymore).

I really liked it. So did the wife. The Russell looks comfortable, but man it's not much to look at.

I admit I'm shallow enough that that matters to me

[Strompilot]

Originally Posted by Bill Braske

I had a Corbin on my 900 (I don't have the 900 anymore).

I really liked it. So did the wife. The Russell looks comfortable, but man it's not much to look at.

I admit I'm shallow enough that that matters to me

But like I said, what matters is your comfort, especially if you tend to spend hours at at time in the saddle, and you don't see that seat when you're sitting on it. I agree that the Russell isn't as "sleek" looking as some others, but man, is it ever comfortable. For me, I won't give up comfort just so the seat looks good when I'm not sitting on it. In any case, when Russell makes a seat for you, they will make it the way you want it, and if you don't want the "wings," they'll give it a more traditional shape if you wish.

[Bill Braske]

Originally Posted by Nomad46

But like I said, what matters is your comfort, especially if you tend to spend hours at at time in the saddle, and you don't see that seat when you're sitting on it. I agree that the Russell isn't as "sleek" looking as some others, but man, is it ever comfortable. For me, I won't give up comfort just so the seat looks good when I'm not sitting on it. In any case, when Russell makes a seat for you, they will make it the way you want it, and if you don't want the "wings," they'll give it a more traditional shape if you wish.

Like I said, I prefer my bike to look good as I am shallow. Besides, I usually have to pee before my back/butt give me problems. Now if they made a seat that would enlarge my bladder...or hey, maybe a Void-O-Matic.

Honestly, I'm just not a guy who spends hours and hours in a row in the saddle. When I (or we) ride, we stop often and take it pretty easy. I'm not a real "Iron Butt" kinda guy and I budget my time accordingly. The Corbin suited me just fine and the Mustang on my V2K does, too.

[Strompilot]

I guess I forget that not everyone likes to ride long distances. When we lived in Idaho, that's pretty much what we did. We felt that a 50 mile ride was so short that it was almost not worth gearing up for it. Our normal day rides were anywhere from 150 to 400 miles. And we stop about every hour for a break. But than, that was us.

Oh, and I've never ridden one, but I'll bet the V2K is a great LD bike.

[tang56]

If you want the BEST!!.... Russell day long!! Runs about five hun (plain Jane) to a grand (top shelf) I could not be happier!!

[Bill Braske]

Originally Posted by Nomad46

I guess I forget that not everyone likes to ride long distances. When we lived in Idaho, that's pretty much what we did. We felt that a 50 mile ride was so short that it was almost not worth gearing up for it. Our normal day rides were anywhere from 150 to 400 miles. And we stop about every hour for a break. But than, that was us.

Oh, and I've never ridden one, but I'll bet the V2K is a great LD bike.

Don't get me wrong, we like to ride distances too. The last vacation we took in the cage was probably three years ago. We just stop more often than some. An hour or hour and a half with the wife and we're ready for a stop. Sometimes if I'm by myself I can go 2 1/2 or 3 hrs. if I'm really trying to get somewhere. Then I gotta get of and walk around a little.

And yeah, the V2K is a good road bike. But don't sell the 900 short, it handles the highway fine (as you know).

[cruiser900]

Here is an alternative to buying a new seat

[Bill Braske]

Originally Posted by cruiser900

Here is an alternative to buying a new seat

Is it hard to get the cover back on looking good?

[cruiser900]

Not at all. Use care in removing the old staples. I only removed enough
to reveal the main seat back to the pillion. I used an exacto
Knife to score lines of equal depth to match the outline of
The gel pad. Then pinch-rolled the foam in strips. Like skinning
a hide you under-cut as you go. The gel takes place of the missing
foam. Then take care to stretch the fabric tightly and work
side to side a few then turn 90 degrees and get the front taut. Use Monel type staples not the standard T-50
hardware type or they will rust

Good luck ....took me less than an hour