Sargent Seat

[Mellow]

Pros:

- Excellent Fit/Finish
- Not as 'hard' as some seats and not anywhere near as 'weak' as the stock seat
- No need to send in stock seat
- Built in storage is great for those items you need but don't need often
- Available with different material, texture and welt colors
- VERY Comfortable

"On my stock seat, the second day of a two-day 800 mile/day trip would feel like mile 801. On the Sargent seat, I've gone 1,100 miles in one day and the next morning I felt like I could go another 1,100 miles. In my situation, it was the best possible solution."



Cons:

- I can't think of any


Price$619 at (click here for Sargent Cycle, (http://www.sargentcycle.com/howsst1300.htm))

Overall Level of Satisfaction:
Very Very High, the best accessory I've added.

http://www.sargentcycle.com/images/WSHOST13a.jpg

http://www.sargentcycle.com/images/WSHOST13d.jpg http://www.sargentcycle.com/images/WSHOST13b.jpg

[Fireball18]

Joe,

Do you use anything like a sheepskin seat pad on your Sargent. After I sat on yours at WeSToc IX, I bought one when I got home. Actually, I bought it from someone off one of the two ST1300 boards. It was nearly new. Sargent says no break in is required, however I feel like it is going to take some time for it to properly break in. I use a sheepskin pad from Alaska Leather on it, mainly because it's cooler than sitting directly on the vinyl.

In my opinion, the Sargent seat is everything the stock SHOULD be, but is not. It's just enough wider that it provides the lateral support that the stock seat doesn't, and it's firm enough that I don't feel like I sink down to the seat pan after about an hour. What I don't know is whether it's the lowboy seat or the regular one. I'm thinking that it may need another layer of foam to bring it up a tad. What I do appreciate about it is that it doesn't scoot me forward into the tank. Great seat, all in all.

[Dave Wicks]

Hi Mellow, my question is about adjustment after you put on the Sargent, and about how it impacts the overall seat height. Got short legs so that is a concern for me. May have to suffer to plant the feet. Interested in feed-back on that issue...

[ducman748]

The Sargent seat uses the factory adjuster, so you have all three settings. I'm short legged too, and it feels to me like the Sargent makes it a little easier to reach the ground. I agree with the above posts on quality and comfort. It's a good product, but is a bit expensive. You can get a little discount for Cal Sport Touring ($549 I think)

[NormanPCN]

Mellow,
Where did the stock seat made you hurt. Sit Bones?, Tail bone? Someplace else? Just trying to understand what was bad for you regarding the stock seat, and therefore what the Sargent fixed for you. If someone gets the same pain you did, then the fix that worked for there is a better likelyhood of it working for someone else.

[Mellow]

Fireball,
I don't use a sheepskin. I've never really felt the seat got all that hot. Then again, in Texas everything gets hot sitting in the 100+ degree summer for more than 5 mins.

Dave Wicks,
I have about a 30inch inseam, on a good day, and with both the stock seat and the Sargent I am on the balls of my feet. At first, the Sargent seat felt higher as it's a little wider and the foam is thicker density so it takes a while to get used to is.

NormanPCN,
I sit a little forward so my pain was more on my sit bones. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Austin city limits]

When you talk to Sargent owners,,, 99.3% of them have the seat in a higher position in front,,, than on the back to keep you from sliding forward...

When I talked to Sargent they said they have never heard of anyone setting the front higher than the back and it should not be nessacary...

?????

Well,,, I still ordered a Sargent,,, and I will wager a $1 and a donut that I too,,, will have the seat 1 click higher on the front,,, than on the back...

Owners know things... ;)

[alan]

I received my new Sargent seat yesterday. I have installed it in the highest setting just like the stock seat and the Sargent does not appear to slide me forward towards the tank like the stock seat does. Since we had a 12 inch snowfall over the weekend, I won't get to actually test the new seat for quite a while. But it gave me an excuse to just sit on the bike in the garage and dream about actually riding. :)

[Fireball18]

The stock ST1300 seat is shaped so that it pitches the rider forward, and when you let off the throttle or apply the brakes, you slide forward into the rear of the gas tank. Further, the foam in the stock seat is too soft, and after about an hour (for me) it feels like you've sunk right down to the seat pan. I removed the cover from my stock seat and altered the foam in the rear portion so that it was shaped a bit flatter. This seemed to partially solve the sliding forward problem, but the foam is still too soft. Too soft is not good. I am going to experiment with some good seat foam I got and see if it makes a difference. BTW, the discomfort I felt with the stocker was with the "sit" bones. Things got pretty squirmy after about an hour. The sheepskin pad helped, but didn't cure it.

As for the Sargent seat, it appears to me that it sits pretty darn level if placed in the same slots front and rear, having only a very slight forward leaning tendency, but it doesn't seem to cause me to slide forward on deceleration or brake application or going downhill like the stock seat does, at least for me. Having come from a Gold Wing, I was used to a bolt upright seating position, so I tend to favor my seat being a slot lower in the rear than the front. I currently have mine in the middle position in front and the lowest position in the rear. I sometimes place it in the top slot in front and middle slot in the rear. It won't go into the lowest slot in the rear with the front in the top slot.

I think the Sargent (again) is a very well made seat and provides a comfortable riding platform. They are somewhat like the Corbin, in that, unless you go to the factory to have it made, you get a seat that is designed for the "average" rider in mind. Since we are all made a little different ( or a lot in some cases), we tend to customize a bit to achieve full satisfaction.

[Dave Wicks]

Thanks for the feed-back on seat height. Just a note, if you lift the front part of the seat off you will notice 2 small rubber rectangle blocks that the back of the seat sits on. I removed those (still have stock seat) and it drops the back of the front seat by about 1 1/4 inches. Helps stop the sliding forward feeling when seat in lowest position, makes the seat feel at little bit lower.

[nm6r]

I too concur with the comments regarding the Sargent seat.

I thought I was going to either never walk again or never sit again after a 500+ mile day on the stock seat. The second day was just as horrible. On shorter rides I would begin to feel it after a couple hours.

I bought a Sargent seat and found I really stay put and it was the comfort answer. I was amazed for a non-customized, off-the-shelf seat. Now I can go and go and am ready to go again.

For those unfamiliar with the Sargent seat, the underseat storage is a small door for paperwork and a large tube for tools or whatever. I found it to be a good place to carry medicine as it's the only place on the bike that doesn't get hot. I also carry some other stuff in there.

Ray

[NormanPCN]

NormanPCN,
I sit a little forward so my pain was more on my sit bones. Thanks for the suggestion.

I sit back and my sit bones are the problem. I have no butt and I weigh 220. I am going to try the Sargent since on a direct purchase you can try for 30 days and return for a full refund and thus am only out the shipping. My Rocky Mayer just does not cut it for me. He completely redid it and no dice. The hack that Mark Lawrence did to the seat made it workable for my sit bones but the foam is still bad elsewhere.

I like the fact that the Sargent is a "sport" seat so you can move around on it. At WESTOC I thought the feel of the foam on your seat was nice. The cover is not friggin glued to the foam. Given my sit bones, I might still need to tweak the seat some by dishing it under my sit bones, but it should be a far better base than a stock seat pan or my current ******* setup.

[Fireball18]

Norm,

You and I seem to be thinking along the same lines. Shouldn't be too hard to modify the Sargent if it, in fact needs it. Last year, I rode to WeSToc on my stock seat. It was only 458 miles, but we took two days to do it. I was glad for my rearend's sake. We did the return ride from Minden to Boise in one day, and I was squriming around pretty good by the end of the day. Fortunately, we ran into enoug lousy weather and wind to fight that it took my mind off the lousy seat. LOL!

[Jeff F]

Does anyone have a recommendation for seat cover material? Carbon Fx & Griptex - Which one's better? Why?

Many Thanks, Jeff

[nm6r]

As I recall, carbon fx has less of a texture compared to the griptex. The griptex would be slightly cooler in summer heat due to less surface area but more difficult to clean, both a result of deeper depressions.

I went with the carbon fx and black welts for my 2004. It took just a little getting used to as I was after a very stock appearance. I thought about going with all black trim (no texture) but Sargent said there would be a restocking fee if I sent it back since it wasn't an off the shelf design.

Ray

[Austin city limits]

Well,,, my Sarget seat and Backrest got here today!!! It does look GREAT!!! I always had Corbin on my Concours and it out of the box never looked as impressive as this... Every detail looks perfect...

Only problem I can see so far is,,,

My 2005 ABS won't be here for at least 1 week,,, and it was 50 degrees out today!!! :-(

[NormanPCN]

Shouldn't be too hard to modify the Sargent if it, in fact needs it.

Supposedly Sargent can work with you on modifictations. On their site they reccomend going stock and they talk later after you understand the interface between their seat and your butt.

You are from Meridian!, my grandparents lived in Star. I spent summers up there in my grade school days... decades ago.

[Fireball18]

Yeah, we moved here from Alaska in 2002. We really like it here, too, especially having the ability to go anywhere we want without having Canada in the middle. No offense to Canada, but from Alaska, one must either fly out (expensive) or drive/ride through Canada, which is a long ways!!! We also have a heckuva lot more riding season down here, which was part of why we moved. Lived up there 50 years.

[skydog]

How does this compare against the Corbin Standard in price and comfort. Anyone?

[Fireball18]

Corbin wants $379 for the non-heated seat and $649 for the heated seat. Obviously they're pretty proud of that heating element. The Sargent is around $645 for their seat. They apparently don't offer a heated seat. The Sargent is comfortably firm and supportive. The Corbin is like sitting on a slap of concrete, although a few folks really like the Corbin for some reason. Corbin's customer service sucks, at best. Sargent's customer service is excellent. Personally, I think the Sargent is worth the extra money.

[skydog]

Thanks Fireball,
You probably just saved me from buying a Corbin.

[Mellow]

I had a Corbin Close model prior to getting the Sargent... It was very hard and a little too Close for me, I like the option to push myself back a little on those long stretches.

I put just over 2k on the Corbin and it never felt like it was ever going to 'break in' so I broke down and got the Sargent.

Lots of people like the corbin and now that I have given it a try I can say I do not, a different bike, a different corbin seat maybe a different story but not on my ST.

[Mellow]

Just so you guys know, I invited one of the Sargent Seat reps (SCP) here and told her she could PM you guys and ask if it was okay to use your comments on their testimonial area.

I think the more vendors we get involved in seeing the activity here, the more will possibly provide more of a selection of accessories in the future.

[Horst]

Ha ha ha ! ... yup, that's sorta true. I liked my Corbin on my Beemer and also on my new-to-me 2002 ST11. They are uh, firm shall we say, but I like the 'bucket' style and the firmness does wear in after awhile. I don't need a sheepskin on it, some do and that's ok. I bought both used and saved some cash doing so .... Corbin may be for you, or maybe not. RIDE ! :)

[Killtimer]

The Corbin for the ST1100 and the new Corbin (1 piece) for the ST1300 share only a name. They are as different as night and day in design. I loved the Corbin Dual Canyon I had on my ST1100, but after a few hours on a borrowed ST1300 Corbin I went another route. I'm now on a Sargent and after about 8 hours of PMS induced garage vrooom vrooom time....... I like it.

Steve

[SporTnTR]

Something i'm sort of curious about. if Sargent offers a 30 day money back wty, who ends up purchasing that "used" seat? Is it possible that some unsuspecting future new seat purchaser could end up with it?

[nm6r]

I'm thinking it's a rare occasion someone sends it back. I thought the likelihood of me really being happy with the $600 off-the-shelf (non-custom) seat was very slim. Apparently they know something about butts, or at least what riders need. I am very pleased with the quality, storage and comfort.

Ray

['04 ST1300A in NJ]

Sargent seat listed on Ebay. New---$549.

Anyone deal with "Part Monster", the vendor?


NEW* Sargent Seat Honda ST1300 ST 1300 ST-1300 Item number: 4523766535

Starting bid: US $549.95

price: US $575.95


Time left: 9 days 21 hours
10-day listing, Ends Feb-08-05 18:03:10 PST
Start time: Jan-29-05 18:03:10 PST
History: 0 bids
Item location: Lexington Park, MD
United States

Ships to: United States, Mexico, Europe, Australia, Asia, Canada
Shipping costs: US $13.99 - UPS Ground (within United States )
Shipping and payment details [/B]
[/B]

[Austin city limits]

Here is where I got my Seat for the same price & also ordered my Backrest... I ordered other stuff too at the same time,,, and you have a real,,, live,,, person/company others have dealt with many times that will back it down the road...

Here... (http://www.casporttouring.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=st1300_seats)

['04 ST1300A in NJ]

Forgot about that site.

thanks

[AZST]

I like the way the Sargent looks on the 03--against the silver. Any opinions on how it looks on the 04 against the Blue??

Any opinions?


--Bryan

[Fireball18]

I put mine on my wife's blue '04 just to see how it looks, and it looks great, especially with the silver piping around the edges of the seat.

[farblue1]

Looks like most of you like the Sargent .

[farblue1]

Opps ..... I like the look of the Corbin .... does anyone have anything good to say about the Corbin?
Dan

[Fireball18]

Looks good standing in the corner of the garage?

[Killtimer]

A friend of mine loves his, but nobody else will. :) He stopped in on a California trip and had Corbin do some mods. They cut down the foam and re-shaped the saddle in the rider area. *NOTE* It's important to state that they happened to stop in when the old man (Mike) was around. He was more than happy to work on their saddle until they were happy. Don't expect the same service from the son. I know of a few people that are happy with Corbins. Whatever fits *you* best is the right saddle.

Steve

Opps ..... I like the look of the Corbin .... does anyone have anything good to say about the Corbin?
Dan

[NewsMag]

I have a Corbin on the ST13, and I had one on the ST1100. Also tried the stock seats and a Russell. Most people hate the Corbin because it's so hard, and it is true that it NEVER will soften up. It's all personal preference. My experience is that the hard seat is less comfortable than a softer one (stock or Russell) for short trips (<100 mi), but that a firmer seat serves well on anything over that. I think most ST11 Corbin owners felt the same way.

On the ST I nearly always go over 100 miles between stops, and I like the Corbin. I have done many 400-500 mile days 2-up. Did one 700 mile day (all twisties), and that was about 100 too many for both of us! I did have the ST11 Corbin seat customized at the factory (for both myself and the pillion) and it was like a glove. The ST13 is a "stock Corbin" and seems to be good enough for me. Though if I ever find myself near Hollister, I might spend a day getting it customized.

I didn't find the Russell to be as comfortable, and it's a damn ugly seat to put on such a pretty bike!

[NormanPCN]

Ordered my Sargent. Expected ship date 2/7. As soon as it arrives I will post my views here. For those sitting on the fence regarding the Sargent, my body type is 6'5" 215lbs and a flat nonexitant butt. Most people do not have my body type, so it is hard to compare their experience to myself.

[THREEDFLYER]

Stay clear of Corbin! As a previous post stated, it's like concrete and the break in period NEVER happened with mine! I am about 165 pounds and I would think even a 300pounder would have a tough time breaking in a Corbin!

I just ordered up a Sargent for my '04.

Should be here in a couple weeks.

Tom

[Austin city limits]

my body type is 6'5" lbs and a flat nonexitant butt. Most people do not have my body type, so it is hard to compare their experience to myself.

?????

?!?!?!?!

That is EXACTLY,,, my body!!! Well,,, take away 2 1/2 inches in height,,, add 5 pounds of "Goo" around the middle...

There was a rumor that I had meat on my arse,,, but it has been proven to be a myth... :rolleyes:

[VF1000R]

Yo folks,

I find if I'm gonna keep this puppy I've got to do something about that seat and shield.

I came from a V65 Sabre , Hondaline Fairing , full bags, rifle windshield , highway pegs and lots of legroom. The seat was a Dual Cruiser Corbin that was in effect 2 bucket seats. the ride was extremely comfortable, 500 mile days were easy. I want that same feeling on the ST. Can I get it ?

I'm finding my 6'1 , 275 bod a bit cramped, and sliding forward.

The stock windshield at 3/4 up and above magnify's the problem with the back pressure.

The ole Corbin was not particularily pretty for a ST style bike but functionality was good, comfort was well above expectations.

I do however , see that Corbin's approach to the ST , by eliminating any adjustment dosent sit well with me. Killing the adjustment tells me that they are saying to you take it or leave it.

Anyway, just some rants. I'm in the mode of trying to come to grips with a new bike after a serious accident took my Sabre. Last "NEW" bike was a 1978 CB750.

And I still am not happy about the heat coming off the heads onto my legs.

[GRN]

You'll find lots of folks here with the same issues, and many personal preferences in how they resolved them. I have the CalSci med sheild in transit to me as I write, my build date for a Rick Mayer saddle is June 24, and I got the hondaline mirror and fairing deflector set for many reasons including the heat. With the sheild from CalSci, I also have the belly pan comming, some folks have noticed that the change of airflow created by the bottom scoop has helped with the heat issue. Farkle away!

[Marshal_Mercer]

You'll find lots of folks here with the same issues, and many personal preferences in how they resolved them. I have the CalSci med sheild in transit to me as I write, my build date for a Rick Mayer saddle is June 24, and I got the hondaline mirror and fairing deflector set for many reasons including the heat. With the sheild from CalSci, I also have the belly pan comming, some folks have noticed that the change of airflow created by the bottom scoop has helped with the heat issue. Farkle away!

I think that you'll really like the Rick Mayer seat; I wouldn't part with mine. I have found, though, that much of my comfort level is based upon what I wear while riding. If I go with leathers I'm good, jeans less so. Undergarment(s) also make a difference: some have seams that dig into one's legs for example. Bicycle shorts do not seem to make any difference when I have my leathers on but do when I don't.

Also, being able to move about the seat (squirm) seems to be helpful. When Rick built my seat I let him know that sitting flat on the seat, being able to move, and reaching the ground were my needs; that and being able to ride for many hours at a time. He accomplished that for me in spades.

Have a good "ride-in".

Marshal

[GRN]

Wish I were riding in... don't have time for a rip to Cali, not sure the wifeal unit would get it either... so I'm doing a "mail in" and crossing my fingers. Reach and the seat angle are biggies for sure... I'm 5'10 with the inseam of the average 5'6"er... can't find pants short enough, or shirts long enough. The way the seat angle changes when you drop it to the lowest position is awful... give that design genius the donkey award! I'm :BDH: sorry. I talked to several lucky owners who did mail ins and are quite happy, so I went for it.

[Ken]

I'm still on the fence, but falling quickly. I have a chance to purchase a slightly used Sargent built on the stock platform with their standard foam and perforated leather. The owner had a Corbin on his last bike and prefers them. Very good condition, $325. Wondering...

[GRN]

no down time with Rick Mayer... has ST pans he builds on, you don't send him your seat 'til after you have gotten the new one.

[crazykz]

Rick is at the Iron Butt National Meet in Omaha this weekend. Just saw him today in the lobby. Hurry up and get here.

Curt

[relliot499]

I'm thinking of replacing my stock seat and thought I had settled on the Russell until I read these posts on the Sargent seat. Does anyone have any experience between these two seats. I run about 260# and everything I read seems to indicate that the spring system in the Russell would be better. At least until I drop some lbs. I do like the fact that with Sargent I wouldn't have to send my stock seat in. Also, the great customer service is nice too.

Any thoughts anyone?

Thanks,
Bob

[Ken]

Any thoughts anyone?
Try a used one on for size to see how it fits you. They are out there if you look. I was recently able to purchase a slightly used Sargent in mint condition -- perforated leather -- for half the cost of a new one. If you don't like it, it's easy to sell it and get back your money.

Tip: Look for ST's for sale that have aftermarket saddles. The owners may be willing to sell the saddle separately if they still have the stock saddle (or you can send them your's) and they will get more money for it selling separately than with the bike.

Happy hunting!

[relliot499]

I thought I had settled on the Russell day long saddle but some of the comments about the Sargent are making me think. I looked at the pictures of the seat on the Sargent web site and the seat does look FIRM. I'm concerned my old bones aren't going to like this. Has anyone used both of these seats so they can offer a good comparison about the comfort of each?

Thanks,
Bob

[crazykz]

I've heard good things about both but if the Russell might be better if you want to spend a little more. Not sure really. The Sargent is firm and I just did a 2500 in 48 hour ride with no issues on mine. I'm 36-ish.

Curt

[Killtimer]

RC hit the nail on the head re: the custom aspect of saddles. The only thing I can add is if you go the custom route make sure the saddle builder knows exactly what you want. More importantly, make absolutely sure you know what you want. I learned the hard way that I didn't know, communicated what I thought I wanted to the builder, and as a result the custom saddle I had made was a disappointment. FWIW I've now got a Sargent, and while it's an improvement over stock, it's not quite the answer for me. Maybe a few 100k more miles and I'll figure it out. :rolleyes:

[BeBeep]

There is another thread on this website that similarly discusses Sargent saddles. I placed the same concern on it as follows:
I installed my Sargent in the mid-position, the same as my stock seat, however, with the Sargent I now have stress on my wrists and pain at the base of my neck. Anybody else have a similar problem or a solution?

I have a Sargent and have not experienced any problems as you have described. Can you post the link to the other thread so I can check it out?

Thanks

[st1300forever]

Thanks for all the info, I still have a question. I am 6.3" and 190 lb. I always ride with the passenger. What kind of seat will work for me? I am between Sargent and Russel Day long. Any advise will be helpful. Thank you.