Probably not an ST approved farkle

[jackpine savage]

After a year and a half I finally added a farkle. Like most of you I needed to do something about the awful stock seat but just couldn't pull the trigger on a $400 or higher custom seat. Last week I bought a black sheepskin from sheepskin.com and it really makes a difference. I rode 3 hours on Sunday without one case of numbnuts. Plus the wool allows your backside to breath so I didn't get sweaty down there at all in spite of the warm day. Their sheepskin rug which is just a complete skin just covers both passenger and rider's seat sections. My wife thought it was great too.
David

[Killtimer]

I've been using a sheepskin for years, they're fully approved for the ST. The New York cab driver wood bead cushion however.................. :)

[jackpine savage]

I knew someone here had mentioned a sheepskin but I couldn't remember who. A good friend of mine has used one for years, on his motorcycles, in his truck, and on his snowmobile. He takes it everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if he takes it in at night and sleeps with it. We call him Linus. :rolleyes:

David

[AgSTreak]

Mine works, and that's all that matters. What I do with it off the bike is my business! I guess saying I love it now would not be entirely appropriate. :rolleyes:

[crinteastwood]

Mine works, and that's all that matters. What I do with it off the bike is my business! I guess saying I love it now would not be entirely appropriate. :rolleyes:

Agstreak - as long as its just the sheepskin and not the whole sheep - the word love is ok
Mick :04biker:

[Highrider]

This week I received my Corbin seat for my 05' ST1300 - I purchsed only the front section for $220.00 -it is worth every penny. I also have an 02' ST1100 the I put a Corbin seat on 2 years ago, and I feel it is still not broken in after 18,000 miles -but it feels good and everyone that has sat on that bike has gone out and purchased the same.
Although, I took a 6200 mile trip in 10 days last summer through the Rocky Mountains and the fresh Corbin was fine on the old rear end. I tried using the seat pads and determined they are more trouble on a long trip than the little added comfort they provide. Corbin claims a hard seat is better than soft if it has the proper design and gives good support. Anyway, on the new seat I had them use the softer foam and custom color trim to match the bike. All delivered in 10 days - I'm real happy with this investment.
Just thought I'd pass it along for those considering seating options.

Now I need to find a backrest that is not 1.5 times the cost of the seat -may have to make one to stay in the budget.

[ST_Jim]

RC, do you use the sheepskin with your Sargent seat? I found the sheepskin essential with the STock seat, but the jury is still out on my Sargent.

Jim

[Kennedy]

Hey may be I should try one on them. Did you order the single pelt size 2ft x 3 ft.??

[AgSTreak]

I find that using the sheepskin lengthens the time I spend in the saddle. Once my butt starts screaming, I go back to the modified OEM (Sargent due to arrive 7/12 :D ). Once my butt starts screaming again I go back to the sheepskin and my grateful butt doesn't dare complain again!! This worked well on my first 550 mile day (almost all backroads). :03biker:
I guess this is because of different pressure points on the two surfaces. The side edges of the saddle are what leave lasting impressions. Hopefully the Sargent will help there. I will report on the Sargent saddle/sheepskin combo after my aug 5-7 trip up north.

[AgSTreak]

Pic below. Purchased at a sheepskin store on the Mohawk Trail for $28. Great buy and a great farkle. :bow1: :bow1: :bow1: :03biker:

[CaptRedHawk]

[QUOTE=Highrider]This week I received my Corbin seat for my 05' ST1300 - I purchsed only the front section for $220.00 -it is worth every penny.

Did you keep the back seat stock? If so, how does it look with the OEM back section? Could you post a picture if you get a chance?

Thanks,
Wayne

[Highrider]

Wayne
I'll try to attach a picture - I not quite sure this will work.

Attached is a picture of my setup with the Corbin front and OEM back section. I think it looks better live than in the image. And by the way, my wife is fine with the OEM rear section. For the balance of riding I do alone or 2 up, this has been a great combination for the cost.

[Carl_T]

Sargent front, modified stock rear, looks even funnier than before now.

Before the Sargent, I modified the stock back pillion seat by scooping it out to level, adding a gel pad and putting 3/4 inch of memory foam on that and an 1/8 in cover over the whole mess of a water-proofy stuff I had around. It came out with a few very small wavy lumps. I just put the gel pad in mine (riders) and scooped the seat top out to level shaped for my own butt, no waves. I could really reach the ground great as I took of about ¾ in. or more.

Since I didn't like the small waves look, I ordered the Sargent. Wife absolutely hates it, she still kept sliding forward on braking like the stock, and there were hot spots on both thighs where the front side edges are (I had shaved that down some on the stocker). She makes me put my modified stock "pillow seat" back on now whenever she comes along for the ride. With the soft scoop I ground in there for her butt (about an inch off if I remember right) she never slides forward even under hard braking and she can ride 30 times longer than she could with the unmodified stock, and 10 times longer than the Sargent. She is an extreme case though, as my daughter could manage the stock for quite awhile.

The riders Sargent is still slanted up just a little bit at the back, and after some long term use now my a_ _ begins to fatigue in it in about five eighths the time of my own modification due to the slant AND the fact I sit on my hipbones a bit more with the Sargent shape. I have to switch the riders seat out (with my own modified one) a few times back and forth to be 100% certain of this now and know exactly what the issues really are.

I posted this because I am riding around half the time with a Sargent front, and modified stock rear and they look quite different. The few waves of my wife’s rear seat are still on the bike and now the covers are completely different to boot.

Now I have to decide...
Sell the Sargent (I love the look) and refine my own modifications to look completely clean.

Send the seat back to Sargent and hopefully be able to communicate what I want them to do with the foam to modify it (a likely option but more $$$ so I'm not sure).

Modify the Sargent myself more carefully to take advantage of the wider seat front and back (I think maybe I know how to avoid the few small waves now). On the drivers I'd probably level it a bit more and put 1/4 inch of memory foam over the whole thing to start with, rather than mess with a gel pad. The back however would need major surgery.

Redo the stock this winter to take out the waves on the back, and save the Sargent to sell the bike with IF I ever do sell it (which I doubt right now).

Decisions, decisions, but seats are a very individual thing.

As it comes stock the Sargent is a decidedly very good improvement over stock, but since my own modified stock turned out even better in the comfort zone, I know more can be had (at least for my own butt configuration).

Damn the Sargent looks good though.

[AgSTreak]

I'm a little worried about the same thing happening to me Carl. My modified seat with the sheepskin (did I tell you I love that sheepskin :D ) is pretty comfy. BTW we will be passing the place where I bought the skin on our foliage trip.

[Carl_T]

Well, if we are passing it John, we will have to stop I fear. You have told me just enough times that I believe I will try it, maybe Dawn also. Heck if she likes a sheepskin I wouldn't have to fix Dawn's waves in her seat. :D less work is better. Can I cut one to her seat shape with a box cutter, without the ends messing up?

Since I may go back to my own modified stock, if I like the sheepskin on it, the Sargent will probably go rather than work on it.

Do you have your Sargent on? I know Steve and Maurine really love their Sargent, so it probably depends on individual variables whether it is the final solution for people or not.

[CaptRedHawk]

Thanks for the picture HighRider. It seems like it may be a good $ solution for me as well. It was good to see it on the bike.

Regards,
Wayne

[AgSTreak]

Not yet, it's on its way. Supposed to arrive on Tues 7/12.

[Carl_T]

Cool that's only a few days away. Don't pay any attention to me until I take the time to switch back and forth on rides as to the riders seat. My backside could just have decided to get tender early rather than the seat doing it. I'll know next week when I get to ride again, as I'll do back to back alternate test rides so I can isolate the differences.

[jnsgardner]

I, too, found the single Corbin seat too hard. It just wasn't breaking in as I thought it should after 1000+ miles, so I went and gave it quite a few whacks with a rubber mallet (3" dia.). I concentrated on a semicircular pattern where the back of my bottom would be. The first several whacks just made the mallet bounce back, but slowly I could see that I was stretching the leather, as it rebounded progressively more slowly than it did at first. There is now a hint of a curved dent in the foam under the leather when I sit on it. Probably, I broke down the foam slightly and stretched the leather at the same time.
It's better now, but not perfect. I'm going to make an appointment up at Hollister for the Friday after WeSTOC to take advantage of Corbin's customizing option.
I was also pleased to see the pictures of the dark red Smuggler posted. I got my Smuggler in May and it was a putrid purple which I returned. It wasn't even a close match. I don't know how anyone in Corbin's quality control could have allowed such a color to leave the paint shop. The posted pictures still don't look perfect. The color looks slightly darker and has less sparkle than the Honda dark candy red. It's worlds better than their May attempt but still not perfect. Maybe I'm being too picky, but for the price, I want it to be a true match. After all, why are some of us buying the Smuggler if not solely for the looks. Surely, it's not for the storage capacity and the backrest cushion is only for show anyway as it didn't come even close to my lower back. I freely admit that I'm putting out the cash for the looks and the looks alone. My STeed is the last bike I'll ever buy so I want to spare no expense for it to make a statement, not only to you, the committed brethren, but also to the great unwashed of what my idea and ideal of a perfect motorcycle should be.
But then, I'm preaching to the choir and it's late at night.

John