ST1300 Stock Seat

Joined
Nov 10, 2016
Messages
48
Location
South Central PA above the Mason Dixon line
Bike
2012 ST1300
I notice quit a few ST1300's with the stock saddles. Also some talk of how it is torture. I have rarely found a stock saddle that cut it for me, but most are too soft and in the case of a K1300LT it was soft and instead of bucket shaped. That bike saddle was a serous offense to my peritoneum and I would go numb.

My Norge had about the best stock saddle I had ever ridden.

I like Sargent saddles. I have owned a number of Corbins and they are hit or miss, they seem to work best the better the bikes suspension is.

Any opinions welcome. I am looking to buy a used ST1300.
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
8,112
Location
Cleveland
Bike
2010 ST1300
It would probably be a good idea to get the bike first, then worry about the saddle. Since there are so many aftermarket or modified saddles out there on ST's, your bike might come with the ideal saddle for you. If not, I'd suggest riding to an STOC event and asking other ST'ers if you can test ride their saddle. A new RDL can bite your wallet to the tune of most of one large, while a Spencer modified stock seat (your own saddle, that is) will cost you under a C note (better check his prices on this, I'm just guessing).
 
Joined
Feb 23, 2007
Messages
1,526
Age
72
Location
Wichita, KS
Bike
'05 ST1300
STOC #
6776
Spend the money on a Russell Day-Long; you'll never regret it. It's $480 for the rider only in vinyl, $605 for rider and passenger. The vinyl is very comfortable; I've ridden mine for over 100,000 miles.

http://day-long.com/

My old friend Warren told me that if you buy good stuff you only cry once.
 
Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
2
Location
Marin CA
I love the stock seat. 6' tall and 34" inseam, 170# Plenty of room to move fore and aft on the seat. Get the 1300. I have had mine 6 months and ride as basic transportation everyday. This bike is a heck of a lot of fun!

Cheers, Ross
 
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
812
Location
central NJ
Bike
2010 Honda ST13
I never had a problem with a motorcycle seat before I got my ST1300. I"ve had a CB350, CX500 and a couple of VF750 Sabres. I got to wondering why that is. It occurred to me that I've never had a bike before that let me ride so many easy miles before. I put more miles on my ST in the first season than I did in the previous decade with my Sabre.

Something is going to be the limiting factor. On my other bikes, it was vibration, wind pressure, cramped riding position or something else that limited my ride long before before my seat got to complaining. The OEM saddle didn't work for me for the longer rides that I like to do now, but I have a Sargent on there now which does much better. Even so, it's still not a car seat.

The fact that I can ride a couple of hundred miles before needing a break (and not always just for my butt) is actually a testament to how many things they got right on the ST.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Nov 10, 2016
Messages
48
Location
South Central PA above the Mason Dixon line
Bike
2012 ST1300
Thanks all. I never had a RDL. I did have a Rocky Mayer saddle and it was good. Not going to sweat the saddle as suggested. Going to buy soon, just never bought sight unseen and had bike delivered. Getting too cold for me to ride multiple days, even with heated gear.
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
1,133
Location
P.E.I., Canada
Bike
2005 st1300
When I got my st1300 in the spring, the P.O. included a corbin saddle (not sure of the model, pic attached)along with the stocker. I wanted to run the corbin because I was convinced that an aftermarket seat had to be better than stock. In this instance, its not the case, for me. while the corbin hugs my butt and feels comfortable at first, after an hour, it is like sitting on concrete. There is very little padding. I didnt ride much this year but the last few times out, i ran the stock seat and was much more comfortable and could ride longer. I plan on much longer rides next year and if my limited experience with the stocker is an indication, Im optimistic that I will be content with it.

20161122_082502.jpg
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
829
Location
Medina, Tennessee
Bike
2021 Tracer 9GT
STOC #
375
If you think most stock seats are too soft, you will feel the same way about the stock ST1300 seat. For me, it was a torture device. I sold it (them) years ago.
 

thekaz

haz gone feral
Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
233
Location
canadian west coast
I use the stock seat with no issue riding IronButt rides. I have borrowed & tried aftermarkets on this ST1300 but always go back to OEM.
 

veefore

See you at my intervention!
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
658
Location
N.W. CT
Bike
15' BMW R1200RT
STOC #
3244
Had the stock seat Spencerized and have never looked back. Multi day trips and the saddle is an afterthought. 80 miles and the stocker had me screaming uncle.
 

ST Gui

240Robert
Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
9,262
Location
SF-Oakland CA
Bike
ST1300, 2010
I have no doubt that a bespoke better constructed seat would be an improvement over the factory ST seat in most circumstances.

That said the factory seat gives me about 200-250mi before starting to bug me. That's about time to stretch and top off gas. Speaking of stretching generally my hips start to cramp before my seat bothers me hence the stretch. The MCL Highway Blades will help some in distance covered.

My V65 Sabre got a Corbin and both the seat and pan were stiffer than stock. Their pans are a marketing hallmark. It was less comfortable around town and that might have been corrected had I gone back to Corbin to get it tweaked. I did notice on longer rides the seat was noticeably more comfortable and that softer was not better.

There have been few complaints here about RDLs (except maybe for the price) and I might be tempted to get the Sport model. It would a pricey experiment though.
 
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