After market seat recommendations

[Steve-O]

2006 RSTD

Looking for a replacement seat like the Ultimate

http://www.ultimateseats.ca/yamaharoyalstarTD.html

 

Wanting to get a seat that is lower than the stock seat, yet comfortable for long rides. Also want to put a chrome rail around the seat. Backrest is a plus. Going to take the passenger pillion and passenger backrest off, but will want to be able to use this in case I ever want to take a passenger out on this bike.

 

Recommendations?

[RedRider]

Define 'long rides'.

 

Russell Day Long and Rick Mayer saddles are fantastic for really long rides (Iron Butt - 1000+ miles per day). RDL is better if you are over 250# as they have extra suspension. Both are custom made on your current seat pan. RDL is a little more expensive.

 

Rick Mayer also does a great job. These are the preferred choice in the Long Distance community.

 

If you are looking for 500 miles comfort, others will chime in.

 

RR

[Steve-O]

500 would be the max. Might go further every once in awhile....but not often enough to warrant a seat based on 1k rides!

[spke]

My 2004 RSV came with a Russel Day Long. Luckily the PO and I are constructed very similar, height, weight, etc...

 

Had a lot of bikes and tried lots of seats, Never had a seat this comfy. I have ridden 500 mi for an 11hr day, and upon returning home felt like I coulda gone right back out and done it again. ZERO discomfort.

 

sp!ke

[phertwo]

I have the Ultimate seat, both driver and passenger. It does lift you up a tad, not enough to make a real difference to me (5'11", 31" inseam). I doubt that you could even find a new more comfortable seat that is the same size as my flattened-out stock RSTD seat.

 

The difference is huge! Not only is the seat very comfortable (soft yet firm, not a pillow top but not a firm corbin saddle either) and perfect in my opinion. The big difference is that it changes your sitting position. I always thought the RSTD seat was painful and made me slouch, lean forward a bit; the Ultimate seat makes you sit upright which makes it so much more comfortable. I rode from Hamilton Ontario to New Orleans Louisiana and back in a week (6~7 hour rides everyday) and never had discomfort. I would never have attempted that with the stock seat.

 

I also have the longer Flanders bars. In my opinion the new Flanders bars should be mandatory.

 

I know there isn't much selection out there for the RSTD, but you really won't go wrong with an Ultimate.

[Steve-O]

I have the Ultimate seat, both driver and passenger. It does lift you up a tad, not enough to make a real difference to me (5'11", 31" inseam). I doubt that you could even find a new more comfortable seat that is the same size as my flattened-out stock RSTD seat.

 

I know there isn't much selection out there for the RSTD, but you really won't go wrong with an Ultimate.

 

Do you know if there is a chrome solo seat rail that will fit with the Ultimate seat? I have an ultimate on my Stratoliner and love it.

[twigg]

I'll second the suggestion that the Russell is the preferred choice for LD Riders.

 

My VR came to me fitted with a Saddlemen Travalcade Road Sofa.

 

In my long rides to date this has been excellent. The pain I get is mainly caused by being cramped in one position for so many hours. Some minor soreness sets in, but not until around the 800 to 1000 mile mark.

 

I'd take the Russell, but for now I am okay with the seat I have.

[georgebill]

Never owned a RDL, but I've owned the Ultimate seat. Put about 50K on the saddle before I had to replace it. The foam broke down over time, which caused lots of discomfort in the nether regions. Replaced it with a Corbin and have been very pleased. Yes, it is firm, but I find I stay comfortable longer than with the softer Ultimate saddle.

 

Don't waste your money on the Corbin driver backrest. It is a faulty design that sits way too far back and provides no support. The Ultimate backrest works great, and is infinitely adjustable. I had the mount redone so that I could use it with the Corbin.

 

Everyone is different, which is why there are so many opinions concerning which is best. I'm 6' 6" and have a 38" inseam. When I had the Ultimate, I weighed 290, which probably contributed to the foam breakdown. Now I weigh 210, and the firmer seat fits best.

[jfoster]

Before spend a bunch of money, send it to Rick Butler (classifieds, butler mood). The best $40 plus shipping you will ever spend. Unless your of small stature don't get a Mustang. Their very shallow.

[Drkngas]

I have a Mustang on my RSTD. Along with my own custom seat cover I'm good for 700 miles. (Never tried farther) The Mustang is short in the seat and I am not small but I did not have a problem adjusting. I do have a Butler modified stock seat and that was worth the $$$ for sure but I have been riding on a Mustang seat for alot of years with my previous bike (Magna) that I decided to stick with what I was used to.

 

 

[Rick Butler]

Yeah Steve,

 

Not bragging, but I do a real nice job on the oem TD seat where I give you a nice pocket to sit back into that fits your butt better. And the oem seat is designed to fit the Royal Star chrome seat ring. Then I top it off with a 1" layer of 3lb memory foam before I put the cover back on. Here is the link to my ad in the Classifieds that has everything you need to send me your seat:

 

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3738&title=butt-butler-seat-mod&cat=25

 

Let me know if I can help,

 

Rick

 

Before spend a bunch of money, send it to Rick Butler (classifieds, butler mood). The best $40 plus shipping you will ever spend. Unless your of small stature don't get a Mustang. Their very shallow.

[dunsonaventure]

Had my seats done by Rick Butler and they are awsome. Made a huge difference on how long we can stay on. think it was 70 for both. Had a mustang on my vstar and liked it very much, but also spent 550. also it was higher not lower. Rick cancustomize that for ya.

[BG Hawks]

Ditto on Rick Butler

[Brenda H]

I bought my RSTC end of June last year. I rode it home from east central Illinois to my home just outside Houston with a slight detour to a MD in Louisiana, some 1400+ miles or so total. I got both the Mustang Solo and a "Butlerized" stock seat with the bike. I shipped the modded seat home and rode the Mustang. This was the longest trip I've ever done on a bike, on the biggest bike I've ever ridden [outside of a few short rides on a RSV] and I was doing it cold turkey, on a bike I'd never ridden before. OH FUN!!

 

I stand 5'6", am very "chubby", and short legged. I cannot quite flatfoot the RSTC with the Mustang seat mounted. But after three days of spending up to and over 10 hours a day in the "saddle", I could still walk! The only problem I had was being dead tired at the end of a day's riding.

 

As for the Butler seat, I have it mounted on the bike now. I can flatfoot the bike with it on it. Comfy is probably the best word for it. No long rides as yet but I don't have the problems with the B. seat that I had with the stock seat on my 650.

 

My reccomendations are that you get your seat "Butlerized" and see how that works out for you. If it doesn't work [and you'll be one of the very few it doesn't work for] then go for one of the aftermarket seats. There is a chrome rail for the solo seats. Whether or not you can use it with a backrest, I don't know. My bike was originally equipped with the Utopia backrest but the PO kept it as it also fit the RSV he replaced the RSTC with.

 

Have fun and enjoy the ride!!