I have a 2016 GSA and am considering a replacement seat as the stock one is literally a pain in the ass after not very long at all. What is everyone's experience and is there any consensus or should I just save my money and stick with my Airhawk? All opinions/suggestions appreciated.
Aftermarket seat for GSA
Kiwibiker
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On my 2015 GSA, I too found the stock saddle intolerable after only 3,000 miles. Since I was on tour out west at the time, I ordered a replacement saddle from Bill Mayer for two reasons primarily: 1) they make their own seat pans so that the stock seat is not sacrificed, 2) they would drop ship it to me at a friend's place in Colorado. I shipped the stock seat home and occasionally put it back on the bike when carrying a pillion since the stock pillion seat won't mount along with the Mayer saddle.
Since then the bike has over 70k miles on it. I regularly ride over 500 miles per day and have been satisfied with the saddle in both sit-down touring or standing adventure position. At the time, the seat was the same price as Russel Day Long saddle, ~$600.
Don
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270 Posts
Looking at their website, apparently now it's send your seatpan in and $600...
I have an 18 GSA with the high suspension. I went with a Sargent heated front and Sargent non heated back. I had a Sargent on my K1600 GTL and loved it. I was told by them that their standard seat would be maybe 1/2 in lower than my stock seat on my high suspension. He told me the high suspension bikes have a thicker seat pad than the lowered bikes. I thought the lowered bikes were all done in the frame being lowered, but the seat must be a bit of that equation as well.
My seat now in the low setting is just right where I can flat foot the bike on both sides. I am 6 foot tall and longer in the legs. But in the high setting, I am on the balls of both feet. The problem is with my seat, in the low setting, it throws me forward into the tank. When its on the high setting the seat is flat and perfect but than I am to high.
Sargent said their seat will not throw me forward like the factory seat. My K1600 seat seamed the same way, until I put the Sargent on. The funny thing is I have been doing over 200 mile travels on the bike now with this seat that drives me nuts, and it really doesn't hurt so bad now lol When I first started it would get to me after 20 miles. I still hate being slid into the tank, but the padding I am getting used to.
I will update when I get the Sargent, and post some pictures.
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1,546 Posts
My Sargent seat seems flat in the low position. I don't know if you know this but unlike your 1600 the GS seat has an adjustment for the back of the seat as well. You also need to remove the rubber screw-in plugs on the Sargent seat to put it in low.
Flat is what I am looking for, thanks! I did know about the back adjustment, but did not know about the plugs in the Sargent seat. Thanks for the heads up!
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5 Posts
Thanks for mentioning that. It's unfortunate that BMS has stopped offering their own seat pans. :frown2: I'm just glad that it worked out for me while on tour in 2015.
Don
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11 Posts
That is a really good looking seat. I hear the gel can get really hot if sitting the sun. Has that been a problem?got the saddleman 2 weeks ago , i now have 1200 miles on it. its a winner.
the gel makes all the difference. looks good too.
https://www.saddlemen.com/r1200gs-2013-up
![Image]()
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8 Posts
Seat Concepts
I wanted a harder more flat seat. The stock seat is a great showroom seat because you melt into it and it feels great for the first hour or so. After that it is so soft and you sink so deep it creates a lot of contact area that just turns into heat. Not so bad in the winter but awful in the summer. I took a spare seat with a torn cover I purchased from eBay along with my new cover and foam to an upholstery shop. I asked that a zipper be put in along the back of the brand new cover. Now I have a way to slide a seat heating element in and out. I ride all year and having the seat heater is well worth the investment.
I wanted a harder more flat seat. The stock seat is a great showroom seat because you melt into it and it feels great for the first hour or so. After that it is so soft and you sink so deep it creates a lot of contact area that just turns into heat. Not so bad in the winter but awful in the summer. I took a spare seat with a torn cover I purchased from eBay along with my new cover and foam to an upholstery shop. I asked that a zipper be put in along the back of the brand new cover. Now I have a way to slide a seat heating element in and out. I ride all year and having the seat heater is well worth the investment.
Rich's Custom Seats
A friend of mine got a custom seat from Rich's custom seats in Seattle. He has put on 80,000 miles on that seat in the past two years and loves it. No issues with comfort or hot spots. He regularly does 500 miles a day, just riding in California. I am thinking of getting them to do a seat for me this spring.
A friend of mine got a custom seat from Rich's custom seats in Seattle. He has put on 80,000 miles on that seat in the past two years and loves it. No issues with comfort or hot spots. He regularly does 500 miles a day, just riding in California. I am thinking of getting them to do a seat for me this spring.
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