Gen1 Seat questions

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Mar 13, 2018
Messages
34
Reaction score
17
Location
Luskville Quebec Canada
With spring almost sprung it's time to start getting ready for the season, and to more fully enjoy it i need a better seating situation. I acquired the bike last spring and took the season to get use to it and riding in general given it had been 20 yrs or so since my butt had graced the seat of a 2 wheeler. The bike came with a Corbin seat. When at the dealer there were a few others sadly already sold but one had the stock seat and while i know many people here find it a instrument of torture, for me it seemed more comfortable than the Corbin, in that it was much narrower at the tank, and for me with SFB (Short Fat Bastard) syndrome it made moving it around when parked a lot easier. Can't speak to any sort of long term comfort.discomfort as i did not have a change to ride it, just sit on it.

I also noticed that after a while on the road that my inner thighs by the tank tend to get a little sore due to the width of the seat. I am going to try and remove some of the foam from that area this year to see of that helps. Otherwise having nothing else to compare to, the Corbin seemed ok for a few hours in the saddle, can't speak to marathon sessions like you all but for the shortish rides i did it was fine.

The questions come due to what look like modifications done under the seat, in part for the addition of the Audiovox cruise control (which is really handy i might add) and perhaps to fit the Corbin. Does any one see anything in the photos below that would prevent returning to a stock seat, or any other seat for that matter. For the record the Corbin is a 2 piece.

Oewen5x.jpg


WumI1vI.jpg


COxhtXb.jpg


Thanks again for any and all advice.

 
I would say that the stock seat should be fine. As for the Corbin , they are a good seat but if you don't have a Corbin shaped ass it doesn't fit it never will. With the Corbin it breaks you in instead of you breaking it in. If you want the very best get a Russell.

 
I have the Corbin 2 piece seat on my Gen2. Still have the stock seats I could sell. Your under seat area looks just like mine (cruise control included!). When I bought my Corbin they said they could make the front seat with a "nose job", so my legs could reach the ground better (29" inseam). That was good, but I needed more. I bought the Kouba links to lower the rear by 1". Then raised the fork tubes in the triple clamp to match. Lost a little bit of ground clearance, and even though this bike can corner hard, I am 68 and treat it more gently. The Corbin is great for all day in the saddle. Will Corbin alter your seat?

 
Thanks Supe13, had not thought of even asking Corbin if they could alter it, was going to attempt myself.

FJRay, indeed consensus is they are the best, but would need a stock pan, which i don't have. But since most so far think it will still work, i will be off to the parts area to see if anyone has one they may wish to part with..

 
FJRay, indeed consensus is they are the best, but would need a stock pan, which i don't have. But since most so far think it will still work, i will be off to the parts area to see if anyone has one they may wish to part with..
While another hurdle, color me one of those that trying to fiddle with stockers or endure something nice, but right will always be a cul-de-sac when it comes to seat. I've been down it before myself with a lesser-Mayer.

Bite the bullet, shake off sunk costs and go Russell!

That said, I don't see anything in that picture that are showstoppers to a stock pan fitment myself. There could be a small chance the can being slightly proud might touch the bottom of the seat, but well within reasonable deflection or easily alterable with a bit of stock seat tray fiddling or recessing.

 
IMO skip the Russell. You're short and a Russell seat would be the worst thing you can buy right now. In fact, for me, it was the worst seat I ever bought. You may want to look into a Yamaha Comfort seat. It's shaped a lot like the stock except the front edges have no welts and are curved/sloped instead of squared off. My 30" inseam loves the Comfort- with the seat in the high position, by scooting fwd a little I can flatfoot on both sides if I stretch a little. My bike is NOT lowered at all.

Also, from the marks on the frame it looks like you might need a seat height adjuster thingy. It gets removed when a Corbin seat is installed. It should be pictured in your owners manual. If you don't have a manual, it can be downloaded free here -> https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/motorsports/owners-manuals

I hoped you noted from above- Gen1 ('03-'05) seats are different from all others.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Seats, oil, and tires, 3 things that everyone has their own preference. As rbentnail states, a Russel seat may not be what you need, but once on the bike, the Russel is very nice. I also experienced a Corbin on 3 different bikes, the '03 FJR, '07 Bandit, and on a '06 Kawi Meanstreak. 3 different bikes. The corbin on the FJR was not comfortable for me at all, also didn't like it on the Bandit either, but on the Meanstreak cruiser, it was perfect, was able to do western Nova Scotia to Lincoln NH in one shot. Right now, on the FJR, I have a seat concepts rider and passenger seat, as well as a stock rider done by Spencer. The seat concepts is a bit higher but gives me the ability to do some distance, but in saying that, I have also done long distance on the Spencer as well. I am as well short, probably 28-29" inseam, but I refuse to lower my bike, in fact with aftermarket suspension, it may be even slightly higher, or maybe that's just in my head. Anyway I've had a Mayer, Russel, Corbin, Seat Concepts, and a "Spencerized" OEM. Just remember the FJR is not a light bike, but also remember the majority of time on the bike is riding, so to buy a seat just so you can reach the ground perfectly, may not be what you want. Left leg flat footed, with the right foot on the brake, that's my go to. Oh shit, I forgot to mention windshields!!!

Hope to achieve you goal.

 
The Russell being a little taller is something i had read and am considering in the equation also. Flat footing is not that much of a issue, i can almost do it now, and can comfortably flat foot left foot with right foot on the rear brake as Steve'o'. It's really more the width of the front, but likely would not want anything too much taller. Any taller and i likely could not back it up from a seating position on flat ground..
upset.gif


 
Corbin lover here, it’s been on three of my FJRs so far and I guess I’ve a Corbin ass. 14 hour days on it are about as long as I ride in a day so it’s good for that after you “ train” your ass.

As a short guy you do not want a Russel, I’ve been to many, many FJR rallies and tried out many Russels on other FJRs and have not found one that fits a guy with a 30” inseam where I can get both feet down. Yeah I can get both toes down, but riding two up a lot, toes does doesn’t cut it at all.

 
Top