How Many FJR Russells were bought ?

[boogahboogah]

I am in Delaware, so I haven't been riding for the last 3-4 weeks because of the 30 degree weather.

Naturally, while the seat is being created at Russell (build date 12/21), we get a nice 60 degree day that I was just aching to take advantage of but had no seat. I actually thought about going out without a seat for all of 2 seconds but realized that would be a pretty hairbrained idea...

SO, since I'm going stir crazy & the cage just doesn't cut it, tell me guys, have any of you folks bought the Russell this month? If so, have you had a chance to ride with the new seat ? Any immediate changes you notice ? Is there anything about your new seat you don't like, or something that is uncomfortable but may break in with a nice 500-1000 mile ride ?

All of the long time Russell owners swear by them, but what I'm looking for are the observations of folks that are just going through the 'change'. Anyone out there got the goods?

 

[JimV]

I just got mine yesterday and it sucks....NOT.

I sat on it for a while in the garage but I haven't had a chance to ride yet. Maybe this will motivate me to get the bike put back together.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[smitty141]

I bought one a few months before the buy. I have had Corbin's and a Rick Mayer. At first I was wondering if I did the right thing. After a 150 miles or so I was starting to move around to get comfortable :angry: . They told me to put 1000 miles on it for break in. To me 1000 miles was not enough. It took 4-5k for mine to fit me, and all I can say it was worth every mile to break in .

I can get on my bike now and put in 500 mile ride or more and never even think about my ass burning/hurting. All I can say I wish I had all the money I wasted on the other seats, I would put lots of gas in my Feeger :bleh: .

All I can say, don't be a tight ass, spend a little more at first...and you will save more later. Some don't like the LOOK of the Russell seat. Can't see it when you are sittin on it. And when you get off it (when the tank is empty) throw your jacket over it... Your butt will thank you for it... Smitty

 

[Bounce]

+1. Got the one for my FJR with the first group buy back in 2003. Never looked back.

But then, I already knew that from my previous Russell on my Wing that also told me it was money well spent.

 

[Rogue]

I got one, only put about 100 miles on it so far, I have my bike torn apart doing some farkling. Hopfully I'll have most of tomarrow to work on it!

 

[dkirk]

:agent: Just put in a 750 mile ride and all I can say the Russel is worth every penny.

The stock seat had my rear saying uncle at 200 miles. The wife will ride now for more than 3 hrs.

Thanks, Dan

 

[dbaizer]

Hi kids. Got my Russell for the '05 FJR, and am proud to report it is no longer a Weapon of Ass Destruction! This is my third Russell (previously on a BMW and a Guzzi). They are all worth it. There is none finer.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

So, do you guys like it or what? LOL...

 

[boogahboogah]

OK the seat arrived today. Will install tomorrow & ride Sunday & then report in...

 

[boogahboogah]

Was 55 degrees today, so I went out & burnt up a tank of gas to see how good the Russell seat feels.

I was on the bike for about 25 minutes before I remembered to think about the seat. No heat, no squirming, no lost circulation, great! I had them build 2 extra inches into the seat, & eliminate the dip towards the gas tank. Now it's a challenge to 'flat foot', but I don't mind at all because the knees had no problems at all for the 5 hour ride today!

Hanging off will be a little harder but if I swing that knee out it seems to help the rest of the body get the proper motion...

A wonderful investment, particularly since I plan to go to Reno this year ...

 

[madmike2]

One of 2 farkles salvaged off the totalled '04 and put on the '05. Don't even worry, it'll be money well spent.

@boogahboogah, don't worry about hanging off. It takes 1K miles to break in the seat and a little longer on the "wings", but I slide my, er, "ample" posterior off mine. The "leg trick" helps, but once the wings loosen a little you'll find that shifting over in the seat is no problem...and I had the extra stiffner added to mine.

 

[carrera930]

I am entertaining the thought of buying a Russell.....scratch that! With all that I have read, "I am buying a Russell seat"!!!!!!

I did have some questions for you owners already...

I get the impression that you need to send in your seat pan for them to fabricate the seat, is that true?

How long is the turn around ?

What material compositions did you go with? I am thinking FULL leather, but is that as durable\comfortable as the vinyl or velour?

As I have it configured, I am looking at $777.00!!!!Does that seem right?

Can anyone post me some pictures of their seat on their ride?

Please feel free to email m,e with ANY thoughts you might have about this [email protected]

 

[Gleno]

Can anyone post me some pictures of their seat on their ride?

+1 please. Ima former Russell user on my Beemer. Deff considering one for the Feej. Someone PLEASE post pics.

TIA

 

[Groo]

It's not a Russell, but here's my '05 with my brand new Rick Mayer seat....

and a closeup...

 

[FJRmogul]

Here's a Russell on my 04. I give it a "10"!

 

[HOV]

I got a Russell in the Dec 05 group buy. I sent my seat in on Dec 3, 2005, and called for a status report on January 3rd. The reply from Russell that day was that my seat was scheduled for BUILD (not shipping, not completion, just build) on January 18th. That would put the seat on my bike in the beginning of February, with one week for build and one for shipping. I send in December and receive in February? That's a little silly.

So I gave 'em a little "WTF?" and they said they'd push it up in the queue.

By January 17th, I had received my seat. That means my seat got moved up in the queue about 2 weeks.

Receiving the seat was interesting. They shipped it in a mass of shredded newspaper and foam peanuts, wrapped in a garbage bag. They re-used the same box I shipped it in. The packing looked like a bird's nest, and the garbage bag was a far cry from Corbin's tidy little branded plastic sack. The rain fly was folded up in a Ziplock bag with "FJR1300" written on it in black magic marker.

This all points to a very grass-roots organization. I was wary.

Having dug through the packing, I opened up the garbage bag and pulled the seat out. Looked just like it did in the pictures.

The rear part of the seat had tape on it. I found that the tape was holding on one of the four rubber feet of the seatpan. During the build, they broke off the rubber foot, and just taped it back on with strapping tape. And I paid $700 for that?

I glued the foot back on with carpenter's glue and let it set overnight.

Next day was raining, so I did my first ride with the rain fly on. Not good. I slipped all over the place, and the seat was too wide (laterally) and too short (longitudinally).

But I kept it on and rode the next day and the next, and then I took my girl out on a long ride.

After about 600 miles on it, I'm convinced that this seat is absolutely perfect. It's supportive, allows for excellent circulation, and will indeed give you all day comfort. It's worth every penny.

In comparison, it is every bit as supportive but less hard and slippery than a Corbin. There's no comparison to the stock junk that comes with the bike.

Highly recommended.

 

[carrera930]

So, HOV....you seem quite satisfied as every other Russell owner on this thread.

The pictures look awesome, as does your bike! What are those covers on the rear grab rails?

I presume that your seat is full leather? Any regrets?

 

[FJRmogul]

So, HOV....you seem quite satisfied as every other Russell owner on this thread.The pictures look awesome, as does your bike! What are those covers on the rear grab rails?

I presume that your seat is full leather? Any regrets?

I posted those pix and the covers on the rail are for a FastBag pictured below. It expands to hold 60 liters and is used to hold all of my camping gear and food when on long trips.

Sorry for the bland background. Some day I'll take some photos in the real world. :blink:

 

[Bounce]

I am entertaining the thought of buying a Russell.....scratch that! With all that I have read, "I am buying a Russell seat"!!!!!!I did have some questions for you owners already...

I get the impression that you need to send in your seat pan for them to fabricate the seat, is that true?

How long is the turn around ?

What material compositions did you go with? I am thinking FULL leather, but is that as durable\comfortable as the vinyl or velour?

As I have it configured, I am looking at $777.00!!!!Does that seem right?

Can anyone post me some pictures of their seat on their ride?

Please feel free to email m,e with ANY thoughts you might have about this [email protected]

+1 on sending in *a* seat pan and that full leather is much nicer than my last russell on another bike that included a combo of velour inserts and vinyl sides.

the price you listed would seen about right unless you were part of a group buy. as such a full leather + heavy duty suspension + passenger recover in full leather + rain cover was something just over $600.

the most recent group buy ended at the 1st of January.

here's my report from 2/2003: https://www.bikes-n-spikes.org/mods/seat/seat.html

I got a Russell in the Dec 05 group buy. I sent my seat in on Dec 3, 2005, and called for a status report on January 3rd. The reply from Russell that day was that my seat was scheduled for BUILD (not shipping, not completion, just build) on January 18th. That would put the seat on my bike in the beginning of February, with one week for build and one for shipping. I send in December and receive in February? That's a little silly.

russells truly are fully custom built. their turn around has dramatically improved from the days when you would get a build date 6 months out, send in your seat pan 1 or 2 months out, and then expect 10 days for shipping once it was completed. price a custom knife of gun from a popular craftsman sometime. their lead times can often be measured in years. they don't just slap on some extra foam wings to your existing foam and recover it.

re: Fastbag

Good stuff if you don't want something permanent mounted (or don't like the big tumor look that many of the trunks create). My write up on it from 10/2003:

https://www.bikes-n-spikes.org/acc/fb/fb.html