Seat cover for Russell?

[Goodman4]

I just got my Russell seat a couple days ago, but I decided not to get the rain cover since I went with Vinyl. I am wondering if this was a mistake now that I will be getting it wet. What do some of the rest of you do for having it sit outside during a rainstorm? I even have considered getting used stock seats for the commute so I don't have to worry about the rain at all when I'm at work.

Do you think I should order the cover from Russell or get something else? Or let it get wet and drain it in the garage when it does? I think I spent too much on the seat to feel comfortable letting it get soaked a lot.

 

[kolonial72]

If it is likely to rain while I'm at work, or camping, or whatever, I throw a cover on the bike. Get yerself a waterproof MC cover and it will protect the seat and everything else.

 

[FJRay]

If I am riding in the rain I wrap the seat in a costco trash bag. Not much rain can get around my ass anyway. At night I use a full cover

 

[SnowAviation]

Rain? Vinyl? Pfft, it'll be fine.

No problems with my vinyl russell in the rain.

Leather may be another issue....

 

[canucklehead-biker]

I have a seat cover for my Russell (leather) and frankly have never used it. The seat has been wet many times, but if you keep it clean and treated with a good leather conditioner/water proofing compound I don't think it will matter much. Water will get through the stitching holes on pretty much any seat and soak the foam, but eventually they all dry out regardless of how much rain gets on 'em.

That's been my experience anyway. YMMV, and all the usual caveats...

Griff

 

[BikerGeek99]

It's not so much the seat cover (vinyl, in your case) getting wet - it's the foam getting wet once the water pools up and seeps in through the stitching holes.

As for purchasing the seat cover: is your riding gear waterproof? If so, you should be fine. Do you mind having a wet ass for the ride home? If not, you should be fine.

See where I'm going with this?

FWIW - my Russell is the velour cover. While I like the velour cover (its stickyness keeps Sooze from sliding in to me when I get on the brakes, and the velour keeps my ass cool when riding home and the bike has been sitting in the parking lot all day) it soaks up water like a sponge. No biggie for me due to my riding gear, but Sooze's's's's's gear has proven to not necessarily be as waterproof, so I always have my seat cover stuffed in my tank bag, just in case.

 

[Pete Bansen]

I just got my Russell seat a couple days ago, but I decided not to get the rain cover since I went with Vinyl. I am wondering if this was a mistake now that I will be getting it wet. What do some of the rest of you do for having it sit outside during a rainstorm? I even have considered getting used stock seats for the commute so I don't have to worry about the rain at all when I'm at work.

Do you think I should order the cover from Russell or get something else? Or let it get wet and drain it in the garage when it does? I think I spent too much on the seat to feel comfortable letting it get soaked a lot.

If you side stand the bike when parked, most of the water will run off a vinyl seat even without a bike cover. If you have a short commute and it's rainy a LOT and you don't use a bike cover, a set of stock seats could be a good approach. I'm like you - I tend to fuss over the saddle a lot more than it probably needs. The other thing is that the patterns with less stitching will be less troublesome in wet weather. The 'small square' pattern has the most stitching and is the most porous, 'half moon' has little stitching and it pretty waterproof.

Pete

 

[Goodman4]

Thanks for all the advice. I have a full waterproof cover that I use on trips, but I hadn't thought about putting it on at work. I think I will just let it get wet and not worry about it unless it's calling for major storms and then I may throw the full cover in the back or just drive the car for a day.

 

[RaYzerman19]

If you have leather, clean with saddle soap, and you can rub a beeswax conditioner into the stitching. Lexol or other leather conditioner on the cover after that. For vinyl best not put anything on the surface (not usually needed), as it can become too slippery (Aerospace 303 if you must is less slippery). You can rub beeswax into the stitching. Park on side stand in the rain.