seat material selection

[juniorfjr]

On my 05 I had the full leather and you couldn't put enough conditioner on it to keep it pristine. But after 8 years it still looked good. On my new bike I went with the Laam in vinyl, Seth Laam recommended it and Escape had it on his and I liked it. No regrets with either. A full leather seat from Rich's was over $1000 and the Laam was less than $500.

 

[Bounce]

Lexol cleaner and conditioner is what I heard about years ago for leather care (nothing that would clog skin pores since it has to breath).

https://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/product_comparison_Part1_Jan04.pdf

https://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/product_comparison_Part2_Jan04.pdf

https://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/product_comparison_Part3_Jan04.pdf

https://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/product_comparison_Part4_Jan04.pdf

 

[Northwoods Snowman]

I currently have a Lamm seat in vinyl and haven't really had any problems I could directly relate to the material. Going out to NAFO in 16 my but would get sore on really hot days but I think that had more to do with the cotton against the skin soaked in but sweat than vinyl on the outside of my riding pants, since I can have the same problem with Jean shorts in the garage on a hot day. Like I mentioned originally the Corbin I had was leather and a lot of work to keep nice. Leather shrunk a little too because it developed a tight flat spot on the back of the "pocket" and pulled away from the foam. That was annoying.

Keep the opinions coming, good info!

 

[BikerGeek99]

First opinion - get away from that cotton. I've been using LDComfort base layers for years - MUCH better than cotton.

Second, since you already have a Lamm (and I've heard almost all good opinions on Lamm seats), have you considered the beads? I had a BeadRider that I used when I still had my stock seat. I remember feeling the 'venting' effect the beads brought to the table. Maybe that would be a cost-effective solution for ya?

Third, one thing that I have noticed aboot the velour inserts on my RDL, not only does the velour not get hot in the sun, it also doesn't get as cold when it's cold out.

I know what you mean aboot the heat at NAFO - even though I was in my Transit Suit, with the LDComfort base layer I didn't have any monkey butt.

And how many kids do you guys have now? Seems like every time I see you, there's another on the way.

 

[Fontanaman]

I have had Russell saddles for years. I got the large squares with leather. I had vinyl but found leather helped keeping my arse cool on a hot day. Like Bounce I use Lexol. Be careful in selecting a good leather treatment product. I use Lexol once per year. I don't ride in rain very often and the bike is stored in a garage. My FJR has 86k and the prior two bikes had 80k and 50k respectively.

 

[Northwoods Snowman]

Just the two kids, Andy, but yes that is a true statement on the timing.

How does leather hold up for you guys that commute and let the bike sit in the parking lot all day? Usually in the summer I commute 16 miles and the bike sits in the sun all day and bakes, or gets soaked in the rain.

 

[Fontanaman]

I put a half cover on my bike went I was commuting and when I travel.

 

[Brodie]

Cover the poor bike during the day, even if its cloudy. The cover is sacrificial, it only costs around 50 bucks, and may last 2 years before it shreads, much better than a dry cracked and neglected leather, or peeling vinyl seat and faded paint.

Either that, or make the move to the graveyard shift. Moonlight is much easier on the bike that sits out in the parking lot overnight.

DAMHIK

Brodie

 

[SacramentoMike]

I had a Bill Mayer leather saddle on my '05 cuz leather is better than vinyl, right? I mean none of the Yankees use a vinyl glove. So after a couple years, my kevlar mesh Motoport suit really scuffed the outer edges of that thing so bad it looked like I'd been at it with a belt sander. It was just about the looks, though, not the function, but the color on the edges was completely worn off. Heat, slipperiness, leather vs. vinyl? I dunno. It never did wear it out though.

But when I did a ride-in up to Seth Laam's a couple years ago for my '14, he was for vinyl all the way, where I'd been torn. He had vinyl in a couple finishes, but he didn't like the ones with more tackiness--just stocked it because some wanted it. And anyway, I want to be able to slide on my seat. I'm kinda like Rossi that way. Doesn't hurt that it was a good deal cheaper, either.

I'm another one who likes to sit on a Bead Rider in the summertime, but this one, my second, is ceramic, not the original wooden beads. That sucker gets hotter than HELL in the sun, and holds that heat for waaay too long. Luckily, I ride a motorcycle, so I can always find a shady parking spot on a hot day.