Oilhead Seat Question

My Oilhead seat (aftermarket) has begun to lose some of its' long ride comfort. I am considering a RDL but before committing, I was wondering about the opinions of riders in the 150-160# weight range regarding the OME.

Is the OEM seat comfortable for long day rides for those in that weight range?

I'm on the fence as to buying a RDL or finding a low mileage original Oilhead seat. Of course I know the RDL is considered to be possibly the most comfortable seat for most riders.

I have a 94 R1100RS purchased new in 94. I used the OEM seat for the 5 mile ride home from the dealership. I purchased a Corbin seat as it had a supplied seatpan (i.e., no need to send in the OEM seat). I've found that Corbin is not interested in recovering their seats. I have had several Corbin seats recovered by Sargent (cost is around $150). I've already purchased a replacement Sargent seat for the oilhead RS; Sargent now supplies their own seatpan. I have purchased several Sargent seats new for other bikes. I find both the new and recovered Sargent seats to be comfortable for all day rides. I find the OEM seats to be fine for rides of less than 45 min.

If you plan on keeping and riding your ride for any time at all, the RDL is what you want. Much better support and comfort than the original one size fits all.

Hi Paul, I weigh about 155 without the riding gear, and to answer your question: NO.
When it was stock and new, it wasn't too bad except for that infamous forward slope.
A spacer or stack of washers under the front height-adjustment mounting bracket can help with that; here's an example - you'll need longer screws:


But the only Real fix is the aftermarket world.

Anudder Paul (S)

Thanks Rob, Gary and Paul for your input.

I rode with a used RDL on my R1100RT for eight years and doing thousand kms in a day was never uncomfortable. However when the leather began to rot a few years ago,I had a local shop re-upholstered and recover it. However it is now in need of a rebuild. I was wondering if the stock, a low use stock seat would work with my weight.

However, with your advice, a RDL will be the answer (with the heated seat option). Since my RDL has been worked on by a local, a Russell rebuild will be the same price as building from scratch. Rather than sending in my Russell, I’ll send my well used (not by me) R1100RT seat that has in the past been comfortable for almost an hour of riding before becoming excruciatingly painful. (Bike came with a Corbin, replaced with the awful used BMW seat, then the RDL.)

Thank you again.