-
Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password. If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?
-
Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.
The Election forum is here: Election Forum
Russell sport seat reviews? 2016 R1200RT
- Thread starter jsd
- Start date
olgry1
New member
I had an all leather RDL sport seat on my 2015 RT. At the time I ordered it I was 215 lbs., 5'8" with a 29" inseam. When I traded in the RT there were approximately 25,000 miles on the seat. On one trip with the seat I was able to ride 700 miles a day for three days in a row before I found myself squirming around a bit near the end of the last day.
The RT was traded in on a 2016 1600GT and within a few thousand miles I ordered a an all leather Sport Seat from RDL for the GT.
The RDL Sport seat is the best seating option for me. It is significantly more comfortable for me than the stock seats were on both the RT and GT. When riding aggressively in the curves I can shift my weight to the inside enough to "effectively hang off" and avoid scrapping any hard parts on the payment. The stock seats on the RT and GT were both easier to "effectively hang off" on but not very comfortable for me after a few hundred miles in the saddle.
I chose leather because I because I thought it may breath better but honestly I am not sure I could feel any difference between leather and vinyl. I ride almost exclusively in a Roadcrafter and while the seat with 25K+ miles on it was showing some wear the leather was still looking good enough for another 10-20K+ miles.
If you decide to order a sport seat I would suggest you take the pictures with you seating on the seat in the low position. That way they can clearly see your inseam height/issues. I would also communicate to them that you want to minimize, as much as possible, any increase in the height of the seat over the height of the stock seat. Lastly if you go with the leather option I would suggest you get on of their seat covers to protect from water infiltration in the rain or while washing the bike.
The RT was traded in on a 2016 1600GT and within a few thousand miles I ordered a an all leather Sport Seat from RDL for the GT.
The RDL Sport seat is the best seating option for me. It is significantly more comfortable for me than the stock seats were on both the RT and GT. When riding aggressively in the curves I can shift my weight to the inside enough to "effectively hang off" and avoid scrapping any hard parts on the payment. The stock seats on the RT and GT were both easier to "effectively hang off" on but not very comfortable for me after a few hundred miles in the saddle.
I chose leather because I because I thought it may breath better but honestly I am not sure I could feel any difference between leather and vinyl. I ride almost exclusively in a Roadcrafter and while the seat with 25K+ miles on it was showing some wear the leather was still looking good enough for another 10-20K+ miles.
If you decide to order a sport seat I would suggest you take the pictures with you seating on the seat in the low position. That way they can clearly see your inseam height/issues. I would also communicate to them that you want to minimize, as much as possible, any increase in the height of the seat over the height of the stock seat. Lastly if you go with the leather option I would suggest you get on of their seat covers to protect from water infiltration in the rain or while washing the bike.
beemerphile
New member
All custom seats need the seat cover because the foam will get wet through the stitching. I've used leather Russells for decades and have found that applying Aquaseal every six months or so completely protects the leather from wet weather...
https://www.amazon.com/AQUA-SEAL-Aquaseal-Leather-Waterproof/dp/B001OPF8GG/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1546609373&sr=8-6&keywords=aquaseal+leather+waterproofing
Great response
Thank you, I'm convinced! I actually went the other direction and traded my k1600gtl on the rt. Ground reach and engine was awesome on the GTL. I had a Corbin on my Concourse and couldn't have been happier. I tried a Corbin on my 09 RT but the quality was aweful along with the riding position. Seems the Russell sport is the best option for us vertically challanged. I did find with the Corbin anyways the leather was much cooler than vinyl, I actually never used my bead rider with leather where it pretty much lived on the bike with factory seat.
Thank you, I'm convinced! I actually went the other direction and traded my k1600gtl on the rt. Ground reach and engine was awesome on the GTL. I had a Corbin on my Concourse and couldn't have been happier. I tried a Corbin on my 09 RT but the quality was aweful along with the riding position. Seems the Russell sport is the best option for us vertically challanged. I did find with the Corbin anyways the leather was much cooler than vinyl, I actually never used my bead rider with leather where it pretty much lived on the bike with factory seat.
pappy35
New member
I called them a long time ago asking if they had a product for us short-legged types and was told there was nothing they could do. SO it turns out that they actually have a lower seat for the RT and didn't tell me about it? That just makes me even madder. Why the heck would she not have told me? I would've bought the thing right then and there. I know there are legions of RDL fans out there but for this guy their customer sales support SUCKS!
I do see the sport seat on their site https://day-long.com/gallery/sport-seats/ . Things do change your comment states you "called them a long time ago". Pappy I would assume this option is on the new side. Are you being fair to them?
I sure like my RDL saddle and wouldn't consider any other given my past experience I've had with other saddles.
Jay
Realshelby
Addicted to windshields
While I did buy a rain cover for the Russell on my Oilhead, I have never had one for the Russells on the Wethead or any of the V Stroms or Super Tenere. While none of them sit outside all the time, when I wash the bike I wash the seat just like the rest of the bike. I ride in rain. I do have a 1/2 cover on it for overnight trips. I have never had any issue with water getting into the seat. These have a layer of plastic under the cover. I do keep leather treatment on them.
Been riding a on custom leather saddles since 2001. I use the Russel seat cover over night when parked outside, plus apply https://www.montanapitchblend.com/ leather dressing 2-3 times a year, it's made of Beeswax and Mink Oil. I ride in kinds of weather and never had a water soaked saddle. I don't do anything special when washing the bike, the seat needs to be cleaned too 
.
I know this thread isn't about bike covers but I don't use one, if the bike is covered in morning dew or rain it has soften up all the bugs and grime making for a nice easy wipe down.
Jay
. I know this thread isn't about bike covers but I don't use one, if the bike is covered in morning dew or rain it has soften up all the bugs and grime making for a nice easy wipe down.
Jay
pappy35
New member
I called, what, 8 months ago (I got my RT last April) and had no reason to go back and check intermittently so maybe this has been added since? They have them now. Things change and I thought this was there all along and the person I spoke to didn't mention it. Actually, she was pretty dismissive about it (I've posted about this before). Their loss.
pappy35
New member
If you think it's worth the premium price have it. If they've treated you well I'm glad to hear it. I can only speak for myself. I mean, you have a bad experience with a retailer, do you keep going back to their site over and over to see if they have added a product that meets your needs? I'm guessing not.
The question I asked was something like: "Hi, I have the dreaded 'short-leg syndrome'. Can you guys help me get an RDL that isn't so tall?" I gave her my inseam (29") and weight. I am always as nice as I can be on the phone with people (I'm a Golden Rule kind of person) but she basically just blew me off. "Sorry, we don't modify our seats." Not "I wish we could help but we have a policy of not lowering our seats" or "we can't lower our seats because of (insert technical reason here)."
Sure, people have a bad day, but when you are company selling a premium-priced, luxury product, having a bad day means you might lose a sale or put someone off of your brand. That's what happened here.
I gather I should have just stayed out of this thread as it's distracting from the OP's actual question so I'll try to bow out.
rolandsmith
New member
Lots of folks had problems with the “her” that answered the phone at Russell. She’s gone. They were very helpful with my questions and concerns. I felt I was given great service. Give em another try. True, they don’t make a “low” seat but they will work with you and make suggestions.
beemerphile
New member
I've had nine Russell seats, but no Sport Seats. I'd say by the fact that their buy-back guarantee does not apply to Sport Seats that they are probably not as comfortable. That said, they are likely still a quantum leap forward in comfort vs. stock.
jagarra
Gerard
I ordered a Sport seat for my RS a few years ago, like it a lot, made no difference as far as my reaching the ground. When I ordered it they requested pictures on me sitting in the riding position and another with my feet on the ground. If you look at their site they indicated that the sport seat will lift you approximately 1/2' when new, but will setting down back to the original height for your bike after about 1000 miles.
I have a sport seat on my R1200GS LC. I opted for the leather option.
It replaced my Sargent seat. I thought the Sargent was comfortable, but there is no comparison. The RDL sport seat is the most comfortable seat I have had. The wings are not too big. I used it on a 2000 mile trip at the end of last summer.
No regrets!
It replaced my Sargent seat. I thought the Sargent was comfortable, but there is no comparison. The RDL sport seat is the most comfortable seat I have had. The wings are not too big. I used it on a 2000 mile trip at the end of last summer.
No regrets!
gunnert
Biker
I borrowed an RDL Sport seat from a friend that is close to my size/weight. The seat was great until I did a few long days, e.g. 1 day 1000 miles and another 700 miles. On both days I got irritation where the leg/butt intersect with the edge of the seat. My wife was very comfortable but the riding position caused her to slump in the seat. I'm going to be calling RDL and see what they say about these 2 issues.
Duane
Duane
Sport Seat
Ditto for me.
Got my RDL sport seat (all leather bomber brown seating and black sides) with back seat/driver back rest and passenger back rest recover on order for October delivery. 1700 bucks.
Ditto for me.
Got my RDL sport seat (all leather bomber brown seating and black sides) with back seat/driver back rest and passenger back rest recover on order for October delivery. 1700 bucks.
You have to have a typo $1,700???
pappy35
New member
Driver's backrest and a passenger backrest recover, leather in two colors, driver and passenger seats. That all adds up.
I bought my Sport seat with the rear redone to match for around $600. I got it this January, different salesman, Jay, who was awesome. The Sport seat worked out perfectly. Increased my comfort tremendously while hardly affecting my ground reach at all. I'm getting it back tomorrow after getting its initial adjustment so it'll be even better. Saddle Sore 1,000 here I come!
