[canman]

Anyone in the Seattle area have a custom seat by Russell? I would like to see one first hand and maybe sit on it before I buy. It's a lot of money to shell out . I have seen every other custom seat and was just wondering how many of you out there have the Russell and your opinion
Thanks ahead of time
Karry

 

[cdogbt1sw03033]

i have about 325,000 miles cumulative on a few of those seats. However, they are the butt-ugliest seat and nothing to put on if your main concern is a show winning bike.
BUTT then again how many times have you ever had your Butt in a Show?

Looking at the gallery on the web site would be just as good as looking at one in person.
The seat’s custom cut to your butt and sitting on someone else’s is not justice nor would it benefit you!
The seat is in fact made for comfort and all day continuous riding, day after day for your butt not to be tested by sitting on someone else's version.
The millions of miles ridden by members of the Ironbutt community should give you a testament the seat’s comfort factor.

Butt it is your coinage! Separate it from your wallet if YOUR butt is worth it!

 

[DT]

...just wondering how many of you out there have the Russell and your opinion
Thanks ahead of time
Karry

I have my second Day-Long...the first one went with my '02 when it sold (the new owner liked it too) and I purchased a second one for my '05.

I had the vinyl on the first one and now have all leather. I personally would not go back to vinyl.

If you would like pics of this seat, I'd be happy to send them to you but it does look very much like those on Russell's web site.

 

[markh74]

i have about 325,000 miles cumulative on a few of those seats. However, they are the butt-ugliest seat and nothing to put on if your main concern is a show winning bike.
BUTT then again how many times have you ever had your Butt in a Show?

Can you explain why they are "buttugliest" ? I looking at their gallery they don't seem to be that much uglier than other seats. Are you referring to the look, shaper or the finsh that makes it ugly in your eyes? I am leaning toward a Russell, but have seen this "ugly" comment by others and some folks who were unhappy with the Russell for various reasons. I suspect there are more that are happy with the seat and quiet, and a few who are unhappy and vocal about it. Thanks

 

[IR Harry]

I am a happy one.

 

[Frodo]

Russell seat

I put 65,000 miles on the leather Russell that I had on my Valkyrie. I plan on putting one on my Goldwing this winter. If you plan on doing a lot of touring and plan on keeping your Goldwing for a while I would highly recommend getting one.
I wouldn't say their the most attractive seat out there but I don't think they're butt ugly either.
If you do get one just remember that you need to break it in for a while and that it gets better the more miles you put on it. That was my experience with the leather Russell I had. If you like it at 2000 miles just wait till you get 20,000 on it.

Sunny skies,

Frodo

 

[bigdon]

I have a new one on my GL1800. My first ride on it was 1530 miles in 23 hr 47 min. I had no issues with the seat. I also have one on my KLR. I did 1047 miles in about 18 hours on it with no seat problems.
I would highly recommend Russel Day Long. It is money well spent.
Much more comfort per $ than that chrome do dad! :lol:

 

[mikeg]

Markh74,

Russell Day Long is a spin off from the original saddle company. The original version did not have the patterns or styles offered by the new company. The saddles were smooth leather over foam. No seams, no stitching or designs. I believe the "ugly" comments are referring to the original saddles. They also did not have the support springs, etc, in the driver's area.

I bought a Corbin for my 1200. When I got my 2002, I knew I wanted a custom saddle and didn't like what Corbin offered (saddles or attitude). I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of riders. Russell was overall winner. I have leather seating areas and back rest, small diamond pattern, with vinyl sides. I also had the backrest installed. I wish I could have gone for the personal fitting, but they're a long way from Houston.

They are a little pricey, but you get what you pay for with Russell.

That's my 2 cents worth.

 

[cdogbt1sw03033]

cdogbt1sw03033 wrote:
i have about 325,000 miles cumulative on a few of those seats. However, they are the butt-ugliest seat and nothing to put on if your main concern is a show winning bike.
BUTT then again how many times have you ever had your Butt in a Show?


Can you explain why they are "buttugliest" ?

I tried to reply earlier butt it didn’t go thru.
Mark the term is one used years ago in the wing cirle when folks were trying to replace the seats with show stopper looks and more chromium than the EPA would allow!
It always struck me wrong that the seat had the rep of being ugly butt folks that put the real mileage on their respective bikes would always have one of the aforementioned “Ugliest” seats

I looking at their gallery they don't seem to be that much uglier than other seats. Are you referring to the look, shaper or the finsh that makes it ugly in your eyes? I am leaning toward a Russell, but have seen this "ugly" comment by others and some folks who were unhappy with the Russell for various reasons. I suspect there are more that are happy with the seat and quiet, and a few who are unhappy and vocal about it. Thanks



Your assessment is spot on there Mark! There is a “few” vociferous types here; and unfortunately the knowledge base isn’t what should be placed here! It leads far too many to continue expressing “untruths” in the motorcycling community as gospel.


from mike and Linda of Katy Texas:
Russell Day Long is a spin off from the original saddle company.

True to a point, the original creator sold his ownership to the company that just recently sold to the current company.
Bill Mayer, if you will, was not authorized to use his original designs for specific time frame; those with the spring assemblies and such. I.e. a non-competition clause if you will. Butt he did however used newer foam technologies available to him at the time.
Until his death he did in fact teach and trained his Kids
(http://www.billmayersaddles.com http://www.rickmayercycle.com)
the art of seat making and they have continued on creating seats with many improvements over the original design their father started. They are not in association due to a difference of opinions or a family squabble. What ever!

New foam technologies has allowed the brothers to manufacture their seats to meet and exceed the demands by today’s riders and bike owners. See the above links to make a choice regarding who you would like to have a seat made for you.

 

[IDWingrider]

I just got my Russell made a week ago. It is a good-looking seat, IMO. It's not exactly like the OEM seat, but it's sure not ugly. And it's comfortable. It takes a couple thousand miles to break in just right--at least that the experience I've had with 2 previous Russells.

If you have both the rider and passenger seats redone, part of what they do to the passenger seat is reshape the passenger's back rest so as to eliminate the passenger having to bend backwards. Makes it more like the GL1500 seating angle.

I had mine done with vinyl sides and leather seating panels. They did a great job. It was finished in black on the sides and graphite (read:dark grey) leather seating panels. Looks nice. Been having computer difficulties reference photo posting, so I don't have pix, or they'd be in here.

 

[markh74]

Ok so sounds like the ugly is not really an issue. Now any suggestion on adding the backrest? I often ride two up and I don't think I would use it then. I kind of like the look without the backrest. I do have a backrest on my Vulcan that I like. However, I have 20K miles on the Wing without a back rest. So I am a bit torn on which way to go. I wonder if they can add the backrest later if I change my mind. I guess I will give them a call.

 

[MesquiteBob]

Mark, I had a Diamond on Rio (2001 Gold Wing) that was very comfortable after being rebuilt after three years. I currently have the Daylong on Skeeter (my 2005 Silver Wing). It took three tries, but it is doing an excellent job, especially with one of the Alaska sheepskins to help with the skinny butt. I had a backrest on Rio and I've got one on Skeeter. Unless you ride like Brian Black who uses his back seat to stretch his legs, I would think you'd want to have a backrest. For us older folk, after many miles the old back starts to get tired of all the jouncing and having to hold up the rest of the body, and it is really nice to be able to push back on that backrest to stretch things out. I personally wouldn't ride long distances without it.

Mesquite Bob

 

[IDWingrider]

Mark,

The Daylong has a hardware receiver installed in the lumbar support part of the seat. The backrest merely slips in and is held in place with friction. It's easy to slip in and out, so if you don't want it in place, just slide it out and put it in your saddelbag for use later.