melensdad
Well-Known Member
Most of us don't like the stock seat that comes from Honda.
On my bike I replaced it with a Corbin, which helped a lot. On my wife's bike I replaced it with a Russell's Day Long. But while the Day Long is superbly comfortable while riding, it is a pain in the legs at stop lights.
Russell's Day Long touring saddles have a 'wing' shape that puts padding under your thigh and creates a dish shaped seat that is supportive, well shaped, and eliminates pressure points. Just a great shape while you ride. But if you are intent on flat footing the bike while at a stop, or want to push the bike into a parking spot, the small wings that protrude out make it difficult unless you can stand tall over your saddle. On my wife's lowered 2016 NC700x, I can easily push the bike around, stand the bike at a stop, etc without any issues. But my wife, several inches shorter than me, has a difficult time reaching the ground comfortably do to the seats 'wings'.
FWIW, the R.D.L. saddle is built on a stock Honda seat pan. They install a heavy wire frame over the plastic seat pan and then use multi-density layers of foam over the wire. My plan is to trim the wings back about an inch, which can be done by simply re-shaping the foam. Then to reupholster the seat and hope she likes it better.
My thought is the trimmed back wings will offer SOME of the original extra support, but also offer LESS of a problem for shorter leg riders, like my wife, who want to flat foot the bike. The new shape has more rounded profile of the winglets as viewed from the top. But also more rounded contour from top to bottom. It is still pronounced and I believe will still offer substantial support, but also less inconvenience at stops. The original upholstery will no longer fit over the recontoured foam, but that is a fairly easy thing to replace.
One side is done. I need to get some new upholstery fabric, so this is a work in progress.
On my bike I replaced it with a Corbin, which helped a lot. On my wife's bike I replaced it with a Russell's Day Long. But while the Day Long is superbly comfortable while riding, it is a pain in the legs at stop lights.
Russell's Day Long touring saddles have a 'wing' shape that puts padding under your thigh and creates a dish shaped seat that is supportive, well shaped, and eliminates pressure points. Just a great shape while you ride. But if you are intent on flat footing the bike while at a stop, or want to push the bike into a parking spot, the small wings that protrude out make it difficult unless you can stand tall over your saddle. On my wife's lowered 2016 NC700x, I can easily push the bike around, stand the bike at a stop, etc without any issues. But my wife, several inches shorter than me, has a difficult time reaching the ground comfortably do to the seats 'wings'.
FWIW, the R.D.L. saddle is built on a stock Honda seat pan. They install a heavy wire frame over the plastic seat pan and then use multi-density layers of foam over the wire. My plan is to trim the wings back about an inch, which can be done by simply re-shaping the foam. Then to reupholster the seat and hope she likes it better.
My thought is the trimmed back wings will offer SOME of the original extra support, but also offer LESS of a problem for shorter leg riders, like my wife, who want to flat foot the bike. The new shape has more rounded profile of the winglets as viewed from the top. But also more rounded contour from top to bottom. It is still pronounced and I believe will still offer substantial support, but also less inconvenience at stops. The original upholstery will no longer fit over the recontoured foam, but that is a fairly easy thing to replace.
One side is done. I need to get some new upholstery fabric, so this is a work in progress.