Opinions needed

BobWitte

Member
I have decided to replace my expensive custom Corbin low profile seat. I'm likely going with an even more expensive Russell Day-Long conversion of the OEM seat pan I just bought via eBay. It kinda breaks my heart to lose my nicely matched snake skin seat. It goes so great with my blue metal flake paint. I'm quite satisfied with how my part of the seat has "broken in" with the 1200+ miles I've done since the initial install in Sept 2016.

Just the other day, I had a long talk with my wife Karen about why she won't ride with me on the CTX. She says, that it boils down to the almost immediate discomfort she feels on the back seat. This was true of my first Corbin (the high profile) as well as the current low profile. Oddly, it was not evident on my last trike, the 1982 Honda Silver Wing (GL500i). And I now know why. It is apparent to me that our favorite of the two seats I had for that ride turns out to be a Russell Day-Long. I didn't know it at the time, but the Velour inserts and the stitching pattern used on the seat confirmed that it was an early Day-Long seat. I got it off ebay as a Gold Wing 1100 seat and adapted it to the Silver Wing. Karen & I both loved it.

I talked to Russell's today and production can't be sooner than the end of May. I'm awaiting a call back from Seth Laam to get their production schedule and will decide from there. Even though more expensive, I'm hoping Russell wins out on the schedule race -- I really like the idea of a fabric seat material.

Okay, enough FaceBook "selfie" style blathering, here's my question for the few of you that might have either a Day-Long or Laam seat job on your ride(s), did you have the passenger seat "re-done" for comfort and were your expectations met in doing so? Of course, I've read every post there is on these seats, but almost all the reviews are on the rider's comfort, not the passenger's. It is far more important for my wife to be comfy than it is for me to be so. Your input evaluating the passenger's seat will be greatly appreciated!!
 

Steven

Member
I had the back done too. I asked my friend how she liked it and she said it was comfortable. Beyond me asking she nevers mentions it. Keep in mind that she's only ridden less than 100 miles per ride and she is a small person. Rather than describe how it looks here is a picture of the seat. You can see it's much bigger than stock. I should mention that if need be, you can remove the backrest and you will still have some back support, just not as much. I hope this helps.

Oh, one more thing... I really like this seat. I've ridden 500 miles a day (I got tired after that) and when getting off the bike I didn't even feel like I had ridden at all. I have highway pegs and being able to change position really helps too. It truly is Day Long comfort.

Bike HDR 2 small.jpg
 
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Woodswoman

Member
I'm so glad one of our members could vouch for the passenger rebuild by Russell Cycles. I have only the rider's seat rebuilt by Russell.

Said it before, and I'll say it again: Best mod money I've spent on my CTX.
 

BobWitte

Member
I had the back done too. I asked my friend how she liked it and she said it was comfortable. Beyond me asking she nevers mentions it. Keep in mind that she's only ridden less than 100 miles per ride and she is a small person. Rather than describe how it looks here is a picture of the seat. You can see it's much bigger than stock. I should mention that if need be, you can remove the backrest and you will still have some back support, just not as much. I hope this helps.

Oh, one more thing... I really like this seat. I've ridden 500 miles a day (I got tired after that) and when getting off the bike I didn't even feel like I had ridden at all. I have highway pegs and being able to change position really helps too. It truly is Day Long comfort.

View attachment 1194

Thank you both for your input! Especially for the picture Steven above (methinks the bigger seat will look much better on my trike). No offence of course, but Woodswoman's posted pics didn't tell me what I needed to know. Do you happen to have a shot from the front? Finally, it is hard to tell from the angle, are your seat inserts some kind of cloth? I'm leaning towards the velour myself.

Utopia warns against being installed on non-stock seats and Day-Long confirmed today that dual conversions "have issues" with the Utopia. Sadly, the excessive cost of RCP's back rest offering (and I don't like the flipped teardrop shape) combine into a no vote for going in that direction.

However, by modifying the lower bracket, and using Utopia's kind of installation, I think I can adapt the backrest shown below:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FOR-07-17-...rentrq:7a730af91690a9c145aa058affe9d752|iid:1

I'm feeling good about the Mother Of Invention may strike again! If I'm successful, the Forums could wind up with an alternate & affordable source of back rests. I've ordered one to day so as to find out.:D

TIA,
Bob
 
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Steven

Member
Thank you both for your input! Especially for the picture Steven above (methinks the bigger seat will look much better on my trike). No offence of course, but Woodswoman's posted pics didn't tell me what I needed to know. Do you happen to have a shot from the front? Finally, it is hard to tell from the angle, are your seat inserts some kind of cloth? I'm leaning towards the velour myself.

Utopia warns against being installed on non-stock seats and Day-Long confirmed today that dual conversions "have issues" with the Utopia. Sadly, the excessive cost of RCP's back rest offering (and I don't like the flipped teardrop shape) combine into a no vote for going in that direction.

However, by modifying the lower bracket, and using Utopia's kind of installation, I think I can adapt the backrest shown below:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FOR-07-17-...rentrq:7a730af91690a9c145aa058affe9d752|iid:1

I'm feeling good about the Mother Of Invention may strike again! If I'm successful, the Forums could wind up with an alternate & affordable source of back rests. I've ordered one to day so as to find out.:D

TIA,
Bob

Here's another photo. The seat is vinyl. I've had valour seats before and they are nice except when it rains.


Bike seat 2 small.jpg
 

BobWitte

Member
Here's another photo. The seat is vinyl. I've had valour seats before and they are nice except when it rains.

Thanks for that picture, it clues me in on taking yet another approach for adapting the $60 backrest I'm waiting for.:D

Any additional close-ups of the seat you care to share will be most appreciated! The build will be in late May but I'm getting pumped already!:cool:

Since they are phasing out the velour, I'll likely go with that Sunbrella material they're using now. There are much more choices in colors and a bit more rain resistance. Although I hope to never ride in the rain, I do live in FL and the likelyhood of getting caught in a shower is rather high.:eek:

BTW, what was the photo editing software you used to extract these shots? It does a great job in eliminating the background clutter.
 
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Woodswoman

Member
Although I hope to never ride in the rain, I do live in FL and the likelyhood of getting caught in a shower is rather high.:eek:

Bob, the Russell folks will sell you a waterproof seat cover. Goes on like a shower cap, with elastic all around.

I plunked down for one. It lives in my saddlebag, and it's been useful at the darnedest times.

Something to think about.
 

BobWitte

Member
Bob, the Russell folks will sell you a waterproof seat cover. Goes on like a shower cap, with elastic all around.

I plunked down for one. It lives in my saddlebag, and it's been useful at the darnedest times.

Something to think about.

Thanks for the information. Living in FL that is something worth considering, even if I don't opt for cloth!
 

Steven

Member
Thanks for that picture, it clues me in on taking yet another approach for adapting the $60 backrest I'm waiting for.:D

Any additional close-ups of the seat you care to share will be most appreciated! The build will be in late May but I'm getting pumped already!:cool:

Since they are phasing out the velour, I'll likely go with that Sunbrella material they're using now. There are much more choices in colors and a bit more rain resistance. Although I hope to never ride in the rain, I do live in FL and the likelyhood of getting caught in a shower is rather high.:eek:

BTW, what was the photo editing software you used to extract these shots? It does a great job in eliminating the background clutter.

I used Affinity Photo for the photo's. It's a great program, I love it. It's very close to Photoshop in capabilities, but a lot cheaper.

As soon as I get back to the garage, I'll take some more pictures.
 

BobWitte

Member
Steven:

When you do that could you get a couple of measurements and perhaps even a photo of the underside? I'm interested in the following measurements:

1. Distance from the leading edge of your seat to the top edge of the rider's lumbar area welting bead (Arrow "A" below)
2. Distance from the top of the rider's backstop welting to the trailing edge of the seat (Arrow "B" below).

sample.jpg

I know this is a pain to do, but I'm about to do a "How-To" article on adapting the Grasshopper to a stock seat, but also need to know what I'm to expect regarding the Russell version seat I'm getting come June.

TIA,
Bob
 
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Steven

Member
One thing... It takes a while for the seat to break in. Somewhere between 500 - 1,000 miles it will be completely different than when new.
 
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