Aftermarket seat question

I picked up a Corbin seat (with removable passenger back rest) for my 4th gen. It is used but in great shape, and was at about as much money as I was willing to spend for one.

First Impression: (without riding the bike) The actual seat feels wider and more able to accomodate a larger rump. I'm a small fellah so I don't require that, but I hope it'll help on long trips.

Second Impression: Man is this thing made well. Great looking and real solid.

Third Impression: (related to 2nd impression above) MAN this thing is heavy! It weights quite a bit more then the OEM seat.

Now the seat seams to latch in and fit quite well. But, the Corbin doesn't have the 2 "hooks" under the seat on either side. It just has the small loop on the rear that locks it in.

Can anyone shed an light on this?

I got pics if needed.

 

I have a friend with a 94 VFR and he also has a Corbin seat. His seat two is also missing the hooks you are referring to an I think it is because the stock seat bottom is plastic and somewhat flexible whereas the Corbin bottom of I remember correctly is more solid. I would think that Corbin would have added them if they needed the extra support. My friend has had the Corbin seat on his bike ever since he bought it new and has never had a problem with the seat coming loose or anything like that so I'm going to say its nothing to worry about.

I tried riding his bike once (we swapped on a ride, I had a 97 VFR at the time with a stock seat) when we were out for a ride with our wives riding pillion and my wife mentinoed that she found the passenger portion of the seat to be comfortable but wished that the seat itself was a bit softer. I thought the same, the seat was more comfortable as far as shape but I thought a bit more padding would be nice.

 

Thanks Zoom-Zoom.

I'm hoping that after a few hundred KM's the seat will confrom to my butt better. The previous owner took extreme care of it and unfortunitly conditioned the seat alot so it's real slippery. I gotta wash it or something.

Here's hoping the seat will be worth the money. Atleast the passenger backrest will make the wifey feel more comfortable, and less woried about flying off the back.

 

My wife loved the backrest on the VFR my buddy had with the 94 VFR and the Corbin. She mentioned that the opne thing I needed to get for my current bike (2000 VFR) was a backrest of some sort. I have yet to get a new seat for this bike but I did get a Givi top case mount and I am in the process of getting a new top case with a back rest pad. I think that should give her everything she needs to pillion in great comfort.

On your comment about the seat being slippery, I notoced that with my friends seat as well. He only conditioned the leather once a year but the leather on the seat was so smooth as far as texture goes that even near the end of the season it was slippery. His was the only other bike I have ever ridden with a Corbin seat so maybe it has something to do with the type of leather. A friend of mine owns a detailing shop here in Kelowna and whenever he gets a vehicle in with leather interiors he cleans them with Spryway foaming glass cleaner. He swears by the fact that it does not harm the leather in any as it contains no ammonia and his interiors always come out fantastic. When he used to work at a BMW dealer, that is the way they used to clean the seats and interiors when he worked there and to my knowledge he has never had anyone come back with a complaint so maybe give it a try and see if that might clean the seat and get rid of some of the slippery feel on your seat. I don't think you have to use the Spryway brand specifically but that is his preferred brand. I think he gets the stuff at NAPA auto parts as I recall. Note that the glass cleaner will remove wax off the painted surfaces so maybe remove the seat from the bike to clean it, unless you want to wax your bike that is............... After all, what else can we Canadians do this time of year but clean our bikes since there is usually too much snow or sand, gravel and salt on the roads this time of year.

Thankfully, I just saw the street sweeper cleaning the streets in my neighborhood yesterday so that is a good sign. Our riding season in Kelowna usually gets in to the swing of things by late March so I count myself lucky in that regard. If it stays nice (snowed on Monday this week, 3.5 inches of heavy wet stuff, but it is gone now) and we hit our forecast high of 15*C this weekend I may have to renew the insurance on my bike and go for a ride.

Hope your riding season is almost here and have a great day

 

Thanks for the advice!

yeah, this year winter is hanging on a bit to long then usual. Last week the temps were above freezing and some heavy rain washed alot of the snow and salt away...but yesterday we got a light dusting of snow. :frown: I think the bike might not get ridden till end of March or early April.

Till then I'll clean this, and fix that and adjust the so and so and calibrate the whatchamacallit.

 

I get home from Florida on Monday and if the roads are dry I am going for a ride. Seeing all the bikes down here makes me smile and grimmace at the same time. I can't wait any longer!

 

My brother and his family are down at Disneyland in California on a holiday and he sent me a few emails with videos of motorcycles riding by them on the highway, sitting in the parking lot, girls in Bikini's riding motorcycles (don't agree with the practise mind you, but it sure was fun to watch the video). I emailed back and told him that was like cruel and unusual punishment. I may have to take my repairmans license plate back to the house with me and bring the bike back to work this afternoon and clean her up for the coming season. Up to 13*C at the moment and I might have to consider taking off the sweater now.