I am finally taking the plunge and having Bill Mayer Saddles make me a custom seat for my R12GS. I am having a hard time deciding between grey leather and grey Vinyl. Could those with experience point out the pros and cons of both? TIA
I went with grey leather, no regrets. They make great seats. Looks super on my Aluminum '02 Adventure. Some said leather was too slippery for textile pants but I haven't found that to be the case. My Kilimanjaro overpants stick to it just fine. I'm out of town or I would go take a pic for you. I can post one Monday if you like.
I have owned several aftermarket leather saddles in the past and they were great to look at and touch; however, they require more care and maint. Do you commute to work if rain is in the forcast? Do you cover the bike when parked outside? If its not raining when I leave I will take the bike so vinyl does the trick for me. Plus, I wear my riding suit the majority of the time and when I wear it I can not feel the difference. Top seat makers have vinyl's that looks and feels alot more like leather then the crap that comes stock on most bikes. What ever you choose, try and minimize the amount of stiching, because this can allow water to get to the foam. Good luck
Definitely vinyl - my Bill Mayer looks great and can sit in a rain storm all day with no concerns - it's a no brainer.
Rocky's vinyl is very nice and the material I had BMS use on my Strom. I have no regrets about going with vinyl.
My leather Bill Mayer seat has seen some miles (50k+ on my bike - don't know how many with the previous owner). It's developed some patina from its travels - I don't tend to look after it quite so well on the road as if I was living at home. I'm considering getting it re-covered as part of a general makeover the bike's getting at the moment, but, to be honest, I sort of like the worn look it has - what do you think? (This was after being treated with Renapur beeswax stuff) Mike
A combination . Vinyl on the sides for support and leather in the seating area for comfort. This is how a Corbin seat is built.
My vote is smooth vinyl. I have had leather seats before and once they get wet, I meen really wet, treated or not, the water gets into the foam and they take days to dry out. All those days you will have a wet butt, no fun. But it really depends on how you use a bike. If you are a more fair weather rider, or don't see much rain where you usually ride, leather does breath better. Regardless of what material you get, you should always treat the seat with something to keep it in good shape. I can say that one of my seats met with a bear due in part to leather seat cream that smelled like coconuts (Corbin's seat cream). Then again bears will chew on just about anything including gas cans. I try not to use anything that smells too yummy any more if I'm going into areas that may have bears.....
I have my stock Adventure seat covered in a "Marine Vinyl" style of material. I was told it was a fairly new product. Its very similar to neoprene, very rubbery and extremely tough. Waterproof, abrasion resistant and sticks like glue to your arse. I dont have the tradename right now, I will find out more info from my Upholsterer on Monday. Looking at Marine Vinyl (I think I have the High-Tac Black), I came across this; Morbern All Sport Marine Vinyl Specifications Characteristics * 360 Degree - 4-way stretch * Superior tailorability * -60º cold crack * OEM Color Line Recommended Applications: All terrain vehicles, motocycles, watercraft, automotive, golf cart seating, snowmobile, marine, ski lift chairs, extreme weather applications, tractor seating. Specifications * >100% stretch in both directions. (MI-TLWI-443) * Nominal Total Thickness: .0048 inches (48 +/- 5 mils) * Standard weight 36.00 +/- 2.25 ounces per linear foot * Cold Resistance: passes -60 deg. F. Test method Fed. Std. 191A 5874. * Weather Resistance: 1000 hours. ASTM G135-00a. Cycle 1 Formally (G23-99) * Abrasion Resistance: No significant wear after 30,000 double rubs. * Width: 54 inches * Roll Length: 40 yards James
The vinyl that Ricky uses isn't shiny like a lot of the vinyl used on mc seats and I like that a lot. Here's a pic of the BMS he did for my Wee-Strom.
Thanks for all the replys. Yes I do ride in the rain if it is raining because I hate cars and hate driving. When I emailed Bill Mayer and asked if I should go for Leather or Vinyl he replied " Our vinyl is water resistant if not repellant. Our leather, if kept conditioned, is water repellant also. The vinyl requires less maintenance but in every other way the leather is better and would be my choice." But of course they get another $160 out of me if I go with leather. I'm so confused?
Dang, he can't make a VINYL seat waterproof? Sargent's got a World Sport seat for the 12GS scheduled for spring release....
Yeah you'd think so huh? I think the reason why corbin and sargent can make waterproof seats is because they use closed cell foam. There is nowhere for the water to go. I think all the others use open cell foam. I could be wrong though. I have 2 corbins and 1 sargent seat in my stable. Both are great seats and work well for 500 miles or so then they are too hard. I think this is the difference in the foam. I have sat on several Bill Mayer seats and they are much softer and I hear they work well up to 1000 miles, at least I hope so.
i say go leather if you can sport it. i have both rocky and ricky mayer saddles in vinyl and wish they were leather. the seating area is much larger with mayer saddles so your butt will sweat in vinyl much more than leather. who knows, some people might enjoy it. -sasha
Here's another vote for leather. I was told that leather is more water resistant (especially at the seems). Leather "heals" up arourd the stitching and provides a better seal. Although vinyl is waterproof, it leaks where ever it's surface has been compromised (like the stitching). Rich's upholstery, here in Seattle, told me leather will hold up great if it's treated monthly with a product like Lexol. Hope you enjoy your new seat.
I have no data to back this theory up but I think leather is the way to go. Since it breaths it lets the moisture out thus preserving the longevity of the foam inside (keeps foam rot at bay). The trick is to keep the condition of the leather in tip-top shape. Plus Vinyl is too slippery -- I slide allover the place on Vinyl seats. Leather is less slippery.
