Sargent seat - worth price?

Slowgo · 01-04-2011, 09:39 AM

For anyone who has a Sargent seat, would like your input. Thinking of buying one during winter sale though worried about being able to slide off in twisties. Noticed that the current Sargent seat is not one piece like the OEM but more saddle like, also looks like you sit a little lower. I still want the sport bike feel not touring bike. Taken an 1100 mile trip to Las Vegas and 900 mile to coast and had more of a issue with hand fatigue instead of the stock seat. April to Oct ride 2 hours / day to work, the only issue with stock is on way home the bumpy steep roads push me on the tank, probably because I’m tired. Do you think the $420 is worth it for the Sargent?

GotRoad? · 01-04-2011, 10:20 AM

I have a Sargent saddle & found it superior to the stock seat. If however, 900-1100 mile trips on the stocker are OK & sliding forward onto the tank is your only problem, you can raise the nose of the saddle by affixing a rubber bumper to the tank in such a way that it is hidden when the saddle is in place. That might do it for you.

EZ-RIDER · 01-04-2011, 10:25 AM

Yes it's worth it, but it's not a two piece seat!

klennop · 01-04-2011, 10:36 AM

I had the Sargent and it was a lot nicer than the stock seat. Was it worth the money, yes.

However if you don't seem to mind the stock seat, especially on longer rides, then why waste the money on it. It seems to me like you should invest in bar risers of your hands are more of an issue.

wswartzwel · 01-04-2011, 10:42 AM

Huge difference in comfort for me.. 10 hour days in the saddle are much nicer... and wife likes the passenger section much better too. No more sliding forward.

Rapid Dog · 01-04-2011, 11:15 AM

...whaich bike? The Sargent I had on my R12GS was the most comfy on any bike I've owned.

Slowgo · 01-04-2011, 11:38 AM

oops - for a R11s. I didn't mean two piece seat, the cover instead of one piece has several inserts sown togeather to fit the new shape of the seat. Sounds like no complaints about not able to slid off on corners, my main worry. Thanks

wswartzwel · 01-04-2011, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slowgo

oops - for a R11s. I didn't mean two piece seat, the cover instead of one piece has several inserts sown togeather to fit the new shape of the seat. Sounds like no complaints about not able to slid off on corners, my main worry. Thanks

The way the sargent is ahaped for sport riding you slide forward just a bit, and the contour of the seat allows you to slide from left to right easily as needed for cornering.. slide back a bit into the flatter area for touring.

Slowgo · 01-04-2011, 12:23 PM

Thanks Bill
That was the info I was looking for.

wiggledbits · wiggledbits's Garage

If I had a complaint about them is that with my 31" inseam and the GS torque bar raising the seat the seat is a little wider causing me to be not completely flat footed with both. I have not had a chance to do more than about 2 hours at a time since buying a used/like new heated sea.

wswartzwel · 01-04-2011, 12:27 PM

Slowgo..

for your info... I am 5.10 arms are a bit long... 6 foot wing span.. inseam 33 I have the low bars under the top clamp.

I also have the shorter torque arm.

bikerfish1100 · 01-04-2011, 12:52 PM

why not go for a true custom seat- like a Rick Mayer? no more money, custom built to your (and wifey's) butt(s), lifetime warranty.

SMSTEVE · 01-04-2011, 06:50 PM

I've got a Sargent seat on my '04 BCR. It was a big improvement to me over the stocker. Will I do 900-1000 mile days? Hell no, but I wouldn't want to do that anyway, I like to stop and enjoy places along the way. 400 in a day though was no problem. Sliding side to side in the twisties is no problem either. I'd say if you can get it at a good price, give it a shot, I wasn't disappointed. Oh, and it's definitely one piece.

JimMoore · 01-05-2011, 03:20 AM

I may be in the minority, but I never had a problem with the stock seat on the R1100S. I thought it was pretty comfortable. The Seats on my RT and GS sucked. I replaced them with Sargents, which were much better.

KnowMan · 01-05-2011, 07:36 AM

I have a Sargent World Tour on my '02 R11S BCP. It came on the machine, courtesy of the first owner. I find it to be very comfortable and certainly well made. It gives me freedom to easily shift my weight and position when riding on back winding roads. On a long ride or anything longer than an hour on the slab, I find myself moving forward toward the tank, when what I want is to keep my ass back against the rise of the saddle. This happens slowly, over a period of minutes, unless the road is uneven or bumpy at all. Sargent has all kinds of options to reconfigure seating (changing shape, altering the foam density, changing the seat covering, etc.)., but I'm sure it's expensive. Before I consider that, I'm going to ride another season and probably try GotRoad's idea of putting some sort of bumper or spacer under the front of the saddle to see if that helps me stay back against the seat rise. All-in-all, the Sargent is a quality seat with lots of options for customization. It's costly, but considering the workmanship and material, it's worth giving your butt the most comfort possible.

UNC '74

Slowgo · 01-05-2011, 11:59 AM

Well I did it, ordered a Sargent seat at Motorcyle superstore. Got the carbon fiber insert & stainless thumbscrews for the seat cowel all for 407 with shipping. They are on sale at their web site for $415, but if you call, I got it a extra 8 off the price. Shipps from the factory tomarrow. Now it's going to be a long winter.

jgrm1 · 01-05-2011, 01:25 PM

Have those of you who have upgraded from the stock seat to the Sargent noticed a difference in ride height? In other words, is the Sargent seat height higher than the stocker? When considering a new seat years ago, I had an opportunity to borrow a Sargent and ride my bike with it. I decided against the Sargent because that seat was "taller" than the stock seat and while I did not mind the increased leg room, I did not care for the seat to bar relationship and feeling like I was sitting on - not in- the bike. I have begun to wonder lately whether that particular seat was off the shelf or ordered that way.

Thanks,
Jeff

Paulaner · 01-08-2011, 09:45 AM

Sargent was the first and best mod I did. A quality seat, although I've never tested it for 900 miles straight!

bikerfish1100 · 01-09-2011, 05:10 AM

fwiw, my g/f ran a Sargent on her 11S when they first came out in 2003. a year later she sold it, and replaced it with a custom Rick Mayer. The Sargent was good for her, but the RM is better. She ran both seats in 2 different IB Rallys (the BIG ones!)
Rick Mayer's, red leather. Extra thin at the "nose" for her 5'3" stature:

ymmv, but every Sargent i've tried feels like lesser quality/comfort than the RM.