[Rok_Stars_Bars]

This is a must for me. I have this get one of these. This is the only flaw I have left on my bike. My butt start too ache after a while.

[Glimas]

OK I got my corbin seat the other day. GF came over and we took a ride together. OMFG, what a differance. Almost didn't know she was back there. She on the other hand was in heaven. Ordered the corbin copy backrest off ebay. Together it made a world of difference. Lets say she no longer slides into me pushing my body into the gas tank and crushing my you know WHAT! I no longer have to hold up my wieght and hers off the bars. The seat supports more of my weight over a greater surface area so this is also more comfortable for me. No real twisties in Phx. so rode in the residental area and took some sharp turns, leaning off the bike was easy, the edge of the seat was perfect at giving me a place to hang from (ie crack of you know what). Per Cyberposts pervious post you do sit a bit lower on a corbin so your center of gravity is an advantage in cornering over stock seat. Recoup, buy one, get one, money well worth spent! Here is an idea, dont take the wifey or GF out for dinner 1-2x's extra a month til you got your money for the corbin seat....she will thank you for it after she gets her first ride. Til then plug your ears! lol
Marc, thanks for everything you have always been most helpful....I appreciate it! Will definately do the upkeep on the seat as you suggested.

[The CyberPoet]

OK I got my corbin seat the other day. GF came over and we took a ride together. OMFG, what a differance...

Marc, thanks for everything you have always been most helpful....I appreciate it! Will definately do the upkeep on the seat as you suggested.

Always glad to be of service! Sorry the wait this time of year is about four weeks, but that's par for the course at the start of the riding season when they have to build them to order.

As for the maintenance, just remember, it's leather -- treat it like any other fine leather -- condition it once a month or so, saddle soap once a year, and it'll outlast the bike.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[sladecm]

if they ever start making them for pre 600's i'll definitely buy one

[Zuzu_2000]

Some Corbin Seating Questions

Cyber, I was looking at Corbin's website and it appears that you can order the seat with the seating panels in black vinyl. I believe that the side panels come standard in vinyl also, please correct me if I am wrong (I realize you have other options available though). My questions are these:

· Are there any downsides to the vinyl seating panels?
· Wouldn't this remove the need for me to condition the leather that would otherwise be placed in the seating panel?
· Why would one want the leather over the vinyl?
· What’s the advantage of leather, if any?
· Would this not also make the side panels and the seating panels match more closely vices the leather and vinyl match?

I appreciate any help you are willing to offer…

[Ulshy55]

ZUZU, i know for one thing leather breathes as where vinyl does not, so you're gonna trap heat a lot more with the vinyl(AKA one sweaty a$$) THe leather helps circulate air the better, keeping you cooler.

[The CyberPoet]

Are there any downsides to the vinyl seating panels?

Vinyl gets very hot (burn-your-skin-hot) in the sun compared to standard saddle leather, and does so at a much faster rate. There's a reason luxury cars have interiors out of leather rather than vinyl -- and it has everything to do with creature-comfort, not prestige (the prestige comes from the creature comforts).
Vinyl also does not tend to form to the owner, where leather does. Over time, leather takes shape, stretching to match the specific owner's curves and shape ("breaks in to it's rider"), a process vinyl goes through over and over each time but never fully manages (and it weakens the vinyl).

Wouldn't this remove the need for me to condition the leather that would otherwise be placed in the seating panel?

Placing flat vinyl n the seat would reduce any maintenance requirements to pretty much a garden hose once a quarter plus maybe a spray with windex once a year. As long as you kept the seat/saddle out of the sunlight (i.e. - no UV exposure while parked off in general), it should work just fine for over a decade. If you start including UV protection treatment & VOC replenishments, you're back to talking about pretty much the same level of care as used for leather (less work to treat the vinyl, but has to be done more often to be as effective).

Why would one want the leather over the vinyl? What’s the advantage of leather, if any?

1. Leather stays cooler in warm weather, warmer in cold weather in general;
2. Saddle leather breathes to a degree, meaning during a hot summer day after 15 minutes in the saddle, it's not like sitting on a layer of sweat atop a layer of saran wrap, at least not to the same degree of magnitude by a long shot.
3. Leather, if treated correctly, breaks-in to form to it's owner. That makes it the more comfortable riding/seating surface.
4. Leather, if maintained correctly, is actually the higher-lifespan material. Try to find me a vinyl aircraft seat from the 60's or 80's in good shape and it's damn near impossible; I can find leather aircraft seating that's twice that old in good condition... Or a vinyl/pleather coat from the 80's vs. bomber jackets from the 50's. Same concept.
5. Leather doesn't melt in a standard open-air gasoline fire, doesn't ignite at that temperature for quite some time either. Vinyl does. If you happen to be one of the unfortunate few who get a gasoline fire while riding, do you want your seat melted to your pants & continuing to burn?
6. Leather's surface feel (tack vs. slip) can easily be altered with simply the nature of conditioner used; Lexol will feel different than lanolin, etc. Vinyl leaves you pretty much stuck with two choices - the way it is sans anything, or the way it is when covered with silicone.

Would this not also make the side panels and the seating panels match more closely vices the leather and vinyl match?

The manufacturer (Corbin) has been building custom motorcycle seating for over 40 years now; as a result, their leather and their vinyl are literally picture-perfect matches to each other in terms of coloration and pattern when new, at least for the common ones (such as flat materials, such as flat leather in black vs. the matched vinyl in black, blue vs. blue, etc.).

Four decades in the field has taught them that the ideal combination of materials for most riders is leather in the human-contact areas, vinyl in the side-panels (it will withstand the repeated deformation of folding-over better) and in the welts (because it won't tend to shag or fray from the wear of riders' legs getting on/off the bike). I ordered the second-to-last of my own saddles (I've owned six) with leather welting and leather side-panels, and I'll never do it again; the welting wore to form some fray from abrasion getting on/off the bike; the sidepanels in leather had their own issues...

But if you want all vinyl, they will be happy to provide you an all vinyl saddle. Or if you want all leather, they will be happy to do all leather. They will do whatever you ask. And I'll be happy to handle the order for you...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Zuzu_2000]

Thanks Ulshy55 and CP for the replies. As always, very thorough answers CP and greatly appreciated. This clears up a lot for me. I think I may convince myself to go ahead with the purchase of a Corbin saddle in the near future. One of my buddies, jel181, I believe has also played with the idea of a Corbin saddle. Maybe if we ordered together we could reduce our shipping costs.

[The CyberPoet]

UPDATE: I NOW SHIP CORBINS TO CANADA.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

______________________
CyberPoet's KR Specials
Suzuki Stratosphere - 6 Cylinders, the new Katana?
The Best Motorcycle Metal Billet Tire Valves in the World, plus lots of motorcycle & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.

[lopeha]

Marc, PM Sent.