Corbin or Gel ?

[WildKat]

Whats your preference ? Which do you have?

Ive been mulling over the benefits of each, as tax return time comes and after my new exhaust, I was thinking of picking one of these up.

[Matt]

I have the Gel, my wife has the Corbin. The Corbin is HARD, very, very, hard. It's not really a seat, but more of a saddle.

The Corbin is also on a metal base, so if weight saving is key, this product will not help. However, if your motor blows up, it will be a great scatter shield I bet.

[md86]

Yeah , the Corbin doesn't seem to have alot of padding . And apprently the shape doesn't sit well with some people (right Jim !) . However , I DO think it's fairly comfortable . I have'nt taken any day-trips yet , but after a couple of hours , I feel in better shape than the with stock seat . It's be nice if you could try both out and see for yourself .

[Meikol2]

I want a Corbin. Don't have it yet. I have always heard it is the best for 2 up and long hauls. Jenny (wife) doesn't like the stock seat comfort.

[irenekat]

i go corbin..for comfort. its hard and heavy as hell but comfy

[DINGBAT]

I thought the stock seat was terrible. The Corbin is so much better. It is harder and doesn't feel like it would be comfortable but it is. I think that was the best money I"ve spent on the bike.

I have the carbon fiber weave, with grey piping.

[WildKat]

All in all..the stock seat for the Kat could be alot worse. But having something alittle more comfortable and stylish would definatley fit the bill for that NY trip I wanna take next fall.

[Mojoe]

The Corbin is also on a metal base, so if weight saving is key, this product will not help. However, if your motor blows up, it will be a great scatter shield I bet.

My Corbin has a plastic base....all 3 of them do. Yes, it is hard, but still more comfortable than stock. But you failed to mention Travelcade. I have never tried a gel seat, but to date the Travelcade is by far the most comfortable seat I ever sat my ass on. And it had the same gunfighter style as a corbin.

Have a look see

http://www.saddlemen.com/

I recommend them over a Corbin

[StraKat]

My wife gave me a Corbin seat fo Christmas and it is great. So much better than the stock unit. Even for short rides it's much better. And the word from my wife is it is much more comfortable for the passenger as well.

[SweetLou]

I have never tried the Corbin seat. I do have the Gel seat though, and it is so much better over the stock seat.

[BeekMan]

I have the gel and love it but I don't use it unless I'm on a mega trip. I love my cowl even more...my arse seems more accustomed to the stock seat now anyways, hmmm...maybe my arse is just getting fatter.

[GSX1100FL]

The stock seat on my Kat is okay but been thinking of adding gel.


I use to own a Corbin but it didn't feel anywhere as nice as the stock seat.

[SweetLou]

Or firmer Beek, why don't you turn around and let us decide.

[BeekMan]

Or firmer Beek, why don't you turn around and let us decide.

Not until I've waxed

[The CyberPoet]

98+: Corbin all the way.

I've tried both. The corbin is wider in the arse area, wider across the upper thighs, which means there is a whole lot more support area for your body-weight. The padding is thinner than the stock seat's, but it is also a denser closed-cell foam (instead of open-cell), which means it compresses far less so you don't need as thick a layer to get the same protection. It takes about 20 hours of riding for it to "break in" to your bodyshape, and so it seems quite hard at first, often uncomfortably so. Once it breaks in, you'll never go back. If you know someone in your area who has one, borrow theirs for a day and try it... You'll see what I mean.
Meanwhile, that big, flat surface also means that (at least for those with smooth leather) it's easier to shift your weight left/right for tight maneuvering and railing -- at least easier than the 98 - 02 stock seat with the textured surface. The thinner foam height and wider base reduces your own height on the bike, which reduces wind fatigue and makes it easier to keep a comfortable posture (plus lowers the total CG for better handling). And a big consideration in my case -- the smooth leather sheds rain just fine (the stock seat's texture surface always kept tiny puddles of water on it from rain, condensation whenever I parked outside in the wet, like at resteraunts, etc).

As for my endorsement: I wouldn't ride for more than a couple hours on the stock seat -- I can do a day or five in the corbin and walk at the end of each day. I've never felt my bum go numb on it. My gf thinks it's head and shoulders above the stock seat for comfort, although it does drop me down a bit, exposing her to more wind. She's fallen asleep back there (it was scary -- next time I'm getting velcro tape for my jacket and hers, or she can stick to her own bike).

CORBIN TIPS:
Remember that the factory will custom-fit it to your inseam length if you ask; you get one free refitting after initial delivery, incase you need it moved further back or forward. The stock corbin for the 98+ requires at least a 31" inseam after break-in (about 32 1/2" before), and the back of the front seat is far enough back to fit most 6-1/2 footers comfortably, which may make it too far back for those under about 5'10".
Always order from the factory in Hollister, California. The Daytona (FL) store tends to screw up custom orders, since they process the transaction and then send it to the factory -- save one step and deal with the factory reps instead.
The rear-seat seat back (the "lady" option in the GunFighter and Lady saddle) proved worthless to me, since no matter how it was positioned, it was always still tilted too far back to provide proper back support for my gf. I'm planning on seeing if I can cut & weld, or bend the support rod for it manually to get it positioned better. If your other half isn't thin as a waifer, it may be different for them -- or it might have been an one-off production issue (although I sent that one back multiple times and visited the Daytona store with it as well)...

Other aftermarket possibilities:
Travelcade, Sergeant, RickMeyers, BillMeyers (Rick's dad), Russell.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet