Sargent Seat for the F650 Twin

I am seriously considering the "Sargent World Sport Performance" seat as a replacement to the stock seat on my 2011 F650GS. I have read numerous threads about seating choices and I understand that seats are one of those "individual fit" items.

Some of the advantages I see with the Sargent:
1) Underseat Tool Storage
2) Underseat Manual Storage
3) Based on other threads - Good Fit to Bike
4) Based on other threads - High Quality Seat Pan

So my last issue I am trying to resolve is that I am concerned with the placement of the seating position.

Specifically, will it be too far back for me? I am 5' 7" with a 30" inseam. From the photos available, it appears that the raised back edge of the "saddle" lines up with the middle of the gas cap. Based on how I fit the bike with the stock seat, this would put the raised back edge about 1.5" further back than my current position.

Does anyone have any experience they would care share regarding seating position on the F650GS with a "Sargent World Sport Performance" seat?

I have a Corbin seat on my 2011 twin, which now has 18,000 miles on it. Still have storage space, no issues with where it hits on the tank, very easy to take on and off. Can't say enough good about it. I had it in about three days from the time I ordered it until it arrived at the front door.
Might want to give them a call.

I have one on my F800GS and while not perfect comfort it was an improvement. All the seat attributes you mention such as fit and whatnot were fine. If you get a chance, fill in your profile or mention where you are, it increases the chances of someone close letting you take a peek, sit or ride before you buy. OM

a friend of mine has a Sargent World on his F650. Fits about the same as stock seat, just more comfortably. I have a Rick Mayer on my F800GS, and like the fit and feel of that one more than his Sargent, but both are good choices IMO.
fwiw- I owned & rode Corbins for years (back when they were about the only option for a "sporting" aftermarket saddle), but after my last fiasco in dealing with their customer service dept for repairing a saddle that should never have left the factory (obvious glaring mistakes in construction), i will never buy a saddle from them again.

I have a Sargent seat on my F650GS. The seat is much more comfortable to me than the sloped stock seat was. I can't remember how many miles I had on my bike when I put the seat on, but I bought one of the first Sargent seats when it became available for the GS twins. I now have 45K miles on the bike. I think you'll find the raised edge just means you can sit back 1 1/2 inches farther if you want to. The seat doesn't lock you into place and I move forward and backward all the time to change positions. The seat pan fits perfectly and looks better than the stock one. I would buy another one in a heartbeat!


As far as the person who recommended a Corbin, I will never go down that road again. I have had 6 Corbin seats. The seat pans all looked and fit like something made in a junior high shop class. Total junk. The last Corbin I had the company sent a seat for a K100 when I ordered a seat for a K1100. They are very different. They then refused to send out the correct seat until I had returned the wrong one. I had a trip coming and didn't have the extra time to wait. So I couldn't use my K1100LT for the trip. When I got home I still hadn't received the correct seat. I kept contacting Corbin and telling them the date they had received it back and who had signed for it. After a couple of weeks of them basicly calling me a liar the lady on the phone walked over to their receiving dept. and found the seat siting in the corner where it had been for a few weeks at that point. Corbin will never get another penny of my money!

[QUOTE=Ridealot;853455]I have a Sargent seat on my F650GS. The seat is much more comfortable to me than the sloped stock seat was. I can't remember how many miles I had on my bike when I put the seat on, but I bought one of the first Sargent seats when it became available for the GS twins. I now have 45K miles on the bike. I think you'll find the raised edge just means you can sit back 1 1/2 inches farther if you want to. The seat doesn't lock you into place and I move forward and backward all the time to change positions. The seat pan fits perfectly and looks better than the stock one. I would buy another one in a heartbeat!


As far as the person who recommended a Corbin, I will never go down that road again. I have had 6 Corbin seats. The seat pans all looked and fit like something made in a junior high shop class. Total junk. The last Corbin I had the company sent a seat for a K100 when I ordered a seat for a K1100. They are very different. They then refused to send out the correct seat until I had returned the wrong one. I had a trip coming and didn't have the extra time to wait. So I couldn't use my K1100LT for the trip. When I got home I still hadn't received the correct seat. I kept contacting Corbin and telling them the date they had received it back and who had signed for it. After a couple of weeks of them basicly calling me a liar the lady on the phone walked over to their receiving dept. and found the seat siting in the corner where it had been for a few weeks at that point. Corbin will never get another penny of my money![/QUOTE]

Don't overlook the BMW Comfort Seat. I have two of them. One on the RT and one on the F650GS. I also have a Sargent on the Yamaha WR250R. Comfort Seats on the BMW's are great IMO. I like the Sargent but not as well as the BMW Comfort Seats. Check with your BMW dealer. (not the low seat but the COMFORT SEAT)

Jack

[QUOTE=jaherbst;853494]Don't overlook the BMW Comfort Seat. I have two of them. One on the RT and one on the F650GS. I also have a Sargent on the Yamaha WR250R. Comfort Seats on the BMW's are great IMO. I like the Sargent but not as well as the BMW Comfort Seats. Check with your BMW dealer. (not the low seat but the COMFORT SEAT)

Jack[/QUOTE]

Good advice from Jack. For me the comfort seat positioned me just a little lower than my bad knees like and I would prefer to be able to slide back a smidgen more. My inseam is 32", the Comfort seat would be perfect for me if my inseam were 30".

[QUOTE=jaherbst;853494]Don't overlook the BMW Comfort Seat. I have two of them. One on the RT and one on the F650GS. I also have a Sargent on the Yamaha WR250R. Comfort Seats on the BMW's are great IMO. I like the Sargent but not as well as the BMW Comfort Seats. Check with your BMW dealer. (not the low seat but the COMFORT SEAT)

Jack[/QUOTE]

This is off topic from the OP questions and a slight thread jack. Is the BMW comfort seat an option that can be exchanged to when you buy the bike, or is it always an additional cost. I have heard that you can order a low seat in place of the normal seat. But when I have questioned this to my dealer his answer is that any seat other than the standard one is purchased for additional money. So which is correct?

I have thought about updating my bike to a new F650GS and would like to try the comfort seat. Just don't want to end up with the stock seat which I know I wont use if I dont have to.

I went through this last summer. After ordering a Corbin that wouldn't latch to the bike, I ordered a Sargent World Sport. It's a really nice seat, but it didn't work for me. It has enough forward slope so that I was always sliding forward onto the narrow front of the seat. The wide "bucket" where you're supposed to sit was farther back than I wanted. Too much forward lean for me. I sent the stock seat to Russell Cycle for a "Day-Long". WOW! That was my answer.

I'm sure others would find the Sargent, Corbin, or other seats just as good. This is a personal thing based on your preferences and your body. I'm 5'11", 150# and thin.

Good luck & hope this was some help.

sargent seats are high quality...I've had two sargents on two bikes...combined for over 100k miles

Not all butts are the same so a good seat or seat style for me may not work for your butt....

I do not like "bucket" seats (many do) to me they restrict movement on long days and have given me "wedgies" not fun.

I like the long, wide flat seat. It allows me to move forward and back on long days. that is why I chose a sargent endure.

It fit my 2010 F650GS twin just fine ( as did my old sargent on my r1100rt).

I highly recommend sargent seats.....but the most import is find out what seat you butt likes...not what people like me say on some blog.

have fun

[QUOTE=tbowman2;853722]I went through this last summer. After ordering a Corbin that wouldn't latch to the bike, I ordered a Sargent World Sport. It's a really nice seat, but it didn't work for me. It has enough forward slope so that I was always sliding forward onto the narrow front of the seat. The wide "bucket" where you're supposed to sit was farther back than I wanted. Too much forward lean for me. I sent the stock seat to Russell Cycle for a "Day-Long". WOW! That was my answer.

I'm sure others would find the Sargent, Corbin, or other seats just as good. This is a personal thing based on your preferences and your body. I'm 5'11", 150# and thin.

Good luck & hope this was some help.[/QUOTE]
Welcome to the forum :thumb Gary

[QUOTE=Ridealot;853681]This is off topic from the OP questions and a slight thread jack. Is the BMW comfort seat an option that can be exchanged to when you buy the bike, or is it always an additional cost. I have heard that you can order a low seat in place of the normal seat. But when I have questioned this to my dealer his answer is that any seat other than the standard one is purchased for additional money. So which is correct?

I have thought about updating my bike to a new F650GS and would like to try the comfort seat. Just don't want to end up with the stock seat which I know I wont use if I dont have to.[/QUOTE]

You can opted for the high/low seat but the COMFORT SEAT is very different and yes they cost extra but are worth every dime. I sold my stock seat on this forum in one day. Price it right and it will sell. I sold mine for $175 after eight months of use.

Jack

I just replaced my Sargent with a Saddleman yesterday, going to try it out this afternoon. The Sargent is better than the stock seat (F650GS, 09 ) but I still had discomfort in my legs and rear-end after an hour or so. Spoke to the Sargent rep last year at the Sedalia rally and he told me to try sitting on a folded up towel. No help. I can send you my Sargent if you want to try it out.

Just ordered the Sargent Seat from Revzilla. They price matched Amazon so I had to pull the trigger. I will post some "impressions" (tastefull and text based of course) after I have some time in the saddle. Thanks for all the input on this well worn topic.

I received the seat in five business days after ordering from Revzilla. It then took me about a week to find the time to get the bike uncovered and do some "static" tests (winter in Iowa means cold, snow, plenty of road sand, and not many riding opportunities). I took some pictures to show the influence of the seat on ergonomics.

First impressions are:
1) The overall quality looks good.
2) The staples used to attach the cover are properly aligned and produce no dimples in the black material cover.
3) The seat pan appears to be adequately stiff and of high quality plastic.
4) The Sargent seat foam is harder than the BMW stock seat foam.
5) The seat attaches to the bike just like the stock seat but needs slightly more force to get it to latch or unlatch as the case may be.

Static ergonomics:
1) Seating height feels the same as the standard seat (did not measure).
2) For me, seating position and range (front to back) are very close to the same as that of the standard seat.
3) The Sargent seat is slightly "dished out" compared to the "crowned" stock seat.
4) The Sargent seat provides about an inch (two inches total) of added weight bearing support width on each side.

Note that this is on a 2011 F650GS and that I am about 5'7" tall with a 30" inseam. The three pictures below show a forward, middle, and back seating position. I am looking forward to doing some test rides soon, but for now my first impression is that the seat will be much more comfortable than the stock seat due primarily to a) the "dished" construction and b) the wider weight bearing support.


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