Diamond Seats?

[Ferris Leets]

Anyone have an opinion?

[solo1]

I've had Diamond Seats on My Gold Wing and the Valkyrie.  !00% satisfaction with both and both had the velour insert which stops 'monkey butt'. 

People were always telling me that the velour would soak up water.  Yes, it would but so would ANY seat that has stiiching. I always had raincovers for mine.

IMHO, Mark makes an outstanding seat.  The last long distance ride for me was 550 miles in one day.  I forgot about the seat.  No bad considering that I was 77 years old or so.

Of course, the Ultimate is considered the gold standard here but the Diamond worked fine for me.

[Ferris Leets]

I certainly would trust a 77 year old ass to know what it likes.

[R J]

In this order is my choice.

1.   Russel Day Long
2t.  Diamond
2t.  Ultimate

2t= Tie in my book.

Remember one thing, your butt is not shaped like mine so don't go on my suggestion.

Best thing to do is find someone who let you ride their seat.   Then YOU and only YOU choice what is best-est for your butt.  No 2 butts are alike in any sense of the word.

[Valker]

Same experience as Wayne. I have had one on my Valk for the past 60,000 miles. Velour one.

[old grouch]

Okay, I Googled "Diamond Seats"  and got NO hits.  Don't think I ever saw that before.  How do I get a look at or in touch with the maker?  Stan

[vanagon40]

Diamond Seats are made by the same folks that make Hartco.  I think it's somewhere in Florida.

I bought a used seat several years ago and I really like it.  It does not have the velour insert that solo1 had.  It is quite a bit wider than the OEM and also flatter.  I'm 6'1" and it is difficult for me to stand flat footed at a stop.  I need to either scoot way forward on the seat, use only one foot, or stand on the balls of my feet (rather than flat footed).  I do NOT find this to be a problem and I ride to work in an Indianapolis suburb.

I rarely ride long distances (over three hours), but the one ride from Indy to Roscoe, Illinois and back (maybe 300 miles, 5 hours, almost all interstate) was no problem.  That was also before I quit smoking so I took a 5 to 7 minute smoke break every hour.  I find a three hour ride to be no problem.  I do believe that riding is the same as walking, jogging, exercising, etc.  The more one rides, the longer one can sit in the saddle.

I do notice that my leather (or simulated leather, I'm not sure) is beginning to crack.  I have used very little treatment on the seat, and it does get wet at times (and also sits outside in the central Indiana sun during days I ride to work).

I bought two Diamond seats (both rider seats, no passenger seats) on ebay for about $60 each.  The one I use everyday (with the cracks) has a removable backrest that I never use.  The other (no backrest) I am saving for when the first seat starts to get too raggedly.

I would post a photo, but I'm at home on dial-up.  I will post some photos tomorrow AM.

Ferris Leets:  If you want to pay shipping both ways from 46142, I will be happy to ship you a seat to try out.  Loan only, I do NOT have a Diamond seat for sale.

[2odd]

I googled diamond motorcycle seats and got:

http://www.diamondseats.com/

Hope this helps.  No experience with diamond or day long.  I have ultimates, and they get along with the cheeks very nicely.

[Thunderbolt]

Did not care for it at all.  Of course they tell you at Diamond that they make them for each customer individually.  Too wide at the front for me and I am 6'3" with 38" inseam.  I sold it at a loss just like I did my Corbin.  I liked the Corbin better, but it was harder.  I now have the Ultimate King Bigboy.  I like it more than the previous two or the OEM.  If I had the opportunity I would like to try the Russel Day Long.

[Ferris Leets]

If you bought a used one it probably was not made to your specs.  Kelly quoted me $499.  As I remember the Russel uses your seat pan and is quite a bit more $.  Diamond uses a new pan so you do not have to send yours in to them.  She is sending me the brochure and sample materials to choose from.  I was already sold on the velour before but now I am sure that is my choice.
     I am 5'8" and about 160#.  Mustang did not work for me.  After 1k it was squashed in the center.  They repadded it for me and after another 1k same thing.  That time they repadded and recovered it at no charge.  I sold it for about 4 times what I paid for it.
    My skinny butt just pushed through the foam.
     If the Diamond people have a choice that I like I will probably go for it.  Then I will give a review.

[eric in md]

+1  what rj said.

[Valker]

Most folks that try my Diamond hate it....but I ordered it with extra wide front to support my thighs better, moved the seating position 2" closer to the tank, had it made about 5" wider to fit my butt (_____!_____), and had the foam mixed to support my 300 lbs. I love it.

[Ferris Leets]

Valker,
     I am sure it would not work for me.  I only sit on about 2/3 of the stock seat and the front / back position is just right.

[solo1]

Final thought.

It was mentioned that the front of the Diamond seat was too broad and when stopping, one has to scoot forward.  That was also true in my case but it was no problem for me until my knees started going.  I sent the Diamond back to Mark and he shaved off some on each side of the front.  It worked fine after that until I sold the Valk.

Seats actually are like motorcycle oil.  Lots of opinions out there, none of them bad, since choice of seats vary just like butts.

[Hoser]

Got one, I like it.  Hoser 

[big turkey]

That's a Purdy Bike there Hoser.

Big Al

[Hoser]

Thanks, Al.  hoser

[Squealy]

I had a Diamond Seat on my CB900C, I really liked it.  It was velour, so monkey but was not an issue.  I rode from Indy to Johnson city on it for DOTS a few agao and had NO issues at all.... 

[vanagon40]

I bought it used, so it was not made for me.  But at $61 the price was right and I really like it.

The passenger seat in the photo is a modified OEM rider seat (shortened, original width), so you can see how the Diamond compares.

[Serk]

I've had a Hartco Custom (Evidently the same as the Diamond, but different?) that I had custom made for me 8+ years ago, and love it. The thing's HUGE and UGLY, but, it was made to fit MY butt, so it'd make SENSE that it'd be HUGE and UGLY!

The covering cracked a few years ago, and I just took it to a local upholstery shop and had them recover it. Had it redone in a tacky material, like it a LOT better now, I don't slide around anymore, wherever I plop my butt down I tend to stay there unless I WANT to move.

I had him make mine extra tall, it adds a few inches of height. I've got a friend that's 6'2", and he can't flat foot my bike anymore, he can barely tippy toe it even... (I'm 5'19")

One final comment on them, assuming it's like the Hartco. The first few hundred miles you're prolly gonna hate it. I just about chucked mine into the lake at first. Give it time, takes a while for your new seat and your butt to get to know each other...

[vanagon40]

I'm not sure what the difference is between Hartco and Diamond (separate web site and phone numbers), but the fax number is the same for both: 386-698-2762.

[Madmike]

Have one on teh Goldwing that I liked and so bought one for the Valk... fits me.

[Dougger]

I have had Diamonds on 2 GW's and now on my Valkyrie I/S. I wouldn't ride with out it.
The Valk is in Florida and I have the regular covering and don't have a problem with monkey butt. We can ride all day.
I am 6'2" and a 34 in inseam. and I am able to flat foot all the time.