Corbin Seat Question

[buzz]

Does anyone have or knows anyone who has a Corbin seat?  I would like to get some pros, cons, comments or suggestions.  Mainly, how does Corbin compares to some other aftermarket seats.   

[Mike M in ohio]

     I had a beautiful Corbin seat (dealer installed) on a former Royal Star, and my Valk Interstate came to me with another beautiful, studded Corbin touring saddle. Both LOOKED great, but were padded with a thin FIRM foam. Corbin described it as sealed cell foam technology, that would shape to one's butt with time. I lasted a year on the Yamaha, (it NEVER shaped to my big butt) and two weeks on the Valk. Both seats were good for 50 miles or less. AND the leather  weathered poorly, even with regular  leather treatments.
     If you ride little, and want a sharp looking saddle to go to the local coffee shops, the Corbin is your product. If you are looking to tour, the Ultimate Big Boy, or Mustang is the better choice. Hope this helps.                                                                     Mike in New York

[CajunRider]

Corbins are good quality, real leather, and good customer service (with lifetime warranty on certain parts). 

However, they're pricey!!!! 

How they compare to other aftermarkets, I don't know.  But they are loads better than stock!!!

Also, note that they do feel quite HARD when new.  It takes a couple thousand miles for the leather and cushion to break in.  They soften over time. 

I had a Corbin seat pan break on my R1200C.  They repaired it for the price of shipping the seat to them (they shipped it back to me for free).  I never had trouble with the leather weathering.... and I ride to work 9 out of 10 days.

[Challenger]

All butts are different, I had a Corbin on my 2000 STD for 800 miles, put the stock seat back on and sold the Corbin, been happy for the last 34,000 miles.  YMMV.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I have both the Corbin and Ultimate alot of folks don't like the Corbin myself I like them and unlike the Ultimate when the Corbin gets wet you just wipe it off and ride on with a dry ass.I'll will say the Ultimate is a very nice seat built for comfort.

[Thunderbolt]

but they are hard as a rock.  I still have one on the Rocket.  I had one on the Interstate like the one in Joe's picture.  I like the look, but sold it and bought the Ultimate King Big Boy.  I also had one on the Valk Tourer.  As you can already see, some like them better than others.  Try to find someone who will trade seats with you for a couple hundred miles.

[Jess from VA]

I can never pass on this question.  

Many like them, and they are great looking seats (with leather).... but mine (2) never softened up two millimeters.  It was OK for 50-75 (longer in cold riding), like has been said..... but after that, I could have had the same comfort with a cement block covered in leather.  I could find no pocket or sweet spot and was all over the seat (Corbin dual tour for IS).  The Corbin that came on my IS was a bit softer than the one I bought for a v-twin which was a rock (gunslinger).  I do believe their riding quality is directly related the individual azz, some ride them fine, others suffer.  Yes it might be that only hard asses like them.  LOL  

I'm not sure of a Corbin return, Ultimate gives you 10 days-2weeks or so.  Sit before buying.  

My Corbin gunslinger is how I discovered the Airhawk seat cushion.    YMMV

[buzz]

Thanks for the input.  I had a Corbin years ago on my Intruder.  It was better then the stock but as far  as I can remember there wasn't that much of a difference.  I thought Corbin had made some changes but apparently they didn't.  I think I'll go with the Diamond seat.  Ultimate is just out of my price range.   

Buzz

[Dougger]

Buzz,
I don't think that you can go wrong with Diamond. I had a Diamond on an 84 & on an 88 GW. Then when I got the Valkyrie I got another. Now I have the second I/S, I will be ordering another before I go back to Michigan in the spring, so I can ride in comfort on that bike.
Can you get the idea, Diamond is a comfortable ride.
Mike will do right by you.

[olddog1946]

Neighbor has a Corbin that he likes, not all that old, the leather is split and I find it relatively crappy..I have the Ultimate King Big Boy and find it far superior...though it was indeed spendy..

[BF]

I had a Corbin......hard as a brick.  About a 30 minute seat. 

Had a 2000 and up OEM seat......nice and soft.  About a 2-2 1/2 hour seat.  The problem with it was that it put me too far forward and just couldn't get used to that. 

Now have a Mustang.......firm, but not brick hard like the Corbin.  About an 1 1/2 hour seat.  Great for around town, but wouldn't wanna go on a trip with it. 

Planning on an Ultimate King Big Boy next.  From what I hear, I'll have a happy butt with the Ultimate. 

[rrmdeuce]

I also had a Corbin on my Tourer. I found it unconvertible after a few hours and it also sat to low for me. I had Russell Day Long build a new seat on my Corbin pan and have never been happier. RDL will build your seat however you would like, higher, lower, forward, back.

[f6rider]

I have had many Corbins. My 1500 wing, 1800 wing, Rune, 2 up on the rune. They are hard. I have done my Iron Butts aboard a Corbin. They have wore well and I have found the few times I needed there service that it was good.
My Current Valk has a Mustang which I really like as well.
I have a big butt and weigh 300lbs. I think the support the Corbin offers suits my body.. Do not know why but they seem to work for me rather well.

[Monkey Boy]

I had a Mustang on my valk for a while and did not like it, switched to a Corbin and it is way better for me.  The Corbin lets me sit in the seat a little more versus sitting up on the seat like the Mustang did.  Never had an Ultimate so I can't say about those but IMHO Corbin is the way to go.

[sheets]

I have the Corbin dual seat set up. My half works for me. It isn't very cushy, but I don't have serious heartburn over it. The wifeunit's half... she's hated since week 2. I purchased a foam cushion from a medical supply place (for people who sit in wheel chairs for extended periods of time). The foam pad covered with a sheepskin... she's good tank to tank. I treat the leather with Neatsfoot oil or mink oil a few times during the summer. Ten years... no failures in materials or craftsmanship. Ymmv,   

[Gear Jammer]

    I had a beautiful Corbin seat (dealer installed) on a former Royal Star, and my Valk Interstate came to me with another beautiful, studded Corbin touring saddle. Both LOOKED great, but were padded with a thin FIRM foam. Corbin described it as sealed cell foam technology, that would shape to one's butt with time. I lasted a year on the Yamaha, (it NEVER shaped to my big butt) and two weeks on the Valk. Both seats were good for 50 miles or less. AND the leather  weathered poorly, even with regular  leather treatments.
     If you ride little, and want a sharp looking saddle to go to the local coffee shops, the Corbin is your product. If you are looking to tour, the Ultimate Big Boy, or Mustang is the better choice. Hope this helps.                                                                     Mike in New York

I had the OEM, Corbin,Mustang and Big Boy.....   I HAVE the Russell Day Long    No two butts are the same, so you may go through several seats like I did, before you find the "one' that is just right for you.

[RedValk]

Seats are like oil....like tires....like....you get the picture. EVERYONE has an opinion...and yours/theirs....may obviously VARY!

Me, all my Runes and Valks have a Corbin seat, or they have no seat at all (said in my best English Leather expression....if you remember the commercial).

SHerry is the one exception. On her Valk, she has a Mustang seat (couldn't pass on the deal BamaJack gave us on the seat!). but her Rune has a Corbin seat.........

I will also admit that customer service with Corbin CAN be hit or miss. Some have had good success, some TERRIBLE...with the customer service.

oh, my Corbin on my Valk....looked good until it was about 10 years old. Then, the leather was a bit cracked. So i contacted them....asked what it would take to make it look PERFECT again. they said send it back...for about 150 bucks we'll put all new leather on the seat. so i did. they put new leather, new foam, new rubber bumpers....EVERYTHING but the seat pan was replaced. I figure i'm good for at least another 10 years now! i also confess i rarely put leather conditioner on the seat the first 10 years...and it sat out in the weather every day i road to work (often). that means blistering sun and heat in the summer....and of course, it got rained on quite a bit. so, i'd say given my mistreatment....lasting 10 years before cracking was pretty good!

another thing. ANY leather seat (and Corbin is one)...HANDS DOWN...is MUCH cooler to sit on in the summer. First, ever try sitting on a BLACK vinyl seat after your bike has sat in the sun on a 98 degree day in the south? Yea, it's BLISTERING! NOT SO...with leather. It's just warm to the touch...but NOT hot. SECOND, ever ride on a hot summer day on a vinyl seat and have that "sweaty butt syndrome"? NOT...with leather. It breaths.

me, i love leather. you have to take care of it............but for the reasons i mention above, it's best FOR ME.

your mileage may vary.....................etc, etc.

[Chiefy]

Put a Mustang seat on my VTX  was "okay" is about all.  Valk came with an old beater Corbin.  Even in bad shape it was better then the new Mustang.  Recently bought a used Corbin in much better shape for the Valk.  Better still then the older one.  It's Jim-dandy.  Although I can't compare it to an Ultimate or other brands..........

[Robert]

Had a Corbin wore to fast 2 years wore holes on the sides where the legs rubbed. Corbin would not stand behind it said will recover at almost the original cost. Went to a custom builder made a custom seat much better material at a cheaper price. Used the Corbin pan and new materials he shaped the seat so it moved me down and back a little. Could have chosen any skin I wanted or any firmness. I like the size of the Corbin it narrower than most of the seats out there.

[Master Blaster]

Been riding Corbins for 10+ years and love them. Got them on the Interstate, and a Gun Slingeron the custom, and just put a Corbin and Smuggler on my Concours 1400.  For me they are a great all day seat, even on those 12+ hour days.  I ride solo, so cant vouch for passenger comfort.  From comments over the years, it is mostly one of those that you either hate or love, so if you can you should try before you buy.  As RJ stated, different butts take different seats, and there are even some that dont like the Ultimate.

[RedValk]

and it is true.....you HAVE to ride on that seat at least a thousand or couple of thousand miles before it truly 'forms' to your butt. when i bought my FIRST Corbin...back in the 90s....i put on the seat, rode down the road about 10 miles and thought "man, i just made a VERY expensive...VERY big MISTAKE!"   The firmer seat allowed me to feel things ....feedback...from the road i had never felt before. the seat was firm...almost too firm at first. oh, COrbin seats fit TIGHT...until those rubber bumpers break in too (and as such, sometimes it's HARD as heck to even get the seat to go on to the bike at first. All of us Corbin "vets" know the little trick with a NEW Corbin seat of striking it FIRMLY from behind as you try to latch it...until it breaks in and then fits perfectly....tight....). but my dealer said "yep, they ALL say that at first. Give it a couple of thousand miles and come back and talk to me." After he assured me the dealer (my local Honda shop) would stand behind the product AND REFUND MY MONEY and take the seat back if i wasn't happy....i did what he suggested.

after about 1000 miles, i was in love with the seat. Now, i wouldn't use anything else.

[Garfield]

after about 1000 miles, i was in love with the seat. Now, i wouldn't use anything else.

Only got about 300 miles on mine right now due to winter. I hope your all right about this.