Top Saddlery seat: my new seat review...

[AIrey1507]

Well, my wife just called me to inform me that I have a rather large package at the house. The only thing that i am waiting on is my seat.:rockon:

Ordered 4/15 (custom, not in stock unit) and recieved 5/3. Now to just hope that it is in good condition when I get home and unpack it.

This is kind of a good sign for me I guess (I ordered mine 4/15 as well). Still no sign of the seat though and according to the USPS (which the tracking number also works for since they will handle the package in the USA), the seat is still in France

From what I read on this site, Top Saddlery has been exceptionally fast at getting seats to the US. I guess I can't really blame them since they sent it out the day after my order and it's just been in some sort of limbo with the shipping company (Colissimo). USPS says that the sender needs to do an inquiry on the package since it's still in France but Top Sellerie hasn't been responding to my e-mails again for a couple days. I threatened to do a charge back if I don't hear back from them soon (or get the seat by May 15)...hopefully it doesn't come to that.

 

[Sparky10]

I don't know what would be taking so long with yours. It only took 1 week from the time I received the email giving me notice that it had shipped until the time I received the seat (monday to monday).

 

[Mancolt]

So what do you think of the seat Sparky?! Pics?

 

[Sparky10]

I will write up a review here in a few days. Initial impressions: more comfortable than stock. Not AS drastic as I was expecting from the hype, but an improvement none the less. I did, however, get the shorter seat, so that affects comfort a little as you loose 3cm of padding.

 

[Gobs]

HAPPY ENDING OF THE STORY


Thanks to all for your comments and interest...

Well my "replacement" Top-Saddlery seat leaved France on the 28th of April, as I was informed by e-mail. And, though UPS planned to deliver it on the 4th of May, I received it at my door on the... 3rd! Only 5 days from the french T-S workshop to my door, 10000 kilometers far away from it...
For the record, shipped through the french public company La Poste Colissimo the previous parcel came in about 10 days, with a unuseful tracking service through their website.
Hat down UPS! Great service: efficient shipping tracking, quick delivery and good care of the parcel (not even a scratch on the cardboard!)...
I'm a bit used to UPS for international shippings, and they are the best I've ever used. IMHO I can only recommend them...

Anyway... This time, the "completely new" Top-Saddlery seat is fully conform to my 2 months old order (!). It is near perfect: shape, design, materials, seam and fitting on my FZ6F are great. No more bending or twisting... After setting the rubbers under the base, just a push on the rear end, and the seat is firmly locked in place. Better than the previous one... And it also suits better the bike all around its own place/site...
About comfort, it's day vs night. Can't comment on long, long trip, but great comfort at first rides (see previous posts).

Furthermore, in a good move, Top-Saddlery commited oneself to refund the shipping cost of the previous seat I sent them back.

I can't complain about anything now.
Though it has been harsh at the first times, all my problems are sorted out now, thanks to T-S customers service.

But, because there is a "but" as I want to be clear and sincere here, this time, for my replacement seat, Top-Saddlery used a white YAMAHA FZ6 ORIGINAL/STOCK PAN WITH ITS STOCK FOAM ON IT to manufacture it, though I never sent my stock seat to them, ordering at the moment the full seat based on the T-S black plastic pan.
I guess they want to please me at a top-range!
Good for me of course, because, having had them both in hand, I know now the T-S black plastic pan is trully softer and more "bendable" or "twistable", if I may say, than the white Yam stock one... Hence, I suppose, the previous seat problems: more difficult to stretch the material in order not to twist the pan and not to "compress" or "depress" the full custom-made T-S foam...

IMHO, and as already stated here and there, problems with T-S seats may mainly come when using THEIR black plastic replacement pan (at least for the FZ6) as the base for the seat.
If there were a next time, for sure, I will send my stock pan to get the right good seat at first time...
I already asked Top-Saddlery by e-mail if they can comment about this statement, but no reply yet... if I ever receive one on a next day.

So for me, all ends well. I'm finally very happy with my second Top-Saddlery seat. I do love it but what work and time to get it. And, reffering to the white Yam stock pan I get today vs the T-S black pan I was previously allowed to get, I can say I'm lucky.

Some pics attached...
I hope this can help...

Waiting for your review with interest, Sparky10... Good you get your seat so quick! IMHO, a bit less padding means a bit less comfort, I guess. But the great look is here!

AIrey1507, I sincerly wish all sorts quickly well for you...

Hi, y0s_bikey, my asian "neighbour"! Yes, at my door, the seat costs about 500 US$. But here we have heavy duty taxes: for bikes parts it's 30% applying on bill + shipping cost, then adding a 7% VAT to the whole. Can't go through laws!..
100 US$ as shipping quote seems OK for me. 2 months ago I paid 80 € for Thailand...
How are import taxes in Singapore?

Thanks to all,
And ride safe!

Gobs

 

[Gobs]

As from time to time some here ask "how are designed" the Top Saddlery seats for driver and passenger, I join two pics, bike on the center stand:

- Front seat profile
- Rear seat profile

Regular seat: no lowering or shortening or whatever...
You may get an idea about shape, design and "visual" comfort one can expect...

The two seat areas are well (IMHO) designed to offer a good comfort for both driver and passenger.
They are wider and thicker than the stock ones, offering more padding to support "anatomies".
Edges are "round", hence don't "harm" the thighs inner parts.
The front nose toward the tank is more important on the driver area. Due to the "backrest", the driver is more "stalled" on/in the seat.
The slight slope in front of the passenger area tends not to let him/her slip forward.
The passenger area is longer.

Cheers,
Gobs

 

[y0s_bikey]

Hey Gobs, these are really evil looking seats which pollutes my mind. And its gonna give me a great ride up north! Probably we can arrange a meet up! haha well for sg, all stuffs that are coming in will be subjected to taxes 7% of the value. I am planning to join in the 3 nation ride this year which will be held at hyatai this year.

 

[AIrey1507]

AIrey1507, I sincerly wish all sorts quickly well for you...

Gobs

I filed a chargeback on my credit card on Monday and brought my stock seat to a local upholsterer (who works on motorcycle seats too) to get a gel insert and additional/different grade foam for the tidy sum of ~$120 total. The gel insert (which had to be ordered) should be arriving today.

Although I already filed the dispute with my credit card company, I still checked the shipping status every day and both the French site and USPS (who guaranteed that the package was not in the USA unless they said so) and the package was still mysteriously in France...even this morning.

I was more frustrated than happy when a large box from France arrived at my doorstep around noon. The seat looks great and it did get to me by my deadline of May 15. I already canceled the CC dispute and now I feel bad canceling my order with the upholstery guy who ran his own business out of his home and was probably 65 years old.

TS comes through in the end though...

Now to throw it on the bike sometime today or tomorrow and hit the open road on Sunday without any worries :Flash:

 

[Gobs]

Wow, what a story, AIrey1507! I understand your feeling about this old man...

As I said above, and by experience, the french tracking system from La Poste - Colissimo is absolutely UNUSEFUL/UNHELPFUL! I suppose nobody scan the bar-code all along the parcel trip...

Anyway, good for you, at least you got your TS seat as ordered.
I'm waiting for your review

Cheers,
Gobs

 

[Hoshiko]

Hey Gobs,
Any comments on your seat? I'm looking for one myself and would like to know how yours is doing after long ownership.

Thanks