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Seat options

39K views 71 replies 22 participants last post by  B0M0A0K 
#1 ·
So as we all know, it ain't a secret, the stock seat ain't exactly top notch.
Last season I managed. It hurt like heck to start with, but I actually managed to get used to the seat over time, and did trips where I drove 2-3 hours without stopping. And without dying!
But, I don't expect I'm able to pick up where I left, so I'm in for another period of pain again...:|
So yeah, new seat.
I looked around a bit, and honestly, the options out there is actually still quite limited in regards of a new seat.
And out of those that I did find, only one of them was ok ish in appearance, this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-Rebe...ash=item41d73adfe8:g:VKUAAOSwIFtaP1KN&vxp=mtr

Anyone have any experience with the brand Noi and Zeed?
The price wasn't appalling either, compared to other options out there. But then again, you get what you pay for also, so..

I'd happily accept any experience and other tips for a new seat :)
But that does not include getting the stock re-upholstered, as that isn't an option where I live. There are few people doing such work here, and it's waaay more expensive than any other seat option out there, yes even the corbin seat.
And speaking of corbin seat, don't mention it even.. I'm sorry guys, but that seat is just not my cup of tea.
 
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#2 ·
So as we all know, it ain't a secret, the stock seat ain't exactly top notch.
Last season I managed. It hurt like heck to start with, but I actually managed to get used to the seat over time, and did trips where I drove 2-3 hours without stopping. And without dying!
But, I don't expect I'm able to pick up where I left, so I'm in for another period of pain again...:|
So yeah, new seat.
I looked around a bit, and honestly, the options out there is actually still quite limited in regards of a new seat.
And out of those that I did find, only one of them was ok ish in appearance, this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-Rebe...ash=item41d73adfe8:g:VKUAAOSwIFtaP1KN&vxp=mtr

Anyone have any experience with the brand Noi and Zeed?
The price wasn't appalling either, compared to other options out there. But then again, you get what you pay for also, so..

I'd happily accept any experience and other tips for a new seat :)
But that does not include getting the stock re-upholstered, as that isn't an option where I live. There are few people doing such work here, and it's waaay more expensive than any other seat option out there, yes even the corbin seat.
And speaking of corbin seat, don't mention it even.. I'm sorry guys, but that seat is just not my cup of tea.
I am very much on the same page with you here..
I was searching for ages and found exactly the same seats but on Zeedparts, few other options there. I also agree with you about the Corbin, it might be very comfy but it looks just huuuge (and ugly to my eyes)..
The problem is, even if you find a seat which looks thicker and good quality, there are zero informations and reviews about them and most comes from Thailand which makes returns a bit of a pain.

I hope here I will find good recommendations as I am planning a long Europe tour on summer and the seat is one of the must to upgrade before I do that
 
#3 ·
Yeah it's a bit of a mine field, you never quite know until you try.
I'm leaning towards getting this seat, as it's a fair price, and it does look slightly thicker than the stock seat, so it should provide better support.
And it is zeed parts eBay listing I've linked to, so it ain't some Thai dude trying to make a buck, sorta..

But yeah, I saw the different seats that zeed offers, but I don't like the look on them. I'm a bit picky on how things look.
I've got a black rebel, so red stitching is a no.

Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk
 
#4 ·
Well I went ahead and ordered the seat, so bajonett you can be sure to expect an review on it from me with time :)
Might be a while until that happens thou.. I'm strongly hoping it has become ridable weather again around late Mars here. It's also around that time I can expect the seat to arrive.
I'm thinking if this seat isn't all what I need it to be, I'm gonna be re-doing the stock seat myself with new cover and padding. So time will show :)
 
#5 ·
Well I went ahead and ordered the seat, so bajonett you can be sure to expect an review on it from me with time

Might be a while until that happens thou.. I'm strongly hoping it has become ridable weather again around late Mars here. It's also around that time I can expect the seat to arrive.
I'm thinking if this seat isn't all what I need it to be, I'm gonna be re-doing the stock seat myself with new cover and padding. So time will show
You never disappoint us mate, looking forward to the updates ;)
 
#7 ·
I took the plunge and ordered that seat in black yesterday. Hoping to get it delivered in 2-3 weeks, and then I'll write a review. My main reason for getting that seat was actually the passenger seat which looks a lot more padded than the current one, which means my passengers (mainly my daughter) will have an easier ride when I take them on the bike.

I calculated that with costs of purchase plus tax, it's still cheaper than going to an upholster, and I can always take the seat to an upholster later on if it needs a bit more work.

Will post a review once I get it and install it
 
#11 ·
To my big surprise, my new seat came today! :surprise:
I'm in total awe and shock here.. I ordered it on the 16, and it was sent on the 19, 1 week ago today! And now I have it in my lap, never happened before.. Something must be wrong somewhere in the world... :|
Or maybe Thailand have me marked as a high priority buyer now, I dunno! :laugh:

Anyhuw peps, as usual, this is a package from Thailand, so there is ofc some ups and downs when ordering from there:

I'm not quite sure with myself as to why the package arrived so darn fast, but I'm not convinced that that's thanks to zeed parts. But it was pleasant none the less!
Had gotten a good bump on the way thou, but luckily it hadn't caused any damage to the seat.
It was however packaged the standard way, just some bubble wrap around it, and that's it. (And to yet another shock for me, no newspapers this time?? I want my money back! :p )

The seat's are nice looking, until you start looking closely and actually inspect them. There is nothing horrific wrong with with them, but you'll notice that the stitching ain't the most straight. Especially on the passenger seat, it's like a roller coaster on that one. On the main seat it's pretty good, it only has one place where the stitching suddenly dips down a little. It's a bugger for me as I'm thorough with how things look. But it shouldn't be any issue in regards of usage. Hopefully...
The thread used for the stitching ain't the biggest or strongest looking, so hopefully they won't tear with time... Only time will tell.

Moving on, as you can see the main seat it around 10 cm high (4 inches) It's taken from my desk, so it's not a 100% accurate measurement, but it's in that area. I don't have the option to compare it to the original seat to as what height that stands at, but I'm pretty sure that this seat has it beaten.
Same goes for the passenger seat, witch stands at around 8,5 cm (3,5 inches)

As for the filling, both of them seems to be made entirely out of this yellow cushion material. Not entirely a foam, but something similar like it it seems.
The main seat is somewhat soft to the feel, but the passenger seat..? I swear, I could kill someone by striking someone with it. It is rock hard! Hopefully the foam will ease up with time with usage.

A concern for some may be the little "tap" on the front of the main seat, that is supposed to hold it in place. It seems quite sturdy, so I'm confident that it shouldn't be a problem with integrity.

Also, didn't get it on any of the pictures here, but on the back of the passenger seat they have the text "Honda" on the back of it, in big white letters. It's poorly added onto the seat, it's gnarly looking. But luckily it has been "painted" onto the seat, so with a little heat and some patience it should come off. It's coming off my seat at least, that's for sure!

But then, onto an actual issue here.
The passenger seat doesn't come with any kind of rubber bits underneath it, so there is nothing to protect the pain on the fender.
And also, as you can see there are just 4 studs underneath it, but no bracket of any kind so that I'm actually able to fasten it onto the bike.
I've sent a mail/complaint about it, I'll keep you updated in regards of that.


Sadly my bike is still in storage here, so I won't have the option to test it out yet for another while!
I wasn't expecting it to arrive so darn fast! It was supposed to arrive between Feb. 26 and Mars 20, and by then I should have had the bike out on the road again.
Oh well, patience is key..!
 

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#14 ·
Hmm.. Can't really remember there being any removable brackets from the original passenger seat.. But then again, I never did have a reason to really study it.. I'm crossing my fingers that it's that simple :grin2:
Do the rubber thingies by any chance sit onto the brackets??
 
#19 ·
Seats finally cleared customs and were installed today on the bike.
Still didn't try them while riding, but from assembling the new seats u can already say that quality is mediocre at best.

One of the passenger seat mount screws came loose, so I was unable to fasten the bracket securely. Front seat screw holes are shoddy and too small for the rubber inserts. Overall the product feels pretty basic (at that price range it does make a bit of sense), but I did expect a bit more.

I intend to ride with the seat for a few days and decide what to do next. Here are some pictures for your enjoyment.


Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
#20 ·
That sounds... promising, zohararad :|
In other news, I'm getting my bike out from storage next weekend!
Will probably not be able to get some riding done however, as I'm gonna prepare it for all the mods I've got lying around for it. Gonna get all that done during the Easter holidays here, so that it's completely ready for spring!
But, I'll do as you've done, try it on at least and see how easy/hard that will be...
 
#21 ·
@Lyoko-Code I think it's worth doing just for the **** of it, and once you figure out the mounting for the seats, it's a pretty simple job. I'm thinking that if the seats aren't good enough, I'll take the original ones to be upholstered, while keeping the new ones on the bike until the job is done - it'll save me leaving the bike at the upholstery shop for a couple of days. I can always try and sell the seats 2nd hand if I'm unhappy with them. Someone might want to take them on as a little side project :)
 
#22 ·
@Lyoko-Code I think it's worth doing just for the **** of it, and once you figure out the mounting for the seats, it's a pretty simple job. I'm thinking that if the seats aren't good enough, I'll take the original ones to be upholstered, while keeping the new ones on the bike until the job is done - it'll save me leaving the bike at the upholstery shop for a couple of days. I can always try and sell the seats 2nd hand if I'm unhappy with them. Someone might want to take them on as a little side project :)
Just what I've been thinking as well :wink2: Great minds thing alike they say :laugh:
 
#25 ·
So, Yesterday I rode to work (about 3km each direction) and when I returned home, I removed the new seats and re-installed the stock seats. The driver seat was too hard for my liking and the position was such that I felt it pushed me forward a bit too much.

I haven't given up - I'll try and sell the seats as a customization project, as I think they do have some potential for someone who has the patience to send them to be upholstered a little better.

If that fails, I might customize them myself - I do like the way they look, but I didn't like that the driver seat was basically too hard and thick.
 
#26 ·
Yours are probably just made up with the same yellow mush that I have in my seat. As i wrote, I could probably kill someone with the passenger seat, that's how hard it is...
But, I'm still a little confident that the seat will soften with time and usage. I mean, a 6 km trip ain't exactly enough to "brake in" a new seat. But I get what you mean by it pushing you forward, hopefully I won't experience the same as by the look of it my seat isn't filled as much as yours. Only time will tell.
 
#28 ·
zohararad, I suppose you could sorta break it in by placing something with a bit of weight onto the seat, and let it sit for a few days or so. Similar to as how one would break in a new helmet, by inflating a basketball inside it. As long as there is some weight and pressure onto it it should at least help a bit along the way.
But yeah, I definitely feel there should be a "mixture"/variety of foam/gel inserted into the seat, rather than just 100% brick foam :p But, that's what cheap Thailand items will get you..
 
#30 ·
The thing is, I actually need to use the bike daily, and I have advanced riding training this Thursday, plus a few more rides here and there. I didn't want to start worrying about seat comfort this week, when I need the bike for everyday use. Maybe I'll try it again in a week or two, or as I mentioned before, try to customize it with some new foam and gel. Or, an even better idea, is to customize the original seat and use the Thai seats covers :)

I didn't have too high expectations as I knew I was buying something cheap. I was just a bit surprised that it was that uncomfortable and required some extra work to fit properly.
 
#31 ·
After reading this thread, and being disappointed with the quality of then headlight fairing I received from Thailand, I’m writing off pretty much all the Thai offerings. Yes they are cheap, but after shipping to the US, they aren’t so cheap anymore. For many of the things I want to do with the bike, I will wait for western aftermarket to catch up, or use parts for established bikes that can be altered to work.
 
#34 ·
So it's only been two days with the new seat, so it ain't fully broken in yet, but...
I can already tell that it won't have much, if any, better comfort over the stock seat. I expect it to get a bit better when it starts to soften a bit, but it'll never be the kind of comfy that you can survive a long trip with.
It might be too soon to blame the seat here, as I haven't ridding for the past 5 months now, so to be sore is to be expected here. But I kept feeling that the seat was putting pressure right at the lowest part of my back in a uncomfortable way.
This might also disappear with time when the seat softens. Who knows, only time will tell. I'll be riding with it for now and look into getting the stock seat re-made with new stuffings and cover.
 

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#35 ·
I feel like this bike doesn't really lend itself to a comfortable seat for long rides. Those types of seats are usually loaded with padding that would look big and bulky on the Rebel. I'm currently having my stock seat redone adding about an inch of soft foam and new cover. I'm hoping it's just a bit more comfy. I'm usually ready for a short break after an hour or so anyway so if I can handle it that long, I'm good.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#39 ·
I feel like this bike doesn't really lend itself to a comfortable seat for long rides. Those types of seats are usually loaded with padding that would look big and bulky on the Rebel. I'm currently having my stock seat redone adding about an inch of soft foam and new cover. I'm hoping it's just a bit more comfy. I'm usually ready for a short break after an hour or so anyway so if I can handle it that long, I'm good.
Yeah it feels like you have to resort to typ the corbin seat to be able to get some comfortable cushion for your.. you know what. And I honestly don't like that thought, because that seat just isn't pleasing to look at imo. I'm quite conflicted, but I really want things to look good, just wish I could have comfort at the same time :crying:
 
#37 ·
I know I sound like a broken record here but you guys have wasted so much time, energy and money on junk seats that just aren't going to do it. At first I was not sold on the looks of the Corbin but it looks 10 times better in person than it does in photos AND you can customize one to your exact specs. I love it and wouldn't give it up. WORTH EVERY PENNY.
 
#50 ·
I had a rider on my Kawasaki Vulcan 500. The Vulcan has the most uncomfortable seat I’ve ever sat on. Even worse than the rebel 250 or the Rebel 500 the bead rider did help but not to the extent that I would have liked I think it is worth a try if you don’t want to spend a lot of money.
 
#53 ·
Thanks for the answer
I wouldn't mind spending more if there was anything other than the corbin, that's too expensive (and a bit ugly for my liking) also I need the passenger seat.
In July-Aug I'm planning a long tour (3-4 days, London - Budapest and back a week later) that's why I need some more comfort
 
#56 ·
I'm going to leave them like that. I feel like I reached a good-enough result both comfort-wise and look-wise. I will add that my upholsterer had to actually stitch an extra piece of fabric on both ends of the front seat, to make the Thai cover fit, since the Thai seat is narrower than the stock seat. But, all in all, the job wasn't too expensive, if you account for adding a bit of extra foam on the passenger seat as well, and the time it took to fit and stitch and fasten tightly into place. Am happy with the final result - I love the slightly rougher patina the new cover has, and the flatter, fuller look the front seat has.
 
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