Gator Skins Astech seats
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I had my seat redone by Astech about 2 weeks ago. It's little flatter and a little better than it was but not much. It's still a butt burner. I hate the LT seat. It's the worst seat I ever sat on. A Russell Day Long has to be better. Anything has to be better.
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876 Posts
Interesting comment. I have been inquiring at Astech recently. They quoted as having done "dozens of BMW seats", but have no pics of their work. I have no reason to doubt their product, but it's a big ask to send a seat to them from the other side of the world, have it modified, then possibly not be happy with the result, especially when there's no going back from the mod. It seems they've not done too much work for forum members. I also dislike the standard "soft touch" type seat on my '05 and intend to solve the problem in some way, but I think the only way to know is to sit on a seat from another manufacturer. Great engineers the Germans, but they obviosly have no clue about the rear end anatomy of us humans.
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6,298 Posts
While we rarely rebuild LT seats anymore, we have done literally hundreds in the past 7 years.
We are currently about 6 weeks out for orders for K1600GTL and GT seats due to incredible demand. These guys seem to like 'em pretty well, and remember they just ponied up about $25K for their new scooters...
http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-general-discussions/2451-kontour-seat-modification.html
and here's a recent review from an RT rider:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68306
Interesting to note that our esteemed (cough, cough) competitor has 127 pictures of motorcycle seats in their gallery. My eye site isn't all that good but
I could swear I didn't see a single BMW seat among them.... I wonder why? :think:
We are currently about 6 weeks out for orders for K1600GTL and GT seats due to incredible demand. These guys seem to like 'em pretty well, and remember they just ponied up about $25K for their new scooters...
http://www.k1600forum.com/forum/bmw-k1600-general-discussions/2451-kontour-seat-modification.html
and here's a recent review from an RT rider:
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68306
Interesting to note that our esteemed (cough, cough) competitor has 127 pictures of motorcycle seats in their gallery. My eye site isn't all that good but
I could swear I didn't see a single BMW seat among them.... I wonder why? :think:
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241 Posts
I got mine back from Astech about two weeks ago, took it for a couple 200-300 mile rides and sent it back last week for reworking. They were a little better than the stock, nothing like I expected, with all the hype on column buckling gel and multi-layer memory foam.
I must say that when I emailed them my negative review of the seat, they were surprised at it and offered to have it shipped both ways free of charge and to re-do it; he asked 2 dozen questions, of which I gave him specific answers to, so I am hoping that they will be better than the first round. Of course, if they had asked the questions the first round, it may have gone better.
Right now, for LT seats anyway, I give them a thumbs down. We'll see how they feel when they're returned this week. I hope I can go with a thumbs up.
I must say that when I emailed them my negative review of the seat, they were surprised at it and offered to have it shipped both ways free of charge and to re-do it; he asked 2 dozen questions, of which I gave him specific answers to, so I am hoping that they will be better than the first round. Of course, if they had asked the questions the first round, it may have gone better.
Right now, for LT seats anyway, I give them a thumbs down. We'll see how they feel when they're returned this week. I hope I can go with a thumbs up.
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6,298 Posts
Well, even though I am NOT known for keeping my mouth zipped I just can't fathom (from a purely marketing angle) a business named Astech. Although they probably have great products! :yeah:
Reminds me of the Pontiac Aztec! - you know, one of the 50 worst cars of all time! :histerica
(Did you ever notice that a Prius looks almost EXACTLY like an Aztec - so maybe ten years ago GM was way ahead of the curve on this one... :think: those freakin' Japanese auto makers are way smarter than we give them credit for, since Prius are still selling for full retail)
Then again, I did come up with "It's Like Buttah!" so I should probably just shut up and go away for a while.
I just can't fathom (from a purely marketing angle) a business named Astech. Although they probably have great products! :yeah:Reminds me of the Pontiac Aztec! - you know, one of the 50 worst cars of all time! :histerica
(Did you ever notice that a Prius looks almost EXACTLY like an Aztec - so maybe ten years ago GM was way ahead of the curve on this one... :think: those freakin' Japanese auto makers are way smarter than we give them credit for, since Prius are still selling for full retail)
Then again, I did come up with "It's Like Buttah!" so I should probably just shut up and go away for a while.
look like they should be avoided
there is one forum member who is happy with MCC (Mean City Cycle)
I weigh 175Lbs and just want a slight modification of the driver seat only, to me it is stock more comfortable than any other stock seat I have used.
Ron - I am sure you have a great product, I have had a Corbin I was very happy with but do feel like or want a major modification with the seat I have
Thanks for the responses
there is one forum member who is happy with MCC (Mean City Cycle)
I weigh 175Lbs and just want a slight modification of the driver seat only, to me it is stock more comfortable than any other stock seat I have used.
Ron - I am sure you have a great product, I have had a Corbin I was very happy with but do feel like or want a major modification with the seat I have
Thanks for the responses
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6,298 Posts
Hi Gary:
I think you'll find that the vast majority of riders under 200 lbs. do pretty well with OEM seats - no matter what brand or type of bike. Even guys with paper thin sport bike seats - since they're usually only on them for minutes at a time, and their typically much younger butts can simply tolerate more abuse.
As a rider gets above 200 lbs. the polyurethane foam just can't support the weight any longer - it compresses from the increased IF (indentation force) to a point where your skin cells are literally crushed. They become hypoxic and start to die. The burning sensation riders commonly call Monkey Butt are the nerves sending a message to the brain: "Tell the big lug to stop squashing and suffocating us - HELP!"
I remember my first LT that I bought new in 2001. I was absolutely in lust, until after my first non-stop 100 miles. How could I spend $20K on a state of the art motorcycle and be so miserable? I searched for an answer and determined that everything available was the exact same product that has been available since the early 1970's. Boring - and in many cases really only a partial solution.
It was time for some fresh (air) thinking.
I think you'll find that the vast majority of riders under 200 lbs. do pretty well with OEM seats - no matter what brand or type of bike. Even guys with paper thin sport bike seats - since they're usually only on them for minutes at a time, and their typically much younger butts can simply tolerate more abuse.
As a rider gets above 200 lbs. the polyurethane foam just can't support the weight any longer - it compresses from the increased IF (indentation force) to a point where your skin cells are literally crushed. They become hypoxic and start to die. The burning sensation riders commonly call Monkey Butt are the nerves sending a message to the brain: "Tell the big lug to stop squashing and suffocating us - HELP!"
I remember my first LT that I bought new in 2001. I was absolutely in lust, until after my first non-stop 100 miles. How could I spend $20K on a state of the art motorcycle and be so miserable? I searched for an answer and determined that everything available was the exact same product that has been available since the early 1970's. Boring - and in many cases really only a partial solution.
It was time for some fresh (air) thinking.
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795 Posts
3 good reasons to go with Ron's seat:
1. He supports the forums
2. Look at the feedback
3. and possibly most important (at least in my part of the world) his seats are cool, took a test sit on a GS I was drooling on over at Victory yesterday with a one of his seats and it WAS like buttah. The GS was sitting out in the sun and it was warm yesterday, that seat was just as cool as could be, when I climbed back on my LT it felt like I was cooking my @$$, and that was after covering the seat while I was drooling over the new bikes.
I was convinced that I would get a Russell based on conversations I had with them and Corbin when I was trying to turn my R1200c into a touring bike, but after yesterday and my first hand experience, the KonTour is the only way to go IMHO. As soon as I can scrape a little money together I am sending my pans to Tucson.
After yesterday, this is definitely my next farkle.
1. He supports the forums
2. Look at the feedback
3. and possibly most important (at least in my part of the world) his seats are cool, took a test sit on a GS I was drooling on over at Victory yesterday with a one of his seats and it WAS like buttah. The GS was sitting out in the sun and it was warm yesterday, that seat was just as cool as could be, when I climbed back on my LT it felt like I was cooking my @$$, and that was after covering the seat while I was drooling over the new bikes.
I was convinced that I would get a Russell based on conversations I had with them and Corbin when I was trying to turn my R1200c into a touring bike, but after yesterday and my first hand experience, the KonTour is the only way to go IMHO. As soon as I can scrape a little money together I am sending my pans to Tucson.
After yesterday, this is definitely my next farkle.
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241 Posts
The "s" is pronounced with an "s" sound, not a "z" - the idea in mind is technology for the @$$! But, I do agree, there could have been more forethought in the name. Personally, as I wait for mine to return from them, I still wish I had the $ to get them to you! This may just be a bandaid on a gaping wound, but I'm hoping the $300 gamble I took pays off. We'll see!RonKMiller said:
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