Very interesting
Both the story and baldwins business model
Both the story and baldwins business model
New seat base design for 2015
As is typical of most OEM seats, the N1K has the most basic of seats. Other bikes I've owned have required an after-market seat, so this is no surprise. I expected it. In the past, I've gone with Corbin seats. This time I decided to try a Baldwin seat. I rode a friend's 2011 N1K with one and liked the feel, including the narrowness at the tank. It was easier to get my feet on the ground -- I'm 5'9" with a 30" inseam (on a good day).
Anyway, I ordered the seat(s). They replace both as a set. Their arrangement is to add a core charge, which will be refunded upon their receipt of the OEM seats. These are then used as the base for the next order. Apparently, the 2015 seat base has been changed with a different profile that is not interchangeable with older models. Did ANYONE read anything about that in the reviews for the new models? Neither did I. And neither did Baldwin.
Their seat is very nice, with quality leather and nice stitching. But it doesn't fit. So now I have to send BOTH seats back so the company can use my seat base. That will put my bike out of commission for days, if not a couple of weeks. UGH!
Anyway, I ordered the seat(s). They replace both as a set. Their arrangement is to add a core charge, which will be refunded upon their receipt of the OEM seats. These are then used as the base for the next order. Apparently, the 2015 seat base has been changed with a different profile that is not interchangeable with older models. Did ANYONE read anything about that in the reviews for the new models? Neither did I. And neither did Baldwin.
Their seat is very nice, with quality leather and nice stitching. But it doesn't fit. So now I have to send BOTH seats back so the company can use my seat base. That will put my bike out of commission for days, if not a couple of weeks. UGH!
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That sure is a spoiler. Are you just getting your OEM seats back or having them mod the OEM ?
They will use my OEM seat as the base, then put the Baldwin seat on and send it back. Given the situation, it's the only real solution at this point.
If I had known this would turn into a problem, I would've stayed with a Corbin seat. On my last bike, which I still have BTW -- a Honda ST1300 -- I bought a Corbin seat and rode for a while to decide if the shape could be improved. Then, last spring, two buddies and I rode to Holister, CA to the Corbin factory -- mostly on the slab (except for the shortcut past Edwards AFB), 700 miles from St. George, UT. They have a service for daily "ride ins" that will re-shape your seat one time for free. (A second time isn't free, of course, but still worth it if you buy a used Corbin seat from another owner.) It was a great experience and I got a perfect seat. Then we rode down the coast for half a day before turning inland. We rode through Death Valley on the way home. But that's another story.
If I had known this would turn into a problem, I would've stayed with a Corbin seat. On my last bike, which I still have BTW -- a Honda ST1300 -- I bought a Corbin seat and rode for a while to decide if the shape could be improved. Then, last spring, two buddies and I rode to Holister, CA to the Corbin factory -- mostly on the slab (except for the shortcut past Edwards AFB), 700 miles from St. George, UT. They have a service for daily "ride ins" that will re-shape your seat one time for free. (A second time isn't free, of course, but still worth it if you buy a used Corbin seat from another owner.) It was a great experience and I got a perfect seat. Then we rode down the coast for half a day before turning inland. We rode through Death Valley on the way home. But that's another story.
Now, I thought that the better seat for the N1K was the Sargent because it had rubber bushings where the seat fit onto the frame. From what I read on another thread, the Corbin has metal seating on metal and that made the vibration seem more noticeable....
Have you given it a chance to break in? The stock seats are fine once you break it in. Proper body positioning helps too.
Gel seat inserts
I buy a piece of 3/4" gel and 3/8" memory foam from Impact Gel and fix the seat myself with a gel insert. Not a hard job but is a little time consuming. Vast improvement and less expensive than a new seat. Several YouTube videos on how to do this.
I buy a piece of 3/4" gel and 3/8" memory foam from Impact Gel and fix the seat myself with a gel insert. Not a hard job but is a little time consuming. Vast improvement and less expensive than a new seat. Several YouTube videos on how to do this.
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