Day Rider vs Stock Seat

Caveman

Active member
A lot of folks are curious about various seats and usually want to know what the differences are. I was able to get a great deal on a used Day Rider so before I switched the seats out I took a few side by side pics and a before and after pic so anyone interested could see the differences. My goal is to help others decide whether or not the Day Rider is a seat they might be interested in. I haven't rode it yet but sitting on it in the barn it's a noticeably different feel. I'll be using it as a solo seat but the last couple of pics are photos of the pillion mounted on the bike for reference.



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Many thanks for posting. I am on the lookout for a more comfortable seat but one that keeps a similar profile to the stock seat. This might fit the bill.
Have you any thoughts on overall comfort and difference as yet?
 
Many thanks for posting. I am on the lookout for a more comfortable seat but one that keeps a similar profile to the stock seat. This might fit the bill.
Have you any thoughts on overall comfort and difference as yet?
I just installed the Day Rider on my R18C. Unfortunately I have to be out of town until next week, but I'll let you know. It is a bit wider than stock. At only 5'5" with a 29" inseam, my feet are still flat footed on the ground, but not quite as firmly as stock. In terms of comfort, it's a fair amount wider, and more surface area generally means more comfort. That said, it still is quite firm, and I was a little disappointed about that at first, but a long ride (which is why I got it in the first place) will really tell. In terms of aesthetics, I really like the look and it maintains, for them most part, the classic lines of the bike without looking like a sofa or a large mattress has been mounted on the bike, which the larger seats seem to do IMHO.
 
I just installed the Day Rider on my R18C. Unfortunately I have to be out of town until next week, but I'll let you know. It is a bit wider than stock. At only 5'5" with a 29" inseam, my feet are still flat footed on the ground, but not quite as firmly as stock. In terms of comfort, it's a fair amount wider, and more surface area generally means more comfort. That said, it still is quite firm, and I was a little disappointed about that at first, but a long ride (which is why I got it in the first place) will really tell. In terms of aesthetics, I really like the look and it maintains, for them most part, the classic lines of the bike without looking like a sofa or a large mattress has been mounted on the bike, which the larger seats seem to do IMHO.
I have thought about going to a seat man and having my original seat reupholstered using gel pads, real leather etc to see if that improves things. I am not having too many problems with the original seat comfort wise if I am honest, and a pair of cyclists gel shorts work very well.
I look forward to hearing further feedback on your experience.
 
Many thanks for posting. I am on the lookout for a more comfortable seat but one that keeps a similar profile to the stock seat. This might fit the bill.
Have you any thoughts on overall comfort and difference as yet?
I’ve only had one ride on the Day Rider seat and expect it will get even better after a few more but the difference compared to the stock seat on my R18 is huge. I know your Classic seat is a bit more padded as standard but the shape and support of the Day Rider is much better. Less numbness, better back support and aesthetically suits the bike IMO. The strap over the pillion seat is a much tighter fit than the OEM which seemed baggy so better in that respect also. No appreciable change in riding position that I’ve noticed. Sourced mine from Sycamore Motorrad, they have a brown one on EBay with circa £100 off I think (£525). I called and asked if they’d match it on a black one and they did. I had to stand on the boards after about 45 mins on the stock seat, no such problem on the Day Rider. I was out for about 8 hours with two short fuel stops.
 
I have the Weekender on my Classic which is a bit wider than the Day Rider to have more support. It is a huge upgrade from stock seat. The R18 was the first bike where I felt I needed to replace the seat immediately as it was really only a 45 min seat. Weekender is all day comfortable. If you use the back rest with it, it adds a whole other layer of comfort. For me, unless I'm riding over 5-6 hours a day, the back rest can stay home, but over that the back rest keeps you fresh longer.
 
I’ve only had one ride on the Day Rider seat and expect it will get even better after a few more but the difference compared to the stock seat on my R18 is huge. I know your Classic seat is a bit more padded as standard but the shape and support of the Day Rider is much better. Less numbness, better back support and aesthetically suits the bike IMO. The strap over the pillion seat is a much tighter fit than the OEM which seemed baggy so better in that respect also. No appreciable change in riding position that I’ve noticed. Sourced mine from Sycamore Motorrad, they have a brown one on EBay with circa £100 off I think (£525). I called and asked if they’d match it on a black one and they did. I had to stand on the boards after about 45 mins on the stock seat, no such problem on the Day Rider. I was out for about 8 hours with two short fuel stops.
Thanks. Will take a browse on the Sycamore website & Ebay.
 
I also have the Day Rider seat on my classic. I have 700 miles on that seat and it’s much better than the OEM seat. I put 400 of those miles on over the weekend and it’s a great saddle. I do run the backrest for longer rides over the weekend, day to day I pull the backrest. I also work for the dealer in Grand Rapids Michigan we stock many seats for the R18 and have them listed in our eBay store with actual images of the seats on bikes. If anyone has questions you can always reach out to me at the shop. Or shoot me a message in here. We ship all over the US. Between all of the seats offered we sell more Day Rider and weekender seats than anything else. Both accept a backrest and both can be run solo.
 

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Looks very good on your Classic.
Very tempted. Except Looking at pics in brown I wasn’t sure if they had a couple of shades or is it the same with different light conditions? Any idea?
 
Looks very good on your Classic.
Very tempted. Except Looking at pics in brown I wasn’t sure if they had a couple of shades or is it the same with different light conditions? Any idea?
I considered the brown but like you, I noticed different shades in pictures. I think it is largely down to the lighting but I didn’t want to take the chance so stuck with black. I would have preferred the darker shade of brown I’ve seen in some pics rather than the tan shade.
 
The brown is not easy to photograph as it does indeed look different based on lighting. This photo is about as true-to-color as I have, though what you’re viewing it on can have an effect too. It is a medium brown and not a tan.
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That looks better than other pics I’ve seen!
Look at the contrast between these two, I’m really not sure lighting will turn the left into the right. Different batches possibly?
 

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That looks better than other pics I’ve seen!
Look at the contrast between these two, I’m really not sure lighting will turn the left into the right. Different batches possibly?
With you 100% on this one. If dark brown, I would probably go for it but the lighter shade not for me this time round. I would prefer the black if the dark colour not available. I will see what Sycamore have to say.
 
I actually prefer the light brown color. This is a picture of my Indian ChiefView attachment 5286
I had the light brown Mustang Tripper on my Denim black Harley and liked it, but like with your bike, the light brown requires the panniers to be a similar colour. I think with the dark brown I could keep the black panniers that come with my Classic.
 
With you 100% on this one. If dark brown, I would probably go for it but the lighter shade not for me this time round. I would prefer the black if the dark colour not available. I will see what Sycamore have to say.
Just had a look at my invoice, Dan was who I dealt with there. Seemed very knowledgable and enthusiastic about the R18 and accessories both BMW and aftermarket. I’m sure he’d be willing to send you some pictures of the brown one they have in stock, good luck 👍🏻
 
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