Seat comfort is very important on a motorcycle. The wrong seat can turn a daylong ride in torture after just a few hours. This article compares 3 different seats that are available for the Suzuki V-Strom. There are several other choices so this is just a selection of the ones that I tried. Some riders even have custom seats made specifically for them. There is no ‘best’ seat because it all depends on the rider build, type of riding and other preferences.
The stock seat has its limitations and often the more expensive OEM and aftermarket seats can extend ride comfort from 1 hour to many hours or an entire day of happy riding. These seats were fitted on the DL650 but will also fit on a DL1000. I think the stock DL1000 seat is a little bit higher than the stock DL650 seat. I am about 6’2″ / 188 cm, 210 lbs / 95 kg, waist: 38″, inseam pants: 32″, inside leg measured with boots on: 34″. So what fits best for me may be entirely different for someone that weighs 160 lbs with an inseam of 28″. This is my experience with the different seats.
1) Stock DL650
This seat is too low and too narrow for me. The curved shaped doesn’t allow for moving around so you’re sitting in one spot. The shape of this seat pushes you toward the tank. The soft foam is comfortable at first but becomes uncomfortable after 30 minutes and painful after an hour. The good thing about this seat is that it is easy to flat-foot with both feet at the same time.
2) Suzuki Gel
This seat has a comfortable height and width for me but I still could use an extra inch on each side. The gel is a bit hard at first but is comfortable for 6 – 8 hour rides. It has more room to change seating position and has a flatter sitting area compared to the stock seat. It is wider in the front so more inner thigh support. This also makes it more difficult to put your feet on the ground. I could not flat-foot both feet at the same time.
3) Sargent World Sport
This seat is the widest of the three but was not high enough for me. I felt like sitting only on the back part of my butt and the front edges of flat area pushed into my thighs after a while. It is wide in the back but narrow in the front so it did not provide enough inner thigh support for me compared to the gel seat. It is in between the gel and stock seat for height and I could put both my feet flat on the ground at the same time. I only rode it for about an hour after which it became uncomfortable for me.
The most comfortable for me is the gel seat. The Sargent would be very good if my legs were 1 – 2 inches shorter. An inch difference in seat height may not seem much but can make a big difference for comfort. I also found the larger surface area and shape of the gel seat made me feel more in control of the bike because of the better thigh support. I felt a bit like balancing on the Sargent seat but that was also because it was too low for me. The gel seat was not perfect for me though. Even with a sheepskin pad, it became uncomfortable and sometimes painful after 6 hours of riding. I may have to get an even better seat for my next motorcycle.
Seat height measured when motorcycle is level. Actual measurements were made in my garage on a level cement floor.
Stock: 32 1/2” – 82.6 cm Gel: 33 3/4” – 85.7 cm Sargent: 33” – 83.8 cm
All seats are in the same order: 1: Stock DL650 2: Suzuki gel 3: Sargent
Tank you for à Greta test, perfect, just what I wanted to know.P.JSweden
Yes, very helpful. Thanks.
Brett
Thanks, you answered my questions when no else could. I was thinking Saddlemen Track as well but it’s costly. I bought three seats for my Harley before I found a decent fit. Jim
A great review, but as you say, seat choice is a very personal affair. I can quite comfortably pull a 16 hour day on the stock seat with no discomfort what-so-ever. Haven’t bothered trying any others because… well 16 hours riding in a day is enough don’t you think?
You could also consider the new DL650 seat as an OEM replacement, as it is of a different design to the previous (out going) model.
So the seats for the 2003-2011 and 2012+ V-Strom have a similar design and will fit on both? That sure would make it easier for the aftermarket seat manufacturers and keeps cost down. And for the V-Strom owner who buys one of the 2012+ and can keep using their favorite seat. Any thoughts on what the differences are between the old and new DL650 stock seat?
16 hours of riding in a day? That’s a lot of riding.
The 2012+ seat seems to be a flatter design, with less “scoop”. I’m not sure of the latching mechanism, but much of the bike appears to be similar to the outgoing model, suggesting that it would be a straight swap.
16 hours? It’s a fair stint, but 20 is my PB. That was on a GSX1250FA with OEM Gel Seat though, whilst completing the Iron Butt Bun Burner 2500.
Hi Pete. Just completed a 3100 mile trip to Artic Circle on my new V-Strom 650 (Dec 2012). Only managed to complete this distance with the help of a gel pad recently purchased for the trip. Seat apart, the bike was perfect for this trip and even coped with the unexpected 740 mile 14 hour overnight ride from Denmark to Dunkerque due to a broken ferry.Still unsure as to what type of replacement seat to get but above comments helpful. I think I may get the seat rebuilt independantly.
Very helpful!! Love everything about the bike except the seat. Gets uncomfortable after 1 – 2 hours. I will definitely look at the gel seat. Thanks.
I’m tall and long-legged, so opposite to many riders, the stock Suzi seat was too low for me. I bought a used seat on eBay (it had a small rip) took it to a local upholstery shop and for $100 they built it up and recovered it for me.
do you have the suzsuki gel seat part number ? thanks in advance
The Suzuki website shows Part #: 99950-62186
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Accessories/Gel%20Seats/99950-62186.aspx