Will the FJ-09 give my wife better passenger comfort?

[FJ_Junkie]

Hello All. I'm not an FJ-09 owner just yet but I need your honest advice in getting one. I currently own an 08 FZ6 and got an $800 Corbin Gunfighter seat with the additional lady-seat backrest option. It was the only company I knew of that made a backrest for that model and she won't get on without a backrest. We've ridden a little over a 1000 miles in the mountains where I live and her butt always goes numb 30 minutes into the ride. She goes numb right down the middle of her backside and eventually the pain spreads into her thighs. I guess it's putting pressure on the sciatica nerve.

She's 5'-1" tall and 110lbs and with the stock seat, her entire butt fits on the rear seat but, the way Corbin shaped theirs, it's got a slight bow (convex) shape to it so her bottom hangs off each side a bit. I believe it's causing her ischial tuberosities (sitting bones) to take all the weight of her body unlike with a flatter or concave shaped seat to distribute the weight more evenly. We can't use the stock seat because there is no way to attach a backrest and is why we went with the Corbin. They say to give it a season to break in but we'll never get a full season in at this rate because she's so uncomfortable.

On top of her issue, the riding position on the FZ6 just isn't straight up enough for me. I get upper shoulder pain throughout the day and the pain sticks around into my work week. I can look into a bar riser but this bike is just starting to get on my nerves. I've sat on the FJ-09 a few times at the dealership and that position is perfect for me and, I absolutely love the look and feel of the bike. For her, the seat looks perfectly flat and a couple inches wider than the FZ.

The FZ is the first bike I've owned but have ridden solo on friends rides for about 2 years. Just not 2-up. I got the FZ because it was affordable used and had the widest passenger seat of any bike in that category. I was hoping that stepping up to the Corbin with a backrest would be a perfect fit for us but it has made riding a pain in the butt and we just don't want go out more than 30 minutes. That's how long it takes us just to get out into the Smokies.

So, for people who ride 2-up, what's your opinion on trading up to the FJ-09 for the issues above? I know stock seats from any manufacture aren't the best but we're fine with getting another custom seat and backrest from another company if it comes to that.

 

[sirepair]

If I were you and got an FJ09, I would add a top box instead of the back rest, and send both front and rear seats to Terry Adcox. These mods would likely cost a bit less than the Corbin you purchased.

I'm guessing the passenger ergos are similar, but is your wife OK with the FJ's pass. peg location?  My wife doesn't like the pegs, so we take my ST1100 for 2-up jaunts.  Yamaha seems to have addressed this as the pass pegs on the Tracer have been relocated.

[DavidS]

Agree with sirepair, the backrest on the top box is better than a dedicated back rest. Whether you like the seat from Corbin or any other vendor is subjective. Find someone who has the seat you want and try sitting on the bike. Otherwise, it is an expensive gamble that the seat will be comfortable for both of you.

I have the Corbin seat on my FJ-09, and am happy with it. But I don't ride two-up......

[FJ_Junkie]

I love the way Corbin's rider/passenger seat looks on the FJ-09 and that's what I was envisioning mine would look like. The rear seat has a scooped-out shape to it which looks like it supports both buns perfectly. I obviously went through the interactive building process on their site but I just didn't see the convex shape in the back.

I tracked down a guy that works on seats but he said Corbin seats are too hard to tweak:

Thank you for your interest in my work but as mentioned on my web sites FAQ page I do not work on any Corbin saddles.

 

Corbin uses a unique construction method where the foam is poured directly into the fiberglass seat pan and the quilted cover is bonded to the foam with a heavy duty urethane adhesive (it's usually over-use of this adhesive that makes some Corbin saddles so stiff) effectively making them a single unit and close to impossible to break down without damage and not compatible with my process and materials. Because of this, if you can even get them to work on one of their own seats, Corbin charges for a new cover and complete rebuild when they make any changes.

 

I am sorry I cannot help with this seat but appreciate the inquiry.

 

Ride safe, Spencer

 

[sirepair]

I have used Spencer for one of my ST1100 seats. Great improvement for the $ over stock, but not an Russell Day Long, Rick Meyer or Terry Adcox difference.

Beauty of Spencer's seat is it looks stock, but rides so much better.

Only your butts can decide what will work best for you.

[tktplz]

Hey FJ_Junkie, the Corbin seat for the FJ09 appears to be shaped completely different than the passenger section for the FZ6. Might this work for you. I ride solo and the Seargent front seat works great for me. I never changed the rear section but Seargent does make a pillon seat for the FJ09, also the make a backrest, see here;

 

Sargent Seats - Yamaha - FJ09 / MJ09

WWW.SARGENTCYCLE.COM

 

[r0man]

FJ-09 offers decent comfort for 2up riding. As others suggested a top box is highly recommended. 

[Guest]

How can you expect an answer when you haven't posted a picture of your wife?

 

[sphyon]

I have the Corbin with optional backrest. The wife has no problems with it at all though she says the footpegs are a bit on the high side.