Modern Vespa

I have had Pirate do an extended seat on my GTS, and it is a good job.
I am looking for other seat specialists, who might do a custom shape.

In having Pirate do the extended seat, I did not realize that in trying to keep the overall profile the same, their usual practice of cutting down the foam and putting a thin gel pad on it leaves you with a saddle of only modest comfort.

I would like to raise the profile a bit, and have more support in the saddle. This requires some serious skill if you want to keep the saddles shape attractive. I had not realized that the standard seat has many surfaces/shapes/curves that really suffers when you start surgery.

Have you tried corbin? They are a good company and i think will make it from scratch. Won't have to send your seat into them. Hope this helps.

I sat on a Corbin saddle I was considering for my motorcycle and I thought it was fantastic--I know they can do good work--so I ordered a saddle from them. Three months passed and they couldn't send one--and this was a very common bike. That was my intro to the World of Corbin. Recently, I contacted them about a GTS saddle. The response was that they would not make a saddle for it. That was crazy, as I have seem Corbins on GTS. WTH!!?

If you read the saddle discussions on motorcycle/scooter forums, the comments on Corbin vary widely. My experience fits there.

EL maybe give them a call. Might be a one person operation and the reason is more work at times means you get your seat later if your in the bottom of the line. Not a lot of orders you get it quicker. People seem to like them so just give them a call or email and see what's up.

But they have it on their website . . .
http://corbin.com/vespa/vtgs2506.shtml

WTF?

I can buy a Corbin off the rack for my CS, and there are like 12 of those things in the US, and they haven't been made for 5 years.

Something seems odd.

I would suggest getting a AIRHAWK pillon cushion.

I was speaking historically. That was not available before. What really surprised me, again historically, was that the guy at Corbin said they didn't do GTS saddles, but I later found out they were doing drive-up and wait GTS saddles, and this guy had said nothing about that. Well, it ain't me that is odd. I speak truth. Get this, the saddle they could not get to me was for a Road King--it had only been the same saddle for ages.

Love my new Corbin for LX 150. Excellent comfort, low profile and high quality workmanship. I wish I would have purchased this months ago!

contact member "littlebluedisaster" thru the PM function on here.

he is a friend of mine and does awesome work. i've had him do a few seats and his work is second to none.

best,
-greasy

Ummm. Biker experience with Corbin is very mixed. Some great, some downright atrocious. I have a Corbin which is unusable (not to spec so desn't fit me or the bike) but it came with an effective "no return" this side of the Pacific. the topside actually looks good, but the underside looks like the result of abdominal surgery undertaken on a feral pig by a butcher, with a chain saw, blind drunk and in the dark ...

Since you do open a scoot seat a lot (vs just occasionally on a bike), I think you might want to see Corbin's work before you part with hard cash ...

I didn't realize that they gave you a no return policy. That sucks. I've never ordered from them but i would probably be in the same boat since i live on the other side of the pacific Thanks for the jeads up. I have a Schendoni suede seat that i switch off with my stock so i'm not needing a seat. Sounds like their work is getting a little shoddy. My friends here have corbins on their Harley's and they are great and have lasted. However they bought them years ago.

Have you talked with the guys at Rich's Custom Seats in Kingston? They do custom seats for Vespas as well as most motorcycles. They have been around quite a while and have a good reputation. I would sure rather deal with somebody face to face on custom seat work, rather than some shop 3000 miles away.

Does he do MC seats regularly?
I'm looking for options on my CS (which is like sitting on an aluminum bench at a little league game).

Call Jay at Pirate Upholstery:
http://www.pirateupholstery.com/

He does all kinds of seats, quick turnaround, a scooter rider himself...

He's good people.

Rich is also on my maybe/if-I-have-to list, along w/ Corbin.
I have approached Rich about some work previously, and I wasn't favorably impressed with his work, his pricing, or especially him. I know some people have had success with him, but I have met a bunch who have not enjoyed dealing with him. So, he is on the long list for me.

I was super happy with my experience with Bill Meyer. He will abosultely reshape to fit you and the job was top-notch. I did the ride in and wait thing, since he's close, but he also does mail-based stuff and goes to shows around the West.

http://billmayersaddles.com/BMS/Home.html

Uh, read the first post here! He doesnt like his Pirate seat.

I like my stock lx150 seat. My wife has the extra low lx seat from Pirate. Not much padding just thin gel but its not bad to ride. I tried to order a Corbin but they never ever responded to my email questions. I mean never. I sat on a Corbin on a 150 at a dealer. It was really hard as others have said. This may have been ok except that it was covered in slippery leather that would make it impossible to stay in one place on the seat. Need some texture, which Im sure is available.

I tried to order a Corbin but they never ever responded to my email questions. I mean never. I sat on a Corbin on a 150 at a dealer. It was really hard as others have said. This may have been ok except that it was covered in slippery leather that would make it impossible to stay in one place on the seat. Need some texture, which Im sure is available.[/quote]

Funny you should mention the "never" responded. I had been trying to buy one from Corbin... and yep, never ever did I get a response. I tried calling, no answer except some silly machine who thinks they are too busy to answer the phone (left vm) did this twice. Emailed them twice... never a response. I was so desperate to get a lower seat that I posted on here looking. Ran the seat through a search and lo and behold there was a brand new corbin. It's tan (ok color) and when I installed it and sat on it I was very worried and almost regretful due to slippage of the butt. I've had it on a week now and you know what??? I am not slipping. Not sure if it's how I have my legs or what's up with that.. but slipping isn't a problem.

I find the seat comfortable, low enough for me to be much more stable and really enjoy having it.

The downsides: no bag hook, not crazy about the spring / cable system for locking and yep, the underbelly is ugly as sin.

Same here, I think the ride-in is really the key.

If some folks here are talking 150 seats rather than GTS seats, I really like the stock solo 50/150S seat. I liked it so much I swapped out the standard seat on my LX for the solo seat. Perhaps would not work well for a particularly tall rider as you couldn't slide back to adjust the position of your legs, but I sure like it.