Interstate Seat options

Thomasa

Thomasa

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I've been considering my options regarding seating on my MKIII Interstate. I'm not sure if it's the seat width or the peg position but my hips complain when I put my left foot on the ground. Depending on the day it can be a serious problem. I have a roadster seat but long ago I sold the tank and side covers so I'd have to buy at least the tank again to use the narrower roadster seat. I think it's the seat width because I don't have that problem on the Atlas or my G80CS or my R-100 all having factory seats. I read a thread on the subject of interstate seats but came to no conclusions except that Corbin had none available as of 2015. I wonder what's less hassle and expense, a roadster tank or a custom seat. I really want to resolve this as the Commando is my favorite ride and as it is I have to endure too much pain to ride it.
 
My opinion/experience is to go with the roadster tank.
I started my MKII ground up on an interstate. I dumped the fiberglass tank due to all the horror stories I heard and read and switched out to the roadster tank. That change opened up more seating options.
I got lucky in my choices as I was fortunate enough to find a dealer who specialized in old bikes with a trailer full of new, slightly used or still in the shipping box Norton parts he had located and hauled back from Wisconsin. I bought the trailer load, used what I wanted/needed and traded or sold the rest.
I considered using the Interstate parts pictured but I liked the roadster look. The trailer load I mentioned had quite a few tanks and body panels still wrapped or boxed.
After sitting one time on the Corbin I removed the roadster seat and replaced it with the Corbin. The comfort was worth every penny to me.


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The Corbin interstate seat is just the roadster one with the front trimmed to fit the big tank, so you could buy a roadster seat and modify it to fit. It seats you in the roadster location which is good. However I had one years ago (avatar still shows it) but didn't like it - i found the rise at he rear gave me a pain in the tailbone. In the end i went with rear set foot pegs and a standard seat, can ride all day quite happily with that. Mine is pre MkIII so im not sure what your rearset options are.
 
Many folks complain about the rider pegs being too far aft on a Commando. The Interstate tank moves you even further aft. This could be the reason for your discomfort, more so than the width of the Interstate seat. Can you borrow a roadster seat and tank and see if that helps your problem?
 
I wanted to get a Burton Bike Bits seat for my Interstate, and neither the complete seat nor the recover kits are available for the Mk2. :-(

It looks like they have them for the Mk3 however.
 
Thanks for the feedback on seats. I looked at Burton's website and what I would like is out of stock at the moment. I queried them about restock time.
 
I'm hoping to get the MK!! seat on a MKIII pan and I could use the MKII seat but that's out of stock.
 
I use a 750 interstate seat on my mk3 850. Just removed the hinge apparatus. I'm not a fan of the mk3 hinge set up, so I also bought a little kit which bolts onto a mk3 seat pan, to convert the LHS to the screw on version, removing the hinge arrangement. I think it was from Andover Norton. I plan to put it on my Roadster seat, if I want to go back to that set up.
 
Fit rearsets if you want to keep the tank, the larger Interstate tank puts you too far back for the standard foot pegs. Try riding with your feet on the rear passenger pegs to test the difference with the hips, should be better even with them being too far back.
 
I find the stock MK3 Interstate setup to be comfortable for about 350 miles per day. Prior to having the seat recovered it wasn't nearly as comfortable as it is now.
The Upholsterer noticed that the original seat squab was somewhat compressed in the rider area. I bought a new squab which he installed.
That really improved the comfort.
I sat on a Corbin seat somewhere and it felt uncomfortable right away. Some folks really like them. It had very little foam, which could work if the shape happened to be correct for your body shape. In my case it was a definite NO!

Glen
 
Interstate Seat options

Sorta like this? Interstate trim w/ rearsets and stock seat.

Interstate Seat options


Roadster Trim w/ rearsets & Corbin seat

Both versions took some pressure off my hips. But I miss the bump on the Corbin seat in Interstate trim. It keeps you place on acceleration and regular wind pressure.
 
The classic problem with any Corbin (I have one on my Roadster, one on my VFR, and on on my NT650), is they place your butt in one spot only. You really can't move forward or back. And not much side to side, if you are so inclined.

IF you get lucky, and that one spot works for you, they are great. On a long trip, because you can't move around much, it is hard to change the pressure points and angle of limbs etc.

Years ago I bought a Corbin seat for my interstate on ebay. I didn't know it but the seller had taken a roadster Corbin seat and modified it to fit an Interstate by shortening the pan and foam at front. It wasn't done very well and the seating position was wrong. To his credit, he was willing to take it back. By mail, through the Canada US border.
 
I had CNW cut down a Corbin seat base and then sent it to Corbin to have it covered. I have taken it on many extended trips and it works very well for me. I am a short man so I have no need for the rear sets.
Interstate Seat options
 
YING said:
I had CNW cut down a Corbin seat base and then sent it to Corbin to have it covered. I have taken it on many extended trips and it works very well for me. I am a short man so I have no need for the rear sets.View attachment 112919
Click to expand...
I’m going the interstate and raised bars route (ie not Clip ons) this year.

May I enquire as to what bars are fitted in this pic ?
 
YING said:
I had CNW cut down a Corbin seat base and then sent it to Corbin to have it covered. I have taken it on many extended trips and it works very well for me. I am a short man so I have no need for the rear sets.View attachment 112919
Click to expand...
That bike looks so nice that it makes me wish the Corbin had been more comfortable for me. Maybe I can cut down and reshape my posterior the way that folks cut down and reshape the Corbin to fit with the Interstate tank?

Glen
 
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This Corbin/ Interstate combo is my current obsession. Matt @ CNW would cut the base to the Interstate tank it would live with and ship back to Corbin to re-tuck (his reply to me explaining is in another thread). It is a beautiful combo but won't always sit well with every rider.
 
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