Is the rally seat any good?

[Josh_]

Hey guys how's the rally seat compared to the stock seat?  I don't mind the stock seat I've gotten used to it by now but after a few hundred miles my butt still starts to hurt.  Is the rally seat good for long days, I'm interested to hear your guys experiences with it.

[Tenerider]

I don't think it's much more comfortable than the stock seat in regards of padding. It even is less wide on top (pretty sure about that).

The padding is quite firm, which I think is great. Coming from bicycle saddles, I am really used to hard seats.

Most guys here find the padding more comfortable than stock!

 

For me, the rally seat wins simply because it's 4cm higher, gives me better bike control due to a more comfortable knee angle.

Plus, I can sit less close to the tank onroad. I have quite long legs for my size (187cm/93cm crotch length when measured standing straight against a wall).

 

The seat which comes with EU Rally versions is not to be confused with this one. You can spot the difference easily: the one I'm talking about is 4cm higher, has no Yamaha lettering on the sides, and 3 anti-slip strips around the pillion area:

Sitzbank Rallye Yamaha Tenere 700

---

Rallye Sitzbank Yamaha Tenere 700 Mit ihren Wurzeln aus dem Offroad-Rennsport mag die Ténéré 700 es dreckig! Der einteilige…

 

The one on the Rally versions is not as high, and has Yamaha imprinted on both sides. It might be wider on top, not sure:

Sitzbank Komfort, einteilig, Yamaha Tenere 700

---

Leicht erhöhte, einteilige Komfort Sitzbank  für die Yamaha Tenere 700 Wer auf eine einteilige Sitzbank nicht verzichten möchte,…

 

And then there's @Seat Concepts!

I believe their seats are the widest and probably offer the most immediate comfort. There are some people here which have them.

[AZJW]

@Josh_ I agree with the assessment by @Tenerider as I'm from the same build sheet at 6'1"/36" inseam [crotch length in Germany;)].  I switched because my long arms  put my butt on the seat junction of the 2 piece oem one.  I have both the Rally and the Seat Concepts Tall Comfort. The Rally usually gets the nod for any off road excursions due to the narrower profile, but the SC is installed if I'm doing a lot of highway miles or taking Mrs. AZJW along.  Honestly I think the Rally is a tad bit more comfortable, with some of the reason being it's easier to move around on. If you're inseam challenged,  maybe shoot for a SC Comfort, standard height.

[Tenerider]

21 minutes ago, AZJW said:

@Josh_ I agree with the assessment by @Tenerider as I'm from the same build sheet at 6'1"/36" inseam [crotch length in Germany;)].  I switched because my long arms  put my butt on the seat junction of the 2 piece oem one.  I have both the Rally and the Seat Concepts Tall Comfort. The Rally usually gets the nod for any offvroad excursions due to the narrower profile, but the SC is installed if I'm doing a lot of highway miles or taking Mrs. AZJW along.  Honestly I think the Rally is a tad bit more comfortable, with some of the reason being it's easier to move around on. If you're inseam challenged,  maybe shoot for a SC Comfort, standard height.

Just googled crotch. Weird things have shown up

[Rider 101]

Rally seat 100% of the time; on and off road

[Dougie]

Yup. Original rally seat.
 6 hours in saddle and fine. 
plenty of tool storage underneath too. 

[Rekiem]

Rally Seat it's much better than stock ones. I'm 181 cm. I'm not a tall guy. It's much more comfortable. Also It allows me reach the ground with both feet because It is  narrower than stock ones.

Edited May 26, 2022 by Rekiem

[CoreCass]

i have all of the seats.  personaly i use the rally high version as its most comfortable. and if you disire to offroad a bit. you can sit higher up to the tank. and have a bit more contact patch with your leg's [witch i preffer tough the difference is minor]

 

comfort wise the rally t7 version is a bit better as the low sit.  and you can sit quite close / up on the tank as well.  if your 182 this might be the best option if you preffer to be able to stand on both feet.

comfortwise its darn near close to the rally high version. just not quite.

 

 

if your dutch ore are close to zwolle dm me and you can try

 

[whisperquiet]

I disliked the stock two piece seat as I was always sitting on the seam/junction of both seats.  The OEM 41mm Rally seat works great for me as it allows more room on the bike with no hard spot.  I am 6’4” with a 35” inseam ….. I also installed 15mm lower SW Motech foot pegs and all is good ergonomically.

[Tenerider]

11 minutes ago, whisperquiet said:

I disliked the stock two piece seat as I was always sitting on the seam/junction of both seats.  The OEM 41mm Rally seat works great for me as it allows more room on the bike with no hard spot.  I am 6’4” with a 35” inseam ….. I also installed 15mm lower SW Motech foot pegs and all is good ergonomically.

Exactly! The junction was totally annoying. Plus, I didn't like the deeper curve/slope of the stock seat, which forced me closer to the tank (almost sliding forward because of the slope).

The rally seat lets you get even closer to the tank, but only if you need to.

 

Funnily, the padding of the stock seat was never a problem for me.

[Josh_]

9 hours ago, Tenerider said:

I don't think it's much more comfortable than the stock seat in regards of padding. It even is less wide on top (pretty sure about that).

The padding is quite firm, which I think is great. Coming from bicycle saddles, I am really used to hard seats.

Most guys here find the padding more comfortable than stock!

 

For me, the rally seat wins simply because it's 4cm higher, gives me better bike control due to a more comfortable knee angle.

Plus, I can sit less close to the tank onroad. I have quite long legs for my size (187cm/93cm crotch length when measured standing straight against a wall).

 

The seat which comes with EU Rally versions is not to be confused with this one. You can spot the difference easily: the one I'm talking about is 4cm higher, has no Yamaha lettering on the sides, and 3 anti-slip strips around the pillion area:

Sitzbank Rallye Yamaha Tenere 700

---

Rallye Sitzbank Yamaha Tenere 700 Mit ihren Wurzeln aus dem Offroad-Rennsport mag die Ténéré 700 es dreckig! Der einteilige…

 

The one on the Rally versions is not as high, and has Yamaha imprinted on both sides. It might be wider on top, not sure:

Sitzbank Komfort, einteilig, Yamaha Tenere 700

---

Leicht erhöhte, einteilige Komfort Sitzbank  für die Yamaha Tenere 700 Wer auf eine einteilige Sitzbank nicht verzichten möchte,…

 

And then there's @Seat Concepts!

I believe their seats are the widest and probably offer the most immediate comfort. There are some people here which have them.

 

Thanks for the detailed reply, I really appreciate it.  I think I'm going to go with the Yamaha rally seat.

 

 

9 hours ago, AZJW said:

@Josh_ I agree with the assessment by @Tenerider as I'm from the same build sheet at 6'1"/36" inseam [crotch length in Germany;)].  I switched because my long arms  put my butt on the seat junction of the 2 piece oem one.  I have both the Rally and the Seat Concepts Tall Comfort. The Rally usually gets the nod for any offvroad excursions due to the narrower profile, but the SC is installed if I'm doing a lot of highway miles or taking Mrs. AZJW along.  Honestly I think the Rally is a tad bit more comfortable, with some of the reason being it's easier to move around on. If you're inseam challenged,  maybe shoot for a SC Comfort, standard height.

 

Excellent, thanks for the reply!

 

 

8 hours ago, Tenerider said:

Just googled crotch. Weird things have shown up

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Rider 101 said:

Rally seat 100% of the time; on and off road

 

That's what I'm going with, thanks!

 

 

3 hours ago, Dougie said:

Yup. Original rally seat.
 6 hours in saddle and fine. 
plenty of tool storage underneath too. 

 

Nice, thanks!

 

 

3 hours ago, Rekiem said:

Rally Seat it's much better than stock ones. I'm 181 cm. I'm not a tall guy. It's much more comfortable. Also It allows me reach the ground with both feet because It is  narrower than stock ones.

 

I'm going to order the rally seat, thanks for the reply!

 

 

1 hour ago, CoreCass said:

i have all of the seats.  personaly i use the rally high version as its most comfortable. and if you disire to offroad a bit. you can sit higher up to the tank. and have a bit more contact patch with your leg's [witch i preffer tough the difference is minor]

 

comfort wise the rally t7 version is a bit better as the low sit.  and you can sit quite close / up on the tank as well.  if your 182 this might be the best option if you preffer to be able to stand on both feet.

comfortwise its darn near close to the rally high version. just not quite.

 

 

if your dutch ore are close to zwolle dm me and you can try

 

 

Thanks for the detailed info!  I'm in the US or I would take you up on your very gracious offer to try the seats.  Thank you

 

 

46 minutes ago, whisperquiet said:

I disliked the stock two piece seat as I was always sitting on the seam/junction of both seats.  The OEM 41mm Rally seat works great for me as it allows more room on the bike with no hard spot.  I am 6’4” with a 35” inseam ….. I also installed 15mm lower SW Motech foot pegs and all is good ergonomically.

 

I can't imagine sitting on the seam of the stock seat for more then five minutes, that must have been a nightmare!

[Tenerider]

Good choice mate!

[Rich TT]

Rally seat 100%

[Rich TT]

I should have expanded! Loads comfier for days in the saddle, the underseat storage area with rubber bands is handy and quite a good size. Can get motopressor electric pump and 2x motion Pro bead breakers/lever combi in. Plus the best bit is it gives you that attack riding position ie over the front more, rather than feeling like you're sitting in it. I hated the standard seat just for that. Mine lasted the journey from the dealers home and been sitting in the loft since.

 

Cheers

Rich

Edited May 26, 2022 by Rich TT

[S.Ga.Rider]

I ended up selling my rally seat. It was more comfortable than the stock one but after 200 miles I was tired of being on it. And it made it too high for my liking. I sold it and bought a sargent seat. Much better for long distance. 

[Hollybrook]

7 hours ago, S.Ga.Rider said:

I ended up selling my rally seat. It was more comfortable than the stock one but after 200 miles I was tired of being on it. And it made it too high for my liking. I sold it and bought a sargent seat. Much better for long distance. 

And I'm glad he did because it ended up on mine.  I think it's great for around town and off road, but will be looking for a different seat for long road trips.  Maybe the Seat Concepts comfort tall kit?

Edited May 28, 2022 by Hollybrook

[ScorpionT16]

Just got the Rally Seat, and my only regret is not doing it as the first mod. Single biggest difference outside of a stiffer rear spring. The fit and finish is great, and the seating position is perfect (6ft tall, 34" inseam, can flat foot np, feel it's even easier than the stock seat cause of the thinner front). No more wind buffeting either, so that's a plus. 

 

I got a Seat Concepts one piece comfort last year, and after waiting 2-3 months, it was a big disappointment. The fit was very poor, there was a big gap in the front between the tank and seat. The airbox is below that, so a big no no. It was also uncomfortable and felt very odd. There isn't much room to move due to the cup shape, and the gripper top had too much friction. I could do 800kms+ on the stock seat, and 200km into the SC one was misery. Sold it within a week. The OEM rally seat fits perfect, has more storage below, the top fabric is just grippy enough, and the sides are more grippy to hold on when standing. 

[Lewie]

Looks like here in the UK they are nearly 2x the price they are in the US

i asked my local dealer rrp is about £320

[YukonPete]

Rally Seat. I'm 6' 2" and 34" inseam and have done some long highway days (up to 1000 km). For me finding the right foot pegs for long days has been more difficult.

[ScorpionT16]

2 hours ago, Lewie said:

Looks like here in the UK they are nearly 2x the price they are in the US

i asked my local dealer rrp is about £320

Still not a bad price, in Canada the dealers want $664, that's $757 with taxes or £481! - Reason I waited almost 2 years. I found a Yamaha retailer on eBay and got it from the US, with shipping+customs for half that, brand new. So look around, they are better prices

 

1 hour ago, YukonPete said:

Rally Seat. I'm 6' 2" and 34" inseam and have done some long highway days (up to 1000 km). For me finding the right foot pegs for long days has been more difficult.

 

I got the Pivot Pegz and you use them in a lower position, that alongside the ability to move on them helps long distance a lot. 1000k's is long. Longest I've done on the T7 is 1,400kms, never again lol

[Dougie]

On 6/8/2022 at 7:25 PM, ScorpionT16 said:

Still not a bad price, in Canada the dealers want $664, that's $757 with taxes or £481! - Reason I waited almost 2 years. I found a Yamaha retailer on eBay and got it from the US, with shipping+customs for half that, brand new. So look around, they are better prices

 

 

I got the Pivot Pegz and you use them in a lower position, that alongside the ability to move on them helps long distance a lot. 1000k's is long. Longest I've done on the T7 is 1,400kms, never again lol

Good going. I did 600 miles in winter on a fireblade in Levi’s ( I was young and dumb) and couldn’t walk properly for a few days

[Chev.]

For road I run:

- Seat Concepts Comfort Tall

- SW-Motech 15 mm lowered pegs

- 30 mm bar risers

- Inexpensive wind deflector mounted on screen (thanks to @jdub53)

 

I have never been as comfortable on any bike before. For me, couldn't be better for any speed or any daily distance!

 

The seat:

 

The wind deflector:

 

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2022 by Chev.

[BillT7]

Chev!  Do you have any info on that wind deflector?  I sit tall and have had buffeting issues on other bikes.  What difference did you feel, from the stock setup, after adding that piece?  What were you trying to gain when you added it?  (I have yet to explore windscreen improvements overall but this looks interesting, and potentially less expensive that a complete replacement, if it works well.)

 

Just acquiring my 2022 T7 in Sept (est. bike arrival at dealer), I'm studying sensible upgrades and preparing ahead of getting my new ride in-hand.

 

Thanks to all contributing in this seat thread.  I've picked a bunch of tips and improvements while also getting the seat info I was hoping to see!

[Chev.]

The deflector I have is something like this (and very close to these measures):

 

 

 

 

Now found on Amazon here:

 

Amazon.com

 

With the original seat the wind management happened to very fine with me, but when I changed to the Seat Concepts Comfort Tall, things became too windy (cold in Norway) and too noisy for my liking. Not so much buffeting. I use the bike for commuting and traveling, and would have found the noise to be too tiresome.

 

I used the deflector on my old 660 Tenere with the taller seat, for the same reason. That was after first trying to replace the original screen with the Givi taller one. That just brought me more buffeting and the noise following with that. I put the OEM screen back on to the 660 and added this deflector, which helped somewhat to avoid buffeting, reduce noise and wind.

 

Then I saw @jdub53 reporting on good experiences with this deflector on his T7, I thought I'd give it a try. - I took it off the 660 and put in on my new T7, so now really happy.

 

Man! - To me the T7 is just such a much more comfortable ride compared to the 660 (And I did ride that 7000 kilometers in 7 days). I love the smooth ride to work. I love being able to run higher speeds on the motorway for extended periods of time. I love being able to do my errands even without my earplugs and not disturbing anyone with high noises on the parking place at the grocery store.

 

But perhaps a very general peace of warning when taking advice from other riders: I really try learn all that I can from others experiences (to not having to do more stupid mistakes than I already do). But I also think that we see that when it comes to riding comfort, that this is truly an individual thing. Some riders wouldn't mind sitting on a peace of wood all day, some people (apparently) are never bothered by wind/noise/buffeting, and some people have issues with handlebar vibrations or other things. So I guess you will just see how things work out for you - Perhaps no bike adjustments would be needed for you at all!

 

Anyway - best of luck!

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by Chev.

[Lewie]

Bagged one on eBay last night