V-Strom Sargent Seat Test
When I entered the adventure motorcycling scene last year, I was seeking true adventure. Basically, I didn’t want to use an off-road capable machine as a sport-touring bike, something I witness and frown upon almost daily.
Without much of a budget, I chose a 2002 Suzuki V-Strom, a bike that clearly lacks the adventurous edge of the BMW GS series, the KTM Adventure bikes and the Ducati Multistrada, to name a few higher-dollar bikes.
I began toughing up the Strom, first with the much-needed DOT knobbies, then Touratech protection and luggage, and Wirth fork springs (reviews coming). But I was still lacking comfort in the saddle.
Past experience brought me to a company I’ve grown to respect – Sargent Cycle Products. The company offers a World Sport Performance seat for my Strom, and for the past 15,000 miles, this seat has provided my behind with pure comfort, something the stock seat clearly lacked.
Sargent’s comfortable design begins with “Super Cell Atomic Foam.” This foam offers vibration control and a slight firmness needed for long-distance touring. And unlike many other seat manufacturers, there is no break-in period. The Sargent World Sport Performance provides comfort right from the box.
The seat, which is built upon a CAD-designed lightweight “CarbonTec” seat base (plastic/alloy polymer), features additional room for the rider as well as the passenger, ultimately providing for more legroom and maneuverabilit. The seat also features a more level sitting area that keeps the body even while riding, unlike the stock seat that pushed me towards the gas tank.
The Sargent seat’s marine-grade upholstery is enhanced with “CarbonFX Vinyl inserts,” providing a carbon-fiber look. Besides adding to the V-Strom’s aesthetics, these inserts also enhance grip due to the weave of the upholstery. The seat isn’t slick, and keeps the behind planted during more spirited adventure rides.
Many seats alter the overall height of the motorcycle, but the Sergant seat sits 33 inches from the ground, compared to the stock seat’s 33.1 inches.
My usual passenger also spent some time on the stock and Sargent seat, and reports that comfort was drastically increased following the upgrade. The passenger platform was about the same as the stock seat, but a bit wider and contoured, which helped provide the additional comfort.
And one of my favorite additions is the under-seat storage. Sargent wisely built in a removable storage tube that attaches to the seat pan. It’s waterproof, and has enough room to store not only the necessary insurance paperwork, but also every tool provided in the V-Strom’s stock tool kit.
After nearly 15,000 miles of a 50/50 mix of off- and on-road travel, the seat remained in new condition, not losing its shape or firmness. The upholstery also looks new, though it was submerged under water and mud a handful of times. And I expect many more miles; I have over 40,000 miles on my VFR’s Sargent seat, and it’s still like brand new.
The Sargent World Performance Seat is available in black with either silver welt ($429) or black welt ($409). The seat may also be upgraded with an adjustable heating unit for the rider, or both the rider and the passenger.
For additional information, log onto Sargent’s website.
This review is part of the V-Strom DL1000 build. Click here for a review of Touratech Accessories.
