The Corbin is hard. I've never owned one but I have ridden a 650 with a Corbin seat. I have the DayLong and I'm 5'10. I tolerated the stock seat for a short while and had to buy a gel pad which helped some. Now I ride the daylong which has a great backrest. No more butt aches. If you go the Daylong route it will be a completely custom fit just for you.
Ed

 

I like the Corbin. It is firm but not uncomfortable. I always had to keep my legs braced with the stock seat. The Corbin moved me back a bit which helped my knees. I also had it made without a rider backrest. I use a Back A Line most of the time for support. I have never liked a back rest because of the constant contact and extra heat buildup. Buying a seat is a big investment so try to choose wisely.

 

I'm a big Day Long fan. I got mine a couple of months ago and never looked back. It's very, very comfortable and I really like how it makes me feel more like I'm a "part of the bike" (e.g. no more sliding forward or sideways). I had put an Isuzu head rest on the stock seat for back support and it helped quite a bit, but the backrest that Day Long sells is much sturdier. These seats are not cheap, but worth every cent in my opinion.

The only question I would have for you is whether the Day Long would end up being too tall for you. You say you're 5'11" and your legs just fit the bike. Maybe that means you have a long inseam, which would be good with the Day Long. I think their seat ends up being an inch or so taller than the stock seat due to the spring they install in the seat to create the side support and the extra padding they use. However, they also shape the seat so it's narrower toward the front where the seat "horn" is. This enable you to slide forward a if you need to in order to flat foot it at a stop light.

Check out the pictures of my seat in the gallery under Gary Smith #24.

Gary

 

As the prior poster mentioned, your inseam is more important than your height. If you are proportioned like most women, at 5'11" you will have longer legs than most 5'11" men. I'm also 5'11" but I have long legs lor a man my height, I have a 33" inseam. I have the Corbin Long on my 650, it moves the back of the drivers seat back about 3 inches more than the regular Corbin and gives me the knee room I need. I find it comfortable even though the foam in it is a little firmer than most seats. Corbin is the only seat maker that uses it's on seat pan instead of the stock seat pan so they can offer this option when others can't because they are limited to the dimensions of the stock pan.

 

BTW, if you go to Corbin's web site it no longer list the Corbin Long but I've been told it can still be special ordered.

 

I have posted this several times - here it is again. I modified the stock seat by removing the butt rest and incorporating it into the seat. Added foam along the sides for more lateral support. This added to legroom and is more comfortable. It was patterned after a Goldwing seat which is fairly comfortable. Must upholstery shops can do this for $150-$200.

See this website http://www.homestead.com/nochrome

 

I had a 2006 Honda Silverwing that came with the standard 20 mile seat. After trying several cushion options I purchased a Corbin seat which extended the range to 40 miles. There was not a lot of difference between the Honda and the Corbin seat; a wasted $500.

I traded the Honda in for a 2009 Burgman and again I have a 20 mile seat. I now have a $115 cushion that makes it a 70 mile seat so again I am looking for a seat.

I really like the looks of the Day Long seat mentioned on the forum, so I sent an email to them with a lot of questions and will see what develops. This looks like it will be my next seat.

 

I do not like my 650 seat. My pelvis rolls forward and I am constantly adjusting. Plus it is a hard seat. I looked at the Day Long seat web site as an option. I am tall for a woman and need leg room as well (5'11" tall). My legs just fit without any more room. I need a seat that keeps me in place and considering a back rest. I hear the Corbin seat is hard. I want to take longer rides but who wants to punish your body? :albino:

Caution... I am in the same problem area as you. Height 5'10" - inseam of 33". Before exploring and spending money on the new seat make sure you get through some more long rides. This will firm up the butt :roll: .

One important change I have made so far is in the riding gear. I wear a under liner sports wear with loose fitting riding pants. The butt rest is all the way back. I know now that a back rest is a must, Bearcat has a solution for that. Not a lover of strap on, Beads or sheepskin because I want to mantain a stock looking ride.

Now on the OEM seat. The binding or discomfort for me is in the butt area so I am looking at making the seat more like a tractor seat saddle shape. So a carving of the seat might just do the trick. Also I am looking to wear a Gel pack cycle pants to help.

Rob