LePera Sorrento LT Series Seat
LePera Enterprises, Inc.
$464
www.lepera.com
One look at just about any aftermarket parts catalog or even The Motor Company’s yearly Parts and Accessories book, and you’ll see that seating for your scooter is a very large and important element of the parts industry. Everyone seems to be trying to sell you that perfect seat for your bike. I have spent more time than I’d like to admit researching as many different seats as possible for my 2003 Sportster to give me extra comfort and style.
I chose a LePera Sorrento LT Series seat because the manufacturer, LePera Enterprises, Inc., claims it combines the best features of two of its most popular styles: the Maverick and the Silhouette. I knew I wanted a more comfortable seat, but at the same time I didn’t want it to look like some big, honkin’ Barcalounger strapped to my little bike. So the answer to me was obvious: the Sorrento.
Every day, after placing my order with the helpful Christine LePera, I would run anxiously to the front door like some kid waiting for Santa’s sleigh whenever I heard a UPS truck go by. Then, after about a week, my new seat was finally delivered. I immediately installed it, which took nothing more than attaching the chrome rear bracket to the underside of the seat pan, slipping the front receiver into the frame tongue and screwing it down.
I was very pleased with the way it looked on the bike. The styling, from the upholstery to the sleek, flowing shape perfectly complemented my Sportster. And the seat construction was excellent. The steel seat pan is powder coated black, and carpeted to protect the bike’s fender and frame. The Naugahyde cover, which is neatly riveted to the pan, is stitched and fitted flawlessly.
Looks are certainly important, but just how comfortable is this seat? Well, riding around town, to work and back with a few cruise nights thrown in, it seemed to be reasonably comfortable. A few times I got a little squirmy trying to find the right spot after some miles, but I attributed that to the seat being new and possibly needing to be broken in a bit. After all, not all butts are created equal and the foam may need some time to conform to my unique posterior.
Sure enough, the Sorrento was a cross between the comfort of the Maverick and the styling of the Silhouette. For more comfort, you can choose to have LePera insert its Biker Gel product. LePera offers a full line of seats ranging from low profile to full-out touring.
Obviously, there will always be some subjectivity when reviewing an item as personal as a seat. Everyone’s behind has its own “buttprint” and you can take two people of similar size and build and come away with very different opinions. But one thing is for sure: From a quality and styling standpoint, the LePera Sorrento LT is an excellent product.
